Insert Content Here.
This little island in Greece is a major destination for backpackers and European holiday makers. Over the period of Summer a huge amount of visitors pass through from Athens’ Pareus Port to the island of Ios (which is after Paros and Naxos and just before Santorini in the series of islands called the Ciclades) to have a non-stop party.
Most Ios visitors are young party animals looking for a chunk of sunshine and fun. They don’t really mind what their accommodation is like ad so most options are either campsites or hostels and occasionally bed and breakfasts, so long as they are relatively cheap.
MylopotasBeach is the busiest and largest beach on the island, displaying beautiful white sands and warm clear waters beneath a perfect blue sky and amidst an ideal climate. Along the stretch of Mylopotas are various campsites, accommodations and restaurants. The road up the hill towards the main village is also dotted with more costly accommodation and spectacular views.
On the outskirts of the village you will find a hilly path that leads you to Kolitsani, the local nudist beach. This beach has no facilities but is loved by some pro-nudist locals and many travellers. The fact that it’s tucked away in the hills makes it that much more interesting to visit as you clamber over rocks and past sheep and donkeys to get there whilst eating figs from the trees on along the way.
Or if you’d rather spend the day tripping around the island, one popular activity is to hire a moped (all you need is a driver’s license) and scoot your way around the island to Manganari where parts of the movie The Big Blue were filmed. The resorts on this side of the island are far more family-friendly and quieter. The beaches are more rugged and natural too. There are fewer things to do at night and everything is generally more peaceful and relaxing.
If you’ve seen enough of the island and want to venture more, hop on a ferry again and visit Santorini (one island further in the Cyclades group) where you will experience Greek island life on a different level. Santorini has different coloured volcanic beaches and is set up high along beautiful cliff-tops all around the island. It is a much bigger island but still small.
If you’re looking for a relaxing holiday, you are able to literally roll out of your bed in Ios and onto the beach where you can hire a deck chair and umbrella and drinks and food are steps away. The sea is magnificently clear and warm and the climate is perfectly dry with clear skies.
Ios’s village is at the top of the island and well worth exploring. It harbours many restaurants and bars. In fact, regular shops turn themselves into bars and restaurants during the holiday season to accommodate the demand from travellers so you can enjoy a different scene every night if you wish, some with breathtaking views of the beautiful ocean below.