Island in South Aegean, Greece
Ios for solo travelers
Is Ios good for solo travel?
Small Cycladic island with a white hilltop Chora, a party beach at Mylopotas and a young backpacker crowd. Easy to meet people in summer, but quiet and shut outside June–September.
Solo travel at a glance
| Solo travel | 4/5 · Very good for solo travel |
|---|---|
| Locals | Friendly |
| English | Widely spoken |
| Safety | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Solo women | Solo women do travel here, but alcohol-fuelled attention is common in Chora. Watch drinks and stay with new friends at night. |
How to meet people in Ios
Chora hostels with bar crawls, Mylopotas beach clubs and surf/yoga schools, and boat trips to Manganari make it very easy to meet other young travelers in season.
Good things to do alone
- Watch sunset from Homer's Tomb viewpoint
- Swim at Manganari beach
- Hike Chora to Mylopotas
- Join a boat trip to Santorini or Manganari
- Eat souvlaki in Chora's alleys
Where to stay in Ios
| Area | Good for |
|---|---|
| Chora | Bars, clubs, hostels, ferry port link, steep alleys |
| Mylopotas | Long beach, surf and yoga, hotels near the sand |
| Ormos (Gialos) | Port area: ferry quay, quieter than Chora |
| Manganari | Remote south-coast beach, boat or road access |
Solo travel across Greece
| Place | Solo | English |
|---|---|---|
| Athens | 5/5 | Widely spoken |
| Chania | 5/5 | Widely spoken |
| Crete | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Rhodes | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Corfu | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Thessaloniki | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Naxos | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Paros | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Zakynthos | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Meteora | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Ios | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Lefkada | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Nafplio | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Hydra | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Peloponnese | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Thassos | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Santorini | 3/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Mykonos | 3/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Milos | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Kos | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Kefalonia | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Halkidiki | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Skiathos | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
Quick answers
Is Ios good for solo travelers?
Very good for solo travel (4/5). Small Cycladic island with a white hilltop Chora, a party beach at Mylopotas and a young backpacker crowd.
How do you meet people in Ios?
Chora hostels with bar crawls, Mylopotas beach clubs and surf/yoga schools, and boat trips to Manganari make it very easy to meet other young travelers in season. On SoloSquare you can also join small plans with other travelers who are there now.
Do people speak English in Ios?
Widely spoken.
Is Ios safe for solo female travelers?
Solo women do travel here, but alcohol-fuelled attention is common in Chora. Watch drinks and stay with new friends at night.
More about Ios
Going to Ios solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Ios meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.
Sources
Ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.