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IOULIDHA (ancient Ioulis), aka Hora, was the birthplace of the renowned early fifth-century BC poets Simonides and Bacchylides. With its numerous red-tiled roofs, Neoclassical buildings and winding flagstoned paths, it is by no means a typical Cycladic village, but, beautifully situated in an amphitheatric fold in the hills, it is architecturally the most interesting settlement on the island, and the best base for exploring it. Accordingly Ioulidha has "arrived" in recent years, with numerous trendy bars and bistros much patronized at weekends, but during the week it's quiet, its narrow lanes excluding vehicles. The archeological museum (Tues-Sun 8.30am-3pm; free) displays finds from the four ancient city-states of Kea, although the best items were long ago spirited away to Athens. The lower reaches of the town stretch across a spur to the Kastro , a tumbledown Venetian fortress incorporating stones from an ancient temple of Apollo. Fifteen-minutes' walk northeast, on the path toward Panayia Kastriani, you pass the Lion of Kea , a sixth-century BC sculpture carved out of an outcrop of rock, six metres long and three metres high. There are steps right down to the lion, but the effect is most striking from a distance. There are a couple of pensions in Ioulidha: the somewhat pokey Filoxenia (tel 02880/22 057; ?24-33), perched above a shoeshop in the middle of town, with no en-suite plumbing and saggy beds; and the more comfortable Ioulis (tel 02880/22 177; ?34-42), which has its own terrace restaurant, up in the kastro . You're spoiled for choice when it comes to eating and drinking though, with quality generally higher here than in Korissia. Iy Piatsa , just as you enter the lower town from the car park, has a variety of tasty dishes, while Iy Dafni , reached by a path from the bus stop, and To Kalofagadhon , up on the platia, both enjoy great views, the latter being the best place for a full-blown meat feast. Further up there is good standard fare on the terrace of To Steki tis Tzias . The aptly named Panorama serves up pastries and coffee and is a good place to watch the sun set, while after-dark action seems to oscillate between such bars as Kamini, Leon and, best of all, Mylos . Ta Pedhia Pezi (which means "the guys are playing"), is a lively hangout a few kilometres out of town off the road towards Pisses and is terrific for a full-on bouzouki night. A post office and bank agent round up the list of amenities.
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