The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
LIVE THE DREAM IN GREECE
“It’s time to have fun in the sun!” the DJ shouts as sunset purples the turquoise waters of Pathos beach bar’s infinity pool overlooking the sheltered sands of Koumpara bay. “It’s almost like Ios was back to normal,” enthuses Vasso Petridis, owner of local events company, Luxurios.
“Cafés and bars are open, we can play music, and they even say that by the end of the month we won’t have to wear masks out of doors. Soon, people will be able to enjoy travelling in the Greek islands in summer, just as they used to.”
Later, climbing the winding alleys of Ios Old Town I notice that many clubs and bars at the top of town are still closed. However, although the streets are much quieter than they usually would be at this time of the year, the mood is upbeat.
“It’s not easy for smaller bars because they can still only have a few people seated inside, but outside spaces are open and we think that our UK friends will soon be able to travel again,” says George Zannakis, owner of Click, a stylish cocktail bar in Chora.
“These days Ios is no longer a crazy party island – and even though we have some of Greece’s best beaches, it’s rarely crowded in summer,” he adds.
Jo Crouch, who owns Thai food restaurant Thai Me Up, which overlooks Ios’s port, agrees: “Ios was one of the first of Greece’s Covid-free islands and the entire population is vaccinated,” she says.
“People here feel like they are living again,” she adds. I can certainly feel the life returning to one of Britons’ most treasured holiday destinations.