Overview
A Greek island we visited for a quick 2-day trip, just a 30-minute ferry ride from Cesme. This was the second island I'd visited after Rhodes, and it fell quite short of Rhodes in terms of tourist appeal. Rhodes' Old Town and castle were spectacular. The city center here is pretty mediocre for sightseeing. The venues are quality, the seaside promenade is pleasant, the villages are ideal for day trips, and the sea is genuinely excellent and crystal clear, but cold. Two days feels more than sufficient.
Where to Stay
We stayed at Castro Rooms Chios and it was genuinely great. Good value compared to alternatives. Recommended.
What to See
- Pyrgi and Mesta are must-visit villages. You don't necessarily need to rent a car, there are day tours covering both. The tours are a bit rushed compared to driving yourself, but if you're short on time they work fine. If you do want to rent a car, absolutely book well in advance for high season. When I tried 2 weeks out, the next month was completely full. Book 1-2 months ahead.
- The Chios Byzantine Museum is absolutely not worth entering. Save your 4 euros. You can peek inside for free from the courtyard edge. If you do go in accidentally, know that there's virtually no explanation in anything other than Greek.
- The castle interior is really run down, no restoration whatsoever. The only thing worth seeing inside is an Ottoman bath. You can also get a panoramic sea view from the spot marked "The North East Wall of Chios Castle" on Google Maps.
Food & Drink
- The mastic tree is only harvested on this island, which is genuinely a unique fact. They've made everything imaginable from mastic, even mastic tea.
- If you like fresh beer, Chios Fresh Beer is quite good. I found the mastic version unnecessary, but the dark version is excellent, if you're a fan of the old Efes Dark, don't miss it.
- They have a coffee called fredo, made with espresso. Frappe, on the other hand, is made with instant coffee.
- Bar 44 in the center was a really fun evening spot. They have various Greek wines by the glass and good service.
- The bar called Sueno also had great breakfast, the omelet and fried egg were excellent. Most venues here operate from 7 AM to 4 AM and serve everything. The seaside strip venues are generally high quality.
Tips & Advice
- Karfas Beach is normally cold but felt warm since the weather was scorching hot. The shallow section stays warm. Perfect for families with kids, it doesn't deepen at all. Crystal clear water. For reference: a beer is 5 euros, a soda is 3.50 euros, no separate sunbed charge, just pay for what you consume.
- On day two we went to Glaroi Beach, which is mostly locals. Unlike Karfas, sunbed charge here is 2 euros (comes with a water). Same drink prices. The food is bad. But the sea is really beautiful. Unlike Karfas, it deepens quickly, so it's a bit colder. The music and vibe are young and fun.
Being so close to Cesme, it could warrant another visit. But if it were further away, one visit would probably be plenty. Maybe they'll accelerate the restoration work and make it more appealing for tourists over time.