Ios is a small mountainous island in the southern Cyclades, between Naxos and Santorini. Since the 1970s it has been a favourite with young people for its nightlife, centred on Chora and Mylopotas beach. But outside peak months and away from the bars it is a quiet island with one of the group's finest Choras.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Chora | White hilltop village with blue-domed churches, windmills and lanes full of bars at night |
| Panagia Gremiotissa | Church at the top of Chora with Aegean views |
| Skarkos | Early Bronze Age settlement, award-winning restoration |
| Homer's tomb | At Plakotos in the north, tradition says Homer is buried here |
| Archaeological Museum | In Chora, with finds from Skarkos |
Beaches
Mylopotas is the main beach, long and organised, with water sports and parties; Manganari, in the south, is among the finest in the Cyclades; Kalamos, Psathi (where turtles nest) and Agia Theodoti, in the east, are wilder.
Getting there
Ios has no airport: arrive by ferry from Piraeus (4-8 hours) or from Santorini, Naxos and Paros, or fly to Santorini and continue by boat. Buses link the port, Chora and Mylopotas.
See also Santorini and the Cyclades.