Ios Island: Something for Everyone!
By zteve t evans
Ios is an island in the southern Cyclades cluster, well-known for its lively atmosphere, energetic lifestyle and has a reputation for being one of the hotspots for the young who desire endless partying. Yet there are still parts of the island ideal for those who are looking for a peaceful haven to relax in. There are many attractive beaches, and interesting places to visit and while offering a variety of activities to participate in, Ios caters for all types of visitors.
Beaches on Ios
Ios has some very good beaches, including the famous sandy beaches of Milopotas, Agia Theodoti, Psathi, Kalamas and Maganari. Kalamos has a long sandy beach with clear waters ideal for snorkelling.
Heading south of Kalamos Beach, there is another more remote beach called Plakes. For the naturalist the beach of Koubara is 300m long with many tavernas and is also a nudist beach.
Mylopotas is the busiest beach on the island and stretches for 1 km and cafes, bars and restaurants, can all be found close by. But for peace and tranquillity visitors may find Psathi Beach more to their liking as is still untouched by mass tourism.
Ios nightlife
The main area of Ios nightlife is located in Chora the capital town, sometimes called Ios Town, with hundreds of bars and clubs lining the narrow alleyways. Party life peaks during the summer holiday season as thousands of visitors from Greece and abroad come to the island. But it is not all partying and there is a wide variety of cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, to choose from by offering high levels of services at sensible and affordable prices.
Eating out on Ios
On Ios there is an abundance of dining venues such as fast food restaurants and souvlaki stands, as well as traditional tavernas and restaurants, which serve freshly caught fish and sea food as well as local cuisine including dishes like stuffed artichokes, mytzithra cheese pies, beans and spinach, grilled octopus, stuffed squid, chick pea balls, and pastries such as kaltsounia and almond sweets.
Ios has some very good beaches, including the famous sandy beaches of Milopotas, Agia Theodoti, Psathi, Kalamas and Maganari. Kalamos has a long sandy beach with clear waters ideal for snorkelling.
Heading south of Kalamos Beach, there is another more remote beach called Plakes. For the naturalist the beach of Koubara is 300m long with many tavernas and is also a nudist beach.
Mylopotas is the busiest beach on the island and stretches for 1 km and cafes, bars and restaurants, can all be found close by. But for peace and tranquillity visitors may find Psathi Beach more to their liking as is still untouched by mass tourism.
Ios nightlife
The main area of Ios nightlife is located in Chora the capital town, sometimes called Ios Town, with hundreds of bars and clubs lining the narrow alleyways. Party life peaks during the summer holiday season as thousands of visitors from Greece and abroad come to the island. But it is not all partying and there is a wide variety of cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, to choose from by offering high levels of services at sensible and affordable prices.
Eating out on Ios
On Ios there is an abundance of dining venues such as fast food restaurants and souvlaki stands, as well as traditional tavernas and restaurants, which serve freshly caught fish and sea food as well as local cuisine including dishes like stuffed artichokes, mytzithra cheese pies, beans and spinach, grilled octopus, stuffed squid, chick pea balls, and pastries such as kaltsounia and almond sweets.
Places to visit on Ios
As well as the excellent and varied entertainment, and places to eat, there are some very popular attractions and places of interest for the visitor to enjoy.
The Archaeological Museum, located on the ground floor of the Town Hall is popular and you can see an excellent exhibit of precious findings and artefacts that were found on the island.
The visitor can explore the small towns and villages with quaint whitewashed houses, winding alleyways and many churches having blue domes that blend with the sky.
Chora is a traditional island town, with Cycladic whitewashed houses that contrast with the blue sky, winding narrow stone paved streets leading to chapels, windmills, and yards. In the evening you will find that the three main squares are so overcrowded that you may lose your way in the small side streets. The quaint, picturesque windmills on the slope above Chora add charm and character to the atmosphere. The Cathedral of Ios, in Chora, is well worth a visit and there are many other beautiful churches on the island worth a visit.
One of the main attractions to the island is a visit Homer's grave, who was the most famous poet of the ancient world, and buried at Plakoto on the northern part of Ios. According to tradition when the poet came to Ios the locals posed him a riddle, or a puzzle which he could not solve and was killed and buried on the island.
Festival on Ios
Ios still retains much of its traditional charm and holds several festivals and cultural events during the summer. Visitors are welcome to attend a variety of cultural events at Odysseas Elytis Amphitheatre, located on the top of the hill in Chora. While on August 29, both Psathi village and Manganari village hold celebrations in honour of Agios Ioannis, with music, food and dancing. There is also a festival is held in Agia Theodoti on September 8, while at Paleokastro, on June 24, there is another festival.
Ios weather
Ios is one of the southernmost Cycladic islands. Located in the centre of the island is its highest mountain called Pirgos, which is 713m in height.
In summer the weather is quite warm with a cool breeze making the climate very pleasant. Ios weather is cool and enjoyable in spring and autumn and rainfall is uncommon. Winter climate is temperate and mild, with very little rainfall.
Accommodation on Ios
The island of Ios offers visitors all of the modern comforts and facilities and a wide choice of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, including of hotels of all categories, rooms, studios and apartments to let. There are also pension rooms, campsites and traditional tavernas.
Ios travel information
Ferry boats and high speed boats depart daily from the Piraeus Port in Athens and more routes are added to the departure schedule during the summer when thousands of visitors and holidaymakers arrive.
The island does not have an airport. Many visitors take a flight to Santorini from Athens Airport and then catch a ferry to Ios.
Something for everyone!
All, in all, the island of Ios offers the visitor opportunities for relaxing and tranquil holiday, or the choice of a much livelier and energetic experience, mixing old fashioned Greek charm with modern entertainment and facilities, there is something for everyone!
© 11/06/2009 zteve t evans
As well as the excellent and varied entertainment, and places to eat, there are some very popular attractions and places of interest for the visitor to enjoy.
The Archaeological Museum, located on the ground floor of the Town Hall is popular and you can see an excellent exhibit of precious findings and artefacts that were found on the island.
The visitor can explore the small towns and villages with quaint whitewashed houses, winding alleyways and many churches having blue domes that blend with the sky.
Chora is a traditional island town, with Cycladic whitewashed houses that contrast with the blue sky, winding narrow stone paved streets leading to chapels, windmills, and yards. In the evening you will find that the three main squares are so overcrowded that you may lose your way in the small side streets. The quaint, picturesque windmills on the slope above Chora add charm and character to the atmosphere. The Cathedral of Ios, in Chora, is well worth a visit and there are many other beautiful churches on the island worth a visit.
One of the main attractions to the island is a visit Homer's grave, who was the most famous poet of the ancient world, and buried at Plakoto on the northern part of Ios. According to tradition when the poet came to Ios the locals posed him a riddle, or a puzzle which he could not solve and was killed and buried on the island.
Festival on Ios
Ios still retains much of its traditional charm and holds several festivals and cultural events during the summer. Visitors are welcome to attend a variety of cultural events at Odysseas Elytis Amphitheatre, located on the top of the hill in Chora. While on August 29, both Psathi village and Manganari village hold celebrations in honour of Agios Ioannis, with music, food and dancing. There is also a festival is held in Agia Theodoti on September 8, while at Paleokastro, on June 24, there is another festival.
Ios weather
Ios is one of the southernmost Cycladic islands. Located in the centre of the island is its highest mountain called Pirgos, which is 713m in height.
In summer the weather is quite warm with a cool breeze making the climate very pleasant. Ios weather is cool and enjoyable in spring and autumn and rainfall is uncommon. Winter climate is temperate and mild, with very little rainfall.
Accommodation on Ios
The island of Ios offers visitors all of the modern comforts and facilities and a wide choice of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, including of hotels of all categories, rooms, studios and apartments to let. There are also pension rooms, campsites and traditional tavernas.
Ios travel information
Ferry boats and high speed boats depart daily from the Piraeus Port in Athens and more routes are added to the departure schedule during the summer when thousands of visitors and holidaymakers arrive.
The island does not have an airport. Many visitors take a flight to Santorini from Athens Airport and then catch a ferry to Ios.
Something for everyone!
All, in all, the island of Ios offers the visitor opportunities for relaxing and tranquil holiday, or the choice of a much livelier and energetic experience, mixing old fashioned Greek charm with modern entertainment and facilities, there is something for everyone!
© 11/06/2009 zteve t evans
References and Attributions
First published June 11, 2009 on Helium.com by zteve t evans © 11/06/2009 zteve t evans
File:Ios Village.JPG From Wikimedia Commons - Ios Village, Cyclades, Greece - Author: François F.-Dubois - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence.
File:Windmills in Ios island, Cyclades, Greece.jpg From Wikimedia Commons - Windmills in Ios island, Cyclades, Greece - Author Stefanos Kofopoulos - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic licence.
LoveIosGreece.com
Ios (island) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
iosgreece.com/
First published June 11, 2009 on Helium.com by zteve t evans © 11/06/2009 zteve t evans
File:Ios Village.JPG From Wikimedia Commons - Ios Village, Cyclades, Greece - Author: François F.-Dubois - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence.
File:Windmills in Ios island, Cyclades, Greece.jpg From Wikimedia Commons - Windmills in Ios island, Cyclades, Greece - Author Stefanos Kofopoulos - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic licence.
LoveIosGreece.com
Ios (island) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
iosgreece.com/