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MOVING YOU

 LIVE LIFE´S POTENTIAL 
THE EGG
IKARIA ISLAND

For your next Workshop, Retreat or Seminar.

Country: Greece
Administrative region: North Aegean
Capital: Agios Kirykos
Population 2011: 8,423
Area: 254.4 km2 (98 sq mi)
Density: 33 /km2 (86 /sq mi)
Time zone: EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Postal code: 833 xx
Telephone: 22750
Local newspapers: Nea Ikaria
Radio station: Radio Ikaria (87.6 FM)
Auto: MO

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A BLUE ZONE DESTINATION

Life is what

happens to you

while you`re busy

making other

plans!

 

Allen Saunders

BLUE ZONE
IKARIA

Live long, happy and healthy in Ikaria.

Nine keys to longevity and health.

About nature, communities and the purpose in life.

 

Blue Zone is a concept used to identify a demographic and/or geographic area of the world where people live measurably longer lives. Described in Dan Buettner’s book, “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from people who lived the longest.”
Buettner identifies longevity hotspots in Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and among the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California, and offers an explanation, based on empirical data and first hand observations, as to why these populations live healthier and longer lives.

 

The obvious question follows: What unique factors give rise to Ikaria’s fountain of youth? Is there something special in the wine, or a particular quality of its famous thermal springs? Or is the answer something more complex, having to do with social and lifestyle factors? Whatever the underlying reasons, they have resulted in the island’s recent status as one of the world’s Blue Zones.

According to bestselling author Dan Buettner in his book Blue Zones, Ikaria is a location where people live long and healthy lives because they engage in natural movement, have the right outlook on life, eat properly, and have a solid sense of community and belonging.

 

It’s certainly true that Ikarians are proud of the balance in their lives: nature, freedom, time and development are all put into perspective. Despite the allure of profits associated with mass tourism, the people of Ikaria have long resisted development. Fiercely maintaining local traditions, their way of life is fulfilling and apparently rewards them with outstanding health benefits.

 

Buettner says that there are nine keys to
longevity and health:

 

  • Natural movement

  • Having a purpose in life

  • Not working too hard, slowing down

  • Not eating too much

  • Eating lots of vegetables, but not too much meat

  • Having the occasional glass of good red wine

  • Belonging to a community or having a good social network

  • Sharing personal beliefs or spirituality

  • Making family a priority

IKARIA
HISTORY OF
THE ISLAND

The island where people forget to die.

The island is called Nikaria by its inhabitants. Icaria, also spelled Ikaria, is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It derived its name from Icarus, the son of Daedalus in Greek mythology, who fell into the sea nearby.


The island’s natural resources attracted settlers as early as 7.000 B.C. It is known that in the 8th century BC Ikaria was inhabited by people from the city of Miletus in Asia Minor. In the 5th century BC it already boasted three major cities, Inoe, Thermae and Drakanos, which were part of the Delian League. After a shot domination by Samos, it fell under Roman rule in the 2nd century BC. The Romans were succeeded by the Byzantines who used it as a place for exile. After three centuries of Western European rule, it was invaded by the Ottoman Turks in 1521 AD.

During the Ottoman period the Ikarians were living in rather primitive conditions, isolated from the commerce and life in the eastern Aegean Sea.

 

In the early 1900s and as the Ottoman Empire were losing its power, the proud and harsh people of Ikaria disarmed the minor Turkish garrison and declared their independence. Along with their neighboring island of Fourni, they went on founding the Free State of Ikaria in 1912, which survived for just four months before it was united with the Greek state in November of 1912. The island suffered a lot during the Second World War and the Greek Civil War that followed. The right-wing Greek state send over thirteen thousand communists into exile to Ikaria from 1945 till 1949. The island’s fate changed in the 1970s when the government and locals invested in tourism and agriculture.

 

Modern Era
Today, Ikaria is considered one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” – places where the population regularly lives to an advanced age. This is due to healthy diets and lifestyles. In 2002 Greek authorities captured Ikarian-born, Christodoulos Xiros, a member of Revolutionary Organization 17 November. A 58-year-old professor and economist, Alexandros Giotopoulos, was identified as the group’s leader and was arrested on the nearby island of Lipsi.

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TOP BEACHES
IKARIA
Ikaria Map THE EGG Retreat Centre

Magical place, great courses, amazing teachers and beautiful people!

 

Zahida

DATES
PANAGIRIA FESTIVALS
IKARIA 2025

Ikaria island is famous for its “Panagiria”, traditional feast days that celebrate the Saints’ name days or other religious holidays.

Come to see the most authentic Greek feast.
Eat, dance and get to know the islanders.

Let´s celebrate a good Greek party!

06.01.2025| Katafigi

07.01.2025 | Proespera

25.01.2025 | Glaredo

30.01.2025 | Xylosyrtis

10.02.2025 | Kalamos

23.02.2025 | Agios Polikarpos

25.03.2025 | Mavrianou, Koundoumas

Monday of Easter | Amalou, Tsouredo, Negia

Friday of Easter | Agios Polykarpos, Christos (Ag. Kirykos)

23.04.2025 | Amalu, Tsouredo, Nelia

01.05.2025 | Mavrianou

05.05.2025 | Kampos

14.05.2025 | Agios Isidoros, Armenistis

21.05.2025 | Avlaki

Not fixed | Droutsoulas, Trapalou

Not fixed | Kastanies

24.06.2025| Christos Rahes

29.06.2025 | Aghii Apostoli

30.06.2025 | Pezi | Trapalou

01.07.2025| Karavostamos, Therma

07.07.2025| Fles in Evdilos

08.07.2025| Proispera

12.07.2025| Agios Dimitrios

14.07.2025| Agios Apostoli in Pezi

15.07.2025 | Ekso Plagia

17.07.2025 | Agios Kirykos, Katafigi, Arethousa

20.07.2025 | Milopo, Kossikia, Pigi, Glaredo, Profitis Ilias, Karidies, Vrakades

26.07.2025 | Agios Paraskevi (Faros), Xsilosirti, Petropouli, Karavostamo, Karkinagri

27.07.2025 | Agios Pandeleimonas (Agios Kirykos), Feidos (Evdilos), Myrsonas (Rahes)

03.08.2025 | Agios Dimitrios

06.08.2025 | Christos (Rahes), Kalamos, Frandato, Dafni, Stavlos

08.08.2025 | Mandria

Not fixed | Proespera

Not fixed | Magganitis

09.08.2025 | Negia

12.08.2025 | Karres (Rahes)

15.08.2025 | Monokampi, Gialiskari, Kouniados, Langada, Akamatra, Karavostamo

17.08.2025 | Karavostamo

24.08.2025 | Vrakades

27.08.2025 | Agios Dimitrios (Rahes), Agios Pandeleimon, Maratho, Vrakades, Avlaki

29.08.2025 | Mavrato, Prospera

08.09.2025 | Kerame, Plagia, Ploumari

17.09.2025 | Kampos, Monokampi

20.09.2025 | Arethousa

20.10.2025 | Perdiki, Oxea

26.10.2025 | Agios Dimitrios (Rahes), Katafygi

08.11.2025 | Ploumari

Dates and villages of  Panagirias in Ikaria 2025

If you’re planning a trip to Ikaria check this list that details the Panagiria dates and the locations (“choria”- villages) they are held. People come to Ikaria from far and wide to take part in the celebrations and the most popular Ikarian Panagiria can be attended by over 1.000 people.

 

Don’t miss the unique opportunity to revel with the Ikarians amidst village surroundings, traditional food, live music, non-stop dancing, and plenty of delicious Ikarian wine.

 

Panagiria typically start in the early afternoon or in the evening and go on until the next morning! The most authentic Greek experience a foreigner could have!

Not life,

but good life

is to be chievly

valued.

 

Socrates

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