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Harbour of Yialos
An Ios street sign!
Ios Town...Ios...
My time spent in Ios has proved to be the source of some of my most favorite memories! It really is a backpacking haven full of bars, beaches, cheap places to stay and eat, and some of the coolest travellers around! I may not remember all of my time here (do in large part to the aforementioned bars!) but I know that every minute I was having the time of my life. Ios is the land of late nights, later mornings, hot sun, and amazing people!
"Before and after..."
Ios' reputation definitely preceded itself! My best friend's cousin had been there a few years eariler and she had told us it was one of her favorite islands. So before going I was expecting a good time with not a lot of sleep. After spending time in Ios, I realize how much of what we heard was true (it is an amazing party town) but I was surprised at the actual number of people were actually there. Tons of young people doing the same thing you are who are just out to have a good time! My expectations of Ios were high but my time there did not disappoint!
"More information..."
First off, Ios is not the island to go to if you are really wanting to experience Greek culture. Granted, there is some there, but the island best serves as a party island. Pretty much the parts of town that are of most concern are the port, the village, and the beach. Buses run between them all the time so it is really easy to get from one to the other as well, and when buses are not running (early morning hours), taxis usually are. There are places to stay in the village in Ios but for the most part, people stay at the beach. There are lots of little resorts that rent out tents or bungalows or rooms all along the main strip and their prices are really reasonable. A lot of them have pools and pool side bars too, all of which are public access and the beach is just right across the road. Daytime is usually spent at the beach and night time in the village which is a maze of streets and bars. The main square is always packed!! Some places don't even open until 2 a.m. so you can be in for long nights if you want to!
Ios is a great island for a lot of different reasons. You can relax there or party for days at a time and there are a ton of people to meet every day! The only down side in getting there is the 9 hour ferry ride from Athens but it is most definitely worth it and once you are there you will never want to leave!
