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what to do in chios island

trekking / hiking tours

food tours & cooking lessons

wine tasting tours

workshops: make your own greek souvenir

sailing & snorkelling

bike tours

all about MASTIHA tours

chios discovery travel packages

chios island in north aegean

about chios
Mediaeval villages, a diverse landscape, beaches with wild beauty, ‘miraculous’ masticha, Chios is much more than just an island on the edge of the Aegean

Who doesn’t know Chios, with its ‘mastic villages’ and proud Mediterranean captains? And yet, it’s one of the most unexplored and unspoiled islands of the North Aegean, full of secrets, surprises and hidden treasures. Chios is an island that has been blessed by nature and history. It is fragrant, and authentic, multi-dimensional and irresistible. When you come here on holiday, be prepared to leave behind a little bit  of your soul.

What to do on Chios

The fertile and stately Kambos
A network of narrow roads that barely fit a car, tall walls made by skilled stone masons, ornate doors with beautiful arches. Here, in the island’s most fertile valley, once lived the island’s leaders.  This is where the aristocratic families of Chios, including the Genovese in the 14th century, built their mansions.

The legendary mastic villages
There are about 20 mediaeval mastic villages in southern Chios. Particularly noteworthy are Pyrgi and Mesta, followed by Vessa, Armolia, Nenita and Patrika. Walking around this cluster of towns is magical, especially in August, when you’ll see trees shedding ‘tears’ of mastic crystals in the surrounding farms.

Mastic: ‘miraculous’ tears
The mastic tree – a low bush with outstretched branches and a bent trunk, related to the pistachio tree – is the symbol of the island. The harvesting of its resin, which consists of making incisions in the tree (what the locals call Kentima or embroidery) results in mastic ‘tears’ dripping from the trunk.

The gentle, fragrant and expensive product is found exclusively on Chios, and has been cultivated here since the 1st century AD. It is also believed to have therapeutic properties. Tradition says that the mastic trees began crying when Agios Isidoros was tortured on  Chios by the Romans.

Anavatos, a Byzantine village in the North Aegean
An unforgettable image,  Anavatos is a ghostly  tower of stone, the ruins of a strongly fortified  Byzantine village, still clinging defiantly  to the side of the cliff.

Rumbling Vrontados
Vrontados, a suburb of the island’s capital, is famous for its roketopolemos (rocket wars) which happen every Easter, where thousands of rockets are fired from opposing camps, creating an incredible spectacle across the night sky.

visit the mastic museum and the local mastic producers

There’s no doubt that one of the best things to do on Ikaria is to attend a panagiri which is an annual Greek Orthodox community event organized by a local church. Being in the thick of a panagiri is an authentic experience to have while visiting the Greek islands especially in the summer. I’d compare it to a really fun – and huge – American block party but with Greek touches.
get to socialize with all kinds of people from the island you might not have met otherwise and eat good food. On top of that, you dance the day and night away.
In Greece, Ikaria is famous for its many panagiri get togethers (there are many churches) which welcome thousands of people. 

take a hike...

All kinds of hiking trails cross Ikaria. There is a developed network of paths that traverse the island leading from coast to coast and through its mountains. Difficuty levels ranges from easy to hard. 

take a cooking lesson

IF YOU ARE FASCINATED WITH THE KIND OF LIFESTYLE THAT HAS EVOLVED ON IKARIA AND WOULD LIKE TO BE IN ON THE SECRETS OF A LONGER AND HEALTHIER LIFE, CHECK OUT THE IKARIA LONGEVITY RETREAT.

take a pottery class

​IKARIA IS KNOWN FOR ITS GASTRONOMY WHICH PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN ITS STANDING AS A BLUE ZONE REGION OF THE WORLD. THE ISLAND IS KNOWN FOR EXCELLENT GOAT DISHES AND PRODUCES FINE HONEY. 
Try Local Wine the Afianes Winery.
For decades, this family-run vineyard has been growing two protected grape varieties called Fokiano and Begleri. At the winery, tables are set outdoors in view of the vineyards so you can even taste wines under the stars. You can also order a food pairing and visit the little museum here.

visit the mastichochoria

There are about 20 mediaeval mastic villages in southern Chios. Particularly noteworthy are Pyrgi and Mesta, followed by Vessa, Armolia, Nenita and Patrika. Walking around this cluster of towns is magical, especially in August, when you’ll see trees shedding ‘tears’ of mastic crystals in the surrounding farms.

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