Made from volcanic ground, the island of Chios emerges in the northern waters of the Aegean Sea. While the northern part is mainly covered with mountains and barren lands, the southern part is colored by fruits, almonds, olives, vines and uncountable mastic trees. These are the most characteristic trees of the island, a bush from whose fruits the Chian exclusively produce worldwide known products, such as, the mastic gum and a unique liquor that is served as an appetizer.

Chios has much to offer, from sandy beaches, extraordinary caves and medieval stone villages, to remote mountains, unusual museums and a thoroughly Hellenic nightlife. It is one of those islands that grows on you slowly, but has a lasting effect. Its people are reserved, but friendly, very hospitable and surprisingly cosmopolitan; indeed, you will meet many whose shipping careers have taken them around the world.

With its excellent home-style cooking, authentic villages and endless opportunities for solitude on a coastline largely untouched by organized tourism, Chios remains one of the great unknown Greek island getaways.