A program on German television made me prick up my ears. Greece rose to fourth place as the Germans’ favorite travel destination in 2018 and even to first place within Europe. Interesting. I started doing a little market research. According to this program (Tagesschau), most people gave the delicious food, the great beaches and the short travel times as the reasons in that order.

So love goes through the stomach after all! I knew it. Greek cuisine is one of the most popular in Europe. Let’s be honest: just the thought of souvlaki and tzatziki gives you a holiday feeling. And always the delicious ouzo provided by the host at the end. Delicious! “I drink ouzo, what are you drinking?” (Sorry, I couldn’t resist that now ;-)

Greece has a lot of sea!

Anyone who believed the media that as soon as you identified yourself as German you would have raw eggs thrown at you simply missed Greece all these years. But recently there has also been a change in the media. Greece is moving back up the list of favorite holiday destinations. After Turkey and Egypt dropped out of the race due to political concerns, Greece, the old classic, is back at the front in 2018. Close, cheap, warm, lots of sun, lots of sea. Nice people, small country, no attacks. Perhaps a new romantic philhellenism is taking hold.

Ikaria – In search of the meaning of life

Ikaria is considered an absolute insider tip in various rankings. The special island is considered a phenomenon among Greeks and tourists alike. It certainly has something to do with the way of life of the residents, who have banned the word “stress” from their vocabulary and simply enjoy all the little things in life. The art of minimalism! Be happy with little. Having the serenity to enjoy the time you have. Some even believe that this is the perfect place to find the meaning of life.

Ikaria is one of the famous Blue Zones, places where people live particularly long and fulfilling lives, something that we are all looking for! A place where people enjoy life to the last drop, so much so that they even forget to die, as the Greeks joke. A place of longing. Dive into the lightness of being, even if it’s just for a vacation.

Ikaria attracts young Greeks as well as international creatives and artists. The early and late season is more for romantics, nature lovers, hikers and bouldering fans, adventurers and philosophers. Low season is April, May, June, and low season is September and October. These months are ideal for hiking and exploring the untouched wilderness. More and more outdoor activities are finding fans mainly among young Greeks, such as surfing, in summer there is a surf school on Messachti Beach, trekking, horse riding, mountain biking, diving, snorkeling, dancing, painting, yoga, creative writing, photography and so on Meditate. Partly organized, partly on your own. And that’s definitely not all of them. But the trend is clear: Ikaria is becoming an ecotourism and creative island.

The main season is July and August, the main travel time for Greeks, when the island is mainly filled with these. Another special feature of the island is that tourists are the minority. One of the absolute MUST-DOs on Ikaria is of course the Panigyria, the famous open-air dance festivals. The rhythm of the violin inspires and enchants people and everyone, really everyone, young and old, dances until dawn. You can experience this most impressively on August 15th, if you are lucky enough to be in Ikaria then. You have to experience this once in your life!

My book tip: Language calendar 2018 – the perfect preparation for the holiday, your daily portion of modern Greek with varied texts, dialogues, proverbs and sayings, grammar, vocabulary and spelling exercises. The translations, solutions, vocabulary aids and helpful grammar explanations are included on the back of the respective calendar pages. Plus a lot of interesting facts about the country and its people. A varied mix of information, entertainment and exercise. Examples and exercises are also available online as audio files. Buy here

My film tip: The German-language culture clash comedy: Highway to Hellas – hilarious, lovable, cynical, honest, so funny! Could play in Ikaria! The story takes place on the fictional Greek island of Paladiki against the backdrop of the financial crisis. The island community received a loan from a German bank for its eco-tourism project “Galapagos in Greece” and pledged its non-existent power station, hospital and beach as security… Buy here