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Ios

Ios, Greece is a top yacht charter destination. Ios is well known as a destination for youthful, partying tourists, but the island is steeped in history and offers beautiful, unspoiled beaches. It’s also the reputed resting place of the poet Homer, creator of the Iliad and Odyssey.

The port of Ormos is a delightful town of traditional houses, arcaded lanes and windmills, but quite noisy at night with drinking tourists.

Popular Mylopotas Beach is frequented by the youthful as well but the island offers many secluded bays to anchor your charter yacht, and peaceful, seafood tavernas.

Attractions

The capital Hora is a pretty town with narrow, arcaded alleys, stone streets and whitewashed Cycladic homes. Visitors can see the ancient wall ruins that once surrounded the town from stone steps that are lead from the port to the village.

The vantage point from the top also offers a spectacular view of the bay. The town has an archaeological museum and 12 windmills in the square. The Church of Agia Aekaterini contains the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo.

The Church of Panagia Gremiotissa was built during the Turkish occupation on a spot that was allegedly dictated by a miraculous icon of the Virgin. The icon was discovered on the shores of Ios after it was hurled into the sea to save it from the invaders.

The Modern Art Gallery houses work from the surrealist Austrian painter Helmut Kand who lives on the island.

The windmills of Ios

The Paleokastro Venetian Fortress, built in 1400 is on the northeast corner of the island. Remains of the Venetian town can be seen inside. At the nearby monastery of Agias Theodotis is a door which medieval pirates penetrated. Unfortunately for them, they were scalded to death by boiling oil which the islanders poured on their heads. A September 8th celebration is held each year to mark the event.

No yacht charter visit to Ios is complete without a visit to the reputed site of Homers burial place in the north of the island. It is believed Homer’s mother was born on Ios and that Homer spent his last years there. While the ancient town has long collapsed into the sea, the entrance to a tomb still remains.