Ios Homeria

Ios Homeria: Homer, the legendary poet who composed the epics the Iliad and the Odyssey has a special place in the hearts of the people of Ios. Ios was supposedly the home of Homer’s mother Clymene and also where Homer spent the last days of his life. The islanders feel a special connection with him and today the most important cultural event of the island is the “Homeria” celebrated in honor of Homer.

The festival of Homeria started in the year 1991 and takes place every May sometime during the first two weekends and goes on for a period of three days. This is probably the only time when the otherwise party atmosphere of the island mellows down a little and the entire place becomes calmer and more religiously inclined thus making it an ideal time to be visited by those who prefer a more peaceful vacation. It is celebrated on a grand scale and attracts locals from Cyclades as well as foreigners from across the world in large multitudes.