The ferry from Samos took us to Evdilos, a port town on the north side of Ikaria. From there it was a short drive to our AirBnB in nearby Karavostamo. Recently Ikaria had been in the news because it was considered one of the rare places in the world called a “Blue Zone,” where a high percentage of the population lived longer than average, and a significant number made it to 100. Regardless of whether there’s anything to the Blue Zone theory, Ikaria does has a reputation for simplicity and a slower pace to life. It would not be surprising if this coincided with an improved lifespan for its residents.

After arriving, we immediately noticed a difference in the atmosphere. The pace seemed even slower than Naxos or Kos, as both the locals and tourists felt thinly spread out except at some of the beaches. There were places where the tourists congregated, but the numbers were generally lower. And there were a lot of places with few tourists at all.

We rented a Skoda that we picked up from the independent company in Evdilos. The driver side door handle didn’t work so I had to roll down the window to get out. But we valued its small size when driving along narrow cliffsides and through small towns.

Itinerary:

In total we stayed 3 nights at Karavostamo. It was a beautiful traditional village with narrow winding streets going up and down. On the first day we we went to Mesakti Beach and Nas Beach where we also saw a temple dedicated to Artemis. The next day we did a day trip to Seychelles Beach on the other side of the island. One our last day we drove across the island on our way to the airport. On the way we stopped off at the town of Therma, where we hoped to find some thermal pools.

Karavostamo

We enjoyed the slow pace of life in the town. There were only a few stores and restaurants around, but they were more than adequate. Everyone was friendly as well.

Mestaki Beach

The next day we drove west towards Mesakti Beach (Paralia Mesakti), located about 30 minutes from our Air BnB in Karavostamo. There we had lunch and enjoyed the water. The drive along the coast was winding and we had to be careful in the towns as the roads were narrow and only fit one car many sections.

Nas Beach

We rented a parasol and stayed a few hours to enjoy the water. With time left in the day, we went just 10 minutes further down the road to another town. Nearby was the Temple of Artemis, and next to the temple was Nas Beach.

Dedicated to Artemis, patroness of sailors and protector of hunters and wild animals, the ancient temple was discovered in 1925 by locals. Shortly thereafter many of the stone blocks were removed and used to build a nearby church. Legend has it that the ancient temple’s statue of Artemis is buried somewhere in the river located behind the temple.

The waves at Nas Beach are not for the faint of heart. They were strong and I didn’t venture too far out. Each wave would smash against the rocks, creating a loud rattling sound as the rocks banged into each other and rolled towards the sea.

In part 2 we will be heading to Seychelles Beach on the other side of the island.