Ikaria Activities: Local-Led Experiences in Ikaria

Coming up: hiking, detoxing, local food, exploring the Aegean Sea, boat trips, shipwrecks, some of the oldest people on the planet, and tours and activities in Ikaria.

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Fun fact: only around 9,000 people live on the little Greek island of Ikaria (yep, also known as ‘Icaria,’ just in case you’re confused).

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And get this: because the island is one of the planet’s 5 blue zones…

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(where people live way longer than most of the world’s other inhabitants—up to the age of 110!)

… the population of the island is pretty old. And you’ll often see people here in their 80s and 90s: working, walking, exercising, spending time with friends, and farming their fields.

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But it’s also the type of place where people come from large families: and many married couples have three or four kids.

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Many years back, the father of our friend Voula Glarou was one of those babies born on the island… and Voula herself has spent many years here. So she knows the island WAY better than most people. 

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So, before we tell you about Voula’s tours and experiences in Ikaria, let’s first introduce you to our friend, her island, and its people. 

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Voula Glarou—and the people of Ikaria 

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When she was a child, Voula Glarou spent all her holidays on the island of Ikaria. She came here for Easter, for Christmas, and for family reunions. 

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Later, she lived on the island for five years. 

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… and now, she helps guests explore it.

Some of Voula’s family still live on the island. She’s friends with many of the locals. She knows each beach, hill, and home.

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She knows the island’s medicinal herbs. The local food and wine. She understands the island’s special atmosphere: this is the type of place where people still run errands for one another.

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It’s a place where every relative, friend and neighbor will help each other out. Where people will knock on their neighbor’s door, and ask if they need anything from the store. Where people still take care of each other’s kids.

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It’s a place where old and young people hang out together (fishing, drinking coffee, working in the fields), and old people share their wisdom with the new generation.

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In short, every Ikaria village feels like one gigantic family—and the island is full of strong bonds. 

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And THIS is the Ikaria Voula wants you to meet.

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Yep, this is a storied place: with connections to Icarus, ancient temples, forgotten religious traditions, unexpected pirate attacks, and over 8,000 years of history (where the first-ever Greek wine was thought to be made!). 

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… but more importantly, Ikaria is a place where an old-school community still exists. 

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It’s a place where people grow and make their own food and drinks. Where people still sometimes exchange instead of buy. Where people make the pots and plates they eat from. Where everyone knows everyone by name. Where people have lived their entire lives. 

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Here, on the island of Ikaria, you’ll find a unique and isolated culture—as other Greek people tell us, it’s completely different from any other part of Greece.

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And you’ll best find this culture by taking experiences in Ikaria with Voula. She knows all the local people and places… and she also knows where to find the most fun. 

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Which tours and activities in Ikaria can I do? 

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With Voula, you’ll find LOTS of things to do in Ikaria: 

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• Hiking: mountain paths, coastal trails, and short-but-view-packed walks. Highlights include villages, mines, blue-topped churches, monasteries, and historical insights.

• Aqua fitness: hop in the sea, do some gentle exercise, enjoy the sunshine, and see all the coastal views in a unique and energetic way.

• Cooking lessons: beans, vegetables, main dishes, appetizers, facts on why the Ikarian diet makes people live such a long time, and some of the best vegetarian food you've ever eaten. You’ll cook and eat a hyper-local Ikarian meal (this isn’t just standard Greek food!) inside a traditional village. 

• Stretching and local breakfast: more healthy food, more tasty treats, but this time you don’t do the cooking. Your breakfast is served after you’ve done some gentle stretching—in the pretty shade of a Sycamore forest. For relaxing and rejuvenating, it’s one of the best things to do in Ikaria.

• Day trip to Fournoi: on this boat trip, you ride from the little island of Ikaria to the even-littler island of Fournoi (where only 850 people live!). Highlights include quiet beaches, cobbled streets, lifelong locals, ancient churches, unusual sweets, many ancient shipwrecks, and one of the prettiest boat rides you’ve ever been on.
• Sailing: a full-day experience, highlights include dolphin-watching, a sailing class, visiting Fourni, white-sand beaches, accessing places you can’t by car, and all the seaside views. 
• 5 days detox: featuring medicinal herbs, an unusual exercise program, bespoke health recommendations, local produce, and to see what it’s really like to live the Ikaria island life (spoiler alert: don’t be surprised if this one extends your lifespan).

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Note: these are the main tours and activities in Ikaria…

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… but other things to do in Ikaria include harvesting, massages, hot stones, functional fitness, local dances, bodyboarding, and sand-training.

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All tours are laid-back, fun, and friendly—and Voula puts a BIG focus on showing you what the island is really like*.

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(*and that’s why she’s working with us: we’re an authentic Greek company—and Voula wants to show you an authentic corner of Greece).

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In which languages can I take tours and activities in Ikara? And how do I book an experience?

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You can take all activities and experiences in Ikaria in four different languages: Greek, English, Spanish and German.

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… and you can book these Ikaria experiences right now, on this page—on the sidebar to your right. 

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As we say in Greece: páme!

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