Riadhou

Hi
After visiting many greek islands ,my wife and ( 66 and 59 years old) programed to spend our next vacations during 3 weeks in Ios and in 2 or 3 other islands.
This trip is planed for the end of June 2021.
We like to be surrounding by life and Ios seems one of the most lively and vibrant islands in the Cyclades.

So,we would like to have some information about this island which seems more than a party island.
we would be grateful if you can help me to choose two or three other islands to combine with it.

We are not fan for beaches,but we like to spend time to time in a beautiful beach surrounded by a good taverna or restaurant with sea view.

1) How is the nightlife in Chora in the end of june ?

2) Is Chora a beautiful place to stay in ,better than Gialos and Mylopotas beach ?

Many travellers preferred to stay in Gialos or Mylopotas ,while Chora seems more picturesque with plenty of shops ,tavernas ,restaurants hotels and from the hill it can offer wonderful views over the sea and the port.

3)-How long should we stay in Ios.

4) in your opinion , What are the islands we should combine with Ios and offering picturesque villages,charming and vibrant atmosphere ,a lot of places to explore ,to discover,among the fliwing islands Serifos, Sikinos ,Anafi ,Syros, Milos, Amorgos and Astypalea even if some of them are not on the same line of ferries) .

The mentionned islands are the one that we didn't visit yet in the Cyclades ( Astypalea is in the Dodecanese of course).

Thank you in advance

HappyTrvlr

Our Greek friends recommended we skip IOS as it is a destination favored by young people, lots of partying. Matt Barrett’s Greek Islands website labels Ios “ spring break year long.”
If you haven’t looked at his website, take a look as it has very helpful information when planning travel there.

neckervd

If you plan to go to bed before 4am, you may check
Theodoti
https://traditional-beach-house-in-ios.business.site/
Psathi Ios Cyclades Greece Apartments, rooms to let
Dimitris Rooms for rent Ios island Greece - Rooms in Ios Manganari beach

But don't forget that there are more than 60 Greek Islands with touristic accommodation and of easy reach by ferry.

Heimdall

The above two posts sum up what I’ve heard about Ios in party season, particularly chora, although I’ve only stopped there on the ferry, so can’t give an informed opinion. Greeks have told me Ios is quiet in May and perhaps the beginning of June.

Your post doesn’t say where you have already been and don’t want to return, nor where your trip will start and end at. It does seem most islands on your shortlist are in the Western Cyclades, so planning an itinerary around ferry routes there would make sense. I see no point in adding Astypalea or even Amorgos if going in that direction.

Riadhou

Hi!
The islands i visited in the Cyclades are (Mykonos,Delos, Tinos Paros, Naxos ,Sifnos Folegandros and Santorini),in the DodecanneseRhodes, Symi and Kastellorizo) ,in the north aegean( Patmos,Lipsi, Samos and Chios), Corfou and paxos in the Ionians.
​​​​​Those which i haven't visited yet in the Cyclades are Syros, Ios ,Amorgos , serifos Milos, sikinos,kimolos and the small islands (Donoussa,Schinoussa ,Koufonissi and Iraklia ). Astypalea is in the Dodecannese .
The island that i would like to visit again is Paros.
I think that flying to santorini and take the ferry to Ios , paros, amorgos and astypalea could be the easiest way to combine ios with these islands

Riadhou

Hi!
Thank you for the information and for the good selection of the rooms around Ios.
The islands i visited in the Cyclades are (Mykonos,Delos, Tinos Paros, Naxos ,Sifnos Folegandros and Santorini),in the DodecanneseRhodes, Symi and Kastellorizo) ,in the north aegean( Patmos,Lipsi, Samos and Chios), Corfou and paxos in the Ionians.
​​​​​Those which i haven't visited yet in the Cyclades are Syros, Ios ,Amorgos , serifos Milos, sikinos,kimolos and the small islands (Donoussa,Schinoussa ,Koufonissi and Iraklia ). Astypalea is in the Dodecannese .

The island that i would like to visit again is Paros.

I think that flying to santorini and take the ferry to Ios , paros, amorgos and astypalea could be a good option to combine ios with these islands.

The other way is to take the ferry from piraeus to Syros(2h) and to paros (1h) and to ios (1h ) and to amorgos( 3h) and to astypalea ( 1h25).
This second option avoid to fligh to santorini only to get a connexion to Ios.

Syros seems more lively in july and august for the different cultural events which take place every year during summer .
The atmosphere can be more attractive in amorgos and astypalea in summer ,excepting ios which will be more crowded , but as it was recommended from the websites of the hotels located outside of chora , ios can be a relaxed island if after spending a part of nightlife in chora , we return to sleep outside.Finally ,even in summer ,these islands are still worth visiting.

Heimdall

I prefer starting from Athens myself, and Syros has an airport as an alternative to the ferry. That route does make sense, although you may need a little backtracking to get from Ios to Amorgos. Express Skopeltis, the little ferry than runs from Naxos to Amorgos every day except Sundays, goes from Santorini on that day. The same Blue Star that runs from Amorgos to Astypalea also stops at Paros and Naxos.

The Santorini airport gets overloaded with charter flights at times, but Fraport, which manages the airport, is making improvements.

Riadhou

"You may need a little backtracking to get from Ios to Amorgos"
Do you mean a backtrackting from ios to Naxos before to continue to Amorgos.?

This solution has the advantage of the frequency of the ferries during the week from ios to Naxos and the disadvantage of having to take two ferries and losing time, whereas the line from ios to amorgos has the advantage of being a direct one but also the disadvantage of being available only once a week, i.e. on Sundays. Is it correct?

It is a good idea to fligh from athens to Syros especially if it will coincide with my intetnational flight connexion.
It remains to know whether this trip between different islands (syros, ios, amorgos and astypalea) could be a nice combination ,and if could offer the opportunity to discover different facets and atmospheres of the cyclades (except astypalea which is an administrative part of the Dodecannese ) but it apparently retains some similarities especially with Ios .!

Heimdall

If you can time your Ios-Amorgos transfer for Sunday, Express Skopelitis would work well. On other days you could take it from Naxos, even stopping on a Little Cyclades island on the way to Amorgos if you wish. Provided you have enough time, the combination of islands in your latest post sound good to me.

When you are on Paros try to spend a day (or even better a day and an evening) on Antiparos. If interested in archaeology you could also visit the site on Despotiko, still in the early stages of excavation. For that you would take a boat from Ag Georgios, the little settlement at the south of Antiparos.

neckervd

Ferry timetables - above all those of FB Skopelitis - will change many times until next June.
Actually, Ios - Naxos - Amorgos wouldn't be a problem:
Ieave Ios in the morning, change at Naxos and arrive at Amorgos around 3pm.
resp leave Ios in the morning, change at Santorini and arrive at Katapola at 13.30.

Fly to Syros if you find a connecting flight. If not, check the daily ferries from Rafina or the once weekly ferry from Lavrio.
Do the trip the other way round if it is easier to find a connecting fllight to Astypalea.

Heimdall

“Fly to Syros if you find a connecting flight. If not, check the daily ferries from Rafina or the once weekly ferry from Lavrio.“

I believe the daily ferries to Syros leave from Piraeus.

neckervd

You are right, Heimdall, those from Rafina go to Tinos (- Mykonos and farther) only.
Sorry!

Heimdall

I’ve used the Blue Star that runs from Piraeus to Syros and on to Mykonos, and highly recommend it. If you choose to fly to Syros from Athens, the airline serving that island is Sky Express.

crazyh

I haven't been to Ios but from all accounts is a well-known party island during the summer. If that's something you can deal with you should have a good time, if not there are numerous other Cyclades Islands that may offer a more tranquil experience like Tinos, one of my favorite islands.