The island has been known since antiquity for its thermal springs, its dark red wine and the legend of Daedalos and Ikaros. Administratively it belongs to Samos island.

THE MYTH

When the legendary king of Knossos in Crete, Minos, decided to build a palace so unique that nobody could find one's way out without knowing all its secrets, he invited the best known engineer of the time, Daedalos to design and built it. And Daedalos did build a palace with so many corridors, the Labyrinth, what is today known as a maze. King Minos however imprisoned Daedalus as he considered him responsible for enabling his wife Pasifai to unite with a bull that Poseidon had given as a present to Minos and to produce from that unity the legendary Minotaur, half man half bull. A different legend however tells us that Daedalus was imprisoned because he assisted the young princess Ariadne in leading Theseus into the Labyrinth to kill the Minotaur.

So Daedalus, being a very inventive engineer, and expressing the first attempt known in history of humans to fly, created two huge pairs of wings from feathers and wax, one for himself and one for his young son and apprentice Ikaros. They put on the wings and Daedalos warned Ikaros not to fly too high as there was danger that the wings would be destroyed. But Ikaros was young, and like all the young all over the world did not heed the fatherly advice. Drunk with joy from the sensation of flying he wanted to reach the sun and flew up and up,higher and higher. The wax which was keeping the feathers together melted and the wings broke and young Ikaros fell into the Aegean Sea near a long island and was drowned. The island took his name and has been known ever since Ikaria and the sea around it the Ikarian Sea. Daedalus managed however to reach Sicily.

THE GEOGRAPHY

This eastern Aegean island is 255 square kilometers big and has a population of 8000. It is situated in the Ikarian Pelagos between the islands of Samos and Mykonos (54 miles from Mykonos and 20 from SAMOS ). The distance from Pireus is 140 nautical miles.

The island is long and there is a chain of mountains in the middle called Aetheras.The island has many forests, mainly of pine trees, particularly on its west side. Also there are thermal springs known since antiquity for their therapeutic qualities.

THE HISTORY

Ikaria in antiquity was originally called Makris or Dolihi from its shape which is long. Later it took the name Ikaria from Ikaros, the son of Daedalos and Navkrati, a slave of king Minos.The first inhabitants were Pelasgoi, and Kares. Pelasgos, according to Greek mythology, was the son of Zeus. However another legend has the Pelasgoi created directly from the Earth.

In 750 BC settlers from Militos in Asia Minor arrived and developed the island. At the end of the 6th century BC. the tyrant of Samos, Polycratis, subjected Ikaria. During the Persian wars the Persians conquered the island but after the battle of Mykalki in 479 BC the Ikarians joined the Athenian Alliance. During the Macedonian period the cities of Ikaria were united in the koinon of Ikaron and in 133 BC came under Roman rule. During the Byzantine period the island was part of the Aegian sea issue. In the period of the crusades, ownership passed to the Knights of Rhodes and became a baron county, and in 1521 it was conquered by the Turks. The island was freed in 1912 and was united with Greece.

HOW TO GET THERE

BY FERRYBOAT from Pireus to both ports Ayios Kirikos and Evdilos (143 and 136 nautical miles respectively) and also to Fourni (see below) all the year round.Total time 8 hours and 30 min. Also all the year there is ferry connection with Smos, Naxos, Paros, Fourni, Mykonos and Patmos, and by speedboat to all the Dodecanese islands.

WHERE TO GO

Ayios Kirikos, the capital and port of the island, has 2400 inhabitants.Here you can visit the Archaeological Museum where there are exhibited neolithic tools, ceramics, coins and pottery, the ruins of the ancient city of Dracanos, the round tower of 3rd century BC, the Katapakti, a secret subterranean passage from the church of Ayios Dimitrios leading into a cave that karians used to hide in during the Pirate years, and of course Therma, the famous springs.

Armenistis, a tourist resort, where you can visit the ruins of the ancient sanctuary of the goddess Tavropolos Artemis in unique scenery in the small port of Nas.

According to the legend this was the abode of the Naiades. Omiros (Homer) calls the Naiades the daughters of Zeus. They were nymphs (fairies) of the springs and rivers, extremely beautiful and had healing powers over the people who drank or bathed in their waters.

Evdilos, a small traditional village with 300 inhabitants, is also a port,where you can visit the ruins of ancient Oinois, the Palaces, (Byzantine buildings of the 12th and 13th century), the 11th century Byzantine church of Ayia Irini and the Castle of Nikaria, a Byzantine castle of the 10th century. A visit to the archaeological museum in Kambos nearby with finds from the Hellenistic period is of interest.

THE ISLANDS NEARBY

WHERE TO STAY

THERE are many hotels, pensions, rented rooms spread all over Ikaria and Fourni. There are also furnished apartments for rent. The roads are good in Ikaria and there is a regular bus service. There are also taxis, rented cars, motorbikes,and bicycles.Many of the island's beaches can be visited by boat.

WHAT TO EAT

THERE is plenty of fish, so enjoy it. But also tender goat, dark red wine, honey, kathoura (homemade Ikarian cheese), olive oil and traditional Greek dishes.

WHAT TO EXPECT

FAMILY vacations, peaceful vacations, and if you posess the spirit of explorer you can explore the woods or feel a new Crusoe exploring the isolated beaches. If you like fishing, this is the place to go and if you prefer eating fish to catching them, you will definitely not feel disappointed.There is plenty of blue and green scenery around both relaxing and pacifying. An ideal place to be nowadays in the midst of a hectic life to get energy and rejuvenation. SEE YOU THERE.

By Lelia Mitsides
Copyright: Hellenic Electronic Center

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