Didem Doğan

Chios days: mountain villages, beaches

An island is an island. Right after you cross from the Turkish side to Chios, even if it’s a short journey, your days start being shaped by a different rhythm. The time extends between the villages and beaches; you look at the watch think what you’re doing at this hour in the city and compare your activities here in the island and you realize time slows by, the bell tolls and it sounds like a different time from the digital one.

So that’s how I spent the days in Chios, from one beach to a village mountain, from another beach to another village mountain. Taking the Port as starting point drive to the South, pass the Kampos area, a town from the Genovese era with brownish stone walls and houses and cypress trees that will remind you of Italy. Continue to Karfas, if you like organised beaches with umbrellas and stuff go to Komi, or if you are for totally natural beaches continue to Agia Dynami, or Mavra Volia. Stop at Prygi village to see the Holy Apostoles Church, the Ayioi Apostoloi with 17th century mosaics of Holy Apostles, see how the exterior of each house is painted with same anthracite colour. Continue to Mesta, this village from the middle ages is like a labyrinth where stone houses are adherent to each other, visit the Taxiarches Church at the center dedicated to holy angels and sit at its terrace down by the watch tower to admire the village. If you drive a bit to the north you will arrive to Vessa village, another picturesque place. You may then continue to Lithi beach in the northeast. Do not forget to discover the north of the island as well. Visit the 11th century Monastery, today a Unesco Work heritage, Neo Moni to see the mosaics inside. Then continue to Avygonia, another mountain village and to Anavatos nearby built right on top of the mountain.

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