My husband and I chose Ikaria to celebrate our 70 and 80th birthdays. We wanted a lovely, remote, calm setting and this Akamatra farmhouse couldn't have been more perfect for the celebration. In our rental car, it took us approximately 2 hours to arrive at the Akamatra square. Be prepared to drive 20 km/hr on narrow roads with occasional goats crossing the roads! On the night of our arrival, Georgia, our hostess met us in the Akamatra village square on her motorcycle, guided us to our lodging and helped us up the rugged drive with our bags (our car could not make the climb, so we left it at the base of the hill). Throughout our stay, Georgia was patient with our endless questions, generous with her time and treated us to some of the fruits/vegetables/herbs from her garden. We loved her companionship and conversation! The property itself is located on a rugged, mountainous hillside, with a breathtaking view of the Agean Sea and is nestled among many plants/trees cultivated by Georgia. I cooked most of our meals, found all the needed cookware in the kitchen. I purchased delicious bread and meal ingredients from the Akamatra and Evdilos bakeries, minimart and grocery stores. Pharmacies and gas is available 7 km away in Evdilos. For our 2-week stay, we brought a minimum of clothing, as we'd known a washing machine was available on site. With the humidity, the clothing took 2 days to dry. Many a day we set out in the morning to explore the port of Evdilos and other island towns. Akamatra is centrally located on the island and an ideal base camp. The only downfall for the entire time was our age. Had we been younger and more fit, we would have been able to hike the many island paths, surf, swim in the thermal waters, and enjoy Ikaria to its fullest. Renting motor cycles would also have enabled us to get to even the remotest locations on the island. Regardless, we were enchanted by our stay at the Akamatra farmhouse and recommend it to those wanting a remote island getaway. This fits the bill!
