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
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…
26.17 MILES
Opposite the bus station, this well-presented museum houses extraordinary finds excavated from Akrotiri, which has been settled since neolithic times…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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21.48 MILES
The Vallindras Distillery on Halki’s main square has been distilling the kitron liqueur in the same way since 1896, passing from one generation to the…
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21.51 MILES
This gallery displays the exquisite work of Naxian potter Katharina Bolesch and her partner, artist and jewellery designer Alexander Reichardt. Each piece…
Nearby Ios attractions
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…
4.43 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…
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…
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.