Ikaria was selected for the first Geo Season discovery booklet and the most exciting destinations for 2017!

A trip to the island of free spirits…

“The Greek island surprises with lush greenery, gorges, springs and free spirits who like to party. Far away from Athens, in the east of the Aegean, the stubborn citizens of Ikaria have created an empire with their own rules. They open their shops when it’s convenient , and celebrate at every opportunity. Travelers throw themselves into the fun…” Quote from the December 2016 issue of GEO Season

Geo Saison – The monthly travel magazine with wonderful photos, exciting travel reports, lots of tips and addresses. It gives you new ideas and inspires your desire to travel thanks to its elegant design. According to its own information, it has a circulation of almost 80,000 copies and a reach of over 0.6 million readers.

The travel report about Ikaria was written by the German journalist and writer Elsemarie Maletzke. The atmospheric images are from Athens professional photographer Christos Drazos.

We had actually agreed to meet during Elsemarie Maletzke’s stay. Unfortunately, since I was traveling with my connoisseur culture group on the south side, our meeting didn’t take place. Elsemarie Maletzke mentioned my travel blog as a useful source of information in her report.

Unfortunately I don’t have a copy yet, but my friend and island expert Diet Simon from Hamburg brought it to my attention and sent parts of it. Elsemarie Maletzke writes an effervescent, empathetic eulogy about “the island of free spirits”.

She seems particularly impressed by the optimism and solidarity of the people. She calls Ikaria “The Island of the Oppositionists.” A feature from the period of the civil war (1946-1949), when Ikaria became an island of exile for 13,000 communists, including the world-famous composer and musician Mikis Theodorakis. “There was a single sore point in our relationship with the locals,” GEO quotes Mikis Theodorakis. “We clarified this in the 10th commandment of the group regulations: Any romantic relationship with a local girl or woman was forbidden. We were guided by the idea that we did not go into exile to have romantic adventures.”

People stick together and don’t miss any celebration…

“Late at night, when the few tourists are already in bed, the Panigyri church festivals become more and more exuberant. Then the Greeks lie in each other’s arms and dance.” The author writes enthusiastically about the locals’ obvious love of life. She raves about the village festivals, the delicious food and the homemade wine. The dishes are so tasty and healthy because lots of fresh vegetables and wild aromatic herbs are used. The old recipes have been passed down through the generations and you can still enjoy them in the small taverns today. At festivals the boundaries are blurred. Icariotes mingle with tourists. The “dialogue between cultures” is part of the concept – and takes place reliably every evening.

“On Ikaria, time is not a criterion that encourages people to hurry”

The author writes about the hospitality, openness and happiness of the people. The art of taking time for what’s important. About the solidarity and the matter-of-factness with which the locals share what little they have.

She reports on beaches worth seeing, excursions and hiking tips. She also recommends Dieter Graf’s hiking guide for nature lovers. Finally, she lists helpful addresses and telephone numbers. You can find more information about the article here

If you don’t have this issue yet, you can order it directly here from GEO-Saison for €6.50.