Anyone been to Ikaria, Greece?
Jan 28th, 2016, 09:23 AM
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Anyone been to Ikaria, Greece?
My husband and I will be traveling in a small group, with a person who has family in Ikaria, Greece. We'll be staying an hotel-type lodging, but some of our experiences will be provided with She's offered 2 levels of lodging: Pension Fotinos, a little 7-room place, and Erofili Beach Hotel, which sounds a bit more touristy. We just need a clean bed and a bathroom. We don't plan to spend much time inside! Has anyone ever been to the Pension? Any other tips for what to see/do/eat/buy on Ikaria?
Jan 30th, 2016, 04:33 AM
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Armenistis is a nice place with 2 sandy beaches. Erofilis Hotewl is fine.
Ikaria is more famous with Greek tourists than with foreigners.
As the island is small and quiet, things to do in Ikaria are limited. There are no organized things to do in Ikaria. The island is ideal for total relaxation at the beach or in the countryside. Swimming in the wonderfully secluded beaches of Ikaria island is a delight. Enjoy a day under the hot sun and in the afternoon have lunch in the seaside taverns. In the evenings, have a drink in a lounge cafe-bar under the stars. Another enjoyable activity in Ikaria is hiking. Many old footpaths cross the island and lead to tiny chapels, small settlements, secluded beaches and hilltops with breathtaking view to the sea. Hiking is best in autumn and spring, when the weather is not so hot. In summer, long hiking can be quiet uncomfortable. Source: www.greeka.com
Ikaria is more famous with Greek tourists than with foreigners.
As the island is small and quiet, things to do in Ikaria are limited. There are no organized things to do in Ikaria. The island is ideal for total relaxation at the beach or in the countryside. Swimming in the wonderfully secluded beaches of Ikaria island is a delight. Enjoy a day under the hot sun and in the afternoon have lunch in the seaside taverns. In the evenings, have a drink in a lounge cafe-bar under the stars. Another enjoyable activity in Ikaria is hiking. Many old footpaths cross the island and lead to tiny chapels, small settlements, secluded beaches and hilltops with breathtaking view to the sea. Hiking is best in autumn and spring, when the weather is not so hot. In summer, long hiking can be quiet uncomfortable. Source: www.greeka.com
Feb 1st, 2016, 08:41 PM
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Feb 3rd, 2016, 07:26 PM
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If you want to get some insight into the "vibe" of Ikaria, the Cadogan guide to the Greek Isles, and the Rough Guide both have interesting background. In the Greek Civil War in late 1940s, between the Communists (and assorted other leftists) and the Monarchists/middle-of-roaders, the Reds lost, (thanks to heavy support by Truman admin). Afterwards, a lot of the lefties were "exiled" to an almost-forgotten island, which had few people and not many resources, no industry. Amazingly, the old Reds made themselves right at home, fitted in beautifully, are now the bedrock of its culture.
This island does NOT seek out tourists or riches, they grow & fish for what they need, sleep late, and stay up VERY late, enjoying each other. Instead of 3 or 4 larger towns, they apparently have dozens of villages. Apparently the only major drawback is almost nonexistent public transport, but if you can rent a car or a motorcycle or scooter (remember to get International driving permit), it can be an unique & wonderful experience. I've been to almost 30 islands in my 12 trips, but this is the Shangri-La that I as a nondriver, probably will die without seeing. DO come back & tell us about it!
This island does NOT seek out tourists or riches, they grow & fish for what they need, sleep late, and stay up VERY late, enjoying each other. Instead of 3 or 4 larger towns, they apparently have dozens of villages. Apparently the only major drawback is almost nonexistent public transport, but if you can rent a car or a motorcycle or scooter (remember to get International driving permit), it can be an unique & wonderful experience. I've been to almost 30 islands in my 12 trips, but this is the Shangri-La that I as a nondriver, probably will die without seeing. DO come back & tell us about it!
Feb 4th, 2016, 01:26 AM
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May be you are interested in http://www.island-ikaria.com/travel/...Transportation
Feb 4th, 2016, 08:40 AM
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Thank you, both! I am VERY interested in the background provided, and will definitely look into the Cadogan and Rough guides. I had no idea about the communist influence - I imagine it will be difficult to detect, given the Blue Zone lifestyle! This is my first trip to the Greek Islands, and my tour guide has lots of family there, so I think that all of my travel will be managed by them. Again, thanks to you both!
Feb 6th, 2016, 02:24 PM
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It's not really the Communist "influence" ... it's just that the leftists were SENT there. Deb I think u are affected by the US era of The Red Menace ... in many many European countries, there was a left constituency that is nothing like the J. Edgar Hoover Red Monster. You might enjoy reading a Memoir called "Eurydice Street" by an English woman ( hadGreek mother but never lived there) who married a Greek diplomat & moved to Athens with their daughters in 1990s & how she learned about modern Greece ... interesting chapter on the effect, 50 years later, of that fraught time in Greek politics.
Thanks!
Feb 21st, 2016, 10:49 PM
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Ikaria is a truly magical place, I immediately fell in love with the island when I came last year for the first time and decided to move here right after. It is not a mainstream tourist place at all, however it tends to be very busy from mid July until the end of August. If you come in May, June and September you can see Ikaria for what really is: beautiful nature sceneries, wild landscapes, hidden cultural sites. If you like hiking you will have a great time! There are several paths on the island that lead through forests, canyons, plateaus, along lakes, rivers, waterfalls and waterpools.
If you can, plan your travel in a way so that you can attend a panigiri, these are local festivals with live Greek music, dancing, food and wine. Ikaria also has several beautiful beaches, the closest ones to Armenistis are the beach of Nas and the beach of Messakti, but it’s definitely worth a trip to the south side of the island to swim at the hidden beach of Seychelles also. Local transportation is a little bit tricky, I recommend you to rent a car or a motorbike, which can be also done in Armenistis.
If you are interested in hiking in Ikaria and other activities I recommend you to visit the site https://www.discoverikaria.com
They do guiding among many other things, they have a big love for nature and Ikaria.
Good luck with your trip!
If you can, plan your travel in a way so that you can attend a panigiri, these are local festivals with live Greek music, dancing, food and wine. Ikaria also has several beautiful beaches, the closest ones to Armenistis are the beach of Nas and the beach of Messakti, but it’s definitely worth a trip to the south side of the island to swim at the hidden beach of Seychelles also. Local transportation is a little bit tricky, I recommend you to rent a car or a motorbike, which can be also done in Armenistis.
If you are interested in hiking in Ikaria and other activities I recommend you to visit the site https://www.discoverikaria.com
They do guiding among many other things, they have a big love for nature and Ikaria.
Good luck with your trip!
Feb 23rd, 2016, 11:20 AM
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Wonderful information! You sound very happy in your new location.
We'll have insider guidance, and I'll definitely ask about going to Seychelles. I have seen images of some of the festivals, and would love to participate. We'll have large amounts of time to play, and my friends and I look forward to exploring the trails. I've been given lots of terrific links, which have only heightened my anticipation.
Thank you for your insight!
We'll have insider guidance, and I'll definitely ask about going to Seychelles. I have seen images of some of the festivals, and would love to participate. We'll have large amounts of time to play, and my friends and I look forward to exploring the trails. I've been given lots of terrific links, which have only heightened my anticipation.
Thank you for your insight!
Aug 8th, 2016, 09:21 AM
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We've just returned from Greece, having spent 5 days in Athens, and another 5 on Ikaria. Overall, the trip was wonderful. Their current economic status is plain for all to see, with many vacancies and partially-constructed residential and commercial properties at both locations. And we were told that unemployment is currently at a devastating 30%.
Athens was as breathtaking as one would expect, and we hiked up the hills to several aerial sites. I was surprised that there are so many ruins underfoot, but in retrospect, and with additional information, that makes sense.
However, my image of Ikaria was only a series of Google Earth snapshots and Fodors' insights (thank you all!), which still left me a bit unprepared for the extremely simple lifestyle that Ikarians lead.
I was also surprised that the lowlands are so dry, dusty, and treeless, but after being told that they have 4 days of rain/year, I was equally surprised that the mountain areas were so lush. Shrubs, trees, and flowers all have to be extraordinarily hardy, and when we hiked the low lands, we were left with bloody ankles! The terrain there is dusty, rocky, and devoid of trees, and the slopes were extreme. The temps were in the high 90's and low 100's F, and the hiking was uncomfortable. Trails were difficult to find at the low levels, but more plentiful, visible, and enjoyable in the mountains.
The Ikarians are able to harvest a surprising amount of fruit, vegetables, greens, and flowers from their land. The shrubby plants that grow there have little in common with their US counterparts; their hardiness apparently contributes to their quality as factors in the Blue Zone lifestyle.
The people were warm and funny, and welcoming, and most seem to speak at least a smidgen of English. Between that and hand gestures, we managed quite nicely.
I would have only done 2 things differently: I would have avoided going in the superheated months of July and August, particularly because the Greeks flock there during August, and I would see the Peloponnese and more of the coastal areas. We did see Sounio and Glyfada, but felt like we missed a lot.
Athens was as breathtaking as one would expect, and we hiked up the hills to several aerial sites. I was surprised that there are so many ruins underfoot, but in retrospect, and with additional information, that makes sense.
However, my image of Ikaria was only a series of Google Earth snapshots and Fodors' insights (thank you all!), which still left me a bit unprepared for the extremely simple lifestyle that Ikarians lead.
I was also surprised that the lowlands are so dry, dusty, and treeless, but after being told that they have 4 days of rain/year, I was equally surprised that the mountain areas were so lush. Shrubs, trees, and flowers all have to be extraordinarily hardy, and when we hiked the low lands, we were left with bloody ankles! The terrain there is dusty, rocky, and devoid of trees, and the slopes were extreme. The temps were in the high 90's and low 100's F, and the hiking was uncomfortable. Trails were difficult to find at the low levels, but more plentiful, visible, and enjoyable in the mountains.
The Ikarians are able to harvest a surprising amount of fruit, vegetables, greens, and flowers from their land. The shrubby plants that grow there have little in common with their US counterparts; their hardiness apparently contributes to their quality as factors in the Blue Zone lifestyle.
The people were warm and funny, and welcoming, and most seem to speak at least a smidgen of English. Between that and hand gestures, we managed quite nicely.
I would have only done 2 things differently: I would have avoided going in the superheated months of July and August, particularly because the Greeks flock there during August, and I would see the Peloponnese and more of the coastal areas. We did see Sounio and Glyfada, but felt like we missed a lot.
Aug 8th, 2016, 10:01 AM
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hikindeb, there's always NEXT time! And you'll know more aobut the temps... I got lucky on my first trip & stuck to it .. going between mid-May and Mid-June gives you absolutely ideal climate; rains are over, but greenery is still flourishing, even in dryer isles. In most places, the nighttime lows are in mid 60s, the early afternoon highs are in low 80s, light breeze always, calm seas. In my 12 trips, 11 have been at that time, one for 3 weeks starting Sept 5. The sea is warmer for swimming, but from 4 mos. w.o. rain, landscapes are browner... also the days are shorter, and coming in June when sunsets are bout 845 - 9pm, I was spoiled!
Yes, Peloponnese can occupy 2 weeks very fruitfully -- and you can see a great deal in 1 week, then island-hop on another. I highly recommend the well-linked Serifos - Sifnos -Milos West Cyclades route; NOT touristic (no cruise ships, only a few planes into Milos. Sublime beaches.
Yes, Peloponnese can occupy 2 weeks very fruitfully -- and you can see a great deal in 1 week, then island-hop on another. I highly recommend the well-linked Serifos - Sifnos -Milos West Cyclades route; NOT touristic (no cruise ships, only a few planes into Milos. Sublime beaches.
Aug 9th, 2016, 07:12 AM
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Thanks, travelerjan!
I neglected to mention the insane traffic on Ikaria during "high season"! Single lane roads, big trucks, buses, tiny cars and motorbikes, pedestrians, cats! All vying for the single lane roads. Most vehicles have scrapes on both sides. They don't sweat the traffic, but all are adept at backing down hills, around corners, and between vehicles. It's not a place for the faint-hearted driver!
We will definitely return!
I neglected to mention the insane traffic on Ikaria during "high season"! Single lane roads, big trucks, buses, tiny cars and motorbikes, pedestrians, cats! All vying for the single lane roads. Most vehicles have scrapes on both sides. They don't sweat the traffic, but all are adept at backing down hills, around corners, and between vehicles. It's not a place for the faint-hearted driver!
We will definitely return!
