Karkinagri

The village of Karkinagri stands beside the southwestern tip of Ikaria, Greece. It has about 300 permanent residents, but in summertime the population increases substantially. Primarily a fishing village, it is surrounded by giant rocks and in the background rises the majestic Atheras mountain range.

Location

Karkinagri is a Greek village on the Island of Ikaria (a.k.a. Icaria) that lies in the Aegean Sea. Karkinagri is located in the southwest corner of Ikaria near Kavo Pappas.[1]

Past

Karkinagri is one of the more recently developed villages on the island. Although the beauty of its natural sea front has always been an attraction to would be settlers, the area was unsafe during times of war. In the past Ikarians were famous for making their houses out of rocks to disguise themselves from pirates. Karkinagri was too close to the shore to even be considered a possibility for inhabitance, as any sign of a fire would immediately attract the unwanted attention of pirates.

Present

The imposing topography is made even more dramatic by the coastline dropping off steeply in sheer cliffs, which do not however discourage the holiday makers and locals from enjoying the sea around Karkinagri via the local beaches. Karkinagri's village houses are well taken care of with their white-washed flowery yards and gardens. The beautiful village square with the typical "kafenia"(coffee-shops), the church, and the primary school ornament this fishing village. A little farther on the inlet of the village, Livada, has a small marina full of boats and fishing caiques. There are also tavernas, cafes and pensions/rooms for rent. It is worth visiting the traditional village feast on the 26th of July, the day of Agia Paraskevi.

Today Karkinagri is inhabited by a small number of villagers. The population expands substantially in the summer during the tourism season.

The village has little in the way of amenities due in part to the lack of fresh water and unreliable electricity supply, but this does not hamper everyday life, and is not always a problem.

The nightlife in Karkinagri is rather simple, consisting of three choices, turning in for bed, or going to one of the local bars affectionatley labeled the "Up Bar" and the "Down Bar" referring to their altitude in relation to the center of town.