Ios Mylopotas Beach, Far Out Village & Corali Kitchen

Monday 22nd July 2024

Budget Breakfast

Unfortunately, my first night at Hotel Hotel Poseidon wasn’t the best. The bed was a bit too firm, and the air-conditioning was quite noisy. I had left it on full blast due to the hot evening, but with only a sheet for cover, I got cold during the night and had to turn it off. Thankfully, with nothing on the agenda today except relaxing by the pool and beach, a rough night’s sleep wasn’t a big issue.

Since breakfast wasn’t included at the hotel, my first mission of the day was to find some caffeine and quiet my grumbling stomach. Fortunately, I knew just the place: Buongiorno Bakery! It’s one of the cheapest coffee spots by the port and has a great selection of pastries.

I got dressed and made the short walk across the marina, which was quiet as it was barely 8 am. I ordered a latte and a pain au chocolat, then sat outside to enjoy them in the warm morning air. Despite the rough night, the delicious breakfast and peaceful marina setting promised a great start to my day.

Poolside Paradise

I returned to the hotel to find the pool area completely empty. It was still before 9 am, and most people weren’t up yet—especially those who had been enjoying the vibrant Ios nightlife. Thrilled to have the pool to myself, I quickly changed into my swim shorts, applied suntan lotion, grabbed a towel, my headphones, and Kindle, and settled down on a sun lounger.

The air was still, and it was already over 30 degrees Celsius, promising a scorching day ahead. Within minutes, I was sweating off my sun lotion, but it felt great to be basking in the heat and far away from the gloomy British weather. I read my Kindle for as long as I could manage before the heat drove me to jump into the pool for a refreshing dip.

To quench my thirst, I ordered a fresh orange juice from the pool bar, then returned to the important tasks of reading and sunbathing, fully enjoying my tranquil morning.

A Change of Scenery

As tempting as it was to spend the entire day lounging by the pool, I wanted to mix things up and explore a bit. I had the choice of walking to Gialos Beach, just past the port or taking the bus to Mylopotas Beach. While Gialos was the easier option, I was eager to revisit Mylopotas. Having stayed there several times before, I knew it would offer a livelier atmosphere and lots of people.

With that in mind, I decided to relax by the pool until midday, then catch the bus to Mylopotas and spend a few hours at Far Out Village. The prospect of a bustling beach and familiar surroundings was just too appealing to pass up.

Mylopotas Beach

The bus ride to Mylopotas was a nostalgic journey, bringing back happy memories of my previous trips to Ios. A few people boarded with me at the port, but the stops in Chora were much busier, with mostly young groups heading to the beach. Despite the hotel owners mentioning that it had been a fairly quiet season so far, Chora seemed lively. As we arrived at Mylopotas, I could see the north end of the beach was bustling with people enjoying the glorious weather.

Before heading to Far Out Village, I needed to buy a towel since I didn’t have room to bring one from the UK, and the hotel requested that guests not take their towels outside. I popped into the Delfini Market shop at the north end of the beach and spent €8 on a generic beach towel. I also grabbed a small can of beer, knowing it would be much cheaper than getting a drink at Far Out!

I sipped the beer as I strolled down the road behind the beach. It was a pleasant walk on flat ground, with the large, spacious beach on my right and a few tavernas and hotels on my left. The anticipation of spending a lively afternoon at Mylopotas filled me with excitement.

The atmosphere at Far Out Village was relaxed, with cool music playing in the background and plenty of people around the pool. A waitress approached me and explained that to use the sunbeds for free, I needed to order something. While it felt a bit mercenary, I understood the need to prevent freeloaders. Not wanting to spend much on food, I opted for a strawberry daiquiri, which cost €9—a bit steep, but typical for a popular venue. Ios certainly isn’t the bargain destination it once was!

For the next couple of hours, I basked in the sun and cooled off with frequent dips in the pool. I considered striking up a conversation with someone, but the right moment never came, and I was perfectly content in my own company. Eventually, I decided it was time to head back to the hotel. I gathered my gear and caught the next bus back to the port, feeling refreshed from my afternoon at Mylopotas.

Hotel Return and Dinner at Corali Kitchen

As if I hadn’t done enough sunbathing, I noticed the hotel pool was still very quiet and decided to catch a few more rays before heading to my room. I lounged by the pool until just after 5 PM, then went indoors to cool off and rehydrate with plenty of bottled water.

Having already visited Mylopotas and passed through Chora, I decided to stay local for dinner. Last year, I had fantastic food at Corali Kitchen behind Gialos Beach, so I aimed to head there but planned to check other menus along the way in case something new caught my eye.

Sure enough, I ended up at Corali Kitchen and didn’t regret it. Their menu had been revamped since last year, and while I was sure the prices had gone up, the arancini balls were so good I would have gladly paid twice as much—they were sublime!

I paired the arancini with a spicy meat pizza, which had a delicious kick to it and was freshly prepared in their clay oven. I couldn’t quite finish it, but it certainly satisfied my hunger.

I had planned to walk up to Chora after dinner, but after consuming a large meal and half a litre of wine, I felt incredibly sleepy. The hours spent under the hot sun during the day no doubt added to my fatigue. Instead, I took a leisurely stroll around the village before heading back to my hotel for an early night.