About. Ios is an island of the Cyclades complex in the Aegean Sea, Greece, between Naxos & Santorini. It was love at first sight for both of us, the Duke and I. We have been visiting this island every Summer since 2010, 6 years in a row, and as long as we breathe we will keep returning. And it is amazing how many tourists from around the world, from Italy, Spain and France to Australia and Canada, come to Ios, so it must be worth visiting at least once, right?
Where to Stay. Although it was the first time in six years that we stayed here, Island House was the best thing that could happen to us. Our regular accommodation raised the price too high so we had to look for something more affordable. From a faceless large resort we ended up at a cute family business, with friendly people, making us home-made personalized breakfast every morning, keeping the rooms clean, with adorable interiors and a gorgeous swimming pool area. If you decide to stay there, you will love it too!
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| Island House Rooms & Apartments |
Where to Eat. We have visited quite a few more than once, but I am not going to mention the mediocrities or the bad ones, only my favorites, like I always do in this blog. For great Italian/Mediterranean kitchen you must pay a visit to Agosto, in Chora. I personally adore their pasta, their hand-made breads (they bring you many the moment the moment they come out of the oven) and for dessert their calzone with nutella & mascarpone... On the other hand, if you prefer homemade Greek cuisine you should definitely try Polydoros on the road to Koumbara beach. Loved the fried cheese-bread (tiganopsomo), the armirikia (a local herb) and their fried zucchini. Ask if they have moussaka or fried eggplant with feta & tomato, too.
Beaches. We have gone to almost all of them but we liked only two, Mylopotas and Manganari, for the opposite reasons. Mylopotas for the fun, the noise, the beach bars, the water sports and Manganari for the calmness, the quiet, the very few people, the crystal clear waters. Mylopotas is very easy to access, although Manganari is either a 45' road trip through the island's mountains or by boat, so this is why the huge difference. They are both unique, so I suggest you visit them both.
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| Mylopotas Beach |
Watch the Sunset. Although Santorini is widely known for the magical sunset, all Cyclades have that privilege. The Duke and I usually go to the highest part of Chora, where the three churches of St. Eleftherios, St. Ioannis & St. Nikolaos are, and along with dozens of other tourists, we sit on rocks and watch the Sun go down. If you decide to go for it, I suggest you wear sneakers because you have to climb up and down the hill so please do it safely. Flip flops or anything slippery or with heels is a no-no.
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| Sunset @ the Harbor |
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| Chora |
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| Two-colored Bougainvillea |
