NorahEveryone loves Santorini and Mykonos, and for good reason. They are both spectacular islands. However, the world as a whole is starting to become more and more curious about the other Greek islands, and with due reason. In this guide, I will be giving you all the tips for my favorite Greek island: Ikaria.
Check out my Greece guide for more info!
Where is Ikaria?
Ikaria is located about 43 miles east of Mykonos; however, the islands could not be more different. Where Mykonos is all parties, Ikaria is incredibly calm. You can reach Ikaria by ferry or by plane-it is about a two hour flight from Athens and a two hour ferry from Mykonos.
When is the best time to visit Ikaria?
With most Greek islands, if you want to avoid the crowds you will avoid the summer months. However, Ikaria is a hidden gem that is not super crowded. It boasts beautiful and refreshing beaches, and can be enjoyed year round. Since you will not be running from crowds, I would recommend visiting during the summer. This will give you the best weather!
On the other hand, you could visit in the spring for Greek Easter. This is also a lovely time to enjoy the warm weather.
How do I get around Ikaria?
In Ikaria, I highly recommend renting a car. There is virtually no public transportation, and most of the sights you will want to see are a drive away. Ikaria is much bigger than some of the other islands, so I recommend renting a car for at least one day to get the full experience and see some of the adventures that are a bit further out.
Where to stay in Ikaria?
There are several small villages all around Ikaria. We opted to stay in Armenistis because it is walking distance to a beach, quiet, with plenty of restaurants and little streets to wander around in the evenings.
You could also stay in Evildos or Therma. Or, you could opt to stay in a more remote area.
Why have I heard of Ikaria before?
Ikaria is famous for being a blue zone! A blue zone is an area that has a higher than average percentage of people that live to be over 100, so scientists are interested in the longevity benefits of the region. The Blue Zone list is partly why I wanted to visit Ikaria in the first place, and why I prioritized it on my Greece trip.You can read more about blue zones here.
A couple things I noticed:
- Most of the Ikarian diet is seafood and vegetables, and it is all very fresh. Because Ikaria is an island, I can imagine they grow their own food. During my time there, I felt great because there were so many high quality ingredients.
- Ikaria is mountainous, which means walking up a lot of hills. This fact really reminded me how important it is to incorporate little movements throughout the day and how important those movements are for longevity.
- Because it is an island, Ikarians have really emphasized the importance of community. You can listen to an explanation on why community is so important here, but seeing Ikaria really reminded me how important the relationships in our lives are.
What is there to do in Ikaria?
There is so, so much to do in Ikaria. However, even in the midst of a busy itinerary I would recommend delegating at least an afternoon to sitting on the beach and soaking in the water. Ikaria beaches are beautiful, and it is so nice to just relax and soak up all the benefits of the sunshine and salt water.
If you are craving adventure, here is what I recommend:
Seychelles Beach.
This hike/beach is named after its counterpart in the Indian Ocean, and is absolutely stunning. The hike is located on the much more remote side of the island, and will likely involve an hours drive to get to. It is worth it!
Once you get to the parking area, you will have an approximately half a mile hike until you get to the top of the beach. This is where things get a bit tricky-you will definitely be able to see the beach, and maybe even see beachgoers. However, you will be looking down on the scene from above, and they way to get down might not be super clear. The trick is to keep following the trail to the right, and you will eventually have to crawl on the namesake rocks to get to the actual beach.
I was initially scared to climb the rocks down to the beach, because it can look a bit scary. However, it is actually completely manageable and not intimidating at all.
Once you are there, enjoy a beautiful beach! I would recommend swimming a bit out if you feel comfortable. From the ocean, you can really see the whole side of the island, and you will see that it is completely remote. Seychelles beach is one of the most wild places I have ever been, and seeing an unsettled coastline is spectacular.
Please note: Because the trek is so remote, there is virtually no cell service. I would recommend downloading Google maps before you go and letting a loved one know when you will be back.
Nas Beach.
Nas beach is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my whole life. I went to the beach every single night my entire stay on Ikaria, and cannot recommend the area enough.
Nas beach is in a small village of the town, about a ten minutes drive from Armenistis. There is a pathway to walk down to actually dip your toes in the water, and there is also a small path along a cliff edge if you want to view the beach from above.
I cannot speak for how crowded the beach gets during the day, but during the evening there were very few people. At times, it felt like we had the whole area to ourselves!
There are also several small restaurants around the beach, if you want to eat dinner after watching sunset!
Wineries.
According to Greek mythology, Ikaria is the place where Dionysis was taught how to make wine. After experiencing Ikarian wine, I can definitely believe it!
We went to Afianes winery, located deep in the heart of the island. We received a really lovely tour from the owner, and were able to try a bunch of different wine flavors.
Other wineries to check out include Tsantiris winery and the Karimalis winery.
There are so many other fun activities in Ikaria, but remember not to overbook yourself! And be sure to check out my Greece guide and my recommendations for Santorini in the video below.
Happy travels!
