Tucked away in the northeast Aegean, Greece’s fifth-largest island has somehow managed to fly somewhat under the radar. While Lanzarote is a firm favourite among tourists, Chios averages 21,000 fewer overnight stays per sqkm, leaving its medieval villages, beaches and walking trails blissfully uncrowded.
Thanks to the island’s rich biodiversity, including rare mastic trees that can be harvested for resin, as well as olive oil, figs, wine and citrus fruits, Chios hasn’t had to rely on tourism, meaning a different kind of travel experience has been shaped without sprawling resorts. Visitors can stay in small, family-run pensions or restored stone houses in towns like Pyrgi, known for its striking black-and-white facades, and Mesta, a perfectly preserved fortified village with narrow alleys and hidden squares.
In the south, mastic groves stretch towards the sea, and inland, hiking trails wind through pine forests, orchards and ruined chapels.
The beaches are plenty too – at Komi there’s shallow water and simple tavernas, while at Apothika you can swim in the shadow of cliffs, and Nagos is known for its cold freshwater springs.
Absorb the cultural heritage of the island in the Chios Mastic Museum, which gives insight into the island’s unique industry, and monasteries like Nea Moni, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offer quiet views over the hills.
Ferries connect Chios to even lesser-known islands like Psara and Oinousses, and even in the port town, life feels unhurried. Here, you can explore the medieval castle, wander around old town, or get awe struck by the Argenti Gallery.
To get to Chios, travellers can board a ferry from Piraeus port in Athens, and while it takes nine hours, visitors will be rewarded with tranquility of the path less trodden on arrival.
Chios and the port of Kavala are connected by ferry during the summer, or it can also be reached year-round from the Turkish port of Cesme.