Chios Villages
 Pyrgi
was named after the central tower which is still well-preserved, is the
largest and for many, the most important village in Chios. It is
also called the “painted” village due to the unique architectural designs
known as “xysta” (fa?ade decorations comprised of geometric and natural
motifs) which are clearly evident even today. Pyrgi is a medieval village
with stone houses connected together, beautiful balconies decorated with
xysta and small, sun-dried tomatoes hanging from the balconies. The
village is comprised of narrow streets, geometrically designed wall embellishments
and remarkable churches. These are vital features that compose the
village’s character
Thirty-one kilometers south
of the town of Chios and six kilometers after Pyrgi, visitors encounter
the medieval village called Olympi. Its beautiful houses,
connected to each other, used to form its defensive wall. The narrow
streets, cobbled roads and rigid, yet simple architecture, testify to the
village’s medieval origin.
Mesta lies southwest
of the town of Chios, 35 kilometers away, in the area of Mastihohoria (meaning
the “mastic villages”).
There are two routes that
visitors may choose in order to come to Mesta.
From Chios, the road leading
to Armolia, Pyrgi, and Olympi also continues onward
to Mesta. This route is the easiest and fastest.
From Chios, the road
leading to Aghios Georghios, Vessa, and Elata also
leads to Mesta. Thus Mesta is a crossroad by which visitors are afforded
access to the majority of the noteworthy sites of the central and southern
portions of the island of Chios.
Vrondados is the seat
of the Municipality of Homeroupolis and is located five kilometers far
from Chios town, at the northeast side of the island.
Karfas, with its beautiful
beach, is the harbor (Skala) of Thymiana. Situated 5 km from the town of
Chios, it has evolved into the largest tourist resort of the island. Every
summer, thousands of vacationers gather on the beautiful beach to enjoy
the cool waters of the day and play with its fine-grained sand.
The beach of Karfas is surrounded
by large hotel units catering to more demanding tastes but has also a number
of inns and rented rooms
Volissos, the capital
of the newly established Municipality of Amani, lies at the NW of Chios.
It is the centre of the entire villages spread east and west of mountain
Amani and is interconnected with them by a roadway
 The
village of Agio Galas has shown continual human existence over the
course of 8,000 years. It is located 70 km northwest of the town
of Chios and is one of the oldest Neolithic places in the Aegean area.
From the 6th century B.C., man lived within the large caves located beneath
this village.
Karyes is a beautiful
village located southwest of Vrontados and north of the town of Chios with
700 residents. The village is known for its breathtaking new and cool water.
Under the shade of the plane and walnut trees, visitors will enjoy local
delicacies accompanied by ouzo or beverage and followed by Greek coffee.
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