Xylosyrtis sits on the green south coast of Ikaria, a short distance southwest of the capital Agios Kirykos. The village rests on well-watered slopes that fall toward the Aegean, wrapped in springs, terraced gardens, orchards and vineyards. Water runs freely through this stretch of coast, and the mild, sheltered setting long earned it a name … Read more
Kerame beach is a long, low-key sand strip on the north coast of Ikaria, tucked into the Karavostamo and Kerame area east of the port town Evdilos. The beach stretches as a wide band of pale sand and fine shingle, backed by tamarisk trees and green hillside. Travellers reach it for space, clear water and … Read more
Ikaria rewards travelers who arrive with a plan and a rental car. A two-day trip covers a genuine slice of the island without racing across every road. The best base sits on the northwest coast, near Armenistis, close to the finest beaches and the mountain villages above them. Day one belongs to the north-coast sand … Read more
Ikaria rewards travellers who slow down and let a week unfold. Seven days give room to cover the north-coast beaches, climb into the pine mountains, soak in the radon springs of the south, and cross to the Fourni islands by boat. A car unlocks the whole island, and Armenistis makes a calm northern base for … Read more
Ikaria sits in the north Aegean, ringed by clean water and a rugged granite coast that plunges straight into deep blue. The clarity of the sea makes the island a rewarding place to dive and snorkel through the calm summer months. Rocky reefs, boulder fields, sheer walls and small caves shelter bream, octopus, moray eels … Read more
Gialiskari is a small sheltered bay on the northwest coast of Ikaria, tucked just west of the resort village of Armenistis. Its calm, sandy shore and the little whitewashed chapel on a stone jetty make it one of the most recognisable spots on the island. The bay faces away from the strongest north winds, so … Read more
Livadi Beach stretches along the northwest coast of Ikaria, right beside Mesakti and just east of Armenistis village. The beach shows a broad band of golden sand, backed by tamarisk trees that throw welcome shade across the hottest hours. Livadi faces the open north Aegean, so the water shifts with the wind. Calm mornings give … Read more
Mesakti beach ranks among the most striking stretches of sand on Ikaria’s northwest coast. This long open-sea beach sits just east of Armenistis and faces the wide north Aegean. The exposure gives Mesakti two faces: calm, glassy water on still mornings and rolling swell when the meltemi wind picks up. Tamarisk trees line the back … Read more
Armenistis sits on Ikaria’s northwest coast, the island’s main tourist village and a former fishing harbour. The small port curves around a bay flanked by two long sandy beaches, Livadi and Mesakti, with the cove at Nas a short drive west. The village keeps a relaxed, unpolished character that draws independent travellers, hikers and surfers … Read more
Seychelles beach (Seϊχέλλες) ranks among the most photographed coves in Greece, tucked into the south coast of Ikaria near the village of Manganitis. Pale pebbles meet water banded in turquoise and deep blue, all framed by enormous smooth granite boulders. The name nods to the tropical Seychelles, and the resemblance holds on a calm summer … Read more