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Ios has always been known as the island of young people in the Cyclades archipelago.
Why young people island? Because Ios is the favorite destination for young people from all over the world for equipped beaches, beach bars, low prices and cheap alcohol.
But you can read this anywhere. If you want to better discover this island which is about 1 hour by ferry from Santorini, then here is our definitive guide.
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Getting around in Ios
Ios is by no means a flat island and extends for 108.7 km² with an altitude of 713 m.
There is no real coastal road that takes you from one point of the island to the other, which you will have to literally “cross” the mountains that characterize it.
In addition, some roads that lead to deserted and breathtaking beaches are rocky and unpaved so you can:
- Rent a car; bearing in mind that you will have to park and then continue on foot (do not worry because you will always find rather large parking areas).
- Rent a quod; it allows you to easily travel any type of road and therefore stop as close as possible to each beach.
- Rent a scooter; in this case we can tell you that the daily cost of the scooter rental is € 20/22 and the maximum displacement that you will find available will be 125 cc (insurance is excluded and the cost is around 3 euros per day )
You must be very experienced driving the scooter on the dirt roads of the island or even in this case park and continue on foot.
You may also encounter a lot of wind on the island so be very careful on your scooter and bring a windbreaker with you)
We rented the scooter at the Port from Jacobs and with the cash payment we spent 20 euros per day.
The cost of gasoline is around € 1.90 per liter(price referred to the year 2021)
Where to stay
In our opinion the best area to stay in Ios is the port.
We stayed at theActeon hotel, a clean and quiet 2-star hotel with a reasonable price (for the month of July 2021 about 50 euros per night with booking made on Booking).
In the Port of Ios area you will find bars and bakeries, motorbike, quod and car rental, supermarkets, boat rental and bus stop.
You are also a 10-minute walk from Chora, the island’s main city.
Other interesting areas to stay are, Mylopotas, an area loved by young people and not only, for the presence of restaurants, beach clubs and equipped beaches, but also Gialos, not far from the port.
What to do in Ios
Ios offers incredible beaches and unforgettable trails to walk. What we definitely recommend not to miss is:
- Visit Homer’s tomb
- Discover Paleokastro
- Aperitif in Mylopotas
- Enjoy the sunset
- Dinner or lunch in a Greek tavern
- A day of relaxation and sea in Magganari
- Go in search of deserted and semi-unknown beaches which we will talk about shortly
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