Day 11: Exploring Ios Homer’s Tomb and Mylopotas Beach

The night before, Anya and Erin had mentioned they were planning to rent quad bikes to explore Ios and invited me to join them. At 10 am, we met at a rental shop by the main beach, and soon each of us had our own quad for the next 24 hours. I’d never ridden one before, but with my motorbiking experience back home, I was excited to hit the road and get a fresh perspective on the island.

Once we’d picked up water and fueled up near Ios town, we set off northward toward the coast to check out Homer’s Tomb—the supposed resting place of the legendary Greek poet (though his very existence is up for debate, and even if he did exist, it’s questionable that he’s actually buried there!). Still, it was a great reason to ride out, and the winding trip up the coast took a good 30-45 minutes. The bikes struggled on the uphill stretches, chugging along at what felt like a walking pace, but we took it in stride and enjoyed the views.

The tomb itself wasn’t much more than a monument, but the surrounding views of the northern coastline were stunning, and just a few minutes away, we found a small beach perfect for a cool-off swim. Floating in the crystal-clear water was the perfect way to relax after the morning ride.

The northern coastline of Ios is quite barren but pretty.

Homer’s tomb is nothing more than a headstone and some rocks, but the drive there is worth it to see more of the island.

Afterwards, we made our way back to Mylopotas Beach and returned to Far Out Village for a drink and some time by the pool. Later in the afternoon, I went back to the hotel to freshen up before meeting Anya and Erin for dinner. We’d spotted FREE Bar advertising half-price salads between 5-7 pm, so we made our way there for a healthy meal—a refreshing change!

As none of us were big drinkers, we were a bit on the fence about heading into Ios town again that night. But with the quad bikes at our disposal, we thought, why not? We could cruise into town, have a couple of drinks and chat, and leave whenever we felt like it. On our way, we pulled over to catch a breathtaking sunset over the hills, snapping photos as the sky blazed with colour.

It was a relaxed and fun evening, and we made it back to the hotel just after midnight. Even though we hadn’t stayed out late, riding the quads in the heat all day was surprisingly tiring. But the adventure—and the stunning views along the way—made every bit of it worth it!