Chios: Paradise, history and resilience on Greece’s fifth-largest island

Sometimes we wonder if God sat down and planned retired paradise, if so, Chios would surely person been included. The land feels similar a cleanable playground for Adam and Eve, oregon simply for you and me.

I archetypal visited Chios successful 1999 during a trek from Smyrna, searching for traces of my family’s practice successful adjacent Asia Minor. I still retrieve the larboard serviceman inspecting the Turkish sword successful my bag, remarking however awesome it was. I wasn’t sure I’d spot it again, but to my alleviation helium returned it with compliments. It was a acquisition for my Barba Dimitrios connected Lesvos.

A traditional windmill overlooking the island, with “Χίος” proudly painted below.

Fast guardant to 2025: I arrived connected Chios intending lone a little stopover earlier heading to Psara for its yearly commemoration of the 1824 massacre, and then connected to Oinousses. Both are reachable lone by boat, oregon for the very daring, by region swimming! Yet Chios drew maine in.

Boats docked astatine a small larboard connected Chios, capturing the island’s timeless maritime spirit.

Before long, locals began recognising maine with nods and small talk. Weeks later, I adjacent received a connection from Pantelis Melekos, who had taken a selfie with Tassos Lambros and his wife from Sydney while visiting Chios. “Vasileios, look who I bumped into!” helium wrote.

The waterfront cafés of Chios Town capable up arsenic the sun sets implicit the Aegean.

A large land with a small-village heart

Though Greece’s 5th largest island, Chios often feels similar a close-knit village. I met Michalis Belergis connected Psara, again successful Chios Town, and aboriginal recovered myself connected a vessel tour from Limnia with him and George Kamaratos. Encounters similar these gave the land a familiar, astir intimate feel.

Graffiti speechmaking “Free Palestine” spotted connected a cliffside wall successful Chios, overlooking the Aegean Sea.

At Mystikas, a quaint larboard facing mainland Greece, I met Dr George Maris, a pharmacist from Chora. We kept crossing paths, connected Psara, where helium introduced maine to practically the full land of 400 residents, and again successful Chios Town.

Billy with locals successful Chios enjoying an day catch-up astatine a traditional village café.

His precocious begetter was a decorated war leader who fought bravely against some Italians and Nazis. George has inherited his father’s thrust to serve, expanding beyond his pharmacy to big wellness seminars, including HIV consciousness programs, and processing Chios-made wellness products present sold crossed Europe.

Dr George Maris successful his pharmacy, holding worldly from a nationalist HIV consciousness campaign.

George embodies the island’s spirit: resourceful, outward-looking, and committed to much than conscionable tourism. Like galore Chians, helium takes pridefulness successful section products, astir famously mastika, the aromatic resin unique to the island. For me, cycling done the villages meant passing countless signs pointing toward “Mastika Museums,” a changeless reminder of Chios’ enduring acquisition to the world.

A colourful mural brightened by bougainvillea successful a Chios village.

Fires and resilience

Getting astir Chios is easy, with well-kept roads done the mountains and welcoming villagers on the way. But during my stay, wildfires ravaged parts of the island.

Thick plumes emergence arsenic wildfires spread crossed the island’s rugged terrain.

I was connected Psara when quality of the fires reached us. Upon returning to Chios, the temper successful Chora was remarkably calm, locals playing tavli and sipping frappes arsenic smoke roseate from the mountains. Firefighters, supported by helicopters and airy aircraft, fought tirelessly to prevention villages.

A chopper collecting water from the Aegean to combat wildfires connected Chios.

From the port, we watched arsenic helicopters scooped seawater and dropped it implicit the flames. Thanks to their relentless efforts, homes were spared.

Burnt-out hillsides aft devastating fires connected Chios, leaving a stark reminder of nature’s fragility.

I toured some of the charred areas, adjacent getting adjacent to progressive occurrence zones, possibly my Neos Kosmos garment helped with media access. The bravery and endurance of the exigency crews merit the highest praise.

A handwritten enactment dedicated to Billy Cotsis, reflecting connected Greek past and memory.

Paradise rediscovered

“Chios has astir 100 beaches, it is paradise,” said Pantelis, who manages Aegean Sea Rooms with his family. He was right. Everywhere I went, I swam successful pristine waters, ate well, and noted the island’s clasp of solar powerfulness and recycling.

Young men walk on the Chios Town promenade arsenic dusk settles connected the horizon.

Among the beaches that stood retired for their beauty, comfortableness and section hospitality were Agia Fotini, Vroulidia, Mavra Volia, Komi and Ankyra.

In Chios Town, a hairdresser I met couldn’t stop talking astir his village, Mesta. He was successful a unreserved to observe his daughter’s birthday, yet his passionateness for Mesta overflowed. The pursuing time I visited, and I understood why. Its murals and maze-like layout felt similar a blend of Labyrinth and a Moroccan riad, mesmerising.

The village’s assemblage hall, adorned with traditional motifs and a mural honouring Chian heritage.

Later, when a tourist asked maine where to go, I recommended Mesta. An hr later, she had left, and I realised I was still talking astir the place!

A classical Pyrgi location façade decorated with xysta — the island’s unique geometric patterns etched into plaster.

Thanks to the Mayor’s office, I connected with Michael and George of North Aegean Rib Cruises. Together we explored the coastline, spotting secluded settlements, scorched forests, pristine coves, and elegant villas adjacent Oinousses, location to generations of seafarers. Afterwards, they took maine to Volissos, where Michael, part-owner of respective businesses, spoke of his emotion for some the oversea and his village.

A constrictive laneway successful Pyrgi, where balconies and walls are covered successful the celebrated grey-and-white xysta.

As Pantelis continued checking successful to guarantee my trip went smoothly, I explored much of the island, discovering what locals person ever known: Chios is paradise, affluent successful heritage, economy, and assemblage spirit.

Locals and visitors stitchery astatine a lively taverna courtyard, a hallmark of the island’s vibrant κοινωνικά life.

I’m convinced God takes the occasional vacation here. I did, you tin too, and the radical of Chios will welcome you with unfastened arms. Mastiha will travel successful abundance, the beaches await your footprints, and the island’s soul will permission its mark.

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*Billy Cotsis is the writer of Aristotle Roberto Carlos Smithopoulos. His movie Greeks of South America screens astatine the Greek Film Festival connected Thursday 16 October astatine Palace Cinemas.

Billy Cotsis’ Aristotle Roberto Carlos Smithopoulos acceptable against the sparkling waters of Chios harbour.