Day 2: Exploring Armenistis, Mesatki Beach and Nas Beach Sunset

Monday 18th May 2026

My first full day on Ikaria was supposed to be a gentle introduction to the island: a quiet morning, some time on the beach and sunset at Nas. It mostly worked out that way, although not without a poor night’s sleep, a disappointing breakfast and a surprisingly difficult search for lunch.

Thankfully, the beautiful beaches and sunny weather more than made up for the inconveniences.

A Sluggish Start

Despite the previous day’s long journey, I woke after a restless and disrupted night. The bed was uncomfortable, the fridge in the corner of the room was surprisingly noisy and several mosquitoes had found their way inside. Their high-pitched buzzing kept me awake for much of the night, and I discovered several bite marks as the day went on.

The view from my small balcony offered some compensation. Armenistis was bathed in sunshine, with the village spreading down towards Ikaria’s rugged north coast.

I had come to the island expecting somewhere quiet and remote, perhaps with a similar feel to smaller Greek islands such as Iraklia, Sikinos or Donousa. From the balcony that morning, Armenistis certainly looked peaceful enough.

A Budget Breakfast Before the Beach

Breakfast was included at Pension Galini, although it did not begin until 9 am, which felt quite late by Greek standards. I used the extra time to do some video editing before heading down to the reception area.

I had expected a buffet, but perhaps because there were so few guests, the owner asked what I wanted and brought everything to the terrace on a tray. I chose bread, jam, yoghurt, honey and coffee, politely declining the offer of eggs.

The coffee was welcome after such a poor night’s sleep. Unfortunately, the food was less successful. The bread appeared to have been toasted because it was no longer fresh, leaving it hard and dry, while the yoghurt had the slightly rubbery consistency of the cheaper varieties and did not mix particularly well with the honey.

It was free, and it was food, but it was not the memorable Greek breakfast I might have hoped for.

Even so, I was still excited to begin exploring. I had deliberately kept my first day relatively relaxed, rather than trying to rush between attractions immediately after arriving. The forecast for the next few days was mixed, so with sunshine outside, a beach day seemed like the obvious choice.

Livadi Beach

The walk from my accommodation through Armenistis took around 10–15 minutes. There were a few people around, but the village still felt remarkably quiet.

As I approached the coast, Livadi Beach opened up below me: a wide stretch of pale sand, backed by green hills and fronted by clear blue water. It was exactly the kind of open, uncrowded beach I had hoped to find on Ikaria.

Livadi is also sometimes referred to as Armenistis Beach, but whichever name you use, it made an excellent first impression.

Within a few minutes, I had found a quiet spot on the sand. The clear sky made the weather look warmer than it really was, with the temperature only a little above 20°C, so sunbathing was not quite as comfortable as I had imagined.

Still, it was peaceful enough to lie back, listen to music and enjoy the surroundings. I even went for a swim, although getting into the cold water required a little courage. As a competitive swimmer, I am reasonably accustomed to colder conditions, but it was certainly refreshing.

I had forgotten my goggles, so I settled for a short swim followed by some time floating near the surface.

The beach was almost empty during my visit in May. I suspect it feels very different during July and August, but outside the main season, its space and tranquillity were a major part of the appeal.

Mesatki Beach and the Search for Lunch

As tempting as it was to remain on Livadi for the rest of the day, hunger and curiosity eventually encouraged me to continue exploring.

Mesatki Beach lies in the next bay to the east and is only a short distance away. Google Maps showed a couple of beach bars there, although whether they would be serving food this early in the season was another matter.

At the eastern end of Livadi, I found a set of blue steps that appeared to lead through a building. I was unsure whether they connected with the road, but a Greek woman walking nearby confirmed that I could get through.

That saved me from taking a much longer route back through Armenistis.

Once on the road, Mesatki was barely another two minutes away. The beach was broader and even more open than Livadi, with another long sweep of sand stretching around the bay.

I walked towards Bensao Beach Bar at the eastern end, where a collection of sunbeds and umbrellas had been set up. Although the beach itself was almost empty, most of the sunbeds were occupied and several people were sitting at the bar.

This looked promising.

Unfortunately, when I asked about food, I was told they were only serving cold snacks. After such a light breakfast, I wanted a proper meal, so I decided to have a drink and continue the search elsewhere.

The menu included a local lager called Ikarotissa, which I had not tried before. It was refreshing and enjoyable, particularly with the view across the beach, although it did not do much to solve my increasingly urgent lunch problem.

Finding Food in Armenistis

By now, finding somewhere to eat had become the main priority.

In hindsight, I could have continued towards Gialiskari, which is only a short distance beyond Mesatki. However, I had no idea what would be open there and did not want to walk farther only to encounter the same problem.

Instead, I retraced my route to Armenistis.

I had expected the island’s main beach resort to offer a reasonable choice of places for lunch, but very little appeared to be open. This was one of the less appealing realities of travelling outside the main season. The quiet streets and empty beaches were wonderful, but the limited choice of food added some unwelcome friction.

Eating well is an important part of travelling in Greece for me, so wandering around hungry while repeatedly finding closed kitchens was frustrating rather than charming.

I first tried a cake shop called Zacharoplasteio Ikaros, which had a board outside advertising sandwiches. Unfortunately, when I asked, I was told that only cakes were available. Tempting, perhaps, but not quite the lunch I had walked two beaches to find.

The woman inside pointed me across the road to Violeta, where several customers were already eating. At last, somewhere with actual food.

I ordered a club sandwich and a Sprite—just to prove I do not only drink beer—and sat outside in the shade. The sandwich was enormous, particularly after struggling to find lunch for so long, but it was satisfying enough to make the search feel worthwhile.

An Easy Afternoon in Armenistis

My only firm plan for the evening was to visit Nas for sunset, leaving several free hours during the afternoon.

After lunch, I returned to my accommodation for a much-needed nap before taking my drone down towards the waterfront. I found a quiet place near the sea, opposite the mini market, and captured several aerial photographs and video clips of Armenistis.

From above, the village looked compact and peaceful, with its white buildings clustered against the green slopes of northern Ikaria.

Nas Beach at Sunset

Later in the afternoon, I drove west to Nas. Although the village is only a few minutes beyond Armenistis, it immediately felt more isolated.

I knew Nas mainly for its unusual lagoon-style beach and its west-facing position, which makes it one of Ikaria’s most popular sunset locations.

A short path leads from the village past several tavernas towards the beach. As the coastline came into view, I could see why Nas attracts so many visitors. The small strip of sand sits dramatically between the cliffs, with the lagoon behind it and the open Aegean stretching towards the horizon.

Reaching the beach itself requires wading through part of the lagoon. The water was only a couple of feet deep, allowing me to cross without getting my clothes wet, although shorter visitors may need to be more careful.

Only a handful of people were on the sand. An onshore breeze had made the sea quite rough, with waves breaking heavily against the beach, adding to the sense of drama.

After walking around and filming from the sand, I returned to higher ground and found a suitable place to launch the drone. From the air, it became clear just how small both the beach and village really are.

Once I had finished filming, I took a brief walk through Nas, although there was very little to explore. It was pleasant and atmospheric, but also extremely quiet. Some travellers choose to stay here, particularly for the scenery and relaxed setting, but it would have felt too remote for me as a base.

Armenistis offered a better balance: peaceful enough to feel removed from busy tourist resorts, but with more choice and a little more life in the evenings.

Dinner at Mary Mary

Back in Armenistis, I headed out in search of dinner. After the difficulties I had experienced at lunchtime, I was relieved to find Mary Mary busy and welcoming.

A quick look at the menu confirmed my decision. They offered two of my favourite dishes: arancini as a starter and moussaka as a main course.

Combined with a carafe of house white wine, it was exactly the meal I had been hoping to find earlier in the day. The food was delicious, while the inexpensive house wine went down a little too easily.

Walking back through Armenistis afterwards, I felt positive about my first full day on Ikaria.

It had not been completely effortless. The poor sleep, underwhelming breakfast and prolonged search for lunch had introduced a little more friction than I wanted. But the open sandy beaches, sunny weather and peaceful atmosphere had delivered much of what I had hoped to find.

Ikaria already felt quiet and distinctive without seeming completely cut off. After one full day, I was looking forward to discovering how the rest of the island would compare.