First Time in Chios: Everything You Need to Know
The practical guide we wish we had on our first visit
Chios is not Santorini. There are no caldera views, no infinity pools, no queues of cruise ship passengers. What there is is something rarer: an island with a genuine identity, extraordinary food, and landscapes that feel completely undiscovered. But precisely because it is off the tourist trail, first-time visitors sometimes need a little orientation.
Getting There
The easiest way from the US or northern Europe is to fly into Athens and take a domestic flight to Chios — Olympic Air and Sky Express both fly the route, and the flight takes about an hour. There are several flights daily in summer. Alternatively, the overnight ferry from Piraeus (Athens port) takes about 8 hours and is a wonderful way to arrive — book a cabin and wake up pulling into Chios harbor.
When to Go
May, June, and September are the sweet spots. The weather is perfect, the sea is warm, the island is alive but not crowded. July and August are when Greek families take their holidays and the island fills up — still great, but busier and hotter. October is surprisingly lovely: quiet, warm enough to swim, and the light on the mastic villages is extraordinary.
If you can visit in late July or August, you may catch part of the mastic harvest — one of the most fascinating agricultural traditions in the Mediterranean.
Getting Around
Rent a car. This is non-negotiable if you want to see the real Chios. The island is large — 842 square kilometers — and public buses are infrequent outside of the main towns. A small car gives you the freedom to find the empty beaches, the remote villages, and the hidden tavernas that make Chios special. Book in advance for summer.
Where to Stay
Chios Town is the practical base — good restaurants, ferry connections, and easy access to the whole island. But for atmosphere, consider staying in one of the medieval mastic villages: Mesta has several beautiful mansion guesthouses, and waking up inside those stone walls is an experience unlike any hotel.
What to Eat
Grilled octopus. Mastelo cheese. Soutzoukakia. Fresh seafood at a harbor taverna. Mastiha ice cream. Souma — the local fig spirit — if someone offers it to you. Say yes to everything.
The One Thing Most Visitors Miss
Anavatos. The abandoned Byzantine village on the cliff. Most visitors stick to Pyrgi and Mesta — both extraordinary — but Anavatos, perched on its vertical rock with its empty stone streets and its devastating history, is one of the most haunting places in all of Greece. Go there.
