The pretty little Greek island just 12 miles from Corfu but there's barely a tourist there

Known for being the westernmost land area in , Othoni (also Orthonoi) is a small, sparsely-populated island that belongs to the Diapontian group, the largest of the inhabited Ereikoussa and Mathraki islands in the Ionian Sea.

Filled with lush vegetation, the island can only be reached via small ferries departing from island, which lies just 12 nautical miles southeast of Othoni. By making that extra journey, will be rewarded with quiet beaches and towns, away from the noise that now permeates across Corfu.

Today, Othonians living in Corfu sometimes call the island "Pera", meaning beyond, due to the island's location beyond the island.

According to legend, the ancient poet Homer referred to Othoni in The Odyssey as Ogygia, island of the nymph Calypso, who lived in a large cave there. In the poem, Odysseus fell in love with her and remained there for seven years as her prisoner. He described a strong scent of cypress on Ogygia - many cypress trees grow on the island today. Shortly after leaving the island on a raft, Odysseus was shipwrecked on the island of Scheria, known today as Corfu.

The island's port, Ammos, is the focal point, home to just a handful of and apartments, restaurants, car renting facilities and various monuments. Other important settlements also have accommodation facilities or sights, including Dafni, Damaskatika and the island's capital, Chorio.

In 1815, Britain conquered Othoni and in 1864 the Ionian Islands - including the Diapontians - passed to Greek sovereignty.

In December 1940, the Greek submarine Protefs sank in the sea area of Othoni after it attacked an Italian convoy carrying ammunition to Vlore in Albania. It was the first loss of the Greek Navy in . A monument to honour the crew was inaugurated on the island in June 2015.

On the island, visitors can also see a cross monument dedicated to the victims of the massacre of the island's inhabitants by the Ottoman fleet under Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1537.

Most Othoniotes have migrated to Corfu, Athens and abroad, particularly the US, because of unemployment and a lack of exploitable resources. The main work was olive and olive oil production. This remains one of the main occupations of current residents, alongside , fishing and construction.

The island is divided into two regions - Ano Panta and Kato Panta - and there are more than 20 settlements.

There are several main sights on Othoni: several churches, including the Holy Trinity Church at Ammos and the Saint George Church at Chorio, both built in the mid to late 19th-century. There are also the ruins of a Venetian fortress at the northeast end of Kastri cape hilltop, at an altitude of 100 metres.

Most on the island are accessible by boat. Aspiri Ammos beach is only accessible by boat to the west of the island. Othoni is a well-known island for underwater photography because of the peculiar geomorphology of the seabed and the many caves. The Cave of Calypso is located near the beach.

Mount Imerovigli is the highest peak of the island, with a height of 395 metres. From here, visitors can take in the view of the other Diapontia islands and the Ionian and Adriatic seas.

A traditional trail was created and used by the first inhabitants and was subsequently reopened by the municipality and private initiatives. Locals and visitors can use the trail to reach nearly every settlement and part of the island on foot, as well as Imerovigli.

Complementary reviews of Othoni are numerous on Tripadvisor, with one writing: "Fantastic ferry from San Stephanos. €4 each way to Orthonoie and back. Ferry leaves port at 10.30am to Mathraki for 15 mins and then onto Orthonoie. Takes about 75 mins. There's a few restaurants and a mini market there.

"You get about 4 hours on the island before departure at 4pm. Don't miss the boat. Lovely beach about 5 min walk away. Lovely clear water and a few stones so bring rock shoes if you can. Hot water shower by roadside and a changing cubicle. Nice peaceful afternoon listening to the waves. Enjoy. We did."