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Greek Islands: Chios
Top 10 Things to see on Chios

Chios Church1) Mesta: The medieval mastic village is on my top-10 for all of Greece so make sure you visit this at least.
2) Cave of Olympi: Its not Diros where you cruise around in a little boat through underground rivers, but on a hot day there is no cooler place to be and caves are always impressive anyway.
3) Pirgi: The scrafitti or  ksista designed houses of this mastic village may have you repainting your own house after your holiday. Plus the cafeneon in the main square is one of the best.
4) Emborio: The black sand beaches are in my top ten beaches of Greece and the town is charming and peaceful except on weekends in July and August when it seems like half of Chios is here.
5) Anavatos: The deserted city where the inhabitants threw themselves from the cliffs rather than be taken by the Turks
6) Archaeological Museum of Chios: One of the best in the Greek islands and an easy walk from the waterfront in Chios town though you will probably get lost anyway
7) Nea Moni Monastery: Awe inspiring setting and beautiful wall paintings and mosaics and a feeling of peace that will give you an idea of what Mount Athos is like.
8) West coast beaches from Vroulidia to Agia Markela, take your pick. They are all beautiful.
9) The Kastro of Chios Town and while you are at it the main platia
10) Kampos: Find someone to take you around on foot and see all the beautiful mansions and greenery.

Got another Top-10 or a place that should also be listed? E-mail me.

Gone through my Top-10?
Try these too from longtime Chios visitor Doortje van Lieshout from Berghem, Holland...

-Agio Gala with the Byzanthine church of Panagia i Agiogalousena built below the village in the entrance of the caves.
-The villages Kardamyla/Marmaro with a nice port and the windmill Mylo Tou Mavri.
-Ano Kardamyla, Spilia and Mountain of Gria
-Viki, Amades and Kambia with the Kambia-Canyon with view on the Pelineonmountain and surroundings
-Monastery Agioi Pateras near Nea Moni
-Monastery Agios Minas near Neohori famous in world history for the holocaust in 1822.  3500 women and children were massacred by the Turks.
-Monastery Agios Constantinos near Thymiana and Karfas, only open for women
-The village Vessa a well preserved village in the center of a big agricultiral area, the village Agios Georgios Sikousis a large village built on the top of a hill with old gates and picturesque corners with a mejestic view over Kambos, the Aegean Sea and the Asian Minor Coast and the village Zifias with the artificial lake with dam and surroundings 
-The village Kalamoti with the church of Panagia Agrelopoussena
-The fisherman's place Lagada and the abondoned village Kydianta as well as Pantoukios and Sykiada with the church of Agios Isidoros in the surroundings
-The smallest village Kipouries
-The late byzantine monastery of Moundon near Diefcha with 475 beautiful paintings, all in a good condition.

Hi Matt
I would like to recommend the incredible site of Agio Gala for your Top-10. Beside a spring-fed stream is a delightful oasis of shade trees that includes a small museum that tells the story of the town and its caves. After visiting the museum you can be led inside actual subterranean caves, which is always fun, the last of which features not one but two small churches inside. The latter includes a consistent dripping of cloudy almost-white water that, of course, is divinely source mother’s milk. On the way out you see the town’s communal ovens with some great historical photos and a story of the first automobile to visit the town (I think in the 1950s) which spawned a huge celebration. About an hour northwest of Volissos.
Will Haysnoe

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