Ios Greece quickly became one of our favorite islands of the Cyclades, which we didn’t expect at all. The number of empty beaches, the water clarity, and the vibes of Ios are unbeatable. In this blog post, we share all our favorite places in Ios and why this island is so amazing.
Best time to visit Ios Greece
The best time to visit the greek islands is from May to October. July and August are the hottest months and also high season, which means most visitors to the island.
We recommend visiting May/June or September/October for better prices, fewer people, and great weather. We prefer the shoulder months and visited Ios Greece in September, which was perfect. Typical sunny weather but not too busy.
How to get to Ios Island
Ios Island does not have an airport and can only be reached by ferry from other destinations in Greece. We used the website and app of ferryhopper and found it very convenient. We recommend pre-booking your ferry tickets, especially in the high season.
With the local ferries, you can do island hopping between the Cyclades very easily.
9 most amazing things to do in Ios Greece
Ios is famous for being the party island of the Cyclades, but that’s not all the island has to offer. These are the 10 most amazing things to do in Ios Greece:
Relax at Milopotas Beach
Milopotas is one of the closest beaches to Ios Chora, and it’s a beautiful sandy stretch where you can rent a sunbed and have lunch at the beach restaurants.
Jump into the clearest water at the hidden spot on the rocks
We love discovering hidden gems and places we have all to ourselves. So we walked along the path on the left side of Milopotas Beach (past Harmony Ios) and found some rocks to chill and jump into the water. It was so clear and blue, and we stayed there for hours.
Wander through the narrow streets of Ios Chora
The Chora is the main town of Ios. It is built on a hill, so walking through the town is quite the workout. We recommend coming here for sunset or at night as the town is a ghost town during the day. Of all the pretty greek towns we visited on the Cyclades, the Chora of Ios was our least favorite. But if you walk all to the top, you get rewarded with amazing views.
Watch the sunset from the Chapel of Agios Nikolaos on top of Ios Chora
On the top of Ios Chora, you find the Chapel of Agios Nikolaos, one of the island’s most popular sunset spots. It’s a great place to go before having dinner in the town.
Watch the sunset from the Odyseas Elytis Amphitheater – the best sunset spot on the Island
Our favorite sunset spot, which is less popular, is at the Odyseas Elytis Amphitheater. From here, you can overlook the whole of Chora and the Port of Ios. Sunsets in Ios Greece are truly something else, so its’ worth going to a place to watch and celebrate it.
Go for a dip at the hidden gem Tzamaria Beach
Close to Ios Port, where we stayed, we discovered this little gem of a beach called Tzamaria beach. What made it so special is the crystal clear water and the view of the beautiful greek chapel Agia Irini. Immediately became one of our favorite places on the island.
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Explore further beaches on the east coast like Kalamos and Psathi
If you have a rental car or scooter, make sure to explore some further beaches from Ios Chora. The East Coast especially offers stunning beaches which are nearly empty. Some of our favorites are Kalamos and Psathi Beach. Driving around in Ios blew us away as the landscapes look like on another planet. Such a natural, raw place.
Go on an adventure and spend the day in Never Bay
Our absolute favorite day in Ios we spent in Never Bay. This is the unofficial name of a bay in the south of the island. It gained popularity and can be found on google maps now. Still, few people visit this place as it’s a bit adventurous to get there. It’s best to rent an ATV as the last part of the road is quite bad and bumpy, which is not ideal with a scooter.
It’s about an hour’s drive from Ios Chora but so worth it. The bay is such a vibe and offers cliff jumping into the crystal clear blue water. We came in the morning and were completely alone for half the day. It was simply amazing. Make sure to bring enough water and food.
Enjoy the sunset and drinks at Ios Club
A popluar place to go for a stunning sunset view, food & drinks and great ambiance is Ios Club. It’s recommended to have a reservation especially in the high season. We personally ran out of time for sunsets and couldn’t make it. But would love to go next time.
Best places to eat in Ios Greece
Ithaka Restaurant, Port of Ios
We found Ithaka Restaurant when we went to the port to change our scooter to an ATV to explore Never Bay the following day. And we were so happy we found this place. The chef came to talk to us about the vegan options he created for us. It was all delicious what he made for us. All staff was super lovely, and the ambiance was also. We love ports in Greece; they are so dreamy.
Salt Restaurant, Milopotas Beach
Where to stay in Ios
We stayed at Olga’s Pension near the harbor of Ios, and we highly recommend this place. The family that runs the places is so lovely and helpful, and the location was perfect. When we arrived, they picked us up from the harbor and later drove us to the scooter rental place to get our own vehicle. The room was simple but cute, and we had a terrace from which we could watch the sunset. This place was great value for money.
How to get around Ios Island
The best and easiest way to explore Ios is by renting a car or ATV/Scooter. The freedom that comes with riding your vehicle is priceless. Ios Greece has a lot to offer, so it’s worth having a vehicle to see most of the Island. We rented our scooter & ATV from Road Runner in the Port of Ios and had a great experience with them. In addition, we recommend Discover Cars to get the best prices for car rentals.
Budget for traveling in Greece
The following budget helps you to plan your trip to Ios and island hopping the Cyclades islands. Of course, the costs can vary depending on the accommodation, for example.
- Price per night for accommodation: 60.00 – 150.00 Euro per night (budget to midrange)
- Cost for two meals per day for two people: 60.00 – 80.00 Euro per day (for lunch and dinner)
- Cost of scooter rental in Ios: 20 Euro per day / Cost of ATV rental in Ios: 50 Euro per day
- Ferry Ticket to get to Ios: around 50 Euro per person (depending on which island you are coming from)
Travel Tips
Internet Access in Ios
We recommend buying a local SIM card for the cheapest and most reliable Internet connection while in Greece. We sometimes had bad connections in our Airbnbs.
The most convenient option for travelers is the eSim Card (digital SIM card) from Airalo. You can download and install a digital data pack and get connected anywhere in the world as soon as you land, so there is no need to waste time looking for a local plastic SIM card.
Conclusion
Ios is one of our favorite islands of the Cyclades, and we would go back in an instant. To be honest, we didn’t have huge expectations for Ios because so many people said it’s the party island, which might be accurate. Still, it has so much more to offer, and in our opinion, it’s totally underrated. It has so many empty beaches and off-the-beaten-path places to explore and adventure. Not to mention the incredibly clear and blue water everywhere. It was way less busy than other islands in September and we loved that.
