Traveling to Ikaria in May. I am an artist, want to sketch mountains-meeting-sea. Am particularly interested in the west/sw coast. If you have traveled the road between Armenistis - Kalamos - Karkinagri - Trapalou, I would appreciate suggestions; road conditions, where to stay, good views, etc Have been to Greece many times but not to Ikaria. Thanks--!
Posted by
Centennial, CO, US
2230 posts
We visited Ikaria in 2007, and it's absolutely gorgeous. Our ferry arrived in Evdilos and we took a taxi to Atsaches Rooms and Restaurant, just outside Armenistis. The rooms were comfortable and spotless, and the owner was friendly and helpful. The hotel is located on the road to Armenistis, with beautiful views of the town and the sea and the golden sands of Livadia beach.
We rented a car for a couple of days from a place in town and it was delivered to us at the hotel. We did lots of exploring and getting lost -- we were using paper maps ... extremely confusing. But the island was beautiful. Taverna Nas was a great find -- the food wasn't fabulous but the views were, especially at sunset. There's a steep hike down to the picturesque beach but with our bad knees we decided against it.
Our ferry departed from Agios Kyrikos, so we had a bus tour of Ikaria on our way to the ferry. My husband said it would have been fun to drive but I found it a little hair-raising on a bus. The road from Armenistis to Evdilos was very twisty, with little clearance going through towns. Then cliff-hanging hairpin turns on the way to Agios Kyrikos ... 90 minutes of gorgeous scenery, much of it along a coastline reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast.
I can't give you suggestions of where to stop, but I do want to encourage you to go. No matter where you look, you will find good views. Ikaria really is a spectacular place for an artist!