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DISCOVER CHIOS

Chios lies in the Aegean Sea, south of Lesvos, north of Samos and just 5.5km from the coast of Turkey.

This is the fifth largest island in Greece but still small enough to offer you a very special kind of hospitality and culture.

Like many of the Greek Islands, Chios has a colourful and sometimes violent past. Today you will find superbly preserved medieval villages, Byzantine monasteries, interesting architecture showing the various influences of the island rulers throughout it's history and of course, ancient monuments and an abundance of churches and monasteries.

Traditionally it is said that Homer lived around the era of the Trojan War in an Ionic settlement, believed to be Chios. If he was indeed a resident, it is likely that he made his living as a court singer and storyteller. He later wrote the two most famous Greek tomes, the Iliad and the Odyssey.

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POSEIDON AND THE NYMPH: THE NAMING OF CHIOS

There are many myths and legends as to why the island is named Chios or Xhios. Perhaps the most well known and popular is that of 'Poseidon and the Nymph'.

According to mythology the island took its name from the son of Poseidon. Poseidon is the Greek God of the Sea, also known as Neptune. Having reached the island, the great God chose to rest a while... and lay with a nymph.

Her childbirth as a result of the tryst was so painful, that there was a snowstorm so Poseidon christened his son Chios taken from the Greek word Chionis, which means snow.

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HISTORY OF CHIOS

Great Gods and legends aside, excavations prove that the island has been populated since prehistoric times. The Ionians were the first colonists of the island, creating a thriving civilization.

Chios became an important island both in economic and logistical terms and was known throughout the world for it's seafarers and navel power. It is said the the Chian's had one of the largest fleets in the history of Greece.

Today, according to the Chian's of course, there are a larger number of serving captains and sea workers in the shipping lines and merchant marine service of Greece from Chios than any other island.

The production of wine also played an important role in the economic growth of the island. Later, when the island joined the Athenian the inhabitants of Chios were called to fight against Philip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great. The battle was lost and Chios remained first under the Macedonian rule, and then that of the Romans.

The fortress in the town of Chios The island prospered once again under the dominance of the Genoese's, which lasted from 1336 until 1566 when the island was finally conquered by the Turks. Despite what one may initially think, history shows that under this reign the inhabitants enjoyed a prosperous period and continued their growing economic activities.

However, they were also strongly opposed to Turkish rule and in 1822 there was a massacre on the island when a young hero named Konstantinos Kanaris burned the Turkish flag ship at sea.

The fortress in the town of Chios, the island's capital is a monument to the struggles of defense faced by the Chian's throughout the centuries.

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CHIOS TODAY

Today, Chios is an island filled with memories just waiting to happen.

A tumultuous and violent history leads us today into a passive, peaceful and welcoming environment blessed with a natural landscape of beauty and traditional villages.

Villages of Chios, Greece

This is an island ideal for family and single travelers alike, for those who seek history and culture and for those who simply want to experience Greece.

Beautiful beaches and coves are along every twist and turn of the rugged coastline. As with all volcanic islands, Chios has it's share of mountainous area too and is great for walking and exploring. The mediaeval villages of the island are still lived in today and it is with great pride that the Chians keep their traditions, and their homes as they were centuries ago.

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VILLAGES AND TOWNS OF CHIOS

PYRGI: In the South of the island, Pyrgi is an amazing village full of Chian traditional, decorated houses and narrow streets to explore. Mesta, Chios

MESTA: Mesta is one of the medieval villages that just shouldn't be missed. The locals produce their own olives, wine and of course Mastic.

ANAVATOS: A completely deserted medieval village, Anavatos is perched at the top of one of the mountains of Chios. It has been preserved and remains to be one of the most haunting sites of the island.

KAMOS: Kambos is an area of Chios which boasts the original estates of the aristocrats of Chian society. Mansions, waterwheels and tiled courtyards abound.

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