A Visitor’s Guide to Ios
Ios is a beautiful island in the Cyclades and known as the party capital in this group. However, you will still find the traditional culture on this beautiful island if you are searching for the Greek way of life as well as the action of nightlife.
You can get to Ios by a number of different ways. One is to take a catamaran – there are daily ones from Piraeus, Santorini, Naxos, Mykonos and Iraklio and Rethymno on the island of Crete.
Another way is by ferry. Piraeus, Santorini and Naxos all have daily connections to Ios as well as five-weekly connections with Sikinos, Folegandros and Anafi, as well as a four-weekly service to Syros. Mykonos and Milos both have three boats weekly and there is one boat per week that will take you to Amorgos on a Sunday.
Ios has three main centres on the island, Hora, Ormos and Mylopotas, all pretty much situated on the west coast of the island. Hora is a beautiful village in the Cycladic style with a maze of pretty winding streets. The best time to come is during the day when all the bars are closed so that you can soak in the charm of this lovely town. If you have the time, a trip to the archaeological museum is a must.
If you are a lover of water sports than you will love what Ios has to offer. You can take banana rides, hire a canoe and hire a mountain bike. If you want to go wind-surfing than equipment is available to hire; some equipment places will also offer you free lessons if you hire their equipment.
In Hora, you can visit the huge cathedral which is the heart of this beautiful village. Marvel at the beautiful interior before heading out to the central square opposite. From here, you can watch the world go sailing by. If you want to go swimming or just relax on the beach, walk up the road from the bus stop and you will come to Mylopotas Beach. If this is not enough, then head west to Gialos Beach.
Ios comes alive during the night. Nightclubs, bars, restaurants – they all open as soon as the sun goes down. You can sample all the different cocktails on the menus and taste the delicious dishes on offer. You will find a wide range of dishes from traditional Greek to pizzas to Thai food.
