Book a Flight to Chios from €39

The town of Chios: Large town with many permanent residents, it is the centre of the social, commercial and cultural life of the island. Built on a semi-circular plan on the east side of the island, facing the Turkish shore, the town of Chios is a beautiful seaside island capital, with an impressive medieval Castle closely wrapped around a part of it. Enjoy a walk on the great quay with the commercial traffic, the bustling “Aplotaria”, the old and the modern market of the town. Admire the beautiful neoclassical buildings and cool Municipal Garden with the palm trees, the pines and the eucalyptus trees. Here you will see the bronze statue of Konstantinos Kanaris, hero of the Greek Revolution from Chios.

The Castle: It was built in late 10th century by the Byzantine. Its modern form is the result of many additions and repairs, by the Genovese, the Venetians and the Turks, from early 14th century to the Greek Revolution. Today it is fully inhabited. Take a walk in the Castle, where you will see the Turkish Graveyard, the Bayrakli Camii, the church of Agios Georgios and the ruins of Turkish baths. Furthermore, in the castle you can visit the renovated Giustiniani Palace (tel. +30 22710 22819), which operates as museum and hosts exhibitions of iconographies, icons and wood carvings of the Byzantine and post-Byzantine period.

Kambos: A beautiful lowland stretch, just 6 km south of the town, Kambos is the verdant oasis revealing the true stately character of the island. A recreation resort for Genovese and local nobility, it is characterised by the unique 14th century architecture. Verdant orchards, majestic mansions and a dense network of cobbled tracks, make Kambos a “must-see” destination in your tour around Chios. Although there are quiet a few traditional houses destroyed since the destruction of Chios, some are open to visitors, such as the Argenitiko, the Mavrokordatiko, the Citrus and the Riziko.

Archaeological Museum: It hosts the permanent exhibition entitled “Chios, the seaside town of Oinopionas”, which includes artefacts from the early Bronze Age to late antiquity, sculptures, reliefs, architectural parts, inscriptions, glass, golden and bronze items and jewellery.
Address: 10, Michalon Street, tel. +30 22710 44239

Byzantine Museum of Chios: Housed in the Ottoman mosque, it includes artefacts dating from the 5th to 18th century. In its courtyard there are stone objects revealed in Muslim and Jewish tombs and 17th century canons. You will also see frescoes from the church of Panagia Krina, which include the impressive “Miracle of Saint Nicolas” by Michalis Chomatzas, dating to 1734.
Address: Chios Central Square, Tel: +30 22710 81337

Municipal Art Gallery: In a very special building, designed by Despotopoulos, which used to house the Municipal Baths, the Chios Municipal Art Gallery hosts an exceptional collection of works by the great artists of Chios, Mitarakis and Yialouris. Moreover it includes the collection of Diomataris family with works by West European artists.
Address: Andrea Syngrou Street (City Centre), tel.: 22710 43830, www.chiosartgallery.gr

Vrontados: Almost connected to the town of Chios, Vrontados is famous for its maritime tradition, the picturesque houses, the gardens and the windmills. Its seaside town is Daskalopetra with the pebbled beach, also known as “Vrysi tou Passa”. On the hill above the beach, stands an ancient stone, which according to legend was where Homer used to sit and teach his students.

Volissos: The largest village in northern Chios is 40km north-west of the town and stretches under the shadow of a large castle with six towers. Assumed as birthplace to Homer, Volissos today is a favourite tourist resort with important sights, such as the castle, the monastery of Agia Markella and its beautiful beaches.

The Medieval castle-villages: Impressive and intact by time, the castle-villages or mastic-villages of the south fascinate with their imposing fortification architecture. In the best-preserved village, Mesta, the picturesque alleys meet at the central square, while the stone houses are built close to one another to form a compact wall. Equally beautiful is stately Vessa with its arches and elegant alleys, but also Olympoi and Armolia with the famous pottery workshops. One of the castle-villages of the South, Pyrgi, stands out thanks to its painted house façades that gave it the name “painted village”.

The ghost-village: A silent, stone town, Anavatos, looks like it emerges from under the earth. Also known as “Mystras of the Aegean Sea”, this medieval village stretches in the centre of Chios and is built on a 450m high, cone-shaped rock. This imposing village was abandoned after the 1822 Massacre and today is a historical monument for Chios.

Oinousses: An island of incredible natural beauty, Oinousses are only 2 miles from the north-eastern coast of Chios. The picturesque town is built to a semi-circular plan on the hill slopes, with buildings that are a mix of island and neoclassical architecture. You can take the boat departing every day from the town of Chios (carries vehicles too) or the sea taxi from Langada.

Beaches: The beaches of Chios are impressive and very diverse. Karfas is an organised beach with fine golden sand, 7km south of Chora. Mavra Volia is a famous beach that took its name after its black volcanic pebbles. The beaches of Vlichada, Nagou and Giosona, on the north-east side of the island, harmonically combine the sea with lush vegetation. Near the village Kallimassia, you will see the beaches of Agia Fotia with the white pebbles and of Agios Emilianos. On the west side of the island you will swim in the beaches Elinda, Tigani, Managros, Limnos and Agia Markella.

In Aplotaria, the centre of Chios, you will find many shops with all types of goods as well as fancy souvenirs. However, you shouldn't leave the island without good supplies of traditional products with Chios mastic, such as gums, sweetened fruits in syrup, cosmetics and marzipan sweets. In Mesta buy some “souma” (strong drink made of figs) as well as clay memorabilia. In Kallimassia you will find textiles and hand-crafted embroidery, while in Anavatos you can buy herbs and honey from the mountain. In Chios you will find the famous ouzo of Chios, produced for four generations with the same recipe and you will indulge in sweetened fruits in syrup in one of the pastry shops of the town.

A land that is blessed with a variety of products, Chios has a rich culinary tradition to demonstrate. Apart from the amazing seafood and fresh fish for which it is famous, do try “avgokalamara” (omelette filled with minced meat), “atherinopites”, “volous pyrgousikous” (the Chios version of rice meatballs in egg and lemon sauce), hortokeftedes, “herisia” pasta, courgette flowers, stuffed vine leaves and “koutsounades” with octopus. All these will probably accompany the famous ouzo of Chios or Ariousio wine, the wine of Chios that used to be famous in antiquity and has given its name to the local winery. Do not miss the fragrant sweetened fruits, the nostalgic “ypovrychio”, the delights, the famous walnut-pie and the variety of mastic-flavoured sweets prepared by modern housewives and cooks.

Nightlife in Chios is relaxed and focused around the centre and the quay of Chora. Here you will find dozens of small bars and cafés to relax, while enjoying the view of the port.

• Agrotourism Festival: An exhibition of agricultural products, where you will find food, mastic products and local citrus fruits, as well as silverware, folk art and pottery products. The Festival also includes music and dance nights, concerts and film screenings.
• Customs and traditions: Unique in Greece, noisy and utterly impressive, the rocket war of the Resurrection in Vrontados, is an ancient custom, that dates back to the Turkish occupation period. The spectacle, created by the rockets launched to the sky of Vrontados on Resurrection night, is simply amazing. During Carnival, many villages on the island revive the “trial of Agas”, a custom according to which Agas, a strict judge appointed by the locals, “judges” other participants in a humorous tone!
• Fairs: On 15 August, there is a great fair in Pyrgi with a feast that lasts all night. There you will see how the lively, traditional dance “pyrgousikos” goes. On 17 August, in the port of Mesta there is a fishing competition for amateurs, which concludes in a fish soup feast!

Transportation to the airport

Aegean Airlines land on “Omiros” airport of Chios, located 4km from the town centre. The airport has a local product shop, café and a car rental agency. For your transportation you can take the local bus services that connect the airport with many points of the island. Taxis are also very convenient. The journey by taxi costs about 7 euros.