Ios holidays

The tiny hilly island of Ios, part of the Cyclades group, can be found in the Aegean Sea between the islands of Naxos and Santorini.

Ios holidays begin with flights into Santorini, followed by a boat trip to Ormos harbour.

You'll find an island that was a beloved hippy backpacker destination, when longhaired party animals would kip on the beach in sleeping bags after a night on the tiles. These days there are plenty of hotels and self-catering accommodation to select from.

Despite its diminutive size, there's still a lively nightlife scene on Ios, probably thanks to its hippy party heritage. But this is mostly a laidback and peaceful island, and one that is the alleged burial place of the Greek poet Homer.

Chora is the only real village on the island of Ios, while Mylopotas is the only resort to speak of.

The pretty village of Chora is a picture worth snapping. Whitewashed houses cover the foot of the hill and the streets are so narrow that cars cannot navigate around it. Holidaymakers and locals fill the streets of Chora instead, and there are many restaurants, bars and shops lining the pathways.

There are plenty of beaches on the island on which to lounge during the hot days of summer. Most feature soft pale sands and turquoise waters backed by soaring green hills. The best beaches are Mylopotas, Manganari and Kalamos.

Peppered across the island are the windmills of Ios. They present yet another perfect picture opportunity, especially as the sun disappears behind them.

To discover more about holidays on Ios, read our guide and then use the search tool on TravelSupermarket to find bargain breaks to this lovely part of Greece.