Insulele fermecate

Laura Coffey leaves London after a breakup and job loss. She sets out during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her route takes her across islands in the Mediterranean. Her father has cancer that will end his life. She fears she might infect him. For six months, she seeks sites linked to Odysseus’s travels.

This travel memoir blends Greek myth with loss and grief. It is for fans of travel writing and Homer’s Odyssey. Coffey asks how real places may have shaped old tales. Myths help her face fear, change and feeling alone.

She starts in the Aeolian Islands, near Sicily. She hikes and swims as she visits four islands. These are Lipari, Vulcano, Salina and Stromboli. She draws on local history and chance meetings. Land shaped by volcanoes also helps shape her account. In Sicily, she explores Cefalu. She also visits Castelbuono, a village in the mountains. Marettimo and Favignana add more links to Homer’s world.

New travel rules and rough weather change her plans. She reaches Croatia, but cannot get to Mljet. She stays on Korcula, then leaves through Zagreb. She spends Christmas in Menorca, away from her family. Each day, she swims in cold water. This brings relief, but does not end her worry. She goes home when her father’s health gets worse. After he dies, she visits Menorca again, then returns to London. Her trip shows how escape can help, but has limits.

Coffey writes about wild places and the people she meets. Her work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveller. The Guardian and BBC Travel have also shared her work. She teaches yoga and likes to travel on her own. She also enjoys birds and cycling. Alexandra Tabara translated this edition from English.