Chios Island's Best-Kept Secrets

The Aegean
Best Kept Secret

Hidden beaches, mastic villages, Byzantine monasteries. Not just a tourist stop — the real Chios.

Explore the MapBrowse Guide
58
Stunning Beaches
150+
Restaurants & Cafés
24
Medieval Villages
3,200+
Visitor Reviews
Featured Places

The Chios
Everyone Talks About

Mavra Volia Beach
🏖 Beach

Mavra Volia Beach

Greece's only black volcanic pebble beach, created by an ancient volcanic eruption. Dramatic dark shoreline with crystal-clear turquoise water near Emporios village.

★★★★★4.8(312)
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Pyrgi — The Painted Village
🏘 Village

Pyrgi — The Painted Village

One of Greece's most extraordinary villages. Every building is covered in intricate black-and-white geometric patterns called "xistá", a technique unique to Chios dating back to the 14th century.

★★★★★4.9(541)
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Nea Moni Monastery
🏛 Historic Site

Nea Moni Monastery

UNESCO World Heritage site built in 1042 by Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX. Features some of the finest Byzantine mosaics in the world, set in the forested mountains of central Chios.

★★★★★4.9(428)
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Mesta — Medieval Fortress Village
🏘 Village

Mesta — Medieval Fortress Village

The best-preserved medieval village in Greece. A living fortress from the 14th century, with a single labyrinthine entrance and houses built into the defensive walls. No cars enter the village.

★★★★★4.8(367)
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Karfas Beach
🏖 Beach

Karfas Beach

The most popular sandy beach on Chios, just 7 km south of Chios Town. Long golden shore with calm shallow water, beach bars, and water sports. Ideal for families.

★★★★☆4.4(289)
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Chios Castle (Kastro)
🏛 Historic Site

Chios Castle (Kastro)

A Byzantine and Genoese fortress in the heart of Chios Town. Originally built in the 10th century, rebuilt by the Genoese in the 14th. A lived-in neighbourhood of Ottoman-era houses still lies within its walls.

★★★★★4.6(203)
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Coming from Turkey?

Çeşme → Chios with Ferrylines

17
minutes only
shortest Aegean crossing
⛴

Jump on a Ferrylines boat in Çeşme and step off in Chios Town just 17 minutes later. Daily departures, no long journey needed.

Book with Ferrylines →Ferry Guide & Visa Info
Visitor Reviews

What Travellers
Say

MK
Maria K.
14 August 2025 · Athens
★★★★★

Mavra Volia is unlike anything I have ever seen. The black volcanic stones and the turquoise sea make for an otherworldly contrast. Get there early in July — it fills up fast.

JT
James T.
2 September 2025 · London
★★★★★

Pyrgi blew my mind. I had no idea this "painted village" existed. The xistá patterns cover every single building — it feels like walking inside a black-and-white tapestry. Unmissable.

AY
Ahmet Y.
20 July 2025 · İzmir
★★★★★

Çeşme'den Ferrylines ile yalnızca 17 dakikada Sakız'daydık. Nea Moni manastırı gerçekten nefes kesici — mozaikler inanılmaz derecede iyi korunmuş. Kesinlikle gitmeye değer.

SL
Sophie L.
5 October 2025 · Paris
★★★★★

Mesta village is magical at sunset. No cars, stone archways, tiny tavernas. We got pleasantly lost for two hours in the medieval lanes. This is what travel should feel like.

EŞ
Elif Ş.
28 August 2025 · Ankara
★★★★☆

Karfas plajı güzel ve Chios kasabasına yakın. Su çok temiz ve sakin. Yaz ortasında kalabalık oluyor ama sabah erken gittiğinizde harika. Plaj barları da iyi.

NP
Nikos P.
18 September 2025 · Thessaloniki
★★★★★

The Chios Castle neighbourhood still has families living inside. Walking through the Genoese gates at dusk is one of the most atmospheric experiences in the Aegean.

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