Ikaria
The island of free spirits
Welcome to my personal Ikaria blog! I’ll tell you my travel and vacation tips and a lot about emigrating and island life. I am Swiss-Greek and live in Ikaria all year round with my Greek family.
I am not a travel agent and I do not rent anything. I’m just opening a door to paradise for you :-)
Ursula Kastanias @ Raches – Ikaria – Griechenland
Ikaria – The island of the centenarians
Ikaria is considered an absolute insider tip and is considered a phenomenon among Greeks and tourists alike. Ikaria is the cozy, unadulterated Greece of the 1970s. The people are simple, open and warm.
Certainly Ikaria’s fame has something to do with the way of life of its residents, who have banned the word “stress” from their vocabulary. A life in the here and now. The Ikarians have the distinctive ability to be content with very little and to enjoy life to the fullest, despite all its difficulties and hardships. The art of minimalism! Be happy with little.
Ikaria is one of the famous Blue Zones, places where people live particularly long and fulfilling lives, something that we are all looking for!
Ikaria is a place of longing. A place to slow down where people savor and enjoy life to the last drop. Dive into the lightness of being, away from materialism and consumerism, back to nature and people, to music, to liveliness and to joy.
Many even say that this is the perfect place to find the meaning of life…
More about Ikaria Blue Zones
Compact travel information
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What's going on in Ikaria?
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Relax on vacation!
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Find what you're looking for!
Read smartlyBook your own personal tour guide
Would you like to discover Ikaria with someone who knows the island by heart and has a solid background? Let me introduce you to my daughter
Selina Kastanias
Archaeologist, historian, museologist and licensed tourist guide
She grew up in Ikaria, studied in Switzerland, Germany and Greece and speaks fluent German, Greek and English. She will answer all your questions and show you the island from a very personal perspective.
She organizes and leads small groups on excursions with different themes or tailor-made private tours. These are a unique opportunity to get to know and understand Ikaria in a deep and authentic way! Selina is guaranteed to make your Ikaria experience unforgettable!
If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to contact her. More about Selina Kastanias
Still looking for the right hotel?
Here you will find an overview of the best accommodations. Also browse in my article about hotels and guesthouses. Do you prefer peace and more space? Would you rather have a holiday apartment or even an entire holiday home? Read my article on villas, holiday homes and bungalows.
You can also book directly via this/my Booking.com partner link, in which case I will receive a small commission from Booking.com. There are no additional costs for you. For “Ursula’s Ikaria”, however, it is a small appreciation and helps to cover the costs of this site – I am of course very happy about that. Thank you very much!
Being mobile is everything!
Ikaria is very spacious and there is no public transport. Even if you have the wanderlust and the joy of bouldering, not everything can be done on foot and you will miss the most beautiful Blue Zones hikes or excursion destinations such as the Onufrios monastery or the beach at Seichelles. So I definitely recommend a rental car at least temporarily. Ikaria’s nature is simply indescribable! To discover the most beautiful places in the Icarian wilderness, you have to set out. You can find the best hiking and road maps here.
Cheap flights in comparison
Haven’t found the right flight yet? With one click you can see which flight is the cheapest, the fastest or the best combination of both on which day. Click here
The ultimate Ikaria T-shirt
Ikarian Evolution, designed by Selina Kastanias. You can find the shirts in addition to many other cool Ikaria souvenirs, summer clothes, scarves, hoodies, handmade ceramics, natural soaps and silver jewelry in our store in Raches. We also send them all over the world…
These gifts will make Ikaria fans happy!
If you’re looking for a gift idea for a Greece fan, you’re just one click away from my ultimate gift list. Great for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, housewarming, a Greek party or just because. There’s something for every taste and occasion. Let yourself be inspired!
