A visit from Mykonos to neighboring Ikaria will take you on a Greek island adventure from the Cycladic islands to the Aegean islands.

Mykonos to Ikaria: The Neighboring Aegean Island

One of the easiest islands to “hop” to during you stay on Mykonos is the quiet neighboring island of Ikaria.  You can charter a private boat or yacht to easily head east to head out of the Cycladic islands to this relatively unknown island in the Aegean island chain.

Here are some of the best reasons to visit Ikaria.

Discover a Blue Zone Destination

Mykonos is famous the world over for many things including its cosmopolitan vibe and luxury focused lifestyle. However, Ikaria’s big claim to fame lately is its Blue Zone destination status.  It is one of the five places in the world where people live the longest. The Ikaria Longevity Retreat teaches the Ikarian lifestyle and mindset to visitors to help pass on the great things that Ikarians do naturally to maintain long, healthy and prosperous lives.

Eat Ikarian Food and Wine

Food is simple, healthy and delicious on Ikaria.  Try the local goat’s milk yogurt, whole grain bread and local honey. Dishes are typically based on beans, potatoes or fresh garden vegetables and prepared with a lot of olive oil.

Also on taverna menus, you’ll choose from the fresh catches of the day. To learn more about Ikaria’s award-winning wines, head to one of the best wineries on the island called Afianes.  You can have a wine tasting under the stars.

Go Surfing on Ikaria

One of the best reasons to visit Ikaria is to experience the island’s unique beaches. Greeks that love to surf make sure to experience the waves that hit Ikaria.

Photo credit: Goodtimes mag

The Ikarian beaches are the perfect places to either learn to surf or to hone one’s surfing skills. The Ikaria Surf School on Messakti Beach is one of the hottest places to hang ten in the Mediterranean.

Party at the Panagiri

While Mykonos is known for summer parties with fancy cocktails, international travelers, beach clubs and internationally known DJs, Ikaria will offer a party experience at the other end of the spectrum. During the summer, the island is bursting with daily church community festivals called panagiri.

This casual outdoor celebration takes place at a local church and has hundreds – even thousands – of guests dancing to live Greek music and feasting on economically priced traditional Greek food, wine and dessert. It is a traditional celebration open to everyone from anywhere. For more information about the Ikaria panagiri celebrations, click here.

The Villages of Ikaria

Photo credit: Vasiliki Theodoridou

Another one of the best reasons to visit Ikaria is to explore the quiet and quaint villages of the island. Note that Ikaria is a much bigger island than Mykonos, so there are many places to choose from and each village has its own charming kind of character.  Some of our favorite villages include Armenistis, Christos Raches, Evdilos, Agios Kirikos and Therma.

Have you ever heard of Ikaria? Would you like to visit one day?