Known for its outrageous beach parties and nights of endless fun, Ios island in the Greek Cyclades is brimming over with bars. Varying from hot dance clubs to traditional Greek watering holes, the following are a selection of the best which you won’t want to miss.
Far Out Beach Club
Check out the number one spot on the island, right near the famed Mylopotas Beach, where visitors can really get into the party spirit. While not exactly a traditional bar, Far Out Beach Club has everything one could hope for: a prime location near the beautiful sands and crystal waters of the Aegean, a pool perfect for swimming, throbbing dance music and a variety of drinks and cocktails to get the party going. This is where those Ios experiences begin and where many memories linger.
Tantalizing fresh fruit are a key component of the cocktails made at this bar. Astra Cocktail Bar combines fun music with its Norwegian background to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for hanging out with friends and having a good time. The bar hosts particularly vibrant themed parties that have ranged from Norwegian-themed to Lion King-themed and everything in between. The bar has a great sound system and the delicious cocktails will leave guests craving just one more!
At Blue Note, take a number of shots and receive a free t-shirt. It’s an exciting and pumping disco bar with a cool interior setting. Green and purple light up the bar and the dance floor, and a disco ball hangs from the ceiling. Blue light also illuminates the bar area, where visitors can try the manager’s famous drink: the Lucas Special. Blue Note has been open since 1979, and with a distinct affection for Swedish music, rock and Top 40 songs, this bar is a landmark destination on Ios.
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This RnB and HipHop oasis has an amazing ambiance. Coo Bar has a minimalist, white color scheme for its interior and bar that becomes completely and vibrantly illuminated with ever changing hues. In addition, the professional bartenders keep customers happy with an immense variety of delicious cocktails mixed with fresh fruits, chocolate, house-made syrups and coffee. The bar is conveniently located right in Chora’s main square, and stays open late into the night.
A mix of fun activities and a great time await at Ios’ Fun Pub, one of the island’s oldest bars. Notably, this bar is one of the first to open for the summer season and one of the last to close the season out, welcoming guests from April to October with a myriad of pool tables, foosball tables, darts and giant Jenga. Known for its Sunday roast, this bar also hosts a variety of entertaining competitions each night, movies screened out back and karaoke nights for all those budding stars itching for the spotlight. The setting is illuminated by dim lights, with country flags hanging from the ceiling and comfortable furniture dotted all around.
Liquid Bar
Bar, Greek
A great place in Chora to break out the moves, this bar has a great selection of electronic music to keep the dance floor hopping until early in the morning. Liquid Bar has a friendly staff creating delicious drinks and, on occasion, contributing to the outrageous parties that take place here. For those in need of a breath of fresh air after dancing, the back patio offers a paved area to relax and chat with friends and new acquaintances alike.
Sweet Irish Dream
Bar, Pub, Pub Grub
An Ios favorite is Sweet Irish Dream, a large and accommodating bar, two stories high and able to host up to 500 guests. Known for exotic drinks and dancing on the tables, this taste of Ireland has two bars on the main level that serve Guinness on tap as well as other beers, and two bars on the second floor, meaning visitors to this pub have plenty to choose from. Pool tables can also be found on the main floor, offering entertainment for guests. On top of all this excitement, Sweet Irish Dream also features flaming bars, making this club one of the wildest going.
Slammer Bar
Bar, Pub Grub
World famous and located in Chora’s main square, this bar features a variety of dance music including hiphop, rock, house, 70s, Latin and so much more. Slammer Bar has a diverse set of events that keep the party going all throughout the summer months. Watch out for the ‘Slammer Hammer’, when visitors put on a helmet, take a shot and get slammed on the head with a hammer by the bartender. Three bars surround the dance floor, so there’s plenty of opportunity to get a taste of the creative cocktails Slammer serves up.
Home-made chocolate and caramel shots set the Orange Bar apart from the rest of Ios’ nightlife. Open since the 1970s, this bar offers a great taste of rock and alternative music to its visitors. The bar is known for its creative diversity in candy flavored shots that leave drinkers longing to lick the bottom of the glass or go ahead and down another. As a rock bar, the Orange Bar has often been voted the best bar on the island; the DJ has a great selection of music and plays requests.
Traffic Bar
Bar, Greek
Traffic Bar brings a real clubbing scene to the island. With an interior that is modern and chic, coupled with fantastic dance music and good drinks, a visit to Traffic is a must. Staff here are fun and engaging; there are no dull moments, as they keep the party going at all times. You’ll be sorry to leave at the end of the night.
A native of Colorado, Michelle Schmid is an avid writer, reader, and traveler. True to her mountain roots, she enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing wherever she travels. A visitor of many different cities and curious about all cultures, foods, and lifestyles, Michelle is a vibrant scholar of creative writing and classical languages, which she studied during her time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She loves discovering restaurants, bookstores, gardens, and other hidden-away places that most people might overlook, while collecting sights, sounds, tastes, and sensations to fuel her collection of stories and poetry.
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