History & sightseeing 
Useful information 
Koskinas Castle
Destination
Ikaria
Plan your trip with SKY express
Ikaria is probably the best alternative destination in the Eastern Aegean! Forget glamorous bars, luxury resorts, and pretentious people. Ikaria is the complete opposite! So what can you expect from the island? Authentic, relaxed people, epic traditional feasts, excellent taverns, wild natural landscapes, idyllic beaches, plenty of local wine and beautiful seaside hotels. The atmosphere of this island is so captivating, that you will get into it immediately! Ikaria is particularly famous for one thing: the longevity of the islanders! Residents live for many years thanks to the nutritious local diet, long walks, stress-free everyday life and optimism! You can taste all these qualities, along with the excellent local wine, in the traditional country feasts that are organized every summer. As for the beaches, they have the most beautiful, wild natural landscapes! Visit Seychelles, Mesakti, Nas and Livadi to experience the most unique moments on the beach! For those who want to combine a day at sea with the exploration of the island, their best bet is the hiking in Chalari Gorge, which leads to the beautiful beach of Nas, one of the best places to admire the Aegean sunset! Once - or rather if - you manage to get away from the beautiful beaches, head to the ""pearls"" of the island: the picturesque villages! Visit Armenistis, Manganitis and Karkinagri to immerse yourself in the culture of the island. The villages are the best places to observe the daily life of the islanders first hand, learn the secrets of their longevity, taste the excellent local wine and get full of the homemade delicacies! So all roads lead to... Ikaria
Sightseeing
Chalari Gorge
Seychelles Beach of Ikaria
Koskinas Castle
In the center of the island, on the inner road from Evdilos to Plagia, is the ruined Castle of Koskinas or Castle of Messaria or Castle of Nikaria. Built on top of a steep mountain, this castle dates back to Byzantine times - around the 10th century - and protected the locals from pirate and enemy attacks, which is why it was built on such a steep mountain. The biggest part of the castle is ruined today, while only a few parts of the walls survive. At the top of the rock, there is a chapel dedicated to Agios Georgios. Climbing the castle is a difficult experience, but if you are bold and can make it, the view from up there will reward you.
Local gastronomy
Soufiko
Soufiko
Soufiko is a simple Greek vegetable dish that combines a variety of fresh and seasonal vegetables with local herbs, which are then cooked in a generous amount of local olive oil of high quality. It usually consists of potatoes, eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic, which are finely chopped, baked and flavored with fresh or dried aromatic herbs such as oregano and sage. Hygienic, fresh and fragrant, this specialty of Ikaria is usually poured with oregano and a little olive oil just before serving, while it is often accompanied by yogurt or local kathoura cheese.
Useful information
Police: +30 22750 22222
Airport: +30 22750 22981
Bus: +30 22753 50401
Hospital: +30 22750 22236
Port: +30 22750 22207
Weather conditions in Ikaria
January
101mm
0°C - 9°C
February
95mm
0°C - 10°C
March
68mm
2°C - 13°C
April
47mm
6°C - 17°C
May
18mm
10°C - 23°C
June
3mm
12°C - 29°C
July
1mm
14°C - 32°C
August
0mm
14°C - 32°C
September
8mm
11°C - 27°C
October
35mm
8°C - 22°C
November
88mm
5°C - 15°C
December
115mm
2°C - 11°C
Airport
Ikaria Airport (JIK)
Ikaria 83300