Chios Travel Information and Travel Guide - Greece

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Introducing Chios

Although Chios (hee-os) is one of Greece’s largest and most unique islands, most of the ‘foreigners’ who visit it are diaspora Greeks with familial ties. Yet despite its low profile, Chios has much to offer, from sandy beaches, extraordinary caves and medieval stone villages, to remote mountains, unusual museums and a thoroughly Hellenic nightlife. Southern Chios is the only place where mastic (a kind of gum) trees can be fruitful, and the island as a whole has a history of maritime greatness.

Chios is one of those islands that grows on you slowly, but has a lasting effect. Its people are reserved, but friendly, very hospitable and surprisingly cosmopolitan; indeed, you will meet many whose shipping careers have taken them ’round the world. With its excellent home-style cooking, authentic villages and endless opportunities for solitude on a coastline largely untouched by organised tourism, Chios remains one of the great unknown Greek island getaways.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009