Ios

Ios has two faces, and both are worth knowing. By day, it is one of the most beautiful islands in the Cyclades — a whitewashed chora that rises in tiers above the port, its lanes lined with bougainvillea and its churches crowned with blue domes. The famous path through the upper village climbs to the ruins of the castle on the hill, where the views reach out over the island and the sea, and often there is nothing on the hillside but the wind. The south coast hides some of the finest beaches in the Aegean — long stretches of sand and rock that are reached by boat or rough track, empty and wild. And by night, Ios becomes the island of legend: the bars of the chora and the beach parties draw the young from all over Europe. Even visitors with no taste for nightlife find something in the glowing lanes as the music spills out, and the island's electric joy is hard to miss. Ios is an island of beautiful contradictions — sacred and profane, quiet and loud, empty and full — and it wears them all lightly.

Ios has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, and it is famous above all for one story: according to tradition, the island is the burial place of Homer, who is said to have died here after his wanderings. Pausanias, visiting in the second century AD, was shown the tomb on the ridge above Plakotos, together with the supposed tomb of Clymene, whom the islanders named as Homer's mother. In antiquity Ios was a member of the Delian League, and its harbour was a busy stop on the Aegean sea routes. In the Middle Ages it passed through the usual cycle of Venetian and Ottoman rule, and its castle — now a ruin above the chora — was built by the Venetians in the 15th century. The island declined under the Ottomans and was largely deserted for a time, but it revived in the 19th century. From the 1960s, Ios was discovered by backpackers and became one of the icons of the Greek summer, famous for its nightlife — a reputation it still carries, even as the island's beautiful beaches and quiet corners draw a more diverse crowd.

The name is recorded by Stephanus of Byzantium in the sixth century AD. His Ethnica is not a book of stories but a dictionary of Greek place-names, and for this one it says: "It is named from the Ionians who settled there". (Ethnica, s.v. Ἴος).

That is the whole of what an ancient source has to say about how the place got its name. It is a shorter answer than the guidebooks give, and it is the only one with a source behind it.

Ios has beaches for every mood, and the best of them are on the south coast. Manganari, at the southern tip, is a bay of pale sand and turquoise water, reached by boat or a long road, that is often counted among the most beautiful in Greece. Nearby, the coves of Agia Theodoti and the Psathi area are wild and nearly empty. On the west coast, the beaches of the Mylopotas valley — the famous party beach — are sandy and lively, backed by bars and tavernas. The small beaches near the port are convenient for a quick swim. And the north coast hides quiet coves reached by paths. The water around Ios is clear and warm, and the south coast, in particular, rewards those who make the effort to reach it.

Ios is known for its honey, its cheese, and its food — the island has a serious cooking tradition despite its party reputation. The local specialities include a famous goat dish, a fine local honey, and a pasta made in the island's villages. The tavernas of the chora and Mylopotas serve the classic Cycladic table: grilled fish and octopus, the island's version of the Greek salad, and local wine. For a proper Ios meal, find a taverna up in the chora, away from the port, and order the goat, the honey, and the island's cheese with fresh bread — the food of the island's farming heart, made for people who take their time.

May, June, and September are the best months on Ios: warm, quiet, and beautiful, with the beaches calm and the island's two faces in balance. July and August are hot and busy — the chora fills with young visitors and the parties run late — but the south coast remains wild and empty, and the island's beauty survives the crowds. Spring is lovely, with wildflowers and the island at its greenest. Whenever you come, at least climb to the castle for the sunset: it is the moment Ios is most itself.

Ios is reached by ferry from Piraeus and from Santorini, Naxos and Paros, along with the seasonal boats; there is no airport. The port and the chora are connected by a long climb on foot or a short bus ride, which matters if you are staying in the chora.

Rent a scooter or car to reach the south-coast beaches, or take a boat trip from the port. Swim at Manganari at least once — it is worth the journey. If you want the nightlife, join it; if not, the upper chora and the quiet beaches are all yours. Bring earplugs if you stay near the port in August. And climb to the castle at sunset: the view over the chora and the sea is the reason people write poems about Ios.