Ikaria Island Explore and Experience Second Edition
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Ikaria Island Explore and Experience Second Edition A Travel and Walking Guide with maps by Charlene Caprio & Lefteris Tsouris Includes Fournoi Islands Ikaria Island Explore and Experience A Travel and Walking Guide with maps by Charlene Caprio and Lefteris Tsouris Second Edition Published by: Authors: Charlene Caprio and Lefteris Tsouris Wooden Hull Press 2019 Editors: Peter Wan, Selene Hellström, Katherine Tsantiris © Wooden Hull Press Cover photo: Lefteris Tsouris © Peter Wan (Indicated photos) Photos: Lefteris Tsouris, Charlene Caprio, and Peter Wan ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this Book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and/or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing, by the publisher with consent by both authors, or for a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Requests for permission should be addressed to: [email protected]. Wooden Hull Press ISBN 978-0-578-40406-6 34 Woodland Street Printed in Greece New Haven, CT 06511 USA [email protected] Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION. 8 PART I: BRIEF HISTORY OF IKARIA . 13 From Myth to Reality: Do not y too close to the Sun . 13 History up to the Present . 14 Ikaria’s Museums. 19 PART II: PLANNING YOUR VISIT . 21 When to Visit. 21 Getting to Ikaria . 22 What to Bring . 23 Where to Stay. 24 How to Get Around . 26 Visas and Money . 27 Spotlight: The Ikarian Road Network Paradox . 28 PART III: IKARIAN LIFE, FOOD AND FUN. 30 The Ikarian Way . 30 Ikarian Food . 31 Local Ikarian Products. 35 Religion, Churches and Monasteries . 37 Spotlight: Ikaria’s Festivals (Panigiria) . 38 Spotlight: Ikaria’s Thermal Hot Springs . 39 PART IV: IKARIA’S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT . 41 Ecosystems and Microclimates . 41 Ikaria’s Geology . 42 Ikaria’s Flora . 42 Ikaria’s Fauna . 43 Life in the Seas. 44 The Ikarian Sky. 45 Environmental Protection . 45 PART V: IKARIA’S FOOTPATHS - 10 SELECTED ROUTES . 48 Preparing for the Walks. 48 Hikers’ Code of Ethics . 50 Maps Legend and Notes . 51 THE ROUTES . 53 1. Chalari River Canyon (Christos - Nas) Walk . 53 2. The Spanaioi Watermill Walk with additional Walk to a Reservoir and Monastery of Mounte . 57 3. Pezi, Ryaka Waterfall and Selini Pond Walk . 60 4. Ranti Forest and Cave Walk. 64 5. Koskinas Castle and Mt. Atheras Cli Walk . 68 6. Exploring Arethousa and Karavostamo . 72 7. Ikaria’s Western Edge and Remote Villages . 76 8. Ikaria’s Eastern Edge - Drakano Tower, Agios Georgios, and the WWII Bunker . 81 9. Ikaria’s Eastern Edge - Agia Kyriaki Hot Spring / Iero Beach. 83 10. Ksylosyrtis (Papas) Watermill and Lefkada Hot Spring. 86 Advertisement section. 89 FOURNOI ISLANDS . 94 Fournoi Islands - A walking Route . 95 3 1 2 4-5 7 3 Thessaloniki TURKEY GREECE Lesvos Chios Izmir Athens Ikaria Rhodes Creta About this Guide INTRODUCTION Ikaria Island, also spelled ‘Icaria’ (Gr.: Iκαρία), located in Greece’s Eastern Aegean region, is a world of its own. Craggy mountains reach across its elongated spine, giving Ikaria the shape of a stretched out peanut. This rela�vely small island boasts a complex topography of high ridgelines, steep slopes, plateaus, valleys, waterfalls, canyons, rivers, ponds, sandy and rocky beaches and other natural wonders. But Ikaria has remained largely a secret. Not much can be descried when gazing up from Ikaria’s shores. For centuries Ikaria’s popula�on lived deep in the moun- tains, carving out homes in sca�ered hamlets, o�en to hide from pirates and other invaders. As centuries progressed, Ikaria stayed rela�vely isolated due to its lack of natural harbors and its rugged terrain. In turn, Ikaria’s natural environment flourished with rela�vely li�le interference. Today, Ikaria is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna (including some rare and endangered species), spreading over a drama�c landscape of microclimates. Hot and sunny summers give way to cold, rainy winters, suppor�ng plush vegeta�on and rich seasonal varie�es..