Ios · Chora & the port · Γιαλός, Κουμπάρα

Gialos, the harbour below the hill

Gialos, also called Ormos, is the port of Ios, in a deep, sheltered bay on the west coast below Chora. The ferries dock at its quay; around the harbour are tavernas, cafés and travel agencies, and behind it runs a long sandy beach lined with tamarisks. At the harbour mouth stand the church of Agia Irini, with its two bell towers, and the lighthouse of 1881. A road runs on west for about 1.5 km to Koumbara, a small cove with a rocky islet and a calmer feel than anywhere else near town.