Strophades Islands

The Strofades monastery in a picture from the 18th century.

Strophades Islands (Latin name), or sometimes spelled Strofades Islands, are located in the Ionian Sea west of Greece. They consist of two islands: Stamfani and Arpia. There is a monk living in a monastery on the larger island, and both islands are owned by the Greek Orthodox Church. They are rocky with little vegetation and are a haven to different species of birds. In the Aeneid, the Roman poet Virgil tells how the Trojan hero Aeneas visited and found the islands were inhabited by Harpies.