Ionian Sea

Between the heel and toe of Italy and the western shores of Greece, the Ionian Sea opens southward into the Mediterranean. Sicily and Calabria border its western waters, while the Ionian Islands lie along the Greek side. Ancient Greek sailors crossed it from at least the eighth century BC to found settlements in Italy. Its deep waters also appear in the stories of Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca, whose long voyage home brought him across the seas of the Greek world.