Ios: The island with 365 churches

Magical beaches, organized or inaccessible, amazing sandy shores… This is Ios, the beautiful island of the eastern Cyclades which is waiting for you to discover and enjoy it.

Ios is located between Naxos and Santorini and will surely win you over with its natural beauty before you even set foot.

It may not be such a big island, but it combines countless options for all ages. From intense entertainment to quiet secluded places to relax. Waters that you want to drink, colors on the seabed that take your breath away, beaches for hermits, but also for parties.

In Ios there are several areas of archaeological and historical value, such as the proto-Cycladic settlement of Skarkos, the ruins of the medieval castle of the ancient city located in Chora, ruins of thermal springs and other buildings in Psathi and Agia Theodoti, while on Paleokastro hill there are ruins of of the Byzantine Castle of the same name, which served as an observatory, alerting the hinterland, of any threat from Pirates but also for the surveillance of the sea routes leading to Crete.

Speaking of culture, in Ios one must visit the Archaeological Museum, the Jean-Marie Dro Museum of Modern Art, the Gaitis Museum, but also the Folk Art Museum. You should not miss the open-air theater “Odysseus Elytis”, a theater with perfect acoustics built with local stone and marble, which hosts important cultural events every year.

On the eastern edge of the capital Chora is Mylon Square, where you will see the 14 windmills, which played an important role in the economy and social life of the island in the past. The Lighthouse is also open to the public and is located in the “Fanari” area at the left entrance of the Port and is a building of 1881.

365 churches

Local legend has it that there are 365 churches on the island, one for each day of the year. One of them is Panagia Gemiotissa, the trademark church of the island located at the top of the Chora hill.

At the right end of the harbor stands the hostess of the island, Agia Irini. Other important churches on the island are those of Agios Ioannis in Psathi, Agia Theodoti which is located in the area of ​​the same name and is the oldest church on the island built in the 16th century on the ruins of an ancient temple of the god Apollo, Prophet Elias, located in highest peak of the island, Agios Ioannis in Pyrgos, Kountoutiani in Chora and the monastery of Agios Ioannis in Kalamos.

Golden sandy beaches

The most famous beach of the island is Mylopotas. Organized and crowded, a beach with golden sand and clear blue waters just 3km south of Chora. There you will find all umbrellas, sunbeds and beach bars for all ages.

Magganari is another well-known beach of the island that satisfies those who want an organized beach with umbrellas and sunbeds, restaurants and beach bars, but also those who want peace and quiet. And this is because it is not a beach, but a continuation of sandy coves that form at least 3 large and many small beaches.

Another busy and at the same time organized beach is Koumbara, very close to the port. If you are one of those who like to walk, you only have to walk towards the other bays where you will find, at a short distance, a beach with coarse pebbles and then a bay with 2 small sandy beaches and colorful rocks.

Other beaches worth visiting are Agia Theodoti and Psathi, Kalamos (l) and Kolitsani, while of course you should go to Gialos on the long beach with fine sand, next to the port.

An endless party

You will surely have heard that Ios is the number 1 destination for young people who want to experience an intense nightlife. The party doesn’t stop with the fun, it starts early at the beach bars on the beaches of the island and continues until the early hours of the morning in the bars of Chora and in the scattered clubs in the alleys of the city of Ios.

What should I eat

The culinary tradition is rich in Ios, as in all the Cyclades. In Ios you should definitely try tsimetia (zucchini flowers stuffed with rice and herbs), chickpeas, spaghetti tossed with mizithra, chickpea fritters, bean fricassee with egg and lemon, omelette with scarfa (a grass like wild asparagus), macchi (a type of pasta).

For dessert, you have to leave room because the order will include Moseda (the traditional watermelon pie of Ios), kaltsounia (fried pies with mizithra honey and sugar), Niotika pastelia, xerotigano, and almonds.

Of course you should not miss to try the rich range of cheeses produced on the island and of course get them if you want.

Getting there

Ios has a frequent ferry connection with the port of Piraeus, as well as with other islands of the Cyclades.

The trip takes about 7 hours by conventional ferry from Piraeus while with fast ferries take 3 1/2 hours. The frequency of the routes varies according to the season.