The notebook of Chios
Look further than the horizon line.
Island of mastic and medieval villages, between decorated facades of Pyrgi, fortified Mesta, monasteries and pebbles beaches.
At your own pace
Identity summary
3 to 7 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn
Recommended car
Island · Coast · Heritage · Countryside
Variable accessibility
Sweet rhythm
General presentation
Chios
Island of mastic and medieval villages, between decorated facades of Pyrgi, fortified Mesta, monasteries and pebbles beaches.
Pyrgi, Mesta and Nea Moni give Chios the most telling landmarks. Together, they form a destination where island landscapes, coastline, heritage and countryside meet, with atmospheres that change over the course of the stages rather than a single uniform decor.
See all
For a stay of 3 to 7 days, a quiet rhythm works well. Also to be anticipated: often pebbly beaches and north-south distances. A car is usually the easiest way to connect different sectors. Accessibility varies from site to site and deserves to be checked step by step.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Pyrgi
- Mesta
- Nea Moni
- Chios ville
- Mastiha villages
Before you choose
- Useful car
- Often pebbly beaches
- North-south distances
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
Town or village
Pyrgi
Pyrgi is famous for its facades decorated with black and white geometric motifs, the xysta, which cover houses, arcades and balconies. The village belongs to the Masticochoria of the south of Chios, where fortified architecture and mastic culture remain very visible.
Town or village
Mesta
Mesta is a medieval village fortified by Chios, built like a labyrinth of vaulted passages, narrow alleys and houses welded between them. Its defensive structure feels at every angle, with a freshness of stone that contrasts with the dry landscapes of the south of the island.
Town or village
Nea Moni
Nea Moni is a Byzantine monastery of Chios renowned for its golden mosaics and its central church. The site, placed in the interior of the island, combines decorative beauty and painful memory of the massacres of Chios, perceptible in commemorative spaces.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
Escaped to discover
Çeşme et Alaçatı
Province of İzmir, peninsula of Çeşme, 🇹🇷 Türkiye
Discover this idea
Similar destinations
Same landscapes and the same pace of travel, elsewhere in the world.
