Chios is one of the largest islands of Greece located in the north Aegean. It is an island that will not bore you. There are many attractions and beaches for every taste. On the other hand, the large distances may become tiresome (it is almost a two-hour drive from Pyrgi to the north coast).

Chios is also famous for its picturesque mountainous villages, some of the most beautiful in Greece. The most famous villages of Chios are Mastichochoria (Pyrgi, Armolia, Olympi and Mesta) while there are also some less known yet impressive imposing medieval ghost villages (Anavatos, Avgonyma, Sidirounta and Karyes).

Chios island is famous for its citrus fruits and even export fruit juice to the mainland. Chios is also the only place where the mastic trees grow, with mastic being an amazing product that has awesome properties, like soothing stomach pain.

There are plenty to see in Chios town as well. You can walk inside the Genoese castle, visit the Ottoman baths and the Justiniani Museum. There are many neoclassical mansions inside the city and many shops. If you feel up to it, you can walk to the north side of the town to reach the four windmills of Chios in the area of Tabakika.

Very close to Chios island is the small island of Oinousses, an ideal daily trip from Chios only half an hour away with at least one ship route every couple of days. Psara island is not that far, but it is a 2,5 hour trip so it is not ideal like Oinousses.

Chios has a lot of lovely beaches scattered around the island. Most of the best ones are located on the west and southwest coast of Chios. Here are its most popular beaches in clockwise order:

• Salagona (West Chios): A large pebble beach. There are no trees for natural shade, but the beach is organized.
• Avlonia (West Chios): An organized beach with sand and thin pebble. The sea is a bit cold but it is very clear and usually calm.
• Lithi (West Chios): Lithi Beach is a small sandy beach. The beach is not very popular and it is not organized.
• Trachili (West Chios): A beautiful secluded pebble beach. The large beach is not popular due to the hard access.
• Elinta (West Chios): Elinta Beach is a nice unspoiled pebble beach. It is ideal for windy days due to its south orientation and there are some tamarisk trees for shade.
• Prastia (West Chios): A lovely sandy beach facing south. It does not get a lot of people because access is through a long dirt road.
• Komi (Southwest Chios): Komi Beach is one of the most popular beaches on Chios Island. It is fully organized with easy access.
• Kato Fana (Southwest Chios): Kato Fana Beach is a lovely beach, an excellent option for seclusion. The beach is mainly sandy and the sea is shallow.
• Agia Dynami (Southwest Chios): A small stunning sandy beach a bit north of Kato Fana. There are only a few large tamarisk trees and the beach tends to get crowded.
• Apothika (Southwest Chios): A large secluded beach with sand and thin pebble. What really makes it stand out is the wild beauty of the surrounding landscape, making up for the difficult access.
• Mavra Volia (South Chios): Mavra Volia Beach is a unique black pebble beach with crystal clear sea that stretches for over 300 meters.
• Karfas (East Chios): Karfas Beach is a long and sandy beach. It is fully organized with easy road access.
• Glari (East Chios): A popular small sandy beach 10 km north of Chios town, that easily fills up. It is an organized beach located in a narrow bay.

It is a long trip by ship which arrives in the port of Chios in the middle of the night. But there is also a weekly ferry route (every Saturday and return trip every Thursday) that starts from Lavrio and reaches Mesta village of Chios in just 6 hours (departing in the afternoon and arriving in the evening) and even with a low ticket cost. Luckily there is also an airport on Chios island.

Chios is a large island and you will need some means of transportation, unless you are only staying in one place. The road network is good but distances are long and you will need many days if you want to travel the entire island.

Most of the accommodation of Chios is on the east coast of the island and mostly around Chios town. Distances are large and you need to think carefully where you are going to stay, or you can even split your stay a few days south and a few near Chios town.

In Chios island you can have fresh fish and seafood. Do try the handmaid (so callled herisia) pasta and if you come across it the sfougato (a type of omelete). A popular appetizer you should try is grilled mastelo cheese with lemon. Accompany your diner with local drinks like ouzo and wine.

You can buy traditional Chios products like mastic, citrus fruit liqueur, ouzo, local wine and mastelo cheese.

Nea Moni Monastery

Nea Moni is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important monuments of medieval Greece.

Chios Archaeological Museum

A worth-while museum in the heart of Chios town with a large collection.

Chios Castle

The Castle of Chios is right behind the imposing byzantine port. It is ideal for a walk as there are several attractions within the castle walls

Moundon Monastery

The beautiful 16th century monastery is located a bit north of Diefcha village. It is worth seeing the stunning painted decoration of its catholicon.

Sykias Cave

Sykias Cave is actually a chasm-cave with a maximum depth of 57 meters that has become a tourist attraction thanks to its rich stalactite and stalagmite decoration.

Agia Markella Monastery

The Agia Markella monastery is close to Volisos village. There is a big festival on July 22th, the celebration day of Agia Markella.

Kallimasia Folklore Museum

An interesting folklore museum close to Chios town. It hosts a large variety of exhibits.

Citrus Museum

A unique museum in the Kampos area offering insight on the citrus fruit production history of the island.

Mastichochoria

The Mastichochoria (mastic villages) are beautiful traditional villages on the south of Chios island, a must for any tourist.

Anavatos

Anavatos is an impressive medieval settlement of Chios. It is very imposing as the landscape is out of this world as the village is on top of a cliff with a panoramic view.

Chios Mastic Museum

The Chios Mastic Museum is located in the Mastichochoria. It is a well organized modern museum aiming to showcase the production history of the mastic tree cultivation.

Agio Gala

A beautiful complex with many places to see, including the 13th century church of Panagia Agiogalousena and a cave.

Chios Windmills

A bit north of Chios town there are four windmills in a row which were part of the industrial area that once flourished here. This is one of the most photographed spots of Chios island.

Ariousios Winery

An excellent winery in north Chios close to Kurunia village. Here you can taste and buy great wine.