A remote and beautiful 13km drive northeast of Hora lies what is locally believed to be the final resting place of Homer, Greece's greatest poet, who wrote the epics Odyssey and Iliad. While there are various legends surrounding Homer's Ios connections, and the Dutch archaeologist Pasch van Krienen declaring this tomb to be Homer's in 1771 may have little historical evidence behind it, Hellenic coins from Ios do bear Homer's likeness and name. And the drive is stunning.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Paros Park
25.43 MILES
This 80-hectare park north of Naoussa features impressive rock formations, caves, hidden coves and gorgeous beaches. There's a lot going on here, with…
Museum of Prehistoric Thera
26.17 MILES
Opposite the bus station, this well-presented museum houses extraordinary finds excavated from Akrotiri, which has been settled since neolithic times…
Kastro
22.51 MILES
The most alluring part of Hora is the 13th-century residential neighbourhood of Kastro, which Marco Sanudo made the capital of his duchy in 1207. Behind…
Panagia Ekatontapyliani
22.57 MILES
The Panagia Ekatontapyliani, which dates from AD 326, is one of the finest churches in the Cyclades. The building is three distinct churches: Agios…
Cave of Antiparos
19.9 MILES
Signposted off the main coastal road some 10km south of the port, this huge and atmospheric cave remains impressive despite much looting of stalactites…
Panagia
23.85 MILES
From Plateia Pounta, a zigzag path leads up to the large Church of the Virgin, Panagia, which sits perched on the side of a hill above the town and acts…
Ammoudi
22.55 MILES
This tiny port of colourful fishing boats lies 300 steps below Oia. It’s a steep haul down and up again but well worth it for the views of the blood-red…
Old Port
26.03 MILES
Sitting 220m below Fira – three minutes by cable car, or 587 steps by foot – the Old Port, also known as Fira Skala, is now mainly used by cruise ship…
Nearby Ios attractions
2. Skarkos
3.88 MILES
Crowning a low hill just north of Hora, this Early Bronze Age settlement is one of the Aegean's most significant prehistoric sites. There are restored…
4. Panagia Gremiotissa
4.43 MILES
Head up the alleyway behind Sally's Rooftop Garden and then proceed upwards by trial and error, along cracked steps and through ancient archways, and…
5. Archaeological Museum
4.57 MILES
This musuem, on the main road that passes by Hora, is a must for those interested in antiquity. It displays a wealth of finds from the early Bronze Age…
7. Cave of the Sacred Icon of Agios Giannis
7.66 MILES
The Cave of the Sacred Icon of Agios Giannis features a large open cave plus white-painted rocks surrounding the tiny entrance to the main sequence of…
8. Maltas Beach
9.09 MILES
Beautiful, sheltered sandy cove at the north of the island, reachable either by boat or via a two-hour hike from Hora.