I (island) - Io (isola)

I (Ios) it's an island Greek of the archipelago of Cyclades where young people from every corner of Europe meet every summer.

To know

Located between Santorini to the south and the islands of Paro is Naxos (Naxos) to the north, Io is the island where young people from all corners of the world meet every summerEurope

Geographical notes

Io is an islet of approximately 17 x 7 km and with an area of ​​108 km². It has about 2,000 inhabitants permanently resident and almost all concentrated in Chora the capital and the underlying "Yalos" or "Limani" port. The other village on the island, Mylopotas has barely a handful of inhabitants. Io is a mostly mountainous island reaching 713m high with Pyrgos mountain.

Background

There is no certain theory on the origin of the name "Ios" but the most accredited one argues that it derives from the term "Ion" which means "stone" which was then transformed into "Ios". Other more playful theories coined by the island’s loyal tourists say that Ios is about to "Irish Over Sea" (Irish overseas) to draw attention to the massive presence of Irish tourists or "Island Of Sex" (island of sex) which comes closest to the historical definition of Ios as the "Island of Love".

Territories and tourist destinations

How to get

By plane

The nearest airport is located at Santorini where scheduled flights and also charter flights with planes hired by Italian tour operators land. From there then you will have to embark for Io.

On boat

• With the fast and frequent catamarans of the Hellenic Seaways commuting between Piraeus is Santorini. They take just over 3 hours to cover the stretch Piraeus-I and just 3/4 of an hour for Santorini. Company offices a Piraeus they are in via Astingos nº 6 (Karaiskaki square) but it is also possible to book online. Prices start from a minimum of € 53 per person for a one-way ticket in low season (year 2009).
• With the ferries of Ventouris Ferries - They depart from Piraeus every day except Wednesday at 07:25
• With the ferries of Blue Star Ferries much slower but cheaper. They usually make intermediate stopovers a Paro is Naxos (Naxos) and, after touching Io, go on to Santorini.
• With the ferries of G.A. Ferries^{[link not working]}, less frequent and that generally follow the route Piraeus, Paro, Naxos, I, Santorini, Anafi
• With the ferries ofANEK, also infrequent which generally cover the route Piraeus, Paros, Naxos, Io, Santorini. It takes about 8 hours to reach Io da Piraeus
• From Laurium instead, the Panagia Hozoviotissa ferry leaves at 07:00 every Friday and takes over 12 hours to reach Io. Service managed by the shipping company IN. Before reaching Io the ship makes intermediate stopovers a CEO, Citno, Siro (Syros), Paro, Naxos. After touching Io it continues on Sicandro, Polycander (Folegandros), Kimolos, Milo. (year 2008).

How to get around

The island is small and therefore there are no particular problems for getting around. In particular, there is a bus line that connects every 15 minutes (from seven in the morning to one in the morning) the port, the village and the beach of Mylopotas. If you want to be more independent, you can opt to rent a scooter knowing that most of the roads (when there are) on the island are unpaved.

What see

Events and parties

What to do

Shopping

How to have fun

Night clubs

Coming to Io you have to love a nightlife made up of constant changes of club, of "ciupitos" and of many people walking around without a real destination. The media evening in Io begins around 11.00 pm with the meeting in the main square of Chora. There, all the boys decide what to do for the evening. At 00.00 the evening officially begins: thus we witness continuous swarms of boys and girls who make nightlife among the many small characteristic places that the country offers. Each venue offers various discounts and promotions, in order to attract more people than the others. In this way the evening passes quickly, so much so that the fateful 03.00 average time arrives early in which most of the clubs begin to close. So soon?? You will say. Mistaken. The evening, every night, continues at the only real disco present: The Skorpion. This place, much larger than the others, opens around 4.00 and then closes with the sun already in the sky. Getting bored with Io, so it's impossible !!! Another very nice place is the "Lemon", it is always full of people from all over Europe; maybe it's not very big but it really deserves it.Club 69"instead it opens around 2.00, you pay for the entrance, but inside you can breathe a special atmosphere. This club also has a website, where, among other things, you have the opportunity to get a job for the whole season. summer, collaborating with Club 69, what are you waiting for ...

Io's nightlife is probably the most famous aspect of the island. Almost all of the clubs in Ios are concentrated in the narrow streets of Chora, the town perched on the hill overlooking the port where tourists roam continuously among dozens and dozens of clubs looking for fun.

Where to eat

Where stay

As soon as you get off the ship, you can't help but be charged by the locals intent on offering you accommodation at a good price. All types of accommodation are offered: from simple rooms (from two to four places) to entire houses. The prices are very advantageous! Suffice it to say that in high season (July - August) a double room, in the center of Chora, can be rented, after a minimum of healthy bargaining, for around € 20-25 per day. Much better to spend a couple of euros more a day and sleep on a comfortable bed than to live in extreme conditions on the cheapest campsite on the island.

Many of the young people who come to spend a few days of vacation here have no problem sleeping in a sleeping bag, perhaps on some isolated beach. It must be said that the locals look with a malevolent eye at these kids with little money to spend showing such great disgrace because without their contribution today I would be nothing but an island neglected and unknown to most. However, Io offers both free and equipped camping possibilities

• FarOut Beach Club (On the beach of Mylopotamos). 
• Ios Camping - Gialos. Tel .: 30 22860 92035-6. Tel. Winter months: 30 210 9820975 Fax: 30 22860 92101. Open from May to October. Manager: Dionisis Zapantis. The campsite has a swimming pool, restaurant and bar plus safety deposit boxes and laundry service.

In Chora and in the port area

• Marcos Holiday Club - 840 01 Ios. Tel: 30 22860 91949. Tel (winter months): 30 210 3215446. Fax: 30 22860 91671. Fax. (winter months): 30 210 3215446 [[1]]. B category
• Liostasi Sun Club - Tel: 30 22860 92150, 30 22860 92140. Fax: 30 22860 92680. Manager: Dimitris Mittas. Hotel of cat "B"
• Homer's Inn - 840 01 Ios (country) Tel: 30 22860 91365, 30 22860 92365. Fax: (22860) 91888. Manager: Angeliki Gikaki.
• Philippou - Tel .: 30 22860 91290, 91230. Cat "C" hotel with 11 rooms
• Leto - Tel .: 30 22860 91357, 92057. Fax: 30 22860 92058. Hotel with 108 bungalows open from April to October
• Maroussa Rooms - Tel .: 30 22860 91561.
• Forward - Tel .: 30 22860 91165. Fax: 30 22860 91063. Cell: 30 697 4435240. Operator: Thomàs Theos
• Kritikakis Village - Tel .: 30 22860 91100-2. Tel winter months: 30 210 8942464. Fax: 30 22860 91103. E-mail: [email protected]. Hotel with 15 bungalows, 22 studios and 20 mini apartments. 200 meters from the beach. Open from June to the end of August. Manager: Elias Gerogiannis.

On the beach of Milopotamos

• Marcos Beach Hotel - in Mylopotas. Tel .: 30 22860 91571. Fax: 30 22860 91671. [2]. Manager: Markos Papadopoulos
• Acropolis Hotel - 840 01 Mylopotas. Tel: 30 22860 91628, 30 22860 91303. Fax: 30 22860 91303. Manager: Anna Bouzalakou
• Poseidon - Tel .: 30 22860 91091, 92104, 92191. Fax: 30 22860 91969. Hotel of category "C", open from April to October

Safety

The island is very quiet, there is no crime, the only flaw is given by the possibility of meeting young Anglo-Saxon boys who are a little drunk.

In Io, the police, especially the police, are often present.

How to keep in touch

Around

There are mainly two "excursions" that Io tourists traditionally take. The first has as its destination the beach of Manganari at the southern end of the island. You can reach the south end of the islet in several ways. You can choose between the boat trips that depart from the port (cost about € 10), or through some couriers that are often organized (ask the turist office at the port or at the Village) or by renting a car (not recommended on a scooter) across the road which should have been completely paved by now. The other traditional destination for Io's tourists is a visit to Homer's tomb in the northern part of the island. The road is obviously not asphalted and by car it takes about a couple of hours to reach the destination. The road is quite bumpy so even here it is not advisable to go there by scooter. Once there there is not much to see (a small canopy to provide shade and a few stones arranged in a disorderly manner around Homer's tombstone as well as some writing in several languages). If you find too many problems to reach it, do not go there.

You can easily rent boats in the port area and reach several almost untouched beaches that can only be reached by sea.For boat rental (you drive without a boat license, max 5 people per boat) you can contact Giorgio (you can find him at the bar of the Porto campsite) for any information or on the website www.iosmarine.gr. Renting a boat for a full day is around € 100 in addition to the price of the fuel consumed. Also at Ios Marine there is a taxi boat service. Info always at Giorgio.

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