Yacht charter around Ikaria takes you to the wildest island in the eastern Aegean, a long granite ridge rising out of the sea where Icarus is said to have fallen. Ikaria is green, steep and almost defiantly untouristed: forested ravines run down to the water, hot radioactive springs bubble into the sea at the shoreline, and the islanders keep their own hours in one of the five Blue Zones on earth. It is a demanding landfall and an unforgettable one.
Why sail to Ikaria
Ikaria lies in the Ikarian Sea between Mykonos and Samos, about ten nautical miles south-west of Samos and roughly a day's sail east of the Cyclades. It is the island most charter crews read about and few actually visit, which is exactly the argument for going: anchorages that would be packed solid in the Cyclades are empty here in August.
- Genuinely uncrowded. The North Eastern Aegean sees a fraction of the charter traffic of the Cyclades, and Ikaria sees less than most of it.
- Green and mountainous. The Atheras range runs the length of the island to 1,042 m, cut by deep ravines, streams and waterfalls that keep the slopes forested all summer.
- Hot springs at sea level. The saline thermal springs at Therma and Lefkada hold the highest radon concentration in Greece and have been used for healing since antiquity.
- Blue Zone culture. Ikaria is one of five places on earth where living past ninety is ordinary, and the all-night village panigiria in summer are the real thing, not a show.
- Serious sailing. The ancients called the island Anemoessa, the windy one. Crews who enjoy a fast, well-planned passage will love it.
- Fourni next door. The sheltered Fourni archipelago sits a few miles east and gives Ikaria the safe overnight harbour its own coast lacks.
Ikaria at a glance
- Island groupNorth Eastern Aegean, in the Ikarian Sea between the Cyclades and Samos
- Nearest baseMykonos (Tourlos Marina), roughly 87 km, about 47 nautical miles to the west
- PortsAgios Kirikos on the south coast, Evdilos on the north coast
- FuelYacht refuelling station at Agios Kirikos
- Highest pointMount Atheras, 1,042 m
- Summer windMeltemi from the north, with severe gusts spilling over the ridge
- Known forThe myth of Icarus, radioactive thermal springs, longevity, panigiria, wine
Harbours and anchorages around Ikaria
Agios Kirikos and Therma
Agios Kirikos, the island capital and chief port, is built up a hillside on the south-east coast, its balconies half hidden in flowers. It is the practical stop: ferries, tavernas, a small but genuinely interesting archaeological museum with Neolithic, Geometric and Roman finds, and the island's yacht refuelling station. Treat the shelter with respect. The main harbour is open to swell, easterly gusts come through hard, and a berth that feels fine at lunchtime can be untenable by evening. Anchoring west of the jetty is usually more comfortable, and Therma, five minutes away around the coast, is the better option when it blows. Therma has been known since antiquity for its hot springs and remains the spa centre of the island.
Lefkada and the south-west coast
South-west of the capital the first village is Lefkada, where mineral springs bubble up through the sand at the water's edge. Beyond it lies a string of small sheltered coves and hamlets of drystone houses, ending in the wooded village of Chrysostomos. This whole coast is fair weather only, and the villages of the far south-west, Manganitis and Karkinagri, are far easier to reach by boat than by road. Cape Papas at the south-western tip carries a lighthouse built in the 1880s.
Evdilos and Kambos
Evdilos, the island's second port and its former capital, sits on the north coast about 40 km from Agios Kirikos. An extension to the outer breakwater has made it a more secure call than it once was, though a swell works in even in light airs and the meltemi makes it lively. The village itself is the most architecturally traditional on Ikaria: old mansions, paved steps and narrow lanes above the quay. Kambos, 2.5 km west, has a small archaeological museum and occupies the site of ancient Oinoe, once famous for its grapes and, by one tradition, the first place in Greece to cultivate the vine. Ancient walls, an aqueduct and the building known as Palatia are what survive. In the mountain hamlet of Kossikia, the tenth-century castle of Nikaria is a good example of Byzantine military architecture.
Gialiskari, Armenistis and Nas
West along the north coast, Gialiskari is one of the loveliest spots on the island, a small bay with a fine beach and a chapel on the headland. Armenistis, a little further on, sits in thick pine forest with abundant fresh water and a superb beach, and is the closest thing Ikaria has to a resort. Christos Rachon, the inland village above it, juts out over the sea like a stone balcony. Three and a half kilometres west of Armenistis is the miniature cove of Nas, where the Halari gorge meets the sea. Anchor off in settled weather only: the whole north coast is a lee shore once the meltemi is established, and the sensible place to be in those conditions is the south side of the island.
Fourni, the shelter Ikaria lacks
The small Fourni archipelago lies a few miles east of Ikaria and is one of the best natural harbours in this part of the Aegean. Most crews cruising Ikaria use Fourni as the overnight base, day-sailing to Ikaria's coves and running back across for a quiet night alongside. From Fourni it is a short hop north to Samos or a longer leg south-west back into the Cyclades.
Sail to Ikaria from Mykonos
Tell us your dates and crew size and we will build a realistic Ikaria route with a boat that can handle the passage.
Ikaria ashore: myth, ruins and the Blue Zone
The island keeps the myth of Icarus, who fell into the sea off these shores after flying too close to the sun on waxen wings. In antiquity it was also called Makri, the long island, for its shape, and Ichthyoessa for the fish in its waters. What survives on the ground is scattered and quiet, which suits the island.
The temple of Artemis at Nas
The cove at Nas held one of the most celebrated sanctuaries of the ancient Aegean, a sixth-century BC temple of Artemis Tauropolos, patroness of sailors. Nas was probably the first settled part of Ikaria, and its sheltered landing made it an important staging point for ships crossing this stretch of water. Little is left today beyond traces of the quay and part of the temple floor, but the setting at the mouth of the gorge is worth the walk.
Ancient Oinoe and the museums
Kambos sits on the site of ancient Oinoe, the island's chief town, and its small museum holds finds from the area. The archaeological museum at Agios Kirikos covers Neolithic, Geometric and Roman material. Inland, the monastery of Mounte near Kastanies stands in dense greenery above a small wetland, and the Byzantine monastery of Theoktisti near Pigi is built around a chapel wedged into the hollow between two granite boulders.
The springs and the panigiria
The thermal springs at Therma, Lefkada, Agia Kyriaki and Armyrida have drawn visitors since antiquity, and the University of Thessaloniki found them to carry the highest radon concentration in Greece. They are used therapeutically rather than casually, so twenty minutes is the usual limit. The other thing Ikaria is known for is its summer panigiria, saints' day festivals that begin late, run until dawn and feed the whole village. If your charter falls in July or August, ask ashore which one is on.
When to sail around Ikaria
Everything here is dictated by the meltemi, which blows from the north down the eastern Aegean. The sensible plan is to do your northing and easting early in the week and keep the downwind angles for the run home, coming south past Fourni and then south-west into the Cyclades. Read up on the winds in Greece and on Greek climate and weather before you fix a route, and build a spare day into any plan that includes Ikaria.
Light to moderate winds, green hillsides, warm water and empty coves. The most comfortable window for the passage out from Mykonos.
The meltemi is at its strongest and the gusts off the Atheras ridge can be violent. Fast sailing for experienced crews, with Fourni as the reliable bolt-hole.
The wind eases through September, the sea is at its warmest and the island returns to itself after the festival season. Many crews call this the best month here.
Check the weather forecast sources for Greece every morning. Olympia Radio broadcasts bulletins for the east Aegean and the port authority at Agios Kirikos will pass on the local forecast.
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Ikaria yacht charter FAQs
Is there a charter base on Ikaria?
No. Ikaria has no charter base, so yachts reach it from elsewhere. The nearest Nautilia base is Mykonos (Tourlos Marina), roughly 87 km away, about 47 nautical miles, and that is where the nearest available boats are berthed. Paros Port is the other Cyclades option. Ikaria works as a destination on a route rather than as a start or end port.
Where can I moor a yacht on Ikaria?
Agios Kirikos on the south coast is the main harbour and the only fuel stop, with an anchorage west of the jetty that is usually calmer than the quay, and Therma just along the coast as an alternative. Evdilos is the second port, on the north coast, improved by an extension to its outer breakwater but still swelly. Gialiskari, Armenistis and Nas are daytime anchorages in settled weather only. Most crews spend the night in Fourni, a few miles east, which offers far better shelter than anywhere on Ikaria itself.
Is Ikaria difficult to sail?
It is one of the more demanding corners of the Aegean, which is why the ancients called it Anemoessa, the windy one. With a moderate to strong meltemi on the north coast, fierce gusts spill down the Atheras ridge onto the south coast, and near gale-force gusts hit parts of the north coast in strong southerlies. Keep at least five miles offshore on passage unless you are making for a harbour, reef early and treat the harbours as exposed.
How do I fit Ikaria into a one-week charter?
Plan on a full week as a minimum from Mykonos. A workable loop runs Mykonos to Ikaria, on to Fourni for a night or two, then back west through the Cyclades with the wind free. Ten days lets you add Samos or drop south to Patmos and gives you slack if the meltemi pins you down for a day, which it can. If a strong meltemi is forecast for the whole week, ask us about a different route.
When is the best time to sail around Ikaria?
Late May to mid June and September are the best windows: warm, settled and quiet. July and August bring the strongest meltemi and the most spectacular gusts, which suits experienced crews but can cost you a day in harbour. Those months are also panigiria season, when the village festivals run all night. April and October are calm but cooler, with fewer places open.
What is worth seeing ashore on Ikaria?
The sixth-century BC temple of Artemis at Nas, the radioactive thermal springs at Therma and Lefkada, the site of ancient Oinoe at Kambos with its small museum, the tenth-century Byzantine castle of Nikaria at Kossikia, and the monasteries of Mounte and Theoktisti inland. The Halari gorge above Nas is the island's best walk. Ikaria is also one of five Blue Zones in the world, and the slow pace of the villages is the point rather than a side effect.
