Safe trails
For all to enjoy
Ranging from almost indiscernible goat trails to stone-built roads, there are dozens of paths spreading over Chios’ mountains, hills, ravines and plains that all hikers will find intriguing. The island’s uneven terrain and uninterrupted human activity have endowed Chios with inviting trails, the majority of which can be found on the island’s northern, mountainous part. Over the past few years, the local authorities, the “Friends of Chios Trails” club as well as several volunteers have been putting in a huge effort to preserve and promote many of those trails.
So, here’s a brief overview of the island’s areas that can mostly appeal to day-walkers, hikers or rock climbers. We aim at gradually enhancing this webpage with presentations, maps as well as GPS tracks displaying our favorite hiking routes. We are, however, deliberately going to withhold information on tough and hazardous trails; instead, we intend to include smooth and safe paths which can guarantee uneventful hiking –provided participants abide by the basic safety rules.
Aepos
On Aepos, large rock mounds, outstanding gravel extraction works, endless stone walls, fertile plots, sheepfolds and dozens of wells give life to a sensational landscape. Several smooth paths on the plateau, along with more demanding trails, also ascend from the area of Vrontados.
Amani
The northwestern tip of the island, in Amani, an area well-known for its “Ariousios” wine, and specifically the villages stretching over to the north of Volissos, is laced with old trails extending over typical rural areas which used to connect the scattered villages before the road network was created. Be sure to step by Keramos to see the antimony mines before rounding off the day in a hot tub in Agiasmata.
Anavatos
Breathtakingly hanging from a rocky outcrop in central Chios lies the medieval fortress village of Anavatos. Its prominent position and the rocky terrain surrounding it have endowed the area around the settlement with all sorts of varying difficulty routes, such as cart roads, stone-built paths as well as steep trails offering a sublime view.
Black-pebbled beach
In Mavros Gialos, the volcanic soil and the “energy” this magnificent place is giving off can guarantee that you will be entranced wherever you choose to go, while gazing at the black-pebbled beach and the sea with its pristine waters. Heading south lies cape Oura, but the rugged terrain calls for some actual hiking skills.
Kardamila
Though everyone is familiar with how synonymous contemporary Kardamila is with seamanship, the village’s residents had a long shepherd and farming tradition prior to pursuing a career in seafaring. Trails leading from Ano Kardamila to pastures lying over the mountain ranges which envelope the village are challenging, though they can yield great hiking satisfaction.
Mastic villages
Trails are scarcer in the low-lying lands of south Chios due to the dense road network providing access to the mastic bushes and olive tree plots. Still, walking around countless terraces is not only rewarding, but can also enable strollers to gain experiential insight of the UNESCO-recognized mastic growing process.
- Fa – Lithi
- Prophet Elias of Komi
Nea Moni
Spreading around the renowned Nea Moni (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a large number of relatively smooth trails connects this medieval monastery with the region’s chapels and glebes as well as nearby villages.
Oros
An imposing massif boasting the third highest peak on Chios, on top of which stand the iconic antenna and the derelict building which used to be part of the island’s telecommunication network. Up here, the village of Pitios has a long livestock tradition while also offering great view of geomorphological oddities and hiking satisfaction in spades.
Pelineo
Twin-peak Pelineo is the island’s tallest mountain range and the third highest in the whole Aegean. Chained onto the ledge stands the little blue steel church dedicated to Holy Trinity, providing hikers with a highly pleasing and completely unobstructed view. The rugged terrain makes for a landscape that exudes unadulterated natural beauty. It is accessible by paths starting from almost every village located on its foothills.
Pigania
Mount Piganio, an impressive ridge overlooking the village of Karies, is only a few miles away from Chios town. It features some challenging, yet truly magnificent trails made by sheepherders, with well-maintained stone-built stockyards and a fascinating view to the east coast of Chios and Asia Minor.
Thimiana
The road network constructed by stone masons consists of farm roads and paths spreading through the regions of Thimiana and Kambos as well as the coastal regions of Megas Limionas, Karfas and Agia Ermioni. It is ideal for those interested in leisurely walks along orchards, mastic trees and quarries extracting local stone.
Volissos
Clinging gracefully to a slope, beneath a Genoese fortress, Volissos is the queen of Amani. Stroll around the lowlands filled with orchards and the valley bisected by Malagkiotis stream, with its abandoned watermills and tidy plots. In summer, round off your walk with a refreshing dip at Managros, the island’s largest beach.
