Thursday 25th – Friday 26th July 2024
A Condensed Update
As this trip to Ios has been mainly for relaxation, I haven’t made much effort to cram in lots of activities. The boat tour on Tuesday was the only thing on my to-do list and was every bit as good as I’d hoped.
To avoid my daily posts from getting too repetitive, I’ve condensed my last two full days in Ios into a single update as I’ve done in previous trip reports under similar circumstances.
Thursday 25th July
After yesterday’s luxurious breakfast, I returned to my normal budget routine of coffee and a pastry from Buongiorno Bakery close to my hotel (Hotel Poseidon) near the harbour area. I then went back to the hotel and spent another morning sunbathing in the quiet surroundings of the hotel pool. Lunch saw a return to Peri Anemon where I enjoyed a tasty pork gyros.
In the afternoon, I repeated the previous day’s outing to Kolitsani Beach and had another blissful few hours sunbathing and swimming in the cool, calm sea. The beach was quieter than it had been yesterday, which only added to the sense of peace and relaxation. Knowing it could be my last visit to the beach (for this trip, anyway), I stayed until closer to 6:30 pm, by which time my spot on the beach had been cast into shade by the sun as it disappeared over the surrounding hillside.
Back at the hotel, I showered and changed, then almost retraced my earlier route to the beach, this time riding the local bus all the way to Mylopotas Beach. I contemplated visiting Karma – another restaurant I’ve enjoyed on several of my previous visits to Ios – but wasn’t sure if I would return to Mylopotas for another evening meal, and I wanted to go back to Harmony as it’s one of my favourite spots on the island.
I had a great meal, this time trying the fish tacos along with some nachos and house rose wine. It was all fantastic:
The live music made the atmosphere come alive and I made sure to soak up the feeling and enjoy the moment as much as possible, knowing that my trip was drawing to a close with only one full day remaining.
Feeling slightly merry from the wine, I decided to make the most of the evening by stopping off in Chora on the way back to my hotel and immersing myself in a bit of Ios nightlife. Getting the on the bus proved difficult, as I’d somehow managed to time my journey with the crowds of partygoers heading from Far Out Beach Club into Chora. Fortunately, the bus service is set up to cater for the surge in demand and three buses turned up within a few minutes and I managed to get on the third one, albeit with standing room only.
Once in Chora, I headed to Lost Boys Bar, one of the few spots I’ve visited on a previous trip. It has a good vibe and wasn’t too crowded (it was only 10:30, early by Ios nightlife standards), so I ordered a drink and made some casual conversation with the bar staff and customers as they came and went. As the bar got busier, I decided it was time to head back as I’m not a fan of large crowds and didn’t want to spend more money on alcohol (those days are mostly behind me). I made my way through the now-busy narrow streets of Chora, familiar with the route to take me out of the village opposite the stepped path back down to the port. I made it back a little before midnight and went straight to sleep.
Friday 26th July
My final full day had arrived. I often feel nostalgic and slightly sad as my time in Greece comes to an end, but I’d had a great trip and wasn’t going to wallow (or sulk) when I could be enjoying myself instead.
Conscious that I’d brought my camera gear with me but barely used it, I spend a bit of time in the morning walking around the harbour area doing some filming. I went around to Agia Irini church – a great spot for panoramic views of the bay – intending to do a bit of vlogging, but the wind was quite gusty and I couldn’t find a sheltered spot despite walking all the way around the church.
I then walked north to Gialos Beach and captured more footage of the beach and nearby tavernas. As I was heading back towards the port, a high-speed ferry was just entering the bay so I took the opportunity to film its arrival and departure, knowing it would make useful material for my YouTube Channel.
At a loss for something to do in the afternoon, I couldn’t resist a final trip to Kolitsani Beach (yes, the third one in as many days). It’s just such a nice spot and, although I’d not spent any time on the excellent Mylopotas Beach this trip, it’s no match for Kolitsani if you want a more low-key, relaxing experience.
For my final evening meal of the trip, I should have visited Chora if I was sticking to my rota, but I didn’t want to get the bus straight back after returning from the beach and didn’t fancy walking either. The amazing arancini balls at Coralli Kitchen were calling to me, so I went back for one last portion and another tasty pizza. If my trip had been longer, I promise I would’ve experimented with a wider variety of restaurants, but it’s hard to turn down a good meal once you know where to find it!
Rather than head straight back to my room, I had a stroll along the road behind Gialos Beach and then sat on one of the benches that lined the pavement between the port and beach, enjoying the warm evening air.
