Have you ever been on a moving walkway and when you get to the end you feel like you went from speed walking to slow motion? What if I were to tell you there is a place on Earth where you can leave behind the fast pace of life, slow down and be able to relax and enjoy all that is around you? There is such a place, and it is on the Greek island of Ikaria (e-ka-ria). This is where our family is from.
Ikaria is located in the eastern Aegean Sea, east of Athens and just a few miles from Turkey. It received its name from Icarus, who in Greek mythology, flew too high to the sun with his wax wings and fell into the sea.
The island is accessible by superfast ferry boats, which take roughly five hours from Piraeus (the main port outside of Athens) or 50 minutes by turbo prop plane from Athens. The island is not the smallest of the Greek isles, and it is not the most populated or visited either like Santorini, Mykonos and Crete. It sits in the water with a slightly Southwest to Northeast direction and measures roughly 20 miles long and six miles at its widest point. However, it is divided by large mountain peaks and foothills running through its spine.
There are roughly 8,500 year-round inhabitants with that population rising to 18,000 during the summer months, especially in late July and early August.
You will experience, not just island time, but Ikarian time, which along with the people, make this place so special. Ikaria has been identified as one of five Blue Zones of the world where on average people live the longest. Why? The culture is filled with family, social engagement, walking, swimming, a lot of fresh nonprocessed foods and little to no stress. Ikarian time does not have hands on its clock face; rarely does one see an Ikarian wear a watch. You cannot rush things when there; you have to allow things to come to you. For many, their first time on the island may feel as though the island is so outdated and backwards, but is it?
After a few days on the island, we find ourselves shedding the stress of the world.
We base our activities and plans off of the sun, temperature and desire versus schedules and alarms. We spend hours in the “platia” (a town’s center square) having several coffees or drinks with friends both old and new from late morning to late into the night. We get our bread from the local artisan bakery that still utilizes the original oven, several generations old.
Nightly, we eat at different small mom-and-pop restaurants where the menu changes daily based on what is fresh, and the servers are family members. When you do get into this mode of operation, everything — and we mean everything — changes. The air is filled with the fragrance of ripe figs and blooming flowers. The food tastes amazing, and the sounds all around you create a symphony of music. The pace slows to a crawl and you literally can feel the weight on your shoulders and chest wash away in the cool crystal blue waters of the Aegean hitting the marble rocks on the beach.
We hope one day you might have the opportunity to visit Ikaria and experience what true Greek island living is like. You will never forget it and it will be a feeling like no other!
