{wanderlust} the blue zone of ikaria

The main attraction of my trip to Greece was a week of cooking classes on the island of Ikaria. I'm going to tell you all about my cooking and food related experiences there soon, but first, a little background on the island. Ikaria is one of the original blue zones, a group of places where people live longer, there's little illness, and life is good. 

Aesthetically speaking, Ikaria isn't your typical Greek island. Instead of white washed villages and calm seas, it's known for its rolling hills, bucolic landscapes and choppy waters. It's not a major tourist destination, especially for the non-Greek set, and you're more likely to find surfers and sandy feet than cocktails and clubs. 

Ikaria is charming. It's quaint and stunningly beautiful and feels far away from the frenzied pace of city life. It's also, for lack of a better word, a bit wacky. There are five goats for every one person, much of the island is registered communist, and it's full of endearingly crazy characters that seem like they're straight out of small town central casting. In short, the perfect place to escape for a week.