Picking olives in Ikaria

The olive picking takes place by the end of October and during the whole November. At the same time, we offer accommodation in Ikaria, Greek language courses and hiking weeks, combined with olive picking.

Reservation and cost

You can participate in the olive picking if you come for Greek lessons or if you book accommodation at the Center’s guesthouse from the end of October to the end of November. You can check availability and book one of the activities below by following the links below.

Olive picking and accommodation at the Center

If you do not want to participate in a Greek language course, you can pick olives with us by booking a room in the Center’s guesthouse during the period of October-November. This way you can participate in the activities we organize for our students, such as traditional dance lessons, cooking evenings, etc., without participating in the lessons themselves. During the hours when other students have lessons, you will be able to help pick olives.

Olive picking and Greek lessons

If you want to combine your participation in olive picking with a Greek language course, register in a Greek language course that takes place in October or November.

Hiking and Olive Picking Week

If you want to combine hiking in the mountains of Ikaria with a few hours of olive picking, join our hiking week in November.

Other activities

We offer accommodation in a private room in the Ikarian Center guesthouse, simple meals (lunch and dinner) from Monday to Saturday (meals are not offered during hiking weeks), free transfer from port and airport on Sundays, local transportation, and activities (such as lectures and screenings, traditional dance lessons, cooking nights, visits to oil press or vineyards, evenings were we learn how to sing Greek songs, etc. For more information about the activities we offer in each program, follow the links above.

Ikaria

Ikaria is a small island in the center of the Aegean, still off the radar of the tourist industry, with a unique wild nature and a mountainous terrain. For some people Ikaria is the place where people forget to die, as some studies conclude that the island belongs to the longevity zones, the blue zones: A place where people live longer than expected.