Ios is the original island of the Cyclades. What is the island of Ios in Greece? Consent to the processing of personal data
Ios is considered perhaps one of the most beautiful Cyclades islands. It is located in the southern Aegean Sea, between the islands of Santorini and Naxos. Ios is essentially the most "party" among all the islands of the Cyclades. Young people from almost all over the world gather here during the season. In the evening at the height of the season, it is better for older people not to appear in the capital of the island, the city of Chora, as there are literally no crowds of teenagers there. But the rest of the resorts on the island are much calmer; there are amazingly beautiful beaches for vacationers. Some of them are even included in the top ten best European beaches. The island also has very picturesque landscapes, where houses built in the style of traditional Cycladic architecture look great.
You can get to the island by ferry from the port of Piraeus. The ferry makes at least 4 trips per day during the season. The travel time is 7 hours, and you will have to pay 30.5 euros for a ticket. In the summer, catamarans also go to the island of Ios; they deliver passengers faster - in 5.5 hours, but their tickets are more expensive - 50 euros. True, such catamarans sail once a day. From Ios you can also take a ferry or catamaran to almost all the islands of the Cyclades archipelago. In summer, buses run around the island every 15 minutes, and excursion buses take vacationers to the beaches of Manganari and Agia Theodori twice a day. In addition, in Chora and Ormos you can rent a scooter if you wish. 
On the right side of Chora there is the amazing sandy Milotop Bay. This is practically one of the best Greek beaches. Its length is 1 kilometer. Another very good beach is in the main port of the island - Ormos. From Chora to the port there is a 2-kilometer-long asphalt road, along which you can then drive to Milotop Bay. Also, good beaches are located near the villages of Manganari, Dzamarya, Kalamas, Agia Theodori, Plakesa, Psafi and Kolitsani. You can get to them either by car or by boat. On the beaches located near Mylopatos, Manganari and Chora, you can go water skiing, banana boat, or go diving and snorkeling. 
Among the attractions on the island you can see the very picturesque Church of St. Irene, which is located near the entrance to Chora, and the Venetian fortress built in the 15th century, located in Paleokastro. At the exit from Chora, on a very small hill you can see ancient water mills - this is a favorite place for tourist walks.
According to ancient legend, it was on this island that the great Homer was buried. His grave can be found among the ruins of the town of Plakotos. Other attractions include the Church of St. Catherine, located in Agia Catherine, the Museum of Contemporary Art, located in Kolitsani, the Archaeological Museum and the outdoor amphitheater. 
Nightlife on the island during the high season is very vibrant. On Ios you can find bars and music for literally every taste. In fact, nightlife on the island began to emerge back in the distant 70s of the last century, that is, at the time when the island was chosen by the then hippies. Probably, since that very time, lovers of parties, discos, and generally an idle lifestyle come here every summer. In addition, Ios has very competitive prices for alcoholic drinks in comparison with Santorini or Mykonos.
Although Ios is not so different in architectural and geographical terms from its immediate neighbors, no other island attracts so many young people. They are, however, trying to give mass tourism a more strict appearance: houses are now painted white with a blue border, instead of the former psychedelic riot of colors, overnight stays in a tent anywhere are prevented, and a law has been passed according to which the establishments close earlier than anywhere else in (not later than 3 a.m., except Friday and Saturday), so you won’t be able to have fun in the bars until the morning.
But young travelers with backpacks continue to flock here, and in the summer they completely capture Ios. During the rest of the year, the rowdy youth is diluted by more sedate ones: more and more young families come here on vacation. All the villages that can be called villages - Gialos, Chora and Mylopotamos - occupy one small corner of the island, and the development of other parts of it is partly hampered by poor roads. As a result, many of the local beaches are still very quiet and there are few rooms for rent. Gialos has a beautiful natural harbor, one of the best and safest on the island, with a paved promenade.
Guests for the most part stay close to the port - in Gialos where you arrive (there is no airport), or in Chora above it, or by the beach at Mylopotamos. The area is small and you'll soon want to get to know the island better. There are constantly scurrying buses connecting the villages of Koumbara, Gialos, Chora and Mylopotamos, departures daily, from approximately 8:00 am to midnight. In summer you won’t have to wait longer than 15 minutes for a bus; in extreme cases, you can walk uphill (or downhill) along the path between Gialos and Chora.
Buses from various travel agencies also go to the beaches in Manganari and Ayia Theodoti, but tickets for them are sold both ways and at slightly inflated prices (6 €). Rental agencies can help you get your own vehicle: Jacob’s Car and Bike Rental in Gialos or Vangelis Bike Rental in Chora, but unlike many other islands, here you will need a valid license to drive a motorcycle.
Motorboats are rented out by the Mylopotamos company “los Boat Rental”, which asks nothing more than a credit card. If you get bored of the swashbuckling party atmosphere that reigns on the island during the high season, then to escape it, go on an excursion to one of the nearby quiet beaches, where you will be taken from the harbor by the beautiful sailing ship Leigh Browne (€20). Once popular, overnight stays on Ios beaches are now frowned upon, and with theft rampant, it's best to stick to the official campsites.
From the Gialos embankment, buses turn left, and to Gialos beach - surprising with its tranquility and not overcrowding - is only a 5-minute walk in the same direction. Once you arrive in Gialos, you can rent a room in this village: the homeowners greet the incoming ferries, and there are two kiosks at the pier where you can find them.
The Mare Monte Hotel, about halfway from the beach, has spacious, clean rooms, a small pool, and the price of the room includes breakfast. About 300 meters up the road in Chora is one of the best options: the family-owned Golden Sun Hotel with a large swimming pool, and behind the hospital is the recently renovated Yialos Beach, with good double rooms and studios around a swimming pool.
On the way along the stepped path from Gialos to Chora, they also offer rooms for rent, but at night it can be noisy. Los Camping is friendly and clean, and its pool is quite luxurious. Gialos also has a decent supermarket and several taverns. In the small Octopus Tree coffee shop, at the pier with fishing boats, they serve fresh seafood caught by the owner, and the neighboring Enigma is a warm, intimate place with Cypriot dishes.
A pleasant walk into the port (20 minutes) and you'll find Chora (or the city of Ios), one of the most picturesque villages in the Cyclades, with winding streets, arcades and whitewashed churches, although at the height of the season, when it is filled with young crowds, the place is by no means call it quiet. Chora is divided into two parts: the old town, climbing up the hill, on the left as you enter the town, and the new buildings on the right. The Archaeological Museum (Tuesday-Sunday 8:30-15:00; 2 €) appeared in the yellow town hall building as one of the measures to attract more diverse categories of tourists to the island.
The open-air theater of Odysseus Elytis, behind the windmills, hosts wonderful plays and concerts, information about which can be found at the travel agency and at the information desk near the archaeological museum. In the old part of the city, modest rooms are rented, although it can be noisy - there are plenty of bars nearby. The best strategy for finding peace is to turn left, where you'll find several places to stay, including the excellent Francesco's - the best value on the island, with clean double rooms, few shared bedrooms (12€ per person) and amazing views from the bar . Near the bus stop is a newer hotel, Mediterraneo: beautiful rooms with balconies overlooking the swimming pool.
The Lofos Pension in the new buildings area - to the right of the Rollan supermarket - is also a good choice. The friendly Four Seasons Pension, above the Vangelis Bike Rental office, is both quiet and central. Every summer evening, Chora turns into the center of nightlife: everywhere you can hear music from discos and bars, where entry is mostly free or there is a nominal fee, and drinks are inexpensive (be on your guard and don’t rush for something really cheap: some unscrupulous businessmen offer a local drink called a bomb that will make you drunk in an instant, but then you will feel very bad; if in doubt, ask about the brand and origin).
Most of the smaller bars and pubs are tucked into the cheerful narrow streets of the old part of the village on the hill, and there is something for everyone, and finding such establishments is not difficult. People in the know start the evening at a place like the Fun Pub, where they often play free movies and have a pool table, and then move from tavern to tavern, ending up by midnight in the bowels of the old city, where Rehab, Flames and Red Bull Bar are especially in demand.
On the main street, near the bus stop, there is a cluster of large dance clubs, including Scorpion and the rather kitschy Sweet Irish Dream. There aren't many taverns here, but there are plenty of cheap and cheerful psystarias and takeaway food establishments. More impressive options include Italian restaurant Pinocchio, The Nest tavern and Lord Byron mezedhopolio, in an alley on the left side of the old district, open all year round and carefully recreating the traditional atmosphere: rebetika music and good and unusual Greek food.
Around the island of Ios
Most often, bus passengers get off at the Mylopotamos stop (short name - Mylopotas), heading to a magnificent beach with conditions for water sports and a mini-resort, for which Meltemi Extreme Watersports, located on Manganari Beach, has everything necessary. With many young people coming to the island, camping is thriving. The largest of these is the Far Out Beach Club, with many services including a reasonably priced cafeteria and a bar (which is a good place to hang out even if you're not camping). Be aware, however, that it gets very crowded and noisy in August. There is a Far Out Village hotel adjacent to the campsite.
The friendly and quieter Purple Pig Stars complex on the road up to Chora offers cozy bungalows, and also has its own clubhouse and swimming pool bar. The attractive and luxurious Dionysos Hotel is located nearby. On the road at the far end of the beach, the French-run Hotel los Plage (June-September) offers good, modernly equipped rooms and a terrace restaurant serving excellent French cuisine. From Gialos there are boats to Manganari, on the southern coast (daily, departure around 10 o'clock, return after noon; 12 € round trip) - there is a beach and a hotel, but you can also get there by scooter.
You can also get to Manganari by private buses provided by travel agencies (6 € round trip): they leave Gialos at about 11 o'clock, call at Chora and Mylopotamos and return in the late afternoon, however, the roads are such that the sea route is preferable. Previously, nudism reigned on the beach, now the authorities are trying to stop it, but are not very successful. A more pleasant place is Agia Theodoti, on the eastern shore. A paved road leads there across the entire island and there is a sightseeing bus (daily; 3 € round trip).
A couple of kilometers from Agia Theodoti to the south is Paleokastro, the ruins of a Venetian castle and the remains of a marble town and a Byzantine church. If - in the unlikely event - the (mostly nudist) beach is too crowded, try going to Psati, 14 kilometers to the south-east, but you'll need your own transport. This resort was chosen by wealthy Athenians and therefore the mediocre taverns here are prohibitively expensive, although the moderately priced Alonistra fish tavern is a pleasant exception.
You can get to another decent beach - Kalamos - by taking a bus to Manganari and getting off at the turn to Kalamos, after which you will have to walk 4 kilometers. The easiest way to reach the so-called “Tomb of Homer” is by scooter along a safe dirt road (first along the highway to Agia Theodoti, then turn left after 4.5 kilometers from Chora). The ancient town has long crumbled from the cliff, but the ruins of the entrance to the mausoleum and some burials remain, including where, according to legend, Homer is buried, although in fact all these ruins are no older than the Byzantine era.
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Ios is one of the most beautiful Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Despite its small size (18 km long from north to south and 10 km wide), the island is popular among tourists. You can get here by ferry from any of the neighboring islands of the Cyclades archipelago. The Greeks themselves come to Ios to relax. Thanks to numerous clubs, cafes and restaurants, the island is today considered the center of nightlife - the youth “party” is in full swing here.Walk through the streets of Chora
The capital of the island is the village of Chora. Tourists enjoy strolling here along the clean streets, admiring the neat snow-white houses, churches and windmills on the picturesque hills. The main attractions of the island are also located in Chora. Here are just a few of them:
Throughout the island you can find many interesting historical places - the ruins of ancient temples, the ruins of a water supply system. Beaches of Ios
The beautiful nature of the island will not leave anyone indifferent. The hills covered with vineyards, olive groves, bays with crystal clear water, and sandy beaches are impressive. Separate mention must be made about the beaches. All the beaches of Ios are famous for their clean water. One of them - Mylopotas- one of the ten best beaches in Europe. A Manganari beach was awarded the UNESCO Blue Flag for the cleanliness of the water and shore. This beach is located several tens of kilometers from the capital, in a bay. There are no big waves here and it is quite shallow, which is ideal for families with children.
The best time for relaxation is considered to be from May to the end of September. The air temperature at this time is 25-30 degrees. In winter, the thermometer drops to 8-10 degrees Celsius. In summer, buses regularly run around the island, taking tourists to the beaches. In addition, you can always rent a car or scooter. Water sports lovers will never be bored - here you can go diving, try your hand at surfing or go sailing. Ios is an ideal place where you can have a great rest, see archaeological and cultural monuments, and practice your favorite sport.
And surrounded by six more nearby territories of the Cyclades archipelago.
Ios stretches almost two dozen kilometers in length, half of which is its width. It’s a long way from the mainland main port - you have to sail more than a hundred kilometers. The island's population in the nineteenth century was twice its current size. The main activity is the tourism industry.
Island roof over your head
Hotels are located where they are most needed. There are almost one hundred and thirty places of accommodation for tourists and just residents of the mainland who come en masse on weekends: hotels, apartments, apart-hotels, guest houses, bungalows.
Hotels are located in two south-eastern bays, mainly in coastal areas. A little to the north they came to a mountainous area where there are sights of Ios.
Located south of others in the settlement of Mylopotas guest house Psili Ammos. It looks like a white-winged butterfly frozen on the rocks. In reality, it is an amazingly beautiful and architecturally complex complex for an island consisting of three one-story cube rooms. He goes down the stone boulders to the sea, like steps. We came out of the gate - and here is your beach!
Each room has its own veranda, all household and digital amenities. There is a tavern in the hall. And dishes from freshly caught fish will be prepared for you on the shore. Two other popular beaches, Manganari and Papa, are located at a considerable distance and can be reached by public transport.
Aparthotel Kritikakis Village is located half a kilometer from the capital of the island and almost next to the port. As provided by the classification, the studio rooms here have their own kitchenette. Gialos beach is three hundred steps away.
If the external beauty of the tourist complex were taken into account when evaluating hotels, then Ritas Plaza Hotel would top the TOP 5 in Ios, or even in the Cyclades archipelago. The first thing visitors do when arriving at the hotel is take pictures of it from all angles. Everyone wants to show at home how to build such a health complex in the Jadlos resort on lifeless rocks. From there it is a five-minute walk to Chora, the capital of the island.
Ios Island, the beaches are great!
- on the southern coast of Ios, half an hour by car to the capital of the island - Chora. The luxurious bay of the Aegean Sea (trees grow even on the rocks) protects tourist spots from the strong sea wind. The island is equipped according to all the rules of coastal service, and for this it has been awarded the Blue Flag by UNESCO more than once.
In summer, regular transport links are available from Chora to the beach: buses, taxis, motor boats, rented vehicles. Including the next well-kept beach - Mylopotas.
A kilometer long, popular among the Cyclades islands. Young people love the beach and it is also awarded by UNESCO. Chora is a couple of kilometers away. Tourists go there to explore ancient sights.
The beach is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea and is popular among young people. Mylopotas will delight tourists with its natural beauty.
Sights of Ios
The capital itself is already a landmark. The island of Ios (photo) can be viewed on the website and you can see the medieval streets at the foot of the mountain, which is surrounded by the snow-white houses of the islanders. Or ancient churches and chapels, windmills from time immemorial. It’s a pleasure to look at all this. Church of the Virgin Mary (Panagia)- is located at the top of the cliff. There is a zigzag road built there - it can be seen from afar.
Tourists visit the Museum of Archeology and Local History and the Church of St. Irene near the harbor. The port of Ormos (“bay”) is magnificent. The lack of coastal territory prompted the islanders to occupy part of the bay and build a magnificent marina here, which tourists use as a place for a wonderful evening relaxation. The pier is like an open gate to the city.
Fortress ruins between Feodoti and Psahi also attract the attention of travelers and mainland residents Hellas, who came to Ios for the first time. The stones are silent evidence of centuries of troubled times, when the islanders defended themselves with fortresses from all kinds of invaders.
On the hill, according to legend, is the grave of the greatest poet of all time, Homer, the author of the ancient literary monuments “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, which Russians studied both at school and in humanitarian universities. About the place Homer's burial on Ios, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus and the geographer Pausanias reported.
Charming Ios is rightfully considered one of the most picturesque Cyclades islands. It is especially popular among young travelers and beach lovers, as it is famous for its trendy nightclubs and picturesque beaches. The lively atmosphere is characteristic mainly of the capital of the island, and outside of Chora, even at the height of the tourist season, there is usually a very pleasant and peaceful atmosphere. Those who prefer to devote a significant part of their vacation to exploring the sights will not be disappointed either. Ios has several very interesting historical symbols, acquaintance with which will give a lot of impressions.
You should start getting acquainted with the historical heritage of the island with a walk around the capital, one of the symbols of which is the Church of St. Irene. The snow-white church amazes with its simplicity and charm; it is located in close proximity to the port area, and therefore is the first object on the list of numerous tourist routes. It is recommended to walk around the territory of Chora exclusively on foot; from the port area it will not be difficult to get to the city center.
Foreign guests may find this miniature town incredibly colorful and original; flashes of bright colors can be seen everywhere against the backdrop of snow-white buildings. City streets are decorated with thousands of fragrant flowers, and the main distinguishing feature of local houses is the presence of colorful details - shutters, window sills and doors. The capital of the island is located on a high hill, the top of which is worth climbing to the top of all lovers of hiking. Copyright www.site
Here, in addition to spacious viewing platforms, you can find several elegant snow-white chapels with blue domes - typical architectural monuments in the national style. Coming down the hill, you can see the most interesting attraction of Ios - the windmills; for many years they continue to function properly, despite their impressive age.
An interesting historical site is located in the town of Paleokastro. Here you can see a beautiful Venetian fortress, which was built in the 15th century. The history of the island is inextricably linked with the name of Homer; it is believed that it was here that he spent the last days of his life and was buried. His tomb is located among the ruins of the ancient city of Plakotos, a walk through which will certainly appeal to history buffs.
Among other outstanding attractions, it is worth noting the Church of St. Catherine, which is located in the town of Agia Ekaterini. Local residents consider St. Catherine their patroness; many amazing stories are associated with the church. For many years, the island of Ios attracted scientists and archaeologists who explored its most protected areas. You can see the fruits of their labors at the local Archaeological Museum, which displays an interesting collection of finds.
Travelers who are interested in contemporary painting and sculpture will be interested in visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art, located in Kolitsani. A rich collection of works by contemporary painters is presented here, and interesting cultural events are regularly held. Monuments of ancient times have also been preserved on the island, including a beautiful amphitheater. It is clearly visible from the top of Chora Hill. Vacationers also have the opportunity to walk through the archaeological area and admire the ruins of a once large-scale structure.
On the island of Ios is one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece - Mylopota Bay. The length of this sandy beach is about 1,000 meters, it is very calm and flat, so family tourists choose it for relaxation. The beach has a well-developed infrastructure; nearby there are popular hotels, restaurants and entertainment centers. Ormos also has a very attractive beach that will appeal to fans of relaxation in a comfortable environment.