To the south of Naxos between Sikinos and Thera, Ios (Nios) is 107 nautical miles from Piraeus. Its capital is Ios (Chora) with a population of 1450. A mountainous island it has no cultivable tracts of land and its coast consists of dozens of tiny bays and three larger ones : Aghia Theodoti in the east, Kalamos in the southwest and Milopotamos in the west.
Mythology relates island was first settled by Phoenicians.According to Herodotus, the 'poet of poets', the 'god-like' Homer was buried at Plakotos,in the north of the island Pausanias tell us that there was an inscription at Delphi confirming the poet's interment on Ios, which was the homeland of his mother,Clymene..In historical times it was colonized by Ionians became a member of the Athenian League and later passed into the hands of the Egyptian Ptolemies..
Must see: Above the pretty harbor of Ormos, where fishing-boats and yachts bob at anchor, stands the capital Ios or Hora.The town stands on the site of the ancient city of the same name is a typical Cycladic town with white houses, narrow streets and many churches.Among the churches, those of St.Katerina, Sts Anargiroi,St. John the Baptist, Cosmas and Damien stand out.The sites of Ios include a Hellenistic tower and the remains of an ancient temple at Psathi, a ruinous Venetian castle at the spot known as Paleokstro, and the Hellenistic tower at Plakotos.The archaeological and Folkloric Museum in Hora and the Museum of Modern Art (Drot-Gaiti) at Kolitsani are also worth a visit.. The bays and beaches of Ios are Aghia Theodoti, Psathi, Kalamas, Manganari, Kolitsani, Tzamaria, Mylopotamos, Ormos,ideal for fishing and swimming.
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