BACK TO GREECE
Table of Contents:
NOT SO ANCIENT.
IOS TODAY.
SHOULD SEE.
Ios, (Io or Nio) is a hilly island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea.
Much of the coastline has cliffs dropping into the sea.
The island is about 11 miles long and 6 miles across at its widest. The population is just over 2,000 tear-round residents who report to the Thira (Santorini) regional unit.
Ancient Times.
Through various findings, it indicates that human civilization on Ios dates back to Prehistoric times.
It appears that the Careans were the first. Some connect them to the Minoans. They came from Caria, which was in present-day Turkey, south of Ephesus.
They were followed by the Achaeans (Mycenaeans) (circa 1600 -1100 B.C.), before the Phoenicians, from modern Lebanon, moved in (circa 1050 B.C.)
The “Greeks” would split into four main tribes around this period.
The Dorians, predominantly on the island of Crete and the eastern Peloponesse.
The Aeolians came from the central area of modern Greece, around Thessaly.
In the northern Peloponesse were the Achaeans, who would move westward and colonize Southern Italy.
Attica, the island of Euboea, and the Cyclades were home to the Ionians.
It is possible that the island takes its name from the Ionians. Another version points to the island’s violets (“ion” in ancient Greek) that bloom every spring.
If you draw a line from Heraklion Greece to Naxos, it passes right past Ios. Artifacts found in the prehistoric sites on Ios indicate its natural harbor was a main stop on this route.
Ios, as an important Greek harbor, was already paying Athen’s for protection circa 534 B.C. They would join the Delian League in 478 B.C. Sometime during this period, Ios would establish a democratic political system.
By Philip II, King of Macedonia’s death in 336 B.C, Macedonia was controlling most of Greece. His son Alexander the Great, would collect the rest before heading to Persia.
Upon Alexander’s death in 323 B.C.
Hellenistic Era.
Ptolemy, a general of Alexander, seizes Egypt and many of the Greek islands in the land grab after Alexander’s death.
Around 245 B.C., the Ptolemies cede the islands to Macedon after a crushing blow. However, the Macedons are fighting wars closer to home and watching the war between Rome and Carthage. They have no time for the islands.
All of the Cyclades fall into a chaotic mess, with pirates ruling the trade routes.
The islands will turn to Rome around 133 B.C. to protect them from Macedon. The Romans will hold on to the islands until the Hellenistic Kingdom of Pontus takes them circa 88 B.C. This will last until circa 66 B.C., when Rome regains control.
Homer
According to legend, Homer’s mother, Klymeni is from Ios. And another legend says that the Greek epic poet is buried here. The myth is in inscriptions, on coins, and in stories passed down. Many agree that Homer came into existence circa 750 B.C.
The myth of Homer’s death begins with the Pythian oracle at Delphi. Homer travels there to learn who his parents are and their origin. The oracle, answering in a riddle, replies, “Your mother’s home is the island of Ios. The island will accept you when you die, but you should be careful of the children’s mysterious riddle.”
Homer the Unwise.
Homer, against better judgment, travels to Ios, where he happens upon said children fishing. He asks them what they have caught. They answer, “Whatever we get, we leave, and what we don’t get, we take with us.”
They were referring to lice. The ones they found they, killed, but the kids who did not find them took them on their heads.
Homer had no idea what the answer was, so he ran away, hitting his head on a rock and dying. Or he died from not being able to solve the riddle. Since there is no proof that Homer ever existed, take your pick.
A Dutch count came to Ios circa 1771 to find Homer’s grave. A local priest tells him about three graves with marbles and some inscriptions on the northeast shore. The priest also prefaces that the markers are from hundreds of years after the time Homer was believed to have lived. One marker included the inscription “…here under the earth lies the sacred head of heroic Homer”. The Dutch count finally gave up, but the “grave” remains.
Byzantine and Recent History.
The Romans were more army than navy, so islands were not their primary targets. With the Roman Empire taking control of Greece, many of the islands became places of exile.
With the beginning of the Byzantine Empire (circa 330 A.D.), the islands fell under the leadership of Constantinople. But its purpose did not change.
With the growth of Christianity, the Pagan Greek, then Roman temples became churches or building supplies for churches. Few relics remain on Ios from the Greeks or Romans,
After the sacking of Constantinople (circa 1204), Ios, like most of the Greek islands, had no one to protect them. The island would be the target of repeated pirate raids. The locals would desert the port, hiding in the fortified castle to escape from the pirates.
Crusaders would claim the island in the land grab frenzy following the fall of Constantinople. By the 15th century, the Crispi family of Venice would “inherit” the island as part of the Duchy of Naxos. They build a stronger castle on the ruins of the old one to defend the pirates. It is not enough to repel the pirate Barbarossa, who occupies Naxos circa 1537, and all the surrounding islands.
Barbarossa is at odds with the Ottomans, who constantly bombard the islands in an attempt to seize them. The people on Ios have two enemies.
Ios and the Ottomans.
Circa 1537, the Ottomans finally get the upper hand and occupy the Cyclades.
Like much of Greece, the Ottomans take control, then move on, leaving a small garrison to rule the Greeks. As long as the Greeks pay their yearly fees, the Ottomans leave them alone. The locals can worship as they please, including Christianity.
But after 300+ years, enough was enough. Although not famous for its navy, Ios was part of the 1821 naval battle at Kusadasi. The island was able to send 24 well-equipped ships to support the uprising.
Ios and the rest of the Cyclades become part of the 1829 Modern Greek State.
Ios After the Revolution.
The island returns to its former self, with agriculture and fishing supporting much of the population. In ancient times, beech and cedar trees would support a large limber industry, but that is before replanting programs.
The island will send off youth to fight in both World Wars. Luckily, the fighting never reaches the island.
After the Second World War, Ios, like most islands and small towns, begins to lose its population. Young people move to Athens to find a better living.
Ios Today.
Circa the 1970s, the island becomes popular with young people from Europe, especially the hippies. They would sun, love, drink ouzo on the beach by day and sleep there by night.
Over the years, it has become much like Mykonos. The fantastic beach clubs replacing the beaches where hippies would camp out.
It is not hard to reach because of ferry connections from Santorini, Naxos, Piraeus, and other Greek ports. The island has a small but adequate road system. There is a good size marina in Gialos, where the ferries dock. Car rentals are available.
There are only a few historical sites and museums to explore. They can all be done in one long day.
The Chora is just over a mile up a twisting paved road.
Much like Mykonos, it attracts a young crowd who sun all day and dance all night. Alcohol plays a major part in their diet.
What is in Ios for me?
See & Hear.
This is a visual island—rugged coasts with hidden beaches and vistas from cliffsides.
Or sit in the Chora main square and watch and listen to village life going on around you. It can be very entertaining around sunrise when the nightclubs begin to close.
Taste & Smell.
Here you will taste authentic home cooking. The island also gets Greeks who are looking for more than a pizza. Look for the locals just off the main streets,
Take a walk through the Chora in the early evening, where numerous tavernas prepare fresh local items. Smell the meat grilling and the faint hint of oregano.
Feel.
There are no UNESCO sites to draw the crowds. The young crowd gravitates to the large beach clubs by day and nightclubs by night. That gives you the rest of the island.
Find a beach outside of town and feel like you have escaped civilization.
Find a terrace facing west and enjoy a glass of wine. Watch the local sunset while you think back on your leisurely day.
There may be better ways to meet the approaching evening, but this one doesn’t suck.
Should See Ios.
In Town.
There are predominantly two parts to the main town on the island.
Gialos (Yialos) is the port (lower) town where the ferries arrive. Here, you will find what you expect to find near a ferry pier. Travel agencies, car rentals, often the same thing, sundries stores, and low price accommodations. And the hawkers meeting every ferry with their sign-waving and yelling to sell you something. Further along the harbor, it calms down, and there are a few places to grab a coffee, soda, or lunch.
North of the harbor is Paralia (beach) Gialos. There are sunbeds and services nearby. There are no major attractions in Gialos outside of people watching.
The Chora refers to the area of the town on top of the hill. Here you will find older architecture, museums, churches, and more.
Archeological Museum of Ios.
This small museum, with four rooms, has an interesting collection of artifacts from the island. Finds come from the Early Cycladic era and the early Bronze Age settlement of Skarkos. The Town Hall is in the same building.
Ios Churches.
The local legend is there are 365 churches on the island. These range from the large to chapels that barely fit four people. I will not be listing them all. If you would like to count them…
Here are a few in town worth checking out.
Evangelismos Cathedral.
This large Whitewashed church with its blue dome is the center of the Chora, think courthouse. Dating from 1930, it sits on the spot of the previous Aghios Nikolaos Church.
Aghios Ioannis Prodromos.
Just to the south of the cathedral is this church from possibly the 14th century. It is a low structure with a raised crossed barrel vault.
Aghia Ekaterini.
From the 17th century, this church includes several fragments of columns and a piece of Ionic capital in its construction. The church may be on the temple of Pythian Apollo, and the column fragments from the temple.
Frangokklisia (Latin Church).
Unfortunately, this structure, visible to the east of Aghia Ekaterinis, has required T.L.C. for several years. Possibly a few hundred. It is similar to Aghia Ekaterini in construction, possibly dating it from the 14th or 15th century. The present condition is not giving up any clues. Its importance is that it was the small Catholic (Latin) community’s church during the Byzantine era.
Panagia Gremiotissa Church.
This church dates from circa 1797 A.D. It sits on a hill above the Chora, making it visible from almost anywhere in town. Panagia Gremiotissa (Virgin Mary of the Steep Cliff) is the patron saint of the island. Sunsets are very popular from here. Three chapels sit above the church on the same hill.
NOTE: Many churches and chapels are closed when not in use for a service. Many of these have signs prohibiting climbing on the roof and ringing the church’s bells. Did I mention a large number of younger visitors? Coincidence?
Windmills.
The island has 12 traditional windmills, although only three have been restored. Catching the almost constant wind on the hillside, they were for grinding barley and wheat. Today, they are private properties, some serving as houses.
Ios Outside of Town.
Giannis Gaitis – Gabriella Simosis” Museum.
Sitting on a hill just east of town are several buildings dating from 2008. The works of Yannis Gaitis, a 20th-century Greek painter and sculptor, fill one building. He is best known for his paintings of “The Little Man” in modern society. The sculptures of his wife, Gabriella Simosis, are on display in a room of the second building.
Odysseas Elytis Theater.
Dating from 1997, this open-air theater is in the style of those from thousands of years earlier. The round seating area is constructed from local stone and can seat 1100 spectators. It hosts concerts, plays, and in May, the Homeria festival honoring Homer, who died on Ios. The theater is near the Gaitis Museum and is named after the Nobel-winning Greek poet.
Archeological site of Skarkou.
This early Bronze Age settlement (circa 3200 B.C.) is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the Cyclades. Circling a hilltop, the ruins indicate homes with a ground floor for storage and food preparation. A first floor above was the living quarters. The current ruins are in a style in use around 3000 B.C. Many of the artifacts are in the local museum.
Church of Agia Irini.
This lovely white 17th-century Byzantine church is probably the most photographed church on Ios. Not necessarily because it is the prettiest, but you sail right past it when entering the harbor on your right. It is a great location to sit and watch the harbor traffic come and go.
Modern Art Sculptures of Ios.
As you come around a bend on the road to Homer’s Tomb, four statues are along the road. The two middle ones look like sections of a brick wall. The fourth one may be an unfinished head.
The first one, coming from town, leaves less to the imagination. A man, bending over, sans toga, moons every car going by. They are marble statues, so they are not cheap and not lightweight. The locals know more about them than they will let on.
Homer’s Tomb.
The man, the legend. But was he a man? Some think maybe he was a group of men. Where is he from? When exactly did he live? Did he die on Ios? Was he warned to avoid Ios? Did he kill himself stressing over a riddle? And you thought workplace mortality was something new. Whatever you believe, at the end of a twisty drive to the far northeast of the island, is a marker. Reaching the marker requires a hike from the parking area along a well-marked paved walkway.
The marker says the dirt covers his head. Is he all here? Only part of him? Was he ever here? There is another plaque, completely in Greek, nearby. Even if you do not believe any of the lore, the scenic drive is rewarding. On my visit, there was no one else around. That was nice after coming from Mykonos.
Agia Theodoti Church.
A ten-minute detour off the road between town and Homer is the oldest church on the island. Dating back 500 years, it sits on the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. The Roman Catholics would first use the church.
There are probably the remains of a Roman settlement underneath the few buildings of the Agia Theodoti “village.”
There are a few pieces of a Roman aqueduct still visible and possibly foundations of walls older than they look. The settlement did not have phones until the 1970s, and the paved road only dates from 1998.
Agios Ioannis Byzantine monastery.
On the road to Papa Beach is this 17th-century monastery. Dedicated to St John the Baptist, the church has undergone massive restoration. Unfortunately, the monastery is not in great shape. The views are the reason to stop.
Paleokastro.
This Byzantine castle is on the Eastern side of the island on the road to Psathi. Look for the small sign on the left as you are driving towards Psathi.
Dating from circa1400 A.D., it was built by the Venetian Francesco Crispo, possibly on top of a previous fortification. He also held the title Duke of Naxos, which included all the surrounding islands. The remains of the castle, basically interior walls, still hold a commanding view. On a clear day, you can see to Naxos.
There is a paved walking path up to the ruins. The best view of the ruins, in my opinion, is from the road. The small church of Panagia Paliokastritissa is inside the walls.
Psathi.
This settlement, similar to Agia Theodoti, has a motel, a taverna, and a church. Finds in the area point to it being more populated in ancient times. The local church of Aghios Nikolaos, south of the village in a field, maybe on the base of a temple to Poseidon Phytalmios. Follow the beach “road” south from town. Look for the church with the palm tree.
Diaseli Ios Traditional Cheesery.
This local dairy farm has been producing cheese for decades. There is a small cheese museum on the property. It is near the road split to Psathi or the southern part of the island.
Ios Beaches (Paralia).
There are more than 30 beaches, from large full-service ones to small deserted bays. The beaches of Ios are often in the Top Ten of Greek beaches.
Mylopotas (Milopotas).
Just south of town, this beach has received the Blue Flag award for its crystal clear water and white sand. It is the most popular beach on the island and offers everything you need for a day in the sun.
Magganari.
Also winning the Blue Flag, this south shore lagoon offers four beaches. The first beach offers amenities and conveniences. The other three are less “commercial.” The diving movie “The Big Blue” used this area for some filming.
Koumbara.
This is another beach with most of the services you will need. It is just north of the port. However, it does share the beach with one large beach club, which can mean crowds and noise during peak season. It is a great place for sunsets.
These three are the easiest beaches to reach that have numerous tourist services.
The rest of the beaches on this island require some planning to reach. Many require a strong four-wheel drive, a hike, or a boat to reach.
Many of them have no facilities at all. My suggestion is to go by boat, taking facilities and food with you.
Some of these beaches are:
Agia Theodoti.
This is a quiet beach with a traditional tavern. One of the few you can get near using a car.
Psathi.
This serene beach is popular for windsurfing and swimming.
Ios Summary.
Yes, Ios is for the young looking to party all day at the beach and the clubs by night.
But, there are options for those who do not want to shake their groove thing.
The ruins and archeological sites are not on the UNESCO list. But, they also don’t have the crowds that come with those sites.
There are great family-friendly beaches where you do not have to hear the thump thump thump of the beach clubs.
And the food. Find the tavernas where the locals are eating.
The staff will make you feel at home and serve you delicious home cooking.
That doesn’t sound all bad for a vacation.