Is Ikaria worth visiting?
Ikaria is a destination that mostly calls for a relaxing holiday in close contact with nature. Also famous for its summer festivals and celebrations, Ikaria offers an excellent opportunity to connect with the locals and learn about some unique and ancient Greek traditions.
Why is the island Ikaria called so?
The island, also spelled Icaria, is named after Icarus, the son of Daedalus, the young man in Greek mythology who fled from Crete, flew too close to the sun by means of wax wings and fell into the sea close to Ikaria.
Is icaria a real island?
Icaria, also spelled Ikaria (Greek: Ικαρία), is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of Samos.
Can I live in Ikaria?
Local as well as foreign residents, men and women feel safe and free to live as they like. This independent way of living can partially be attributed to the fact that Ikaria was independent of Greece itself for a around seven months in 1912.
What is so special about Ikaria Greece?
Ikaria Greece is particularly famous for one thing: the longevity of the islanders! The inhabitants of Ikaria live for many many years thanks to the nutritious Ikarian diet, walking, stress-free everyday life, and optimism!
Does Ikaria have an airport?
The small airport of Ikaria is located on the northeastern side of the island, about 10 km from Agios Kirikos, the capital of the island. The airport of Ikaria receives only domestic flights from Athens that operate 3 times a week.
Why do people live longer on Ikaria?
Of the thousands of tourists visiting Ikaria each year, few have failed to ask why the island’s inhabitants live so long, muses Pylaras. Perhaps the answer is stress—or the lack thereof. Perhaps it’s diet, perhaps genetics, perhaps some completely unknown factor, or maybe it’s a combination of all of them.
How many people live on the island of Ikaria?
The Ikaria Island (Ikaria lies in the east Aegean, within the complex of the East Sporades, between Samos and Mykonos. Area: 255.32 km2, location: 37° 35′41.42′′ N-26° 09′30.88′′ E, distance from Piraeus 140 nm, coastline length: 160 km, population: 8,312.
What do people in Ikaria eat for breakfast?
In terms of meals Ikarians typically have a late morning breakfast comprised of goat’s milk, yogurt and or cheese, fruits, herbal tea or coffee, whole grain bread and local honey.
Is English spoken in Ikaria Greece?
Ikaria’s official language is Greek. Public and tourist services, accommodation and transportation providers and shops,/businesses in Ikaria generally also speak English.
How do you get to Ikaria island?
How to get to Ikaria. You can travel by ferry to Ikaria from the port of Piraeus in Athens in about 7 hours as well as from the port of Kavala in northern Greece in about 17 hours. You can also easily get to Ikaria from the neighboring island of Samos in approximately 2 hours.
What is the healthiest island in the world?
Japan’s Okinawa Island is home to more than 400 people who are over the age of 100. It is considered to be the healthiest place in the world, where the average life expectancy of an Okinawan woman is 86, and man’s is 78.
Who is the oldest person in Ikaria?
The woman who figures in the legend, named Fani Gerali, lived in the village called Christos Raches in Ikaria and purportedly not only lived until 117 years of age but also remained extremely youthful.
What is the life expectancy in Ikaria Greece?
Natives of the Greek island Ikaria have remarkably long life-spans. On average, they live an astounding 8 to 10 years longer than Americans, are 2.5 times as likely to survive to 90, and are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
Can a US citizen retire in Greece?
If you only want to retire in Greece, you will need to get a residence permit. However, U.S. residents can visit the country for up to 90 days without needing a visa or a permit.
What is Ikaria famous for?
Ikaria is known for its gastronomy which plays a key role in its standing as a Blue Zone region of the world. The island is known for excellent goat dishes and produces fine honey.
What are 2 common foods in the diet of Ikaria Greece?
They still base much of their diet on wild greens, beans, fruits and vegetables picked in season, fish just plucked from the sea, pigs raised in the backyard, goats that graze wild in the mountains, and chickens that also eat leftovers from family meals.
Do people in Ikaria smoke?
Very few men and women were current smokers. However, almost all men (i.e., 99%) and 32% of women reported ever smoking. These extremely high rates, especially in men, are in discordance with the reported low rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease in Ikaria Island [5].