Is a picturesque little fishing village in the northwest of Ikaria, close to the island’s two largest sandy beaches, Livadi and Messahti. It is the most “touristy” corner of Ikaria, but Ikaria is an idyll compared to other Greek islands such as Santorini, Mykonos or Crete. Everything is relatively tranquil. Armenistis is 15km from the nearest port Evdylos and 50km from the airport and can be reached in two hours by car from the airport via the sometimes very winding coastal road. From Evdylos the journey takes only 20 minutes. The classic Mallorca tourist will definitely be at his wits’ end. Under no circumstances should he come here, but leave the island to Ikaria fans, and of course to those who are still looking for the original, unadulterated Greece!
Armenistis is a small village, but offers everything you need: supermarket, taverns, snack bars, confectioners (be careful! Danger of addiction!), souvenir shops, travel agencies, car and bicycle rentals, bars and ouzerias, but no one is standing in front of the shops trying to to lure tourists in, as is usual elsewhere. Despite growing tourism, Armenistis has still remained a fairly quiet place where you can unwind.
You definitely won’t starve in Armenistis. The small taverns and snack bars offer original Greek cuisine, from breakfast to lunch and dinner, everything the garden offers and no run-of-the-mill food. Lovers of fresh fish in particular will get their money’s worth, as the fishermen go out every day, weather permitting, to lay their nets.
The nightlife in Armenistis takes place mainly in the town’s taverns. Most of the time, after dinner, which usually doesn’t start until around 9 a.m. anyway, people stay in the tavern where they ate. It’s great to chat over wine or ouzo. Sometimes you’re even lucky enough that someone has an instrument with you and suddenly people get together and sing. You get to know nice people very quickly. For die-hard night owls there are two small romantic bars or there is even a disco outside of the town, very practical as there is no sound in the rooms at night.
Not all Greeks speak English or German. Here, as on the whole island, it is definitely helpful to speak a few words of Greek. You can also take a look at the free course from Book2.
There are a handful of hotels, all of which are nestled into the cliffs in a way that is compatible with the landscape, and a number of guesthouses that offer accommodation for every taste and budget, from very simple rooms with toilets and showers in the hallway to studios and apartments.
Armenistis is a good starting point for great hikes. There is even a German-language hiking map, which I translated from Greek myself and I highly recommend the circular hike around Raches! But if you want to go into the hinterland you need a vehicle. It’s definitely worth renting one and exploring the island. Since there are few public bus connections, you either have to be good on foot, try to hitchhike like the islanders do or rent a car/motorcycle/quad. To the left of the confectionery the road leads up to Raches and from there into the hinterland.
In Armenistis itself you can swim wonderfully on the small pebble beach down by the harbor pier. Especially when the sea is stormy, you are well protected from the high waves there. The beach is so small that it always seems crowded. So if you prefer a large sandy beach, you will find it 300m further towards Gialiskari.
In Armenistis selbst kann man am kleinen Kiesstrand unten bei der Hafenmole wunderbar schwimmen, besonders wenn das Meer stürmisch ist, ist man dort gut geschützt vor den hohen Wellen. Der Strand ist so klein, dass er immer überfüllt erscheint. Wer also lieber einen grossen Sandstrand möchte, der findet ihn 300m weiter Richtung Gialiskari.