Ios, our next idyllic Greek island destination, is situated in the heart of the Aegean Sea between its big sisters Santorini to the south and Mykonos, Paros and Naxos to the north.
Considering its 'party island' reputation, I'm not sure why we chose to visit Ios. On previous trips we had only ever sailed into the port on a ferry bound for Santorini, however there must have been something in what we saw from the viewing deck of that ferry that made us ignore what we'd heard and want to experience Ios for ourselves.
What we found during our four night stay on Ios was so much more than just a party island. Ios has stunning Cycladic landscape and architecture, crystal clear waters, beaches a-plenty, prehistoric archaeological excavations, a unique old town Chora with its maze of tiny cobblestone alleys, arches and whitewashed homes that climb up to the highest point - the sparkling white walls and blue dome of Panagia Gremiotissa. It is at this high point of Chora where seemingly thousands of visitors congregate every evening to watch the sun sink spectacularly into the Aegean. It was 15 August while we were in Ios, the day that all of Greece celebrates their national holiday and the Assumption of Mary. The church bells rang throughout that day and we could hear the prayers and songs ring out with locals and visitors celebrating high up in Chora. At our hotel we were offered celebratory cake and sweet almond biscuits prepared especially for this holiest of feast days.
Apparently, Ios has a permanent population of just 2,000 residents and over the summer months it swells to 75,000+ living on this tiny rock. So many nightclubs, discos and bars, many of which don't open until midnight, where young 'uns party and dance to the booming music until the sun rises. And don't forget the beach clubs with cabanas, swimming pools, bars and of course more music. I think the reason we found Ios such a lovely destination is that half the visiting population are nocturnal - party from night to dawn then sleep from dawn to dusk. This leaves the other half of the visiting population to explore the island, during the day, swim at the tranquil beaches, and enjoy the tavernas in a relatively uncrowded way. Not difficult to guess which half of the population we fall into.
With four nights in Ios we split our stay, two nights in Chora and two overlooking Mylopotus Beach. Both were brilliant locations. Firstly the gorgeous White Loft was both minimalist modern and classically elegant Cycladic architecture. White cube studios and inside built-in stone furniture, all soft curves and niches. Polished concrete bathroom, painted stone and wood and all this overlooking the sparkling swimming pool to the dazzling white Chora beyond. We loved it. Our second location was the stunning but more traditional Hotel Petradi with its commanding position above Mylopotus Beach and panoramic view overlooking the impossibly blue blue Aegean.
When we could tear ourselves away from our accommodation we rented a car and explored the island, visited Homer's tomb, archaeological ruins, the Odysseus Elytis Theatre, wandered through the alleyways of Chora and took a boat to swim in some of Ios's most spectacular and remote beaches.
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| What a view from the terrace of our studio at White Loft, Chora |
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| Traditional life |
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| It was oh so hot and we spent a good amount of time here. |
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| And here :) |
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| The lovely La Buca restaurant |
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| Stunning by night |
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| From our terrace at Hotel Petradi overlooking the Aegean and the modern art museum, Jean Marie Dro, housed in that stunning white mansion on the edge of the cliff. |
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| Hotel Petradi |
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| Mylopotus Beach |
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| Taverna Drakos - don't miss it. |
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| Daytime party goers! PS: we're the only people in Europe who wear sun shirts while swimming! |
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| Blue blue blue |
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| Magganari magic |
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| A little hike to see Homer's tomb |
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| Almost floating over the Aegean is the open air Odyessus Elytis amphitheatre, named after the modern Greek poet and Nobel prize winner for Literature. |
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| A real Cycladic beauty. Tip: Don't scale the heights of Chora with the throngs to watch the sunset, instead head up the hill behind the windmills, there you will find an even more spectacular view, and you'll have it all to yourself. |
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| Mesmerised by the view |
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| Mylopotus beach |
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| We decided that it's the children, their parents and us oldies partying by day and sleeping all night, and the 20-somethings who party all night and sleep all day. Maybe that's why Ios doesn't seem as crowded as we expected. |
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