Chios, where the famous mastiha is produced, is an ideal destination for relaxing holidays with the family.
Chios
The Greek island of Chios belongs to the islands of the North Aegean and it is an ideal island for family holidays.
It is surrounded by wonderful beaches, the most known are Emporios, Mavra Volia and Karfas. Vrontados is a small beach 4 kilometers from the town of Chios with some fish taverns by the sea. Trahili, Lithi, Didima, Metohi are beaches with crystalline waters and are ideal to relax.
Although Chios has very good beaches, it is characterized by its medieval villages. The most famous is «Mastichohoria» (literally: Mastic Villages) is a series of 7 special, fortified architectural villages built in the 14th century during the Genoese government. Among them, Mesta is a medieval treasure with preserved towers, castles, ancient churches and magnificent stone houses closely linked by arches. Anavatos is a byzantine tower-village and it is located on the top of a large granite rock at the highest point of a mountain. Although it is uninhabited, you can still feel its history as you stroll through the cobbled streets of the village.
Pyrgi is one of the largest medieval villages in Chios, characterized by the peculiar architecture of its houses and buildings with geometric designs in black and white on the facade. Narrow labyrinthine streets and churches like Nea Moni and Saint Apostoloi complete this authentic landscape.
Here you can enjoy delicious dishes cooked with mastiha (mastic gum), or take a sorbet of soumada, a traditional drink made of almonds.
Local products
Mastiha is the hardened resin of the Mastic tree Pistacia lentiscus. Its medicinal advantages, usage as the first natural gum, and as a food spice have been known since antiquity. The Mastiha made on the island of Chios is of the highest quality, and it has brought enormous economic benefits and reputation to the island. Christopher Columbus was a Mastiha merchant who took part in the journey from Genoa to Chios. The trees that yield the Mastiha can only be found in the southern part of the island of Chios, near the Mastcihohoria settlements.
According to scientific evidence, Mastiha of Chios has good medicinal properties against digestive diseases, aids in dental hygiene, wound healing, and skin regeneration, and is an antioxidant. The Mastiha of Chios has been designated as a product with a designation of origin, and its cultivation has been designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Our Trips
to Chios
Destinations
in the North Aegean islands
Ikaria
The island synonymous with tranquility and relaxed living, Ikaria, is a perfect destination for alternative holidays in its traditional festivals.
Lesvos
The third largest island in Greece, Lesvos, is famous for two products, ouzo and olive oil and, of course, for its charm and its mild climate.
Limnos
Limnos (also Lemnos) is a destination for a quiet holiday in direct contact with nature.
Samos
Samos is an island ruled by legend and beauty. It is the island of the father of mathematics, Pythagoras, the astronomer Aristarchus and the philosopher Epicurus.
