Travel Guide for Ios, Greece: The Other Party Island

When traveling to Ios we did not expect to find an island as cool as Mykonos for half the price. My family and I had so much fun visiting Ios in 2016, that we came back a second time in 2019 to explore more of the island and of course, check out all of the nightlife. Taking the ferry is the only way to travel to Ios, which is why I believe it is one of the best gate kept islands in the Cyclades. Even for being a party island, visitors have not spoiled it like some of the other Greek islands. Not only is the island budget friendly, but it is also small, which makes it easy to get around to all the main villages. There are incredible experiences on this island and tons of memories to be made; I’m here to convince you that you can’t just party in Mykonos without stopping in Ios as well. 

Number of Days to Stay: 3-4 Days

Expenses: $-$$$

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Where to Stay: 

Ios is a small island where there are three main towns to stay in, each having their own pros and cons depending on the location and what kind of vacation you are looking to have. Each times visiting Ios we have stayed at the beach village, Myloptas. Each of the accommodations were close to the beach and walking distance of the best beach parties on the island. One of the best parts for any traveler vacationing in Ios is that public transportation will take you to the three best parts of the island. Below are the accommodations I have stayed at and recommendations. 

Mylopotas – I have stayed at Mylopotas Beach both times visiting Ios and each experience has been amazing. Some reasons why Mylopotas is the best village to stay at in Ios is: it has the best beach club on the island, the public bus route travels to and from the Port, Chora and other beaches on the island, the restaurants are great, and most of the hotels, rentals and camps are walking distance to the beach or a five-minute drive down the hill. If you want a balance of beach and partying, Mylopotas is the village to vacation at. 

FarOut: Opened by Australians in the late 60s FarOut has grown to now be a mega resort and now consists of 4 different accommodations across Mylopotas Beach: The HideOut (luxury), The Hotel & Spa (semi-luxury), The Hotel and Restaurant (better hotel), and The Beach and Camping (budget friendly).

Chora/ Main Town –This is the most popular place to stay on the island as there are hundreds of hotels, Airbnbs, rentals and hostels to stay at. Not to mention this is where most of the nightlife and partying on the island occurs. The town is very walkable and has a bus station that will take you to the most popular beaches and villages on the island. I have never stayed in the Chora as I have continued to find myself fascinated with Mylopotas Beach; but you would bet every night I would be stumbling the streets of the main town bouncing from bar to bar. No matter what accommodation you are looking for, the Chora has it. 

Port / Gialos Beach – Gialos Beach is the village next to the port where you arrive by ferry and is very close to the Chora (main town.) This is a bus stop at the top of the village that can take you to many places. There are countless restaurants, cafes and a supermarket in the village to go to and not to mention easy access to the beach. This is an alternative to stay in if you want to be close to the main town without all the noise of the nightlife. 

Where to Eat: 

• Salt Restaurant Bar, Mylopotas ($$) – Probably the best dinner we had on our trip. We loved the ambiance and décor as much as we liked the food. We ended up here by accident after we had a bad service experience at a neighboring restaurant. 
• Drakos Taverna, Mylopotas ($) – the most amazing seafood you will eat in Ios! We went here for lunch and it was delicious. Highly recommend! 
• Grandma’s Restaurant, Chora  ($)
• Katogi Taverna, Chora ($$)
• Enigma, Port ($$)
• The Octopus Tree, Chora ($$)
• The Mills, Chora  ($$)
• Nest, Chora ($$)
• Bamboo, Mylopotas ($$)
• Free Beach Bar, Mylopotas ($$) – Vegan options
• Lord Byron, Mylopotas ($) –Vegan options 

Vegetarian/Vegan Recommendations: 

• FarOut Restaurant, Mylopotas  ($$)
• Harmony, Mylopotas ($$)
• Hellenic Social, Chora ($$)
• Souvlucky, Chora  ($)
• Petra Café Bar, Chora ($)

What to Do: 

Beaches

• Far Out Beach and Pool Club – This is the destination to go to on the island for the beach and beach parties
• Managanaris Beach- Such a beautiful beach to rent chairs and umbrellas for relaxing and a great swimming spot
• Pathos Beach Club
• Tzamaria Beach
• Never Bay 
• Gialos Beach – near the Port
• Koumbara Beach – cool rock formations and great swimming
• Psathi Beach – one of the farther beaches on the island, but very secluded and quiet 

Activities

• Day Boat Trip – This was one of my favorite days in Ios. There are so many great swimming spots only accessible by boat, and this is a great way to see the island without having to rent an ATV. Plus, who doesn’t like eating, drinking wine, and swimming in the crystal blue water of the Aegean Sea? 
• Visit the Tomb of Homer 
• Water Sports
• Shop in the Chora 
• See the Windmills 
• Watch the Sunset at Sunset Club 
• Visit the Odysseas Elytis Theatre

Nightlife

Chora Bar hopping is one of the best and most fun experiences in Ios. There are so many bars and is so popular that there is a dedicated Bar Crawl Group that will give you a plan of action and discounted entry fees to the bars. At most bars, if you order ten shots (aka sugary mixers), you can get a free shirt! Below are some of my favorite bars to go to that I couldn’t help but visit twice.

• Slammer Bar – By far the most fun experience in Chora. This bar is known for its slammer drink that I would recommend only getting once. After your experience, you can order a couple of more drinks and hang out or hop to another well-known bar nearby. 
• Lost Boys– The second most famous bar in the Chora that gives off The Lost Boys from Peter Pan vibes. I really love the decoration and atmosphere of this bar, and they have really fun cocktails to order! 
• Delta House Bar – One of the biggest stereotypes of university in the States is Fraternities and Sororities, and this bar recreated what a Frat house would look like ,but in the middle of Greece. This was really fun to go to as an American because you get a perspective of how Europe looks at American college life…and let me tell you, they were pretty spot on! To this day, I still have my Delta House Muscle Tank that I got with my ten shots, and I do not regret it at all. 
• Coo- If you love Hip Hop and R&B, this is a must-visit bar. They will play all the current and throwback hits. I love the atmosphere and lights in this bar, and who wouldn’t love the name? 
• Sweet Irish Dream – This is in the main town, but outside of its winding roads. Bewar,e as this bar is frequently packed because everyone is always singing, dancing,g and having the time of their life!
• Pasha – One of the best nightclubs in the Chora and the only place to stay open until early morning
• Scorpion – Probably the most popular club, walking distance from the Chora. I have never made it to the club, but I hear nothing but great reviews and people having a good time.
• Astra Bar – great for cocktails
• Fun Pub – For an enjoyable yet less chaotic experience  
• Flames – Famous for the Slap Shot…you can find out for yourself what exactly a slap shot is, but you may already have an idea!
• Lotus – If you want to try Absinthe…this is your place! They also have great cocktails and beers
• Pathos – Cocktail bar with an amazing pool, great day spot or place to drink and catch the sunset 
• Click Cocktail Bar 
• Blue Note
• Traffic

Mytopotas: 

• Far Out Beach Club – Home to some of the most famous international DJs and the main reason why we went to Ios two times. If you like pool parties and raves, Far Out Beach Club is a place you cannot miss! 
• Karma – A great place to relax, hang out on hammocks, and grab some cocktails 
• Concept Beach Bar

Transportation: 

Getting To Ios

Ferry – As previously mentioned, you can only get to Ios by ferry, although you can also fly into one of the islands that have an airport and take a ferry from there. Some common routes to depart from are Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, or Crete. I have always traveled to Ios from Mykonos as it is a quick one-hour trip with the fast ferry and a two-hour trip with the regular ferry. If you want Ios to be your first stop on your tour leaving from Athens, you can get either ferry from Athens’ ports: Piraeus Harbor or Rafina Port. The fast ferry from Athens takes four hours to arrive in Io,s and the regular ferry can take five to six hours. Since the ferry is the only way to get to Ios, make sure to pack some Dramamine, or motion sickness medicine, if you are prone to seasickness in case the ride gets a little rocky! I have only experienced a smooth boat ride to Ios, so you should be fine when traveling from Mykonos.

All ferry tickets can be booked on seajets.com and is easy to use (Please note: all ferry times are in military time). Another website I have booked a ferry ticket on is directferries.com, but I suggest booking right from the source if it is your first time. While aboard the ferr,y you may purchase bakery dishes, sandwiches, snacks, coffee, beverages, and alcohol. Depending on how hungover I was, I would either nap or grab a snack at the food stand in the middle of the ship to recover. If the weather is nice enough, you can go to the top deck of the ferry to get some fresh air (or for a smoke break) and check out the port when the boat is docked in for a moment before departing to the next island. The Ios port is very close to the main town, which makes it easily accessible to get a taxi. If you decide to stay at Mylopotas Beach or another village in Ios, you can take a taxi there or schedule a service with your hotel or online to pick you up from the port and take you to your accommodation. 

While in Ios

Public Transportation – There is a bus station located in the main town that makes runs frequently and has many routes that travel through the island. The cost can be between €1.60-€3.70 per ride based on your destination. Different locations you can travel to are as follows: The Port, The Chora (main town/village), Manganari Beach, St. Theodoti Beach, Psathi Beach, Mylopotas Beach, Koubara Beach, Tzamaria Beach, and Pathos Club. The buses stop running to and from the main town at 23:00 (11:00 pm.) Below are some of the routes to help plan your trip: 

• Mylopotas – Chora – Port – Tzamaria – Koumbara 
• Mylopotas – Chora – Port – Pathos 
• Port – Chora – Mylopotas – Maganari Beach (The last time I traveled in Ios I took this route, and it was so easy to get to Maganari Beach and to and from the Chora!)
• Port – Chora – Mylopotas – St. Theodoti Beach – Psathi Beach

Taxi/Uber/Private Car Service – Most of the taxis on the island will hang around the port and the main village to get you to and from your destinations. During the day and until midnight it is very easy to get a taxi, but after 12am it will be very hard unless you book a pickup in advance. 

Renting ATVs / Scooters – The best spot to get a rental ATV or Scooter is in the Chora or by the port, as that is where most of the crowds are when they arrive on the island. Personally, I don’t think a rental is necessary as the public transportation is easily accessible and taxis are cheap. You might be spending more money renting an ATV or scooter for the day rather than taking a bus or taxi to your destination. 

Ios is one of the top islands I always recommend to anyone traveling to Greece for the nightlife, beaches, and affordable prices. This island is also gaining a lot of traction as many hotels have gone viral on social media, and tourists are finding different alternatives to Mykonos. After visiting the island twice, I have never had a bad experience, always left with a smile on my fac,e and made many memories for years to come. Getting to experience all the FarOut accommodations as well as Mytopolas beac,h are the main reasons why we visited Ios again and probably will in the future. There isn’t one bad thing I could say about this treasure of an island and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Don’t check your emails and make sure your DND settings are on, because this is an island where you can’t miss a beat!

Signing Off,

Ios