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Chios is best known for mastic, the resin grown only in the south of the island, and for the medieval villages built around it, with Pyrgi’s patterned house fronts and the fortress-like lanes of Mesta. Inland stand the UNESCO-listed monastery of Nea Moni and the abandoned hilltop village of Anavatos. Chios Town, where ferries from Çeşme dock, is the natural base, but buses to the villages are infrequent, so for two or more days a hire car makes the biggest difference.
Short answer
- Base: Chios Town for a short stay or without a car; Karfas for a beach holiday; a Kambos mansion for something quieter. See where to stay in Chios.
- Top sights: Pyrgi and Mesta, the Chios Mastic Museum, Nea Moni (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990), Anavatos, Kambos and the castle quarter in town.
- Getting around: KTEL buses serve the mastic villages, Anavatos and the north-east, but on many lines there are only one or two departures a day. A car is the practical choice for more than one area a day.
- Beaches: Karfas is the main sandy resort beach; Mavra Volia near Emporios is the island’s best-known volcanic beach.
- Turkey: Çeşme is a short crossing away. A same-day return from Chios works only on days when a boat leaves Chios in the morning, such as most days until 31 October 2026 and Fridays and Saturdays from November to January (Apostolos S., not 25 December; checked 30 October 2026); on other days it does not.
- How long: three days covers town, the mastic villages and Nea Moni with Anavatos; add a day or two for beaches.
Where to stay
- Chios Town: walking distance from the ferry, buses and taxis; best for short stays.
- Karfas: the beach resort, about 7 km south; good for families.
- Kambos: restored mansions in citrus estates, quiet, close to town and the airport.
- Mesta and Pyrgi: village nights for travellers with a car.
Our where to stay in Chios guide compares the areas in detail. Three picks from it:
Chios Chandris
Chios Town
- Ferry port: on the harbour front (Prokymea)
- Best for: couples / families / first-timers
A town base with a pool and free parking on the waterfront.
Aegean Dream Hotel
Karfas
- Ferry port: about 7 km from the port
- Best for: families / beach
For a beach stay at Karfas, about 7 km from the port.
Mesta Mastic
Mesta3★
- Best for: couples / village stay
For a night in the mastic villages, about 150 m from the centre of Mesta.
Getting there
By air
Chios airport (JKH) lies on the southern edge of town, next to Kambos. We found no UK or German-speaking nonstop route to Chios in any airline source, and the airport’s website did not let us see its airline list. The realistic options are a flight to Athens with a domestic connection, or a flight to İzmir followed by the ferry from Çeşme. From the evening of 15 November 2026 to 15 March 2027 the airport is closed to scheduled flights for runway works (our report). See our flights guide, Chios airport transfers for getting from JKH into town, and İzmir airport transfers.
Car hire: Chios
DiscoverCars compares offers from several rental companies in one search. Check the pick-up point, deposit and insurance terms before you book.
By ferry from Turkey
Ferries from Ulusoy Port in Çeşme arrive at Chios Port in the middle of town. Ertürk Lines runs the route all year with its fast boat (Ertürk HSC) and the car ferries Apostolos S. and Ertürk-1. Tilos Travel also sails with Sea Star Makri; its published 2026 plan runs to 24 October. Crossing times quoted by operators and booking sites range from about 17 to 45 minutes on the fast boats, and longer on the car ferries.
In November 2026 Ertürk’s timetable lists the car ferry Apostolos S. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (plus 3–4 and 10–11 November), and Turyol lists its Chios, which has car fares, on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays; Turyol’s Chios sails until 3 January 2027 (checked 24 October 2026), and Ertürk lists Apostolos S. on Fridays to Sundays in December and January, up to 31 January 2027 (checked 30 October 2026). Ertürk’s fare page also lists vehicle fares for the fast boat, but its timetable marks those sailings “No Car”, so ask Ertürk which sailing takes cars. Operators, timetables and fares are in the Çeşme to Chios ferry guide.
Entry
Chios is in the Schengen Area. Visa-exempt non-EU visitors, including UK citizens, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Since 10 April 2026, the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) records fingerprints and a photo of non-EU travellers at the border, so allow time when a ferry from Turkey arrives. GOV.UK says Greek authorities have indicated they will not collect fingerprints and photos from UK travellers under EES; follow the officials on the ground. EU citizens can travel with a passport or national ID card. Ertürk notes that passengers with a Northern Cyprus entry stamp may be refused entry to Chios.
Getting around
KTEL buses
Chios has two bus networks. According to the intercity KTEL’s website, the city buses serve the town area, including Vrontados, Karyes, Dafnonas, Vaviloi, Neochori and Megas Limnionas. The intercity buses cover the rest of the island:
- Mastic villages: Lithi, Vessa, Kalamoti, Armolia, Pyrgi, Olympoi and Mesta.
- Central Chios: Anavatos and Avgonima.
- North-east: Kardamyla and Lagada.
- North-west: the villages of the Amani area.
The ticket office is in the passenger waiting room at Chios Port, and a printed timetable is available there. We could not find an online timetable. As of October 2026 the KTEL website says children under 5 travel free and those aged 6 to 10 pay half fare. Many village lines run only once or twice a day, so check the return time before you set off.
Car hire
You do not need a car for a night or two in town. For the mastic villages, Nea Moni and Anavatos, or several beaches in one day, a car changes everything. Rental agencies operate near the port. Parking in central Chios Town is hard in summer, and Mesta is largely closed to cars, so you park at the village edge.
Gov.uk says a UK photocard licence is valid in Greece; holders of an old paper licence may also need a 1968 International Driving Permit. EU licences are recognised throughout the EU, according to the EU’s Your Europe portal. Hire companies can set stricter rules, so check when you book.
Taxis
Taxis wait at the port exit and on the main square. As of October 2026, published fare guides put the ride from town to Karfas at about €10–15 and to distant villages such as Pyrgi or Mesta at roughly €30–50. Uber and Bolt are generally not available, and drivers mostly expect cash.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Hire car | Two or more days, villages and beaches | Check licence rules with the company |
| KTEL bus | Budget, one village per day | Few departures, early returns |
| Taxi | Town area, Karfas, Kambos | Expensive to the far south; cash |
| Organised tour | No car, short stay | Fixed programme |
Things to see
Distances are from Chios Town. Sources differ by a few kilometres, so check drive times in a route planner.
Chios Town and the castle
The ferry drops you in the island’s capital. The castle overlooking the port is about eleven centuries old, according to the Greek National Tourism Organisation, and holds the tomb of the admiral Kara Ali, whose name is tied to the 1822 massacre. Most of the surviving walls date from the Genoese and Ottoman periods, and an old quarter still lies inside them. From the castle, the shopping street Aplotaria and the waterfront promenade are a short walk away.
Pyrgi
About 24 km south of town, Pyrgi is the largest of the 24 mastic villages. It is famous for xysta, the black-and-white geometric designs scratched into the plaster of its house fronts.
Mesta and Olympi
Mesta, about 35–36 km from town, is a medieval village whose stone houses are packed together to form a fortress with a single gateway, according to the Greek National Tourism Organisation. Route planners put the drive at around 35–40 minutes. Olympi, about 30 km away, is another mastic village of stone houses and arched lanes, with a cave nearby.
Chios Mastic Museum
Run by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP), the museum sits on a hillside near Pyrgi among mastic groves. It explains how the mastic tree is grown, how the resin is collected and processed, and how mastic shaped the villages. It reopened on 3 June 2026 after maintenance.
As of October 2026, Discover Greece lists it as open daily except Tuesday, with entry at €8 (reduced €4). The European Route of Industrial Heritage lists hours of 10:00–17:00 from 16 October to February and 10:00–18:00 from March to 15 October, but describes entry as free, so the sources conflict on price. Check piop.gr before you go.
Why mastic matters
Mastic is the resin of the mastic tree, produced in the south of the island. UNESCO added the know-how of cultivating mastic on Chios to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014, and Chios mastic also has EU protected designation of origin status. The harvest runs from July to early October, when growers score the bark and collect the hardened resin.
Chios: Mastiha shore excursion
Pickup in Chios Town and a loop to Mesta, Pyrgi and the Mastic Museum, with optional free time at Komi; pickups north of town cost extra.
Check price & availabilityNea Moni
Nea Moni, in the hills about 11 km from town, is an 11th-century Byzantine monastery. Together with Daphni near Athens and Hosios Loukas near Delphi, it has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1990. UNESCO describes its church as an octagonal building that keeps its original mosaic decoration, marble wall lining and floor; it was restored after an earthquake in 1881. The site also has a small museum. We could not confirm visiting hours on an official page, so check before you go.
Anavatos
An abandoned medieval village on a walled hilltop in central Chios, about 19 km from town, often called the “Mystras of the Aegean” and linked to the 1822 massacre. It pairs naturally with Nea Moni. Roads are narrow and winding; a car is easiest, though KTEL lists Anavatos among its central routes.
Kambos
Just south of town, about 6 km from the centre, Kambos was founded by the Genoese in the 14th century. Its stone mansions stand inside high-walled citrus orchards, and many now take guests. The narrow lanes between the walls suit a bike. The local mandarin, Mandarini Chiou, has had EU protected geographical indication status since 2012.
Kampos: Guided Tour of the Citrus Museum – Visit to the Perleas Mansion
Guided visit to the Perleas mansion and the Citrus Museum with a tasting; confirm the meeting point, as the listing names two.
Check price & availabilityVrontados and Daskalopetra
Vrontados, about 4–5 km north of town, is known for its explosive Easter Saturday celebrations. Nearby Daskalopetra, the “teacher’s stone”, is where tradition says Homer taught his pupils; there is a pebble beach beside it. City buses run to Vrontados.
Volissos
A hillside village with a ruined castle in the north-west, about 38 km from town, with the small harbour of Limnia below. It suits a slow stay with a car.
Beaches
Distances and surfaces as given by Greeka. Karfas is listed at 10 km there and at 7 km by other sources.
| Beach | Area | Surface | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karfas | South of town | Sand | 7–10 km | Main resort, well organised, busiest in summer |
| Mavra Volia (Emporios) | South | Dark volcanic pebbles | About 28 km | The island’s best-known beach; combine with Pyrgi and Mesta |
| Megas Limnionas | South of town | Pebbles | 15 km | Partly organised, near Karfas |
| Agia Fotini | South of town | Pebbles | 15 km | Partly organised, wheelchair accessible |
| Lithi | West | Sand | 20 km | Partly organised |
| Vroulidia | Far south | Sand | 35 km | Secluded, at the island’s southern tip |
| Daskalopetra | North of town | Pebbles | 5 km | Partly organised, by Vrontados |
| Limnos | North-west | Sand | 42 km | Partly organised, near Volissos |
Sources describe Mavra Volia both as black sand and as black pebbles; water shoes help. The town beach is within walking distance of the centre if you only want a quick swim.
Day trips to Turkey
Çeşme is the obvious trip across the border, but most sailings are timed for Turkish day-trippers: out of Çeşme in the morning, back from Chios in the evening. You need the reverse.
- Late October 2026: on Ertürk’s timetable, the car ferry Apostolos S. leaves Chios at 08:00 and Çeşme at 18:00 on most days until 31 October (not on 18 or 26 October).
- Summer: Tilos Travel’s 2026 timetable listed a 09:15 departure from Chios and a 17:30 return from Çeşme between 25 May and 11 September. No 2027 timetable had been published at the time of writing.
- November: on Fridays and Saturdays, and on Tuesday and Wednesday 3–4 and 10–11 November, Apostolos S. leaves Chios at 08:00 and Çeşme at 18:00, so a same-day return works. On other days the only boat from Chios is the fast boat at 16:30 (Çeşme 09:00), so a visit means a night in Çeşme.
- December: Ertürk’s fast boat is listed on 1, 4–6, 11–13, 18–20, 24 (from Çeşme only), 25–27, 30 and 31 December, then 1–3 and 8–10 January 2027, no fast boat from 11 January to 11 February and Fridays to Sundays again from 12 February and daily from 30 April to 30 September 2027 (Ertürk checked 29 October 2026); Turyol sails in December, mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays to Sundays (checked 24 October 2026). The car ferry Apostolos S. is also listed on 4–6, 11–13, 18–20 and 26–27 December and every Friday to Sunday in January, with an 08:00 from Chios and 18:00 from Çeşme on Fridays and Saturdays (checked 30 October 2026); on other days boats leave Chios only in the afternoon (16:00–16:30), so a visit means a night in Çeşme.
- Clocks: Greece moves back to UTC+2 on 25 October 2026; Turkey stays on UTC+3, so in winter Çeşme is one hour ahead.
- At the port: Ertürk requires check-in at its desk 1.5 hours before departure, so by 16:30 for an 18:00 return.
- Documents: UK citizens can visit Turkey visa-free for up to 90 days in 180, with a passport valid for at least 150 days after arrival, according to gov.uk. German citizens can also use a national ID card. Other nationalities should check Turkey’s official e-visa site.
In Çeşme, the castle and its archaeology museum, the caravanserai and the old town are close together, and minibuses run to Alaçatı and Ilıca beach. Full timings and a sample day: Chios to Çeşme day trip. Entry rules for all nationalities: day trips to Turkey from the Greek islands. For a longer stay, see the Çeşme travel guide.
Organised tours
On a stay of two or three days, especially with two or more people, a hire car is usually cheaper and more flexible, and Pyrgi, Mesta and the Mastic Museum are easy to visit on your own. Tours suit a short visit without a car. Besides the mastic and Kambos tours above:
Medieval Masterpieces: Pyrgi & Mesta and the Art of Xysta
Private guided visit to Mesta and Pyrgi with a one-hour xysta workshop and local tastings; the listing names Pyrgi as the meeting point, so confirm transfer arrangements when booking.
Check price & availabilityChios: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour
Private tour without a fixed route: you choose north or south, villages, museums or a beach. Suits small groups who want to set their own plan.
Check price & availabilityWhen to go
- June to August: the best months for swimming and the most ferry sailings. July, August and Turkish public holidays are the busiest times.
- Mastic harvest (July to early October): the time to see production in the southern villages.
- October: still good for town and village visits, though some beach businesses start to close.
- Winter: in November 2026 the fast boat sails mostly Wednesday to Sunday and the car ferry on Fridays to Sundays; in December and January Ertürk lists the fast boat mostly on Fridays to Sundays up to 10 January and the car ferry on Fridays to Sundays up to 31 January, and Turyol sails all winter. Town hotels generally stay open; resort areas are quiet.
- Easter: Vrontados holds its explosive Easter Saturday celebrations.
See the ferry season calendar for crossings by month.
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FAQ
How many days do you need on Chios?
Three days covers Chios Town, the mastic villages, and Nea Moni with Anavatos. Add one or two days for Karfas or Mavra Volia.
Do you need a car on Chios?
Not for a night or two in town. For the villages and beaches, a car helps a great deal, because many KTEL village lines run only once or twice a day.
Can you get to Pyrgi and Mesta by bus?
Yes. KTEL’s mastic village lines serve Pyrgi, Olympoi and Mesta. Pick up a printed timetable at the ticket office in the port and check the return bus before you go.
Is Nea Moni worth visiting?
Yes, for its 11th-century mosaics and its UNESCO-listed octagonal church. Combine it with Anavatos in a half day by car. Confirm visiting hours locally.
Can I visit Turkey from Chios for the day?
On some days. Until 31 October 2026, Apostolos S. leaves Chios at 08:00 and Çeşme at 18:00 on most days; in summer 2026 Tilos Travel offered a similar pattern. From November to January it works on Fridays and Saturdays (Chios 08:00, back from Çeşme 18:00 on Apostolos S.; not 25 December; checked 30 October 2026); on other days there is no same-day option.
What currency is used on Chios?
The euro. Taxis mostly want cash. For cards and mobile data, see money and mobile data on the Greek islands.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- GOV.UK – Greece entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- KTEL Chios (intercity buses) (accessed Oct 2026)
- KTEL Chios: information (accessed Oct 2026)
- Visit Greece (Greek National Tourism Organisation): Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- UNESCO: Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- UNESCO: Know-how of cultivating mastic on the island of Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- GTP: UNESCO recognises Chios mastiha, PDO status (Dec 2014) (accessed Oct 2026)
- EUR-Lex: Implementing Regulation 1176/2012, Mandarini Chiou PGI (accessed Oct 2026)
- PIOP: Chios Mastic Museum (accessed Oct 2026)
- PIOP: Chios Mastic Museum reopening (May 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
- ERIH: Chios Mastic Museum (accessed Oct 2026)
- Discover Greece: mastic traditions on Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- chios.gr: Top 10 (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greeka: Chios villages and distances (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greeka: Chios beaches (accessed Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia: Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- Rome2rio: Chios Town to Mesta (accessed Oct 2026)
- MileHacker: getting around Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ertürk Lines: Çeşme–Chios timetable (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ertürk Lines: FAQ (accessed Oct 2026)
- Tilos Travel: 2026 Aegean islands sailing plan (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner: Çeşme to Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK: Greece safety and security (driving) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Your Europe: driving licence recognition in the EU (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission: Schengen visa policy (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK: Turkey entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- Auswärtiges Amt: Türkei, Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (German) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Republic of Türkiye MFA: visa information for foreigners (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greek City Times: Greece returns to winter time on 25 October 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
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