About Ios Island

Ios is one of the most picturesque islands of Cyclades. The coastline of this predominantly mountainous island with its countless chapels, its olivetrees, its vineyards and its limpid air, is adorned with small, attractive coves.

Those features combine with the crystal clear sea, the superb sandy beaches and the good range of amenities to make Ios a magnet for tourists.

The authentic Cycladic beauty of Ios, in combination with the island's rapid development for tourism, has had the effect of attracting ever-increasing numbers of visitors.

History Of Ios

Locally called Nios, this is an island whose history goes back to prehistoric times. According to Herodotus, the "poet of poets", the "godlike" Homerwas buried at Plakotos, in the north of the island.

Pausanias tells us that there was an inscription at Delphi confirming the poet's interment on Ios, which was the , homeland of his mother, Clymene.

Places To Visit

Above the pretty harbour of Ormos, where fishing-boats and yachts bob at anchor, stands the capital of Ios or Hora.

The town stands on the site of the ancient city of the same name and is a typical Cycladic settlement, with whitewashed houses, narrow alleysand chapels.

Among the churches, those of St Catherine, St John the Baptist and Sts Cosmas and Damien stand out.

The whole beautiful image is rounded off with the bulk of the medieval castle and the row of windmills which top the town.

The sites of Ios include a Hellenistic tower and the remains of an ancient aqueduct at Agia Theodoti, traces of an ancient temple at Psathi, a ruinous Venetian castle at the spot known as Paleokastro, and the Hellenistic tower at Plakotos.

Museums

The Archaeological and Folkloric Museum are located in Hora, while another museum, the Museum of Modern Art (Drot- Gaiti) is at Kolitsani.

Beaches

Lovers of the sea will he enraptured by the superb beaches of Ios, some of them busy, (such as Milopotas, near Hora), and others no less attractive but much quieter (Agia Theodoti, Psathi, Kalamas, Plakes, Tzamaria, Kolitsani and Manganari). Among the most beautiful beaches of Greece isMilopotas and Magganari.

Sports

You can rent surfboards for wind surfing on the island.

Night Life

Hora and Ormos (harbor) attract most of the people at night.You can find discos, bars and pubs.

Transportation

From Piraeus there are more than 2 ferries a day during the summer period (duration:8h). For more information contact the Coastguard of Piraeus tel. (01) 4226000-4.

• Ios: Excellent shelter; Fuel & water in town; Night life
• Magganari: Good shelter; No fuel or water; Taverns

Useful telephone numbers

Automatic dialing code: 0286. Police: 91222
Municipal Offices 91505 
Ios Port Authority: 91264
Information Bureau: 91028, 91029.