Ikaria: The Greek island where clocks don't matter and people live long
CTV
As Canadians prepare to set their clocks forward and potentially lose an hour of sleep this weekend, a Greek island in the Mediterranean is offering a different perspective on time.
On the Greek island of Ikaria, located in the Aegean Sea and home to around 8,400 people, residents don't pay attention to what time it is. When Ikarians agree to meet up for coffee or lunch, it's completely normal to be up to two hours late.
"It is true that the time's dependence is weak on Ikaria. I was fully surprised when I visited them for the first time in February 2008. Time has a fully different sense and watches are not needed," Michel Poulain, a Belgian demography researcher, told CTVNews.ca in an email on Thursday.
Shops and restaurants often open late in the afternoon or in the evening.
"If you go for lunch, be ready to wait until 2 p.m. to be served," he said. "(In the) evening, no problem if you appear in the restaurant at 10 p.m."
