Ikaria

Ikaria is the strangest and most wonderful island in the Aegean. The ferry arrives at Agios Kirykos, the island's small port, and from there the road climbs into the mountains, through villages so steep and winding that the drive feels like entry into another world. The island is rugged and green, with gorges, hot springs, and a coastline that alternates between wild cliffs and hidden coves. Nas, where the ruins of a temple stand by the river mouth, and the long beach of Mesakti are the places to swim. The festivals — the famous Ikarian paniyiria — run through the night to live music, which explains why the Ikarians are famous for living longer and partying harder than anyone else in Greece. The island's motto is 'wine, women, and song' — and it seems to be working. Ikaria is a place that changes visitors: it runs on its own time, and it asks only that they enjoy themselves.

Ikaria has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and it takes its name from the myth of Icarus, who fell into the sea off the island's coast after flying too close to the sun. In antiquity the island was known for its hot springs, which were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and for its wine; the island's Panhellenic sanctuary of Artemis, at the village of Nas, was an important shrine. In the Middle Ages the island was raided by pirates, and its population withdrew to the mountains, living in fortified villages that survive today. Under Ottoman rule Ikaria was one of the poorest and most isolated islands of the Aegean, and it was famously the last island to be freed in the Greek War of Independence, declaring itself an independent republic in 1912 before joining Greece a month later. In the 1960s a penal colony for political exiles was established on the island, and its memory is still part of the island's identity. Today Ikaria is known above all for its longevity: the island is one of the world's 'blue zones', where people live extraordinarily long lives, a fact the islanders attribute to their food, their lifestyle, and their fiercely independent, festive culture.

Ikaria has some of the most beautiful and least crowded beaches in the Aegean. Nas, at the northwest corner, is the island's most famous: a wide bay with a river mouth and the ruins of the sanctuary of Artemis, where the swimming is extraordinary. Mesakti, on the north coast, is a long, beautiful beach with clear water. The beaches of the south coast — including the coves near Manganitis — are wild and quiet, reached by winding roads. And the hot springs of the island offer a different kind of swimming altogether. The water is clean and clear, and the beaches are rarely crowded. Bring good shoes for the paths and a mask for the rocky points, and expect the island's famous spirit of ease to slow you down.

Ikaria food is the cooking of a self-sufficient island, and it is the secret of the islanders' famous longevity. The island produces its own wine, honey, olive oil, and vegetables, and the Ikarian diet is famously simple: beans, greens, vegetables, fish, and goat's milk. The island's 'pitarakia' — little cheese pies — are a local specialty, and the festivals are feasts of roasted goat and island wine. For a proper Ikarian meal, find a taverna in the mountains, order the goat or the beans, a plate of the island's greens, and a carafe of the local wine, and let the evening unfold at the island's own pace. And be sure to join a paniyiri if you can — the music, the dancing, and the food are the heart of Ikaria.

May, June, and September are the ideal months on Ikaria: warm, green, and beautiful, with the beaches quiet and the festivals in full swing. July and August are the main season, and the island's paniyiria are at their most frequent. Spring is lovely, when the mountains are green and the waterfalls full. Whenever you come, plan to join at least one festival — they are the soul of the island — and allow the island's famously relaxed pace to set your own.

Ikaria is reached by ferry from Piraeus, from Samos, Fournoi and the other islands. It also has direct flights from Athens, landing at the island's own airport.

The island is mountainous and the roads are winding, so a car is essential and patience is recommended. Do not miss the paniyiria, the hot springs, and the beach of Nas. Walk the mountain villages, swim at Mesakti, and let the island's legendary sense of ease work its magic. Ikaria is not an island you visit — it is an island that visits you.