The reputation of Ios as the hard-partying island of the Cyclades has diminished somewhat in recent years and the island has done a bit of updating – the buildings are painted white with blue trim, and the bars no longer stay open all night, but you can still dance at the clubs until the wee morning hours.

The island is still very popular with the young, backpacker set, particularly in July and August, but at other times of the year it is very much a destination for young families. Most of the villages are clustered in a western corner of the island with scant development across the rest of the island. The best beaches typically remain very quiet because of accessibility, but those on an Ios yacht charter will be lucky enough to enjoy their sandy shores.  Yialos, the island’s main port, is one of the best and safest natural harbors in the Cyclades.

The beach here is peaceful and uncrowded and there are good facilities around the marina, including a large supermarket for stocking up on provisions and several good tavernas.  Ios Town – also known as Hora – lies above Yialos. It’s attractive and picturesque, with meandering arcaded lanes and whitewashed chapels.

There’s an Archaeological Museum and an outdoor theater, which hosts concerts and plays during the summer months.  Cheap and cheerful is the order of the day when it comes to eating and drinking with tasty pizza and gyro joints. Mylopotas is a wonderful beach with good watersports facilities and Manganari, on the south coast, is another.