BLUE ZONE LIVING: IKARIA AND THE ART OF LONGEVITY
Ikaria, Greece | Getty Images
This month at Istorja, we return to our roots. In the stillness of July, beneath the sound of cicadas and the scent of fig trees warmed by sun, we begin a series dedicated to the land and rhythm of Greece. Our digital pages will drift from coastlines to mountaintops, from village kitchens to contemporary ateliers—tracing a line through the elements of Greek life that feel enduring, restorative, and real.
We begin in Ikaria.
Named one of the world’s five Blue Zones—a term coined by researchers to describe regions where people live measurably longer, healthier lives—Ikaria is more than an island. It is a way of being. A place where life is not extended through discipline or data, but through a philosophy of living well and with ease.
Here, in this wind-swept corner of the Aegean, longevity is not an achievement—it is a by-product. Of simplicity. Of connection. Of time stretched like linen hung to dry under the sun.
Ikaria, Greece | Getty Images
On Ikaria, the days begin without alarm clocks. People wake when their bodies ask them to. Breakfast might be a spoon of local honey, thick and floral, stirred into mountain tea. Neighbours stop to chat. Gardens are tended. Bread is baked. Everything happens in its time—and very little, if anything, is rushed.
Meals are more than nourishment. They are moments of communion. Shared dishes at long tables. Laughter that lingers. Local vegetables, olive oil, legumes, foraged greens, and wild herbs—the foundation of what we now call the Mediterranean diet. It is this kind of food that sustains without overcomplicating, designed not in the lab but in the land.
And when the work is done, people rest. A mid-afternoon nap isn’t a luxury—it’s a rhythm. So is dancing at panigiria, the island’s famed village festivals. So is walking to a neighbour’s home without calling first. Community is the infrastructure. And joy is built in.
At Istorja, we speak often about slow living. About rituals. About spaces that invite pause and reflection. In Ikaria, these values are not aesthetic—they are instinctive. They are embedded in the soil and in the stories passed down over generations.
And so, this month, we honour that way of life. A slower one. A kinder one. One that reminds us that well-being isn’t always something we buy or chase—it’s something we remember.
Because this is what Istorja believes in—living with depth, gathering with purpose, and making space for the timeless in the everyday.
IKARIAN STUFFED EGGPLANT (IMAM BAYILDI)
Main Dish / Side Dish / Vegetarian / Plant-based / Vegan
A beloved summer dish across the region, this Ikarian variation of the iconic Turkish recipe honours the richness of the land: eggplants, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil come together in a dish that is both hearty and healing. Served warm or at room temperature, it is a perfect reflection of the island—resilient, generous, and quietly beautiful.
Ingredients
• 5 medium eggplants, ends trimmed and scored deeply lengthwise
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced into thirds
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 potato, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper (green, red, or yellow), diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
How to Prepare
In a large pan, sauté the eggplants in olive oil for about 10 minutes, turning often to soften all sides.
In a bowl, combine the parsley, tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell pepper, and remaining olive oil to create your stuffing.
In a separate pan, gently sauté the stuffing mixture for 6–8 minutes, until the onions become tender and fragrant.
Fill and top the eggplants with the mixture. Arrange the sliced potatoes around them in the pan.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, basting with pan juices as needed to keep everything moist and glistening.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a wedge of lemon, and—ideally—a view of the sea.
Because this is what Ikaria teaches us: that longevity is found not in complexity, but in presence. In food made slowly. In conversations held softly. In lives lived close to the earth, and to each other. At the Istorja Cafe, we believe in creating and sharing from that same place. In honouring what is timeless. And in building a life—like the Ikarian table—that is generous, grounded, and full of soul.
Stay with us as we continue our Greek series through the month of July. Next, we travel through gems across the islands—spaces that embody the spirit of slow, modern living.