Greek island of Ios a big draw for Leaving Cert students from south Dublin schools in particular

A popular post-Leaving Cert holiday destination in 2023, the Greek island of Ios is more than 100 nautical miles from the capital Athens, and relatively tricky to reach.

Its remote location is aggravated by the lack of an airport, meaning anyone attempting to reach or leave the island quickly can be stymied by unavoidable ferry trips to either Athens or the closer island of Santorini, at about 21 nautical miles.

This year Ios has proven a draw for students from south Dublin schools in particular and is considered more expensive than other options, given the cost of transport.

As with all travel, prices vary depending on when people book, what they book and whether they opt for packages or purchase everything independently.

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One parent told The Irish Times her son paid about €340 for a sequence of connecting flights at the end of June, booked in April. Ferry tickets and connections cost €130, while a week’s worth of good quality, central accommodation based on sharing a room with two friends cost €380, bringing the total bill to about €850 before taking spending money into account. On arrival at least, alcohol appeared expensive at about €7 a pint.

The Life Is a Beach Party travel agent, specialising in Leaving Cert holidays on the island, advertises its packages, excluding flights, for €405, which includes budget hotel accommodation, wristbands with discounts for local events and activities, and a guided quad bike tour.

However, would-be customers are advised of the potential difficulties in synchronising flights and ferries and, in the case of the latter, there is often a limited number each day and they can be booked out in peak season.

Sarah Slattery, who runs website The Travel Expert, and who has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry, said it was a somewhat surprising destination choice for Leaving Cert students given the lack of direct access.

However, she added, there have never been so many flights to Greek airports as today and young people “are so used to travelling it doesn’t phase them” to hop on planes and boats.

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The foreign post-exam holiday has by now become a firm rite of passage for Leaving Cert students after months of study. Ms Slattery noted the preferred destinations come in cycles, with trends set by differing groups of teenagers each year.

In recent times Magaluf in Mallorca, as well as Crete, have been popular destinations, while this year Zakynthos in Greece has been a favourite.

Holiday booking companies Abbey Travel and Budget both list popular Leaving Cert destinations that, as well as the Greek islands, include Spain’s Balearics, Ibiza, the Algarve and Cyprus among others.