Greek Islands Portal

Ios is one of the southern Cycladic islands, lying south of Naxos, with Amorgos to the east, Sikinos to the west and Santorini to the south. It lies 107 nautical miles away from Piraeus and has an area of 108 square kilometers. It is a small, mountainous island with a few small plains, several olives and vines. It has an indented coastline with many attractive bays and sheltered inlets.

It was originally called Phoeniki, because it was inhabited by the Phoenicians. According to tradition, it was later given the name of Ios by the Ionians who settled on the island at the end of the 2nd millennium BC.

In Roman times it was used as a place of exile.
Ios is renowned for its relationship with the great epic poet Homer. Tradition says that the great poet was buried on the island. There is, in fact, a ruin at Plakoto, which is called Homer’s tomb.

During the Byzantine period, when it was known as Nios, it fell into decline and was almost completely abandoned. It was captured by the Venetians, who built a strong castle on the hill at Chora to protect it from pirate raids.

In 1537 was occupied by the Turks.
The final liberation came with the incorporation of Ios in the modern Greek State, which was founded by the signature of the protocol of London on the 10th of March 1829.