Ikaria

Ikaria is an island in the North Aegean Sea and one of the East Aegean Islands. Ikaria is located west of Samos and south of Chios. Its capital is the town of Agios Kirikos. Tourism on Ikaria is unimposing for all and reflects an "Ikarian Balance" between nature, freedom, time, and development. The island will soon become nearly autonomous regarding energy consumption by using almost exclusively "Green Energy". The construction of the Pilot Hybrid Hydro-Electric Plant, the environmentally friendly power production plant using renewable energy sources in Europe, is expected to be completed in 2010 and provide 100% of the electricity in the winter months and 70% in the summer months. The population is about 8,312 (census of 2001), with an area of 660 km². Regions Agios Kyrikos Evdilos Raches Cities Agios Kyrikos - capital town Evdilos - main port town Armenistis - pleasant beaches nearby and where the majority of Ikarian accommodation is to be found Other destinations Fourni Thymena Understand Talk Get in By Plane Ikaria can be reached year round by air and has an airport, located on the south eastern part of the island, 12 km from Agios Kirikos village. There are flights directly from Athens by Olympic Air [1] (approx. 35 minutes), and from Crete during the summer via SkyExpress. By boat Ikaria has 2 harbors, Evdilos and Agios Kirikos. There are daily ferry rides from the island of Samos (approx. 2.5 hours). A weekly ferry via Nel Lines also runs in the summer connecting Ikaria to Limnos, Lesvos and Kavala. Get around You can bring a car using the boats, or you can rent one there. Bus services are infrequent. For example, services to Armenistis from Evdilos only run on alternate days. To explore the island, car or motorbike rental is necessary. There are several car rental companies in Armenistis, but in peak season you may have to reserve a hire car a few days in advance. See Beaches Ikaria has very attractive beaches. Agios Giorgis Beach- a remote sandy beach protected by a cove located at the extreme northern tip of the Island. Access is via an unpaved road from Faros that ends in a footpath where beachgoers must then hike about 20 minutes to the beach. Evdilos Beach (Kiparissi)- located just before the city of Evdilos this is a small, quiet sand beach where there are no facilities and you can just go and enjoy the clear water and natural beauty. This beach is often visited by locals. Faros Beach- Located in Faros this sandy-pebble beach is a popular weekend getaway that had ideal swimming waters. Along the beach you can find various tervernas, bars/cafes and a small pier. Windsurfing and Kayak rentals and sometimes available on the beach. Museums Ikaria has multiple museums which house objects from Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine time periods. The museums are free to the public and have various hours. The museums include: Archeological Museum of Kampos Archeological Museum of Agios Kikirkos Folklore Museum of Perdiki Folklore Museum of Vrakades Do Hot Mineral Springs, Therma. Approximately 10 minutes East along the coast from Therma is a cove where hot springs can be found in the sea. This can be accessed by a marked path. The start of the path is tricky to find - it can be found by heading up steps which appear to lead to a house. However, "trailblazing" in the direction of the springs will almost certainly lead to the path, which is clearly marked.  edit Eat Drink Sleep Kirki's Rooms, Armenistis. Several rooms which all overlook the sea in Armenistis. Rooms are very pleasant and with a friendly owner. €40 per room per night.  edit Stay safe Get out This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!