Make a journey by ferry to Ios, an island with a very vibrant nightlife and spectacular beaches, which attracts thousands of tourists from all around the world!
Ios island is exceptionally popular mostly to young tourists and campers due to the fact that it is very lively with many bars and clubs that keep the parties till the morning hours. The busiest area is the main town, Chora on top of a hill, where most accommodations, bars, night clubs, eating places and shops are placed. Paved and narrow paths, boutiques, beautiful little white houses with colorful windows, Chora has them all. If somebody wants more tranquility, Ios is capable of offering it too. Unlike the main village and Mylopotas, the villages of Ormos at the port, Koumbara and Maganari are some nice alternatives with a little less traffic and include spectacular beaches, especially Maganari, with one of the best in the Aegean. Ios is a Greek island that has nothing to be jealous of the rest of the Cyclades.
Getting to Ios by ferry
There are several ferries starting from both the ports of Piraeus and Rafina in Athens, that arrive at the port in Ormos. The average voyage time is 5 hours but keep in mind that this changes according to what type of vessel you have chosen. Large conventional vessels require more time to arrive at their destinations but are much more fun to use since they provide many more accommodations and amenities than the high-speeds and catamarans which have only aircraft type seats, WCs and you are not able to wander around the ship.
Ferry Piraeus to Ios
Ferries run all over the year with daily ferry connections from the port of Piraeus to Ios. High-speeds and catamarans need a minimum of 4 hours to arrive while conventional ones need a maximum of 9 hours.
Rafina to Ios
The Rafina to Ios routes are running only in summer months till late September and you are able to book only a high-speed ferry. This means that you cannot bring your car along but it is the fastest way of getting to Ios.
Ios ferry port
By the time your ship drops anchor at the Ios ferry port, Ormos, if your accommodation is not situated in the homonym little village, you will have to use the public bus or grab a cab in order to reach it.
Note, that most hotels in Ios offer their own minivans for transfers from/to the port. Please, call them and ask for availability to organize your transfer.
Bus
There is a public bus transfer service with daily connections to and from Ios port. For more information, please visit the Ios Bus.
Taxi
In order to schedule a taxi transfer, please call Mr. Bouzalakos Panagiotis: +30 697 703 1708, Ms Maria: +30 697 873 4491, Mr. Moraitis Kostas: +30 22860 91745, Mr. Nikiforos George: +30 22860 61606.
Holidays in Ios
For sure it is a party island with plenty of night clubs and pubs that are open till dawn but this does not mean that this is the only thing you can do in your holidays in Ios. As a Cycladic island, it provides stunning beaches with crystal clear waters, interesting sites to visit and beautiful sceneries to take pictures. In Ios, you can find many hotels, both luxurious and low-cost while also camping areas for the lovers of nature.
Below, you are given some ideas of where to start when you step your foot on Ios:
- Swim, sunbathe and drink a cocktail at Mylopotas Beach
- Visit Pathos bar and restaurant on the western side of the island, north of the port
- Stroll around the picturesque Chora and eat at a traditional Greek taverna
- Relax at the spectacular Maganari Beach with the transparent waters
- Do watersports or go for hiking up to Pyrgos
- Take a look at the famous Greek poet Homer’s tomb
- Take some pictures of the ravishing view at Paleokastro, the ancient Byzantine Castle
Island hopping from Ios
Located in the middle of Sikinos, Amorgos, Santorini, Paros, Antiparos and Naxos, island hopping from Ios to the surrounding islands but also to Folegandros, Sifnos, Heraklion (Crete) and to the Small Cyclades is a very popular thing to do and many visitors book their tickets early because, in high season it is possible their capacity will run out. There are frequent routes everyday and the average travel time is 1.5 hour.
