Ikarian Wineries and Agrotourism

Ikarian Wineries and Agrotourism, in Greece: Ikaria is a beautiful island located in the middle of the Eastern Aegean Sea. Although in low levels till today, the island's tourist development has made quite a long way and it still does. Its natural beauty, the friendly people and of course the fact of being an island of the Aegean could not avoid the popularity, which rises steadily over the last years.

One thing that you should know about Ikaria, is its excellent wines and vineyards. Ikaria has the oldest known wine place name derived from a topographic feature: The Pramnos Rock lent its name to the red Pramnian wine mentioned by the poet Homer. Moreover, according to Mythology, the island is said to be the birthplace of Dionysus, god of wine and grapes. With millennium old traditions in wine making, the island has many farms and wineries that have developed agrotourism and attract many visitors every year.

High up on the mountain ridges of Ikaria, there is an organic farm and winery that constitute an ideal place for education and recreation, the principals of agrotourism. The vineyards are cultivated in the most traditional manner, without fertilizers or insecticides (using only sulfur) and with only a small yield per acre. Strictly limited varieties of wine are produced there, which you can not only taste but also watch their way of making!

This farm offers visitors a unique kind of hospitality that can be a really special experience for you and your family. You will have the opportunity to take part in daily tours in the farm, where you will be shown today methods of making and aging wine. It also proposes accommodation and food included, very well equipped with all modern comforts in rooms especially designed for you. In the seminars organized you will be introduced to the variety of grapes and the dry stone-stone made terraces with the unique type of Ikaria's soil.

If you are interested in Ikarian cuisine, you can take cooking courses and learn about the secrets of selected delightful Greek and Ikarian dishes. The families owning the farms are producing wine for centuries and are more than willing to share part of their knowledge with you, proving the famous Greek hospitality in the best way.

In some of them, you will also see goats, pigs, rabbits as well as many fruit and vegetable plants, trees and many more. Depending on the time of year, you can pick your own salad fixings and eat them in a beautiful setting of the healthiest and most natural products. For the children, this will be an exciting experience for them and certainly something to remember of!

If you choose spring, late summer and fall to travel to Ikaria, you will have the chance to explore the wide variety of herbs and wildflowers growing there, by going on organized hikes starting from this selected farm. The guides will show you the best places to find and pick wildflowers and herbs, depending on the season. Then, they will show you how to make soothing and fragrant lotions from the aromatic plants.

Make this dip into the deep agricultural traditions of Ikaria for a refreshing, relaxed and much educational trip on this beautiful island. After tasting the wines and smelling the fragrances from the flowers you will get home owing to the most real side of the place.