Chios

Chios

The scent of mastic is fascinating and the authenticity of  its people is captivating. Ingenious, cheerful and hospitable the people of Chios maintain all the characteristics for which they are famous in Greece.
Medieval villages with representations engraved on the exterior walls of the houses, cherry tomatoes hung on the balconies and alleys set with pebbles, give the island a particular style.

According to the myth, Chios was the most likely birth place of Homer.

Characteristic of Chios is the blue sea, the green of the pinewoods, the red of the wild tulips and the golden of the mastic.

A place of intense cultural and commercial activity since the ancient years and the fifth in size island in Greece, Chios offers its visitors its beauties, and its rich history.

The Mastic Villages (Mesta, Kalamoti, Vessa, Olympi, Elata, Pyrgi) apart from being the main regions for the mastic production, have a particular Genoese fortified architecture.

Among them Pyrgi the “painted village”. The facades of the houses are decorated with geometric grey and white patterns of Italian origin called “Xista”.

Mesta village is a model of fortification architecture, with the traditional houses built close one to another thus creating a protection wall.

In Daskalopetra site, the Homer’s rock on which according to tradition Homer was sitting and giving lectures, even thought latest researches have shown that it probably was a sanctuary dedicated to goddess Kiveli.

The Fortress of Chios dated back to the Byzantine Era at the north of the port. Inside the fortress stand Genoese houses.

The Ioustiniani Palace, a building dated back to 15th century near the central gate of the castle

Kampos, a unique domestic agriculture settlement where citrus fruits are being cultivated and it has preserved its characteristic from the 14th century until nowadays. It was the residence of Chios’ ruling class.

The biotopes in the areas “Limnos” and “Parpanta” with turtles and birds.

The Genoese settlement “Sklavia”

The castle city in Anavatos
Museums

• The Archaeological Museum at the island’s capital
• The Byzantine Museum at the island’s capital
• Korais Library, Argentis Museum at the island’s capital
• The Maritime Museum at the capital
• Ioustiniani Palace

Churches – Monasteries

• Nea Moni. A nun monastery founded during 11th century, the most important in the island’s history.
• The monastery of Aghios Minas, symbol of the Massacre of Chios in 1822.
• Panagia Krina in Chalkio dated back to the 12th century.
• The church of Panagia Sikelia dated back to the 13th century.
• The monastery of Panagia Plakidiotissa
• The church of Aghia Markella, Saint-protector of Chios, celebrated on July 22.
• In Mesta the churches of Taxiarchis and Old Taxiarchis.

Beaches

• Mavra Volia in Emporio’s bay with the black volcanic rocks that create the enchanting scenery.
• Karfas, the most famous sandy beach in Chios
  Komi, a sandy beach
• Nagos with the pebbles
• Aghia Fotia with the pebbles
• Foki
• Lithi
• Limenas Meston
• Aghia Irini
• Giosonas
• Aghio Gala
• Limnia
• Kato Fana
• Lo’s bay in Vrontado
• Mangros

What to shop

• Mastic (crystals), gums, mastic sweet, spoon sweets (baby eggplants, cherry, pistachios, roses etc), tray bake sweets, nougats, ouzo, liqueur, rose water.
• Potteries from Armolia and the capital.
• Embroidery and rag dolls made by the women cooperation of Kallimasia, textile by the women cooperation of Thumiana and the rural-tourist cooperation of Notiochora.
• Staves, honey and aromatic herbs from Anavatos