Ios also called Nio or Io is located in the archipelago of the Cyclades Islands in a southerly direction right between Naxos and Santorini islands. Small and intimate, it extends for around 110 square kilometres, in recent years it has become the favorite destination for nightlife in Northern Europe and Australians. Despite its lively atmosphere, Ios is also very popular with families or nature lovers as by carefully choosing the places to visit it is also perfect for those who don't have that much interest in the night. Ios has two faces, one linked to the territory for a holiday dedicated to relaxation, tradition and discovery, the other more transgressive and dark linked to legendary parties where all the young people meet to have fun. One does not disturb the other at all, in fact they manage to coexist in complete harmony making it ideal for any type of holiday in Greece you wish to have. According to history, Ios is the homeland of the poet Homer whose tomb can be admired on the hill of Psathopyrgo just above the bay of Plakoto in the northern part of the island and to reach it you pass through Pano Kambos, a very fertile part cultivated with vineyards and olive groves up to the more barren and dry Koulida up to the top where a small white stone building is the sepulchral monument of Homer. The view from up here is something wonderful. A small paradise in the middle of the Aegean with a mountainous territory with its highest peak, Mount Pyrgos is characterized by barren and almost desert landscapes, natural inlets that offer long, golden beaches with a transparent sea and crazy colours. Inwards, however, it transforms and becomes fruitful. Its position and the natural port have played a very important role in the past as it has been on the route to the large island of Crete since its prehistory. In the classical and Hellenistic era it was in its full splendor but lost its value and began its decline during Roman domination as it was used as a place of exile. Ios during the Greek War of Independence of 1935 was the first to raise the flag of the revolution. You choose a holiday in Ios above all for the beaches, which are thirty-five, all beautiful and with a different flavour. They manage to satisfy any taste, and in addition to the very famous Mylopotas beach which during the first hours of the day is pleasant and quiet, after lunch time it comes alive especially with young people who party until the first light of dawn, there are so many there are many other coasts where you can enjoy a quiet day at the seaside such as the wild Kalamos beach but which guarantees silence and little confusion, or the Papas beach, a small inlet protected from the winds just to name a couple but remember that there are many others to be discovered. The capital of Ios is Chora (called The Village by locals) the main amphitheater-shaped center on the north-west coast. It is the main port when you land on Ios you arrive here and it is the nerve center of the island. Blinding white, cubic-shaped houses with classic blue windows, surrounded by rich vegetation, are located between two gentle rocky hills. Narrow and labyrinthine streets that can only be explored on foot, it has its main street where all the shops and nightclubs are located which are literally taken by storm before sunset. At the Chora there are more than 24 small churches as well as the main and best known one where it is a must to visit the church of Panagia Gremiottisa, a cathedral with a high bell tower and the classic blue dome that stands out over the entire surrounding area. Obviously there is no shortage of windmills, identifying signs of the Cyclades Islands, once used to grind grain. Other places of notable interest are the Church of Agia Ekairini built on the remains of a temple in honor of the God Apollo and the church of Agios Ioannis Prodomos. We then arrive at Gialos or Yalos the port beach. Most of the yachts that come this far are found here, so much so that during the summer season it is a little crowded, either due to its sandy coastline or because there are all the amenities within a short distance. However, it remains a place dedicated to relaxation as you don't necessarily have to take a vehicle and move to other wonderful beaches. From Gialos with a walk you can reach the church of Agia Irini from the Byzantine period up to Valmas beach or Koumbara beach. And again the Odysseas Elytis Theater on the hills near the Chora completely in marble according to Greek architecture. Every year it hosts events of different genres but based on local culture as well as the famous Homer Festival and concerts during the summer. It is a wonderful place even just for the view that extends over the entire island. For a moment dedicated to archeology you cannot miss the Skarkos site. Also near the Chora but in one of the wildest contexts of Ios, there are the finds of a village from the Bronze Age dated 3500 BC and its peculiarity is that it is still perfectly preserved today. From the concentric shape it seems like a cultivation seen from afar but in reality they are houses with small stone steps at the entrance different in size to identify the hierarchy and importance of their owners. The remains found during excavations carried out between 1984 and 1997 are now preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Ios. A multifaceted island like almost all the Greek Islands, where nature, culture and history are the masters and only for these reasons worthy of being seen.