Chios is located in the eastern Aegean Sea , just a few nautical miles off the Turkish shore of Mikra Asia and it is the fifth largest island of the Greek Islands.

Chios is often called Μyrovοlos, from the aromas that emerge from the citrus tree blossoms during spring fill the air. Chios is regarded as the birth place of the greatest poet of Ancient times Homer.

The city of Chios, or Chora, is the capital of the island and the administrative, economic and cultural centre of the island and is built in the eastern coastal of the island. Today the Town has kept its architectonic style without big changes during the course of time, with the castle, the harbour and the settlements. Chora affords a unique opportunity for wandering by feet among the narrow streets of the settlements.

One of the most remainder of the Byzantine period in Greece is Nea Moni, which is located in the west of Chora. The Monastery was built in the 11th century by order of the Emperor Konstantino Monom a chos , who sent leading architects for its construction from Constantinople. The incredible gold mosaics in the church are considered to be one of the most important examples of Byzantine religious art in Greece.

Aplotaria, the main road of the town, is the main commercial center of the island . Most of the buildings there, are old mansions of the 19th and 20th century. At the end of Aplotaria to the east side, the road leads to Secondary school, which was established in 1792, the Cathedral and Korais Library that is 13.5000 books strong and in the first floor is roofed the Art gallery and the Folklore Museum.

You should also visit: the Municipal Garden, the medieval Castle which was built in 10 ο – 11 ο century, the Bairakli Mosque, the Metzitie Mosque, where is situated the Byzantine Museum, the temple of Agios Vasilios Petrokokkinon, where by the end of the 16th century housed the Cathedral of Chios, the church of Saint George, the Archaeological Museum, the University of Aegean and the Nautical Museum. On the periphery of the town you should visit buildings of the Genoan times, the Kamenos Tower and the Gothic Tower.

Amani is the best choice to spend your summer holidays. It offers you deep blue beaches with crystal water, ancient monuments, good food and unique enjoyment.

Volissos, the capital of the Municipality of Amani, is built on a hill-side and it is the centre of the entire villages spread east and west of mountain Amani. The castle of Volissos is located on the top of the village and it is said to be built by Velissarios, the General of the Byzantine Emperor Ioustinianos. You should visit the monastery of Agia Markella, which is the protector of Chios island and the beautiful beaches of Managros, Lefkathia and Limnos .

Anavatos, the “Mystras” of the Aegean, is a Byzantine, uninhabited village that is found in the centre of Chora. You should visit the church of Taxiarches, the "three-story" building consisting of a water reservoir, the church of Panagia, the school and the olive oil press.

Vrontados is located in the northeast side of the island and is built along the seaside road. You should visit the Cathedral of Saint George, the church of Panagia Erithiani, the church of Agios Markos, the monastery of Panagia Myrsiniotissa, the marble tomb of the great grammarian and linguist Giannis Psicharis, such as the unknown Sailor ("Afanis Naftis"), made by the sculptor Giannis Apartis, reminds to everyone the ties of the locals to the sea and Daskalopetra, where Homer taught his immortal epic poems. You can enjoy your swim at the beach of Daskalopetra and the beach of Glaros.

Thousands of people visit every year Vrontados at Easter period to watch the unusual and sensational event of Rocketwar. According to this custom, over 60,000 rockets are fired from the residents of two opposing camps to each of the other's rival churches in the parishes of Saint Mark and Virgin Mary Erethianis. The event is of course carried out all in good spirits and is closely related to the Easter celebrations, taking place on Saturday night approx. 8 pm, till Easter Sunday 12.30 am.

Kardamyla consists of two settlements: the upper Kardamyla and Marmaro. Narrow streets, curbs tone alleys and covered passages are typical local features. The upper Kardamyla is the old settlement, spreading at the feet of a steep hill. Marmaro, is built in the beautiful bay of Kardamyla. There you will find the pebble beaches of Nagos and Giosona, which combines the wonderful sea with the fascinating landscape.

In Kambos, which is situated in the south of Chios, you will see a particular architectural style presenting impressive mansions and town homes that were the homes of the Genoese and the Greek gentry, built in the middle of well-watered fertile grounds. The impressive courtyards are paved with pebbles that create interesting decorative mosaics.

You should visit the Cave of Olympi. It is an underground cavern 57m in depth and numerous calcite formations (stalactites and stalagmites). The cave formations are still in a stage of development. The cave was explored in 1985.

Its well-known product is mastic, the sap of the very fragrant sch ί nos (pistachia lentiscus) shrubs of various sizes that cover the hills of the southern part of the island. Mastic is the ancient chewing gum, which is extracted from pistachia lentiscus, a variety that grows in this part of Chios and nowhere else in the world.

Famous beaches of Chios Island: Agia Fotia, Agia Paraskevi, Agia Eirini, Agia Markella, Bella Vista, Elinta, Emporio, Kato Fana, Karfas, Komi, Kontari, Lithi, Managros, Megas Limionas, Metochi, Ormos Lo, Tigani, Vroulidia.

HOW TO GET THERE
By airplane: There are regularly flights from Athens (Eleftherios Venizelos) airport to Chios.
By Ferry: There are regularly itineraries from Piraeus port to Chios. There are also regularly itineraries from Thesssaloniki and Kavala port.
Connection with other islands
Chios is connected with: Mytilini, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Limno, Samo, Ikaria. Local ships connect Chio with Samo, Oinousses, Psara and with Tsesme in Turkey.