Ios

Ios is not one of the Greek islands characterized by their greenery and leafy vegetation. On the contrary, it is a unique island with two personalities, one frantic and intense, given to fun and the other traditional and picturesque, with a slope to the golden beaches and the sunsets. Whichever you prefer, Ios promises to win you over and make you want to visit it again and again.

There are various views on the origin of the name of the island. One is that Ios got its name in antiquity from the word Ia, meaning the flowers that grew abundantly on the island. According to others, Ios owes its name to the Phoenician word Ios, which means a pile of stones. It is also said that it was named so by the Ionians who inhabited the island around 1100 BC. According to ancient tradition, Ios was the homeland of Homer's mother but also the burial place of the great epic poet. The island has been found under Venetian and Turkish yoke. After the Turkish occupation, Spyridon Valletas, son of Ios and member of the Friendly Society, was the First Minister of Education of Modern Greece and a great Benefactor of the island. Finally, the Minoan civilization had spread to the island of Ios, but its achievements were buried under the lava of an eruption of the volcano in neighboring Santorini.

As mentioned above, the tomb of Homer is located on the island, in the area of Plakoto, and is one of the most important sights of Ios. In Ios there are also countless churches, specifically 365, one for each day of the year. Among the most interesting are the church of Agia Irini at the entrance of the port, Panagia Gremiotissa, built on the edge of the cliff overlooking the town and the sea as well as the church of Evangelismos, the Diocese of the island. Another trademark of the island is the area of windmills, with 12 picturesque windmills in total, where a visit is highly recommended. In the area of Tsoukalaria, there is the theater "Odysseas Elytis", built on the standards of an ancient Greek theater and with a capacity of 1000 people, which offers magnificent views of the Aegean. Finally, the island has 3 museums, the Folklore, the Archaeological and the Museum of Modern Art.

One of the most famous beaches, as well as the "wild card" of Ios is the beach of Mylopotas. It is a beautiful, organised, 1-km long beach, awarded with blue flag. It offers crystal clear waters and lots of water sports, while it is located just 10 minutes from Chora, making it particularly popular. A blue flag award was also given to the beach of Koumbara, a particular and small but fully organized beach, which is easily accessible from Chora too. For those seeking for more tranquility, the beach Manganari is a good choice, consisting of an impressive sequence of 5 inlets with golden sands and crystal clear waters, at a greater distance from Chora, however, easily accessible via bus. Lastly, the beach of Kalamos, on the eastern side of the island, is the ideal choice for those who want to try some underwater experiences; however, it is not an organized beach.

The island of Ios, just like every island of the Aegean sea, has a unique character expressed, among other things, through its particular cuisine. Ios is famous for the Niotika cheese, manufactured in the cheese factory of Ios, the local thyme honey and the local wine "Ihitis" made from the Assyrtiko white-wine variety on the island. Some local dishes to try is the 'tsimetia', zucchini flowers stuffed with rice and herbs, the pasta 'tarachta' with cheese and pastastock, the locals 'rebithokeftedes' (chick-pea balls), the koukia- fricase (broad beans sautéed with egg-lemon), the omelette with skarfa, a weed like wild asparagus, and finally, the matsi, a kind of pasta. When it comes to sweets, the island stands out with the mosenta (pie from watermelon), the karpouzoloukoumades (watermelon doughnut- like sweet), and the dumplings with sesame seeds, the melitinia with niotiko cheese, the pasteli (sesame bars) with honey and orange, the almond cooked with a bit of semolina, the kalasounia, which are half-moons of dough with cheese and honey as well as the pastota figs which are cut open and dried figs stuffed with sesame, cinnamon and orange.

The island of Ios is known for its vibrant night life, which turns the island into a favorite choice of the youth from all over the world. The island gained its reputation during the 60s, thanks to the hippie movement. Partying begins in the early afternoon at the various beach bars with beers and cocktails, and usually continues until the next morning at the various clubs and bars in Chora. In Chora and mainly around the central square of Ios, there are many options for dining as well as enjoying a casual early-on drink, for those who are not fans of intense night life. In the wider area, there are bars, clubs, "afteradika" (literally: places for after clubbing; bars and clubs that stay open until the morning) and discos, covering all taste and offering fun and lots of dancing.

For your transportation around the island, there are often routes of K.T.E.L. of Ios (pubic bus transportation company) which will take you from the Port to Chora and to Mylopotas, and vice versa. There are also K.T.E.L. buses taking you to other beaches, like Manganari and Koumbara. On the island there are also taxis, as well as many rent-a-car companies. Ios is connected by ferries and speedboats with Piraeus and Rafina, Heraklion and Rethymno, and with the rest of the Cyclades. The telephone code of the island is (+30) 22860.