The 10 best sites that shouldn’t be missed
The 10 best sites that shouldn’t be missed
1
Yalos village - Port of Ios
Visit Yalos throughout the day whether you are interested in swimming or sunbathing in Yalos beach and then just give a try to local tastes at any of the little taverns while you admire the spectacular view of the natural port with its magnificent landmarks, the typical Cycladic church of Santa Irene on your left and the 18th century renovated lighthouse on the right.2
The archaeological site of the ancient settlement in Scarkos area
It is the greatest known settlement of the prime- Cycladic civilization, built on a little hill at the north side of Ios port. The remnants were discovered in such a good condition which remains unique witness for the Aegean Sea civilization of the 3rd millennium b.C.. Its urban development and architectural style are uniquely organized with a drainage system and two storey buildings. Thanks to the importance of the ancient remnants, settlement of Skarkos received the 1st prize for Cultural Heritage by E.U. Nowadays, the archaeological site of Skarkos is especially configured in order to accept visitors and it is open to the public.3
The temple of Panaya Gremiotissa
It is located at the top of Chora village, surrounded by a rocky area from which it has been named after. It has been built in 1797 and a festive celebration is being held there on 15th of August annually. If you chose Ios for your vacations, then you just can’t miss the spectacular view of sunset available only on the top of the village next to Panayia Gremiotissa temple.4
The picturesque windmills of Chora
One of the most beautiful sites of Ios that you really have to visit in order to get the real feeling of Cycladic tradition is the Chora windmills with a great view of the village as well as the Aegean Sea. There are 14 traditional windmills located at the East edge of Chora while you can enter two of them which are renovated and accessible.5
The Archaeological Museum of Chora
Entering Chora, you shouldn’t miss the Town Hall building of neoclassical architectural aesthetics, where you can visit the Archaeological Museum of the island at the ground floor. This Museum has gathered a wide selection of findings which have been discovered at the ancient settlement of Skarkos as well as numerous other island’s sites. There you can explore a large scale of Ios history, admiring findings representing Cycladic culture from the 3rd millennium b.C. until the late antiquity. The most important exhibits are the primary Cycladic sculptures, little “Figurines”, and the headless sculpture of a female clothed figure of Hellenistic type.6
The Gaitis- Simosi Museum
Visit the brand new museum of the prominent Greek painter Giannis Gaitis and his spouse Gabriela Simosi which is designed by the couple’s daughter Loretta Gaitis Charrat who is an architect specialized in museum design. The internationally acknowledged visual artist visited Ios for the first time in 1964 and fell instantly in love with the island, where he used to spend his summer vacations along with his friend Jean-Marie Drot. At the magnificent and pure white building complex, like a miniature of a Cycladic settlement, where the famous Gaitis little figures emerge at the front side of the building, visitors will have the opportunity to admire a permanent collection of his as well as his wife’s, sculptor Gabriela Simosi, artworks, while in a different hall, artworks of other artists will be exhibited periodically.7
Homer’s Tomb, in Plakotos area
Ios is considered to be one of the seven places asserting Homer’s birth, while the majority of ancient writers make reference to Ios as the place of his death and burial. According to ancient historian Pausanias a Delphi sacred oracle stated that Homer would be buried in Ios, the place his mother Klimenis came from. In Plakotos area have been discovered a series of an ancient tomb remnants which is said to prove, according to the elegy written on the marble, the existence of Homer’s Tomb.8
Manganari beach
It is located at the south part of the island right opposite of Santorini Island. Visit its wonderful endless Blue Flag beaches with the jade- green sea waters and you may feel the magic of the movie “The Big Blue” that has been partly filmed there.9
Mylopotas Beach
The cosmopolitan beach of Mylopotas awaits you just a few minutes away from Chora village, to the south side of the island, for a constant party with people from all around the world all day long. This superb and endless beach, as everybody admits, is globally renowned for the vibrant atmosphere that is created daily by the thousands of youngsters of all nationalities, who pour in with a unique aim: have fun into the crystal clear waters and under the bright sun. However, you can always find a peaceful corner of it, in case that you desire some minutes of relaxation just before follow the party vibes again. Mylopotas is the best facilitated beach on the island, offering numerous amusement and entertainment ways such as water sports, diving lessons, beach volley and soccer courts as well as many restaurants with local or international cuisine (Thai, Mexican, Italian etc.), cafes and pool bars.10
