Chios
GreeceCsa
© OpenStreetMap, CARTO
Τη μαστίχα μόνο στη Χίο, και την όμορφιά όπου θέλεις. | Mastic only in Chios, beauty wherever you wish.
Why visit
May, June, September, and October are best, with the medieval mastic villages of Pyrgi (with its black-and-white sgraffito facades) and Mestá (a fortified labyrinth) the obvious draw draw. The Nea Moni monastery (a UNESCO site with rare 11th-century Byzantine mosaics), the Chios Mastic Museum, and the Genoese castle in the main town round out a long weekend. The volcano-dark beaches at Mavra Volia, near Emporios, are spectacular.
When to avoid
Ferries to/from Pireus (Athens's port) take 8 to 12 hours overnight. Flights are easier. Some northern villages still bear scars from the devastating 2012 wildfires that wiped out half the mastic groves. The 1822 massacre of Chios by Ottoman forces (immortalised by Delacroix) is still locally commemorated. Be sensitive in conversation. August is the busiest stretch.