Greece-Ios
... After an amazing stay in Santorini, Sarah and I boarded a ferry to Ios. We opted for Ios because it is known for its nightlife, and we stayed at Ios Palace Hotel & Spa which overlooked Mylopotas Beach.
We booked massage appointments as soon as we arrived and relaxed at the pool until it was time. I decided against my traditional deep tissue massage and went with a hot stone massage because I'd heard so many people rave about it. It wasn't as good as I anticipated mainly because I had such high expectations, but the spa was clean and the staff was extremely friendly and professional. It's generally difficult for me to relax during a massage because quieting my thoughts has always been an issue for me, however, I left the spa feeling like I was walking on air. Naturally, all we did that night was relax on the hotel balcony while drinking wine and looking at the stars. I realized that star-gazing was actually a privilege I grew up with and took for granted until that I moved to NY and the stars disappeared. This was actually the first time I had ever seen the big dipper (many have tried and failed miserably to point it out to me).
The next day we attempted to go to the beach but the winds had picked up tremendously. When we were booking our ferries, we noticed that each reservation came with a disclaimer about ferries being cancelled in the event of the Greek winds. I was so confused by this, but let me tell you, the winds are no joke! It made it impossible for us to enjoy the beach because sand was blowing everywhere and lashed our bodies so violently that it felt as if we were being punished for multiple atrocities. We eventually gave up and decided to spend the day at the pool.
That night we ventured out, beginning with dinner at Lord Byron, a Mediterranean bar-restaurant with the most eclectic decor I have ever seen. I opted for Moroccan Quesadillas while Sarah chose Egyptian Kebab. The servings were HUGE and both meals were delicious; we left feeling 10 pounds heavier than when we first walked in. It was the perfect time to find a club to dance the pounds away. As we walked through the little streets, the entire area buzzed with life and several bars peaked our interest, but slowly we began to notice a trend. Everyone around us looked like they were college students, in the 18-21 age range. I'm not kidding here, I couldn't identify anyone that looked like they were past the age of 25, except for the restaurant and nightclub owners. We were crestfallen but continued to search for a place to enjoy the "nightlife" until we came across Katogi bar; tucked away in an alley that would have been near impossible to find if not for our desperation.
My friends always joke about how sociable I am because I'm usually the one making friends with random strangers or "picking up strays" as they call it, but I guess this is why traveling excites me so much. There's nothing better than talking to people from other countries about their lives, and understanding how different cultures shape various perspectives. Although my Ios experience was not the raging nightlife we planned, I didn't feel like I missed out much.
Two nights are ideal to spend here because it's all about enjoying the beautiful beach in the daytime, and experiencing the restaurants, bars and nightclubs at night. It's a very chill vibe and a nice break from the typical tourist sightseeing. But like I said, beware, Ios consists of a much younger crowd. I left feeling content, but little did I know that the highlight of my Greek experience was yet to come.
Stay tuned for my favorite island in the Greek Cyclades- MILOS!!
My flag went everywhere with me on this trip =)
We booked massage appointments as soon as we arrived and relaxed at the pool until it was time. I decided against my traditional deep tissue massage and went with a hot stone massage because I'd heard so many people rave about it. It wasn't as good as I anticipated mainly because I had such high expectations, but the spa was clean and the staff was extremely friendly and professional. It's generally difficult for me to relax during a massage because quieting my thoughts has always been an issue for me, however, I left the spa feeling like I was walking on air. Naturally, all we did that night was relax on the hotel balcony while drinking wine and looking at the stars. I realized that star-gazing was actually a privilege I grew up with and took for granted until that I moved to NY and the stars disappeared. This was actually the first time I had ever seen the big dipper (many have tried and failed miserably to point it out to me).
The next day we attempted to go to the beach but the winds had picked up tremendously. When we were booking our ferries, we noticed that each reservation came with a disclaimer about ferries being cancelled in the event of the Greek winds. I was so confused by this, but let me tell you, the winds are no joke! It made it impossible for us to enjoy the beach because sand was blowing everywhere and lashed our bodies so violently that it felt as if we were being punished for multiple atrocities. We eventually gave up and decided to spend the day at the pool.
The pool bartender photo bombing my drink picture
That night we ventured out, beginning with dinner at Lord Byron, a Mediterranean bar-restaurant with the most eclectic decor I have ever seen. I opted for Moroccan Quesadillas while Sarah chose Egyptian Kebab. The servings were HUGE and both meals were delicious; we left feeling 10 pounds heavier than when we first walked in. It was the perfect time to find a club to dance the pounds away. As we walked through the little streets, the entire area buzzed with life and several bars peaked our interest, but slowly we began to notice a trend. Everyone around us looked like they were college students, in the 18-21 age range. I'm not kidding here, I couldn't identify anyone that looked like they were past the age of 25, except for the restaurant and nightclub owners. We were crestfallen but continued to search for a place to enjoy the "nightlife" until we came across Katogi bar; tucked away in an alley that would have been near impossible to find if not for our desperation.
The night turned out to be fantastic because our bartender was chatty so we spent the evening talking with her and taking shots.
My friends always joke about how sociable I am because I'm usually the one making friends with random strangers or "picking up strays" as they call it, but I guess this is why traveling excites me so much. There's nothing better than talking to people from other countries about their lives, and understanding how different cultures shape various perspectives. Although my Ios experience was not the raging nightlife we planned, I didn't feel like I missed out much.
Two nights are ideal to spend here because it's all about enjoying the beautiful beach in the daytime, and experiencing the restaurants, bars and nightclubs at night. It's a very chill vibe and a nice break from the typical tourist sightseeing. But like I said, beware, Ios consists of a much younger crowd. I left feeling content, but little did I know that the highlight of my Greek experience was yet to come.
Stay tuned for my favorite island in the Greek Cyclades- MILOS!!
