Ios is a cosmopolitan island which attracts
young people from every corner of the earth, especially
in the summer time. The clear sea, the deserted beaches
and the lively nightlife at the local bars and discos
attract the young people. There are 150 bars and nightclubs
on the island of Ios, a record number for such a small
island, only 108 square Km. Ios has 1600 inhabitants and
two settlements, Chora and the harbor. The island has
many bays and its harbor is deep and secure. The beaches
are lovely with golden sand.
The island was named
Ios from a group of settlers known as the Iones, however the locals
call it Nio (Niotes being the inhabitants).The capital of the
island is Chora. The houses descend from atop the hill like a
white waterfall cut by the bell-tower and the domes of the churches.
On the top of the hill is the small church of Saint Nicolas and
all round the remains of the medieval castle. Chora, is a very
typical Cycladitic town with white houses, mills, narrow streets
and many churches. The recent building craze has had a slight
affect to the islands' prior image but it has still not lost its
picturesque beauty. The old settlement is reserved and entrance
is forbidden.
Other interesting places
are: Maganari, one of the most beautiful places in Ios on the
south east of Chora with many sandy beaches and a small port.
The few locals who live there abandon it in winter. Milopotalos,
a settlement with a large sandy beach, is 3 Km south east of Chora
and has developed into a center of nudists, although it is forbidden.
The bay of harbor: The natural, protected harbor of Ios gives
the visitor the impression of a lake. The settlement is 2 Km far
and the locals call it Gialo. With the recent building craze,
it has been united with Kira.
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