ios, greece | francescos hostel

For the 5 nights we were in Ios, we stayed at the very highly recommened hostel, Francesco's. When we got off the ferry, were greeted by a gentleman from New Zealand named Alex. While we drove to the hostel, he pointed out places to go, where to eat and how to navigate back to the hotel, etc. From the parking lot, it was about a seven minute walk up to the hostel. 

Every building was painted white, all the doors, windows and shutters were painted blue and all the crackes between the flagstone on the ground were painted white. It was just like how we had imagined Greece to be and more!

Typically our hostel has around 200 people stay here a night. While we were staying here there were about 15. This let us get to know the other guests and get to know the lovely staff on a more personal level.

When you first walk into the main area, you are amazed by the breathtaking views. 

They had welcome shots for us the first and last night which was so nice!

On the way up to our room on the top floor, we walked up a painted staircase and arrived at the top with another spectacular view of the sea and city.

We stayed in a very spacious private room with an ensuite and two twin beds. This room came with a television with channels, air conditioning, a closet, two night stands with drawers, and a vanity with a mirror and hair dryer. Every day they would clean our room, make our beds and give us fresh towels. It honestly felt like we were staying in a hotel!

There was a pool with a huge deck but it wasnt open while we were there.

Every morning we ate at Moonlight Cafe which was delcious and really inexpensive.

Rating of this Hostel

The Views    ****

Cleanliness   ****

Hospitality    ****

 

{Images by Sara + Susie}

xo sara

ios, greece | the night life

Yes, we all love soaking up the sun and splashing around in the water but there is something special about going out at night in Ios, Greece. The bars and clubs begin to get busy after midnight and make sure you pace yourself because locals and tourists will be out until after 4am. We wanted to get a good taste of the night life here so we would have one night out and one night with a late dinner and go to bed at a decent time.

We would begin our night at Blue Note which is in the upper main sqaure of the Chora. They have a special of 2 drinks for 5 euros (doesn't get much better than that!). This place is small and has a variety of top 40 mixed with party music. 

After a round or two at Blue Note, we would head to Slammer Bar. This place is a must! They have a drink called The Slammer where they put a helmet on your head, give you a tall concoction of tequila and some other mixes, then hit you over the head with a hammer. It sounds painful but dont worry it's not. Just remember, it's all about the experience! They have a great deal - for 21 euros you get 7 shots and a free Slammer Bar tank top. Great idea to share these drinks with your friends!

We all would end up at flames at the end of the night. This small bar was always packed with lots of dancing and great feel-good music which you would know every word to.

There are many late night places to snack after the bar. We found the Porky's was delicious and popular but right across the street was a to-die-for crepe place called Club Sandwich. We found that these places where the closest to the bars, cheapest and quickest to prepare.

If you have been to Ios, where was your favourite place to party at night?

{Images by Sara + Susie}

xo sara

ios, greece | farout beach hotel

One of the top places to party in the summer is Ios Greece. Both Susie and I have heard amazing stories of summers on the island of Ios and how much fun it is. Turns out we missed the memo that the excitement begins around mid June. Nevertheless, there were some pluses with it not being the busy season:

1. We always got an amazing spot on the beach with a complimentary umbrella and lounge chair

2. It wasn't unbearably hot

3. Lot's of great pictures without hundreds of people wondering around

4. There were no lines for anything!

There are 2 main places to stay in Ios if you are between the ages of 19 - 27, Francesco's and Farout. We stayed at Francesco's (ill post about it another day) and we hung out at the Farout beach during the day. 

If you are looking for a place to party during the day, Farout is your spot. They have everything you need and more! We were here just before the high season started so it wasn't as bumpin as it normally would have been during its peak season. Nevertheless, there was still music, bar service and a delicious menu.

They have lots of places to lounge on the beach including these luxurious beach beds! There was also people playing volleyball all the time which was exciting.

We were expecting there to be a big range of people from countries all over the world here. Turns out the majority of tourists are from Australia and Canada is a close second. 

We met so many people who will arrive here with a suitcase and a few nights reserved to stay at a hostel with the hope of getting a job and a place to stay in Ios for the summer. Lot's of people in our hostel did this and ended up getting jobs at bars, restaurants or spots on the beach!

Would you come here for a summer of fun in the sun?

{Images by Sara + Susie}

xo sara

ios, greece | windmills + the odysseas elytis theatre

There are many beautiful things to see on the island of Ios, Greece and one of them are the famous windmills. There are 12 on this island and only 3 have been restored. At one point in time they were used to grind barley and wheat to make bread! To get to these windmills, walk East through the village of Chora.

Just around the corner from the windmills on the top of the hill of Chora was the famous outdoor theatre called The Odysseas Elytis Theatre of Greece, Cyclades named after the famous prize winning noble poet. The amphitheater is made of mable and can hold up to 1100 people. This is one of the architectural wonders of Ios and I highly recommend visiting it!

Image performing or speaking here in front of a packed audience on a sunny day . . . Just magical!

 

{Images by Sara + Susie}

xo sara

ios, greece | atv trip to homer's tomb

Today Susie and I rented ATVs with our new Australian friend Amy! We drove all around the island, up and down the hills. We went through beautiful valleys with vineyards and there are donkeys and goats everywhere! 

I highly recommend renting an ATV while you are in Greece. They range from 15 - 18 euro per ATV including helmets but the price of gas is extra. Look for a place that lets you rent it for 24 hours to maximize your time on it. The two of us where driving all day and only had to fill up at the beginning of our trip!

Beautiful view from the top of the mountain above the Farout beach!

On our way to Homer's tomb, there was a little farm with goats and donkeys! There were no building anywhere around and the farmer was there feeding them when we drove by! 

Here I am in front of Homer's tomb! He was a famous Greek poet who wrote The Odyssey and The Iliad. Legend has it that he was buried here but there is no proof. Wonder where he was burried? 

The long ride up and over the mountain to the other side of the island was well worth it for this beautiful view!

We ran into rush hour in the countryside!

It's hard to see at first but if you look closely there were over a hundred goats wondering around the mountain! 

 {Images by Sara + Susie}

xo sara

athens, greece | the beginning of our euro trip

After being up for 24 hours, we have finally arrived in Athens, Greece! The plane was massive with 350 people on deck! We checked into our hotel at 7:30am, tossed our luggage in our room and headed straight for the Acropolis! Since today is the orthodox Easter holiday, many stores were closed. Luckily we were able to hike up and see the Parthenon and all the other incredible temples on the hill of the Acropolis, overlooking the city of Athens.

* Fun fact: the columns on the Parthenon are Doric Style

Before Susie and I began our travels, we were strongly advised to keep to ourselves. Being the friendly Canadians we are, we were making small chat with nearly everyone! Of course we were being careful but when given the opportunity, we'd jump at the chance to meet new people! 

The Parthenon was built for the Greek goddess Athena. 

Since we are tourists, we thought we would take some tourist pictures!

The seats in this Athens theatre were in pristine shape. 

Imagine going to see a play here hundreds of years ago!

{Images taken by Sara + Susie}

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xo sara