Making the most of Chios Island
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The ships dock in front of the customs building, coming in the harbor on the right side. The boulevard with many outdoor cafe's is right in front of you. Large cruise ships, if any, will tender you ashore.
Chios island is full of beautiful beaches and many worth visiting sites, villages, monasteries, etc. Visiting the museums and the Koraes Library is a great way to discover the culture and history of the region. Walking around the town and the narrow streets of the villages, or attending the local folklore festivals and cultural events is a great way to discover the spirit of Chios.
Chios town is not as touristy as most ports in Greece and is rather laid back. A stroll along the harbor and boulevard is a relaxed pastime.
Getting around
Because of the large size, a car or a motorcycle is recommended in order to visit some of the places that cannot be reached by local transportation or by the organized excursions.
All rental companies are along the waterfront, walking distance from where the dock is. Make sure you have a refundable rate in case you cannot be tendered because of rough seas. (About 50 % of the larger cruise ships do not make it to port here)
If you have a shortstop in Chios a taxi will be your best bet.
Bus schedules for summer season on Chios island. Blue and Green Bus System buses leave the town of Chios several times per day for Mesta and Pirgi. The main bus station is at Vlatarias 13 in central Chios town, to the north of the park by Plateia Plastira. A second bus station, which services the long-distance Green KTEL buses, is found to the south of the park adjacent to the main taxi stand on the central square. Bus fares run €1–€6.
Nearby places
The villages of Chios are over 60 in number and are spread in every corner of the island. Geographically, they can be divided into 3 groups: "Notiochora" (villages of South Chios), "Voriochora" (villages of North Chios) and villages of central Chios. However, each one of them has its own distinctive character.
Notiochora are also known as "Mastichochoria" (Mastic villages), as the mastic tree grows only on the north part of the island. These villages usually have more local population than the rest. They also include the medieval castle-villages (Mesta, Pyrgi etc) with their ever-impressing architecture, intact over the centuries.
Food and shopping
Mastic is only found on Chios, nowhere else in the world. Many cosmetic products contain this ingredient and sold in stores along the boulevard.
Money
Euro
Staying connected
Language: Greek
More and more small, independent Cafes and Restaurants are providing free WiFi hotspots.
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours are a somewhat complicated matter in Greece as they vary according to the type of business. The list below covers the main areas but bear in mind that this is subject to sudden arbitrary and often incomprehensible changes in the law.
Generally the hours between 2.00pm and 5.30pm are dedicated to lunch and the sacred afternoon siesta, especially in the hot summer.
Tourist shops may stay open, so do many kiosks, all the supermarkets, main post-offices and telephone offices.
Apart from kiosks, sweet shops, florists and many tourist shops everything is closed on Sundays. Supermarkets Open at 8.00 am and close at 8.00 pm in winter and 9.00 pm from April to the end of October. Saturday they close at 6.00 pm and are closed on Sundays and