Mastic villages, medieval stonework and a seafaring North Aegean culture.
Chios is a large island of fortified villages, mastic groves, Byzantine mosaics, maritime wealth and beaches shaped by volcanic and limestone coasts.
Southern Chios is the only place where mastic resin is cultivated commercially, and villages such as Pyrgi, Mesta and Olympi were built defensively around that valuable crop. The patterns of Pyrgi and maze-like lanes of Mesta are inseparable from the working groves around them.
Nea Moni preserves exceptional eleventh-century mosaics, while Kampos holds citrus estates behind high walls. Northern villages, maritime Oinousses and beaches from black-pebbled Mavra Volia to quieter coves make Chios too varied for a short port stop.
Practical information
Chios has an airport and ferry links to Piraeus, Lesbos and Turkey. A car helps with villages; purchase genuine mastic from certified producers and allow time for slow roads.
