We open today at 9:15 AM 020 8568 4499 020 8568 4499

Get in touch

Close

DON'T DELAY, secure your 2025 holiday today

One of Greece’s most unusual yet beautiful islands, Ikaria has much to offer visitors. Its forests, mountains and beaches combine with the island’s many legends, foibles and traditions in a spectacular Aegean cocktail.

Named after Ikarus, who flew too close to the sun and plunged into the sea here, Ikaria is 40kms long and just 8kms wide. With the mighty Atheras towering to over 1000 metres, there are some dizzy drops, especially when crossing the island from the main port, Ayios Kirikos.

This short piece will summarise just some of the island’s more alternative activities, available through ‘Discover Ikaria’.

See the activities below and visit their website for more details on how to book.

Short and easy walks in nature

Easy walks in Ikaria’s unique landscape, supported by local nature guides specialized in the interpretation of natural and historical heritage are available throughout the year. These walks are suitable for anyone who has a basic level of fitness, hiking experience is not necessary. Walking is on dirt roads or, well-maintained rocky footpaths.

Observation of the flora and fauna of the island

Ikaria has worked hard over the years to preserve its natural beauty, authentic landscape and wilderness. It’s one of the most unique islands in Greece and its mountains, green forests, flowery hills, clear rivers, waterfalls, wetlands and valleys provide home and shelter for many rare species of plants and animal species alike, some of them can only be found in Ikaria.

Visitors can take the opportunity to visit the southern part of the island, an area not to be missed. The region’s great lime rocks of Atheras are decorated with unique species’ such as the Paeonia mascula cariensis and Iberis runemarkii.

Harvesting seasonal produce (wild greens, herbs, wild mushrooms, olives etc.)

Ikaria’s wild nature and farms produce a great variety of wild greens, herbs, fruits and nuts throughout the year. These excursions will show you how to recognise and forage for produce by the seashore, in mountain forests, flowery fields or at local farms and learn how the local’s use the ingredients in their cooking, teas and for medicinal purposes.

The nature and subject of the excursions alternate as the season progresses and the different harvest times arrive. In May and June, oregano, savory and thyme are maturing and St John’s wort, hawthorn and elderberry are in bloom. Early cherries, sour cherries and greengages can also be found in the orchards.

July and August are the months when wild fruits are plentiful. Plums of all sizes and colours, prickly pears, juicy pears, peaches, colourful greengages, apricots, white and black figs can be found in the orchards whilst wild berries grow along fences, paths and beaches. Ikarians make the most of this seasons’ abundance of produce and use it to prepare jams, syrups, dry fruits and liqueurs.

September and October are the months for harvesting olives, apples, pears, along with grapes, persimmons and quinces from the orchards, not to mention the walnuts and chestnuts from the forests.

Visiting beekeepers and tasting local honey

Ikaria is famous for its high quality honey and the healing qualities it possesses. Local honey is proven to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties all of which probably contributes to the long life-expectancy and lack of certain diseases among the people living on the island.

You will visit local beekeepers to get an insight into beekeeping and the equipment needed to harvest honey. You can learn more about bees and the honey production process, along with how to interpret the right environment for them to thrive. This activity takes you through the key steps to get know bees, their lifecycle, their role in nature and the rich flora of Ikaria which offers different varieties of honey, some of them renowned around the world, like pine and autumn heather honey.

The Sunvil Family

By The Sunvil Family

19th May 2016



The Sunvil Family
The Sunvil Family
The Sunvil Family

Sunvil's holidays are designed by passionate travellers just like you. Our reservations experts and product teams, many of whom have been with us for many years, are passionate about our destinations and, through their personal, first-hand knowledge can answer any questions that you may have. They are well qualified to advise and recommend, based on your own holiday criteria. We can point you to those special, little-known places, some not found even in guidebooks.

Call one of our experts to discuss your next holiday with Sunvil on

020 8568 4499

We open today at 9:15 AM

Make an Enquiry

Please use this form to request further information about a Sunvil holiday or destination.

We promise that a member of our specialist reservation teams will reply personally to your holiday enquiry before 5.30pm if received before 12.00pm (Monday to Friday). Enquiries received after 12.00pm will be replied to within 24-hours (excluding Sundays).

If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please telephone our dedicated reservation teams on the numbers listed below.

Our lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday-Friday and from 9.30am to 4.30pm Saturday.

  • Greece: 020 8758 4758
  • Cyprus: 020 8758 4759
  • Portugal, the Azores, Spain, Italy, Sicily and Scandinavia: 020 8758 4722
  • Latin America: 020 8758 4774
  • Marketing: 020 8758 4731

Required Information

* Mandatory Information
Title *
First name *
Surname *
Telephone number *
Alternative telephone number
Email address *
Confirm email address
Preferred method of communication *
If you would like to be called during a specific period, please specify

Details

Preferred departure date *
Duration *
Preferred UK departure airport *
Party size *

Back

  • Adults(12+ yrs)
  • Children(2 to 11 yrs)
  • Infants(Under 2 yrs)
Budget range
Other comments:

Email newsletters

 

We promise that a member of our specialist reservation teams will reply personally to your holiday enquiry before 5.30pm if received before 12.00pm (Monday to Friday). Enquiries received after 12.00pm will be replied to within 24-hours (excluding Sundays).

If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please telephone our dedicated reservation teams on the numbers listed below.

Our lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday-Friday and from 9.30am to 4.30pm Saturday.

  • Greece: 020 8758 4758
  • Cyprus: 020 8758 4759
  • Portugal, the Azores, Spain, Italy, Sicily and Scandinavia: 020 8758 4722
  • Latin America: 020 8758 4774
  • Marketing: 020 8758 4731

Required Information

* Mandatory Information
Title *
First name *
Surname *
Telephone number *
Alternative telephone number
Email address *
Confirm email address
Preferred method of communication *
If you would like to be called during a specific period, please specify
Booking reference number *
Alternatively, please enter your query in the box below:

Email newsletters

 

Thank you for your enquiry

Thank you for your enquiry. A member of our specialist reservation teams will be in touch shortly.

If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please telephone our dedicated reservation teams on the numbers listed below.

Our lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday-Friday and from 9.30am to 4.30pm Saturday.

  • Greece: 020 8758 4758
  • Cyprus: 020 8758 4759
  • Portugal, the Azores, Italy, Sicily and Scandinavia: 020 8758 4722
  • Latin America: 020 8758 4774

Your details have been saved

Feel free to continue to browse the site and add to your enquiry. Don't forget to send the enquiry before you leave!

My Suitcase

We understand that so much choice can be overwhelming which is why we have developed 'My Suitcase'. This facility allows you to save and compare your favourite holidays, and even allows you to return to your selection at a later stage.

Why not use 'My Suitcase' to compile a wish list of your future Sunvil holidays?

 

Sign in


New to Sunvil?

Create Account

 

Already have an account?

Password reset

Back

Close

Close