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Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Ios
Ίος
Give Ios 2–3 nights: one for Mylopotas beach and Chora at dusk, one for the north-coast beaches or the Skarkos walk. Party-only visitors can do it in 1.
Ios is a small Cyclades island between Naxos and Santorini, 40 minutes by fast ferry from Santorini and about 1 hour from Naxos. Chora is the whitewashed village on the hill, the port at Yialos sits below it, and Mylopotas is the long sandy beach 10 minutes away. Nightlife is concentrated in Chora, which is why the island reads as a party stop, but the beaches and the walking are the reason to stay longer. Two or three nights covers it; a day trip from Santorini is possible but rushed.
- Country
- Greece
- Local name
- Ίος
- Best months
- Jun and Sep (warm sea, fewer people); Jul–Aug for nightlife
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (most businesses shut); mid-Aug for Meltemi wind and crowds
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–75 excl. bed · Mid €80–140 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Tourist police 1571 · Coast guard 108
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2.50–4 |
| Souvlaki or gyros pita | €4–7 |
| Taverna meal with wine | €18–30 per person |
| Beer: bar in Chora / can from a mini-market | €5–9 / €1.50–2.50 |
| Bus Yialos–Chora–Mylopotas | €2–3 |
| Sunbed and umbrella on Mylopotas | €10–25 |
| ATV or moped, 24 h | €15–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- JTR · Santorini (Thira) National Airport
- Nearest airport; ferry from Athinios or the old port, about 40 min by fast ferry
- ATH · Athens International
- Fly here, then ferry from Piraeus; about 5–7 h by conventional ferry, faster by high-speed
Typical fares
- Ferry Santorini → Ios
- about €12 fast ferry, 40 min
- Bus Yialos → Chora
- €2–3, about 10 min
- Taxi Chora → Mylopotas
- €10–15
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
KTEL local buses link Yialos, Chora and Mylopotas in summer, roughly every 20–30 min until late (check the timetable). Taxis wait at the Chora bus station and at the port pier. Renting a car, moped or ATV in Chora is the practical way to reach the far beaches; boats also run from the port to the north-coast beaches in season.
See and do
Known for
- Mylopotas beach
- Chora village and its nightlife
- Skarkos prehistoric settlement
- Homer's tomb and Plakotos
- North-coast beaches reached by boat
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Santorini | Fast ferry from Yialos, about 40 min | About 1.5 h |
| Naxos | Ferry from Yialos, about 1 h by fast ferry | About 1.5–2 h |
| Manganari beach | Bus or boat from Chora/Yialos, or your own vehicle on the south road | About 45–60 min |
| Agia Theodoti and Psathi | Boat from the port in season, or drive the north-east road | About 30–45 min |
Sleep
- Chora
- Village centre; walk to bars, restaurants and the bus stop. Noisy until about 04:00 in summer if you are near the square.Village centre; walk to bars, restaurants and the bus stop. Noisy until about 4:00 AM in summer if you are near the square.
- Yialos (the port)
- Ferry pier, tavernas and a small beach; quieter in the evening, 10–15 min by bus or a steep stair walk up to Chora.
- Mylopotas
- Beach strip with hotels, camping and watersports; 10 min by bus from Chora, the pick if you want sand at the door.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Γεια σαςya sas |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώefharisto |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton logariasmo, parakalo |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κάνει;poso kani |
| Where is the bus stop? | Πού είναι η στάση του λεωφορείου;pou ine i stasi tou leoforiou |
| Can I pay by card? | Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα;boro na pliroso me karta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- Night driving: island roads are narrow and unlit and drink-driving is common in summer. Take the bus or a taxi after dark.
- Meltemi wind in late July and August can cancel or delay ferries and boat trips; keep a buffer day before a flight.
- Book ferries and beds ahead for Jul–Aug; the island fills and prices jump.
- Beaches outside Mylopotas and Yialos have little shade, no lifeguards and few shops: carry water, a hat and cash.
Ios is a safe island for tourists; the real risks are night driving, unlit roads, strong Meltemi wind on exposed beaches and heat on the walking routes. Use the bus or a taxi after drinking.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ios yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mylopotas beach
- Chora village and its nightlife
- Skarkos prehistoric settlement
- Homer's tomb and Plakotos
- North-coast beaches reached by boat
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Ios, revision 5157868 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5157868
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
IosΊος
Σε αυτή τη διεύθυνση, παρακαλώ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies on Ios; the US embassy and most others are in Athens. Consulates for several countries are in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Ferry times and beach-boat schedules change with the wind: confirm the day before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ios). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.