Travel Guide
Unfortunately, there is no travel guide in German exclusively about Ikaria. Maybe I should write one sometime! But the guide “Samos” includes a whole chapter (even with hotel and tavern suggestions) about Ikaria. If your trip to Ikaria takes you via Samos anyway, you get two birds with one stone. Because Samos is described in great detail.
Get the Samos travel guide from Müller-Verlag
Good as introductory literature and for travel preparation
I think the book is good as introductory literature to get an idea and prepare for your vacation. The author provides detailed travel information on history and sights, 26 overview maps, he describes 10 hikes and tours, accommodations and taverns for every taste.
A whole chapter about Ikaria
Samos’s neighboring island is the wild, rugged Ikaria, which is hardly touched by tourism. It leads through the island’s beautiful landscapes: lush plane tree forests and vineyards in the north, olive groves, extensive pine forests and wide bays with many beautiful beaches in the south. Massive hotel complexes are almost completely missing. If you’re looking for holiday fun and entertainment, you should look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you like it quieter, the East Aegean island is the right place for you, says the author. Thomas Schröder’s travel guide is completed by suggestions for well-described trips to neighboring Turkey and Ephesus, as well as a short trip to Patmos. So also perfect for island hopping
Hiking guide
From the series “Hiking on Greek Islands” from Dieter Graf Verlag in Munich: “Samos, Patmos, Ikaria, Kalymnos & Six Neighboring Islands”. I give it to my friends as soon as they arrive. You should definitely get this! Why? Because it has a handy format and the hikes are described very precisely, so that even inexperienced hikers can easily find their way around.
Get the hiking guide from Dieter Graf
Nine hikes in Ikaria described
Nine hikes have now been described on Ikaria, six of them in the area of Armenistis / Christos-Raches. This area offers beautiful hiking trails that are among the most beautiful on the Greek islands, as Dieter told me. He also appreciates the extensive trail markings provided by local organizations, which also clean and maintain the trails.
Like the earlier volume, this one is richly illustrated and contains extensive text, including on history and culture. However, I think the best thing is the time information on the left of the text, so you can still check while reading/hiking whether you should have already arrived at the point described or whether you have missed the target.
If you’re one of those people who don’t consider themselves die-hard hikers. But if you’re thinking about taking a foray into nature between the beach and the tavern, you can just walk short sections. There are so many goat trails in Ikaria that it’s easy to get lost. With the integrated maps and GPS waypoints you can always find your way around.
For hiking fans it has some real treats in the form of moderate to difficult hikes. But it tells you exactly the duration, the degree of difficulty and the height difference to be overcome. But also other details such as whether there are fountains or taverns for water along the way. Dieter Graf personally researched all hikes. He traveled a lot in Raches and I had the pleasure of meeting him often in my shop for a chat.
Ikaria Island: Travel and Walking Guidebook
English paperback, October 2018 edition, by Charlene Caprio. With detailed hiking maps and beautiful photo material. Buy here…
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.
Still looking for the right hotel?
Here you will find an overview of the best accommodations. Also read 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
Flight connections in comparison
Haven’t found a suitable 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
