Guide of Chios

The island of Chios is perfect for those who want to seriously visit Greece and not just for the islands. The island is in fact primarily a tourist destination for the Greeks, so there are relatively few international tourists here. The island is close to the coasts of Turkey and Chios is a peaceful, but not too small, Eastern Aegean island, famous for its indented coastlines, landscapes and mild climate. It is a border place where Greek and Turkish traditions have found a balance throughout centuries of confrontation.

History

The current population of the island is, in fact, the result of centuries of invasions and struggles for the domination by the Persians, Romans, Genoese Turks and Greeks. All of these cultures have left many traces starting in urban architecture to the construction of monasteries and churches. The most peculiar historical fact about Chios is that it was the place where the great poet Homer was born and lived in about the eighth century BC. The stone named 'Pietra Omirou' is the location where the poet seems to have sat down to work on his masterpieces. The long and troubled history of Chios is represented through the different types of ancient buildings on the island. From prehistoric archaeological sites to temples dedicated to Athena and Apollo. There are churches, monasteries and mosques as well as festivals and cultural events taking place on the island. An example is the 'Easter of Vrontados' festival, famous throughout Greece.

Beaches 

Chios is famous for its rugged coastline and for its many different beaches. Karfas is one of the biggest beaches while Aghia Fotia is one of the most unusual, with almost silver sand and thin stones. The Mavra Volia beach with its volcanic sand is a good choice too.