The Greek island of Ikaria has been listed among the world’s top 50 destinations by the renowned travel guide book publisher “Lonely Planet.” The listing has been included in the publisher’s latest edition, “Best in Travel 2024.”
The eastern Aegean island occupies 7th place in the category of “Best Value Destinations,” with the authors describing it as “the weirdest and most charismatic” Greek island. “Its outlandish terrain, largely untamed by agriculture, comprises dramatic forested gorges, rocky moonscapes and hidden beaches with aquamarine waters. Ikaria’s independent spirit, unique culture (characterised by dwellings pretending to be rocks), nocturnal lifestyle and rave-like panigyria village festivals grew out of centuries of isolated life under the constant threat of pirates and foreign invaders.”
The same category also includes Poland, the American Midwest, Nicaragua, the Danube Limes in Bulgaria – a string of dramatic Roman fortresses that have recently been nominated for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List – Normandy, Egypt, Algeria, the Southern Lakes and Central Otago region in New Zealand, and the night trains in Europe.
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“Incredible must-see destinations”
The annual special edition marks the publishing group’s 50th anniversary and is a “comprehensive and inspirational list of 50 incredible destinations to experience over the forthcoming year … a mix of emerging travel hotspots, underappreciated or criminally overlooked places and fresh-takes on well-known destinations.”
The list has been compiled by a team of experts, consisting of Lonely Planet’s regular collaborators, as well as prominent representatives of the travel and tourism community, who select 10 of the best destinations for the individual categories: Countries, Regions, Cities, Value, and Sustainable. Each of the suggested destinations is accompanied by a detailed presentation of the options it offers and ways to access it, as well as a lot of useful information for the best travel experience.
This article was previously published in Greek at kathimerini.gr.
