October 28 excursion to Xios – Smyrna (4 days)

Πρόγραμμα

1st DAY Athens – Chios (City tour) – Volissos – Pitios
Gathering in the morning at the airport El. Venizelos and flight to Chios. Arrival on the island, boarding the bus and departure to get to know the capital of the island. Our acquaintance begins with its famous and well-preserved castle. After admiring both the wonderful space and the magnificent view, we will end up in the city of Chios to visit the Korai library and the Argentis folklore museum (individual expenses), since they are housed in the same area. The Korai Library is one of the oldest and largest libraries that exist in Greece since its collection lists more than 250,000 volumes. The Argentis Ethnological and Folklore Museum is housed in the library building, specifically on the second floor. The museum includes a remarkable collection of costumes as well as many embroideries from various villages of the island. The textiles, tools, utensils, copper engravings, paintings, portraits of the lords as well as various wood-carved objects help the visitor to discover the daily life of the Chiots during the 17th and 19th centuries. We continued to Volissos, a village with a long history, which according to Thucydides, was once an old Aeolian city and was among those who argue about the origin of Homer. In the Byzantine years, on top of a hill, a trapezium-shaped castle and six circular towers were built. There we will have time for lunch in the village taverns (individual expenses). The last destination of today’s excursion is the village of Pitios, built in a unique environment that combines mountains and plains. The landscape includes a Byzantine tower, small churches and a windmill and we will have time to enjoy our coffee. In the afternoon arrival at our most central hotel CHIOS CHANDRIS 4*, built in a privileged location with a stunning view of the sea and the port of Chios. Arrangement in the rooms, rest, and dinner in the evening.

2nd DAY New Monastery of Chios – Anavatos – Avgonima – Monastery of Agios Minas – Kampos
Rich buffet breakfast and departure for the New Monastery of Chios, a building of the 11th century and dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin. Today the Monastery is classified among the monuments that are under the protection of the World Heritage of UNESCO. We continue to the medieval, Byzantine village – hidden from prying eyes, Anavato. “Mystras” of the Aegean, even though today it is a deserted village, carries the history of the island to this day. Then we will visit the village of Avgonima, built at an altitude of 500 meters which is one of the medieval villages of the island, with its peculiar fortress architectural style. The houses are built of stone and with small windows which were used to protect against pirate raids during the Middle Ages. Many houses communicated with each other, there are still the passages (doors built today) from house to house, to have an escape route when the enemy entered a house. Free time for lunch (individual expenses) and then we will visit the famous and historical Monastery of Agios Minas, where one of the biggest massacres of Christians took place. Finally, we will enjoy our afternoon coffee in the impressive Kampos. Kampos constitutes a special residential complex, where the unique natural landscape is harmoniously combined with the local architectural features and is widely known for its fragrant citrus groves, but also for its old mansions. Enchanted and completely full of our day, return to the hotel to rest. In the evening rich buffet dinner and free time. so that there would be a way of escape when the enemy entered a house. Free time for lunch (individual expenses) and then we will visit the famous and historical Monastery of Agios Minas, where one of the biggest massacres of Christians took place. Finally, we will enjoy our afternoon coffee in the impressive Kampos. Kampos constitutes a special residential complex, where the unique natural landscape is harmoniously combined with the local architectural features and is widely known for its fragrant citrus groves, but also for its old mansions. Enchanted and completely full of our day, return to the hotel to rest. In the evening rich buffet dinner and free time. so that there would be a way of escape when the enemy entered a house. Free time for lunch (individual expenses) and then we will visit the famous and historical Monastery of Agios Minas, where one of the biggest massacres of Christians took place. Finally, we will enjoy our afternoon coffee in the impressive Kampos. Kampos constitutes a special residential complex, where the unique natural landscape is harmoniously combined with the local architectural features and is widely known for its fragrant citrus groves, but also for its old mansions. Enchanted and completely full of our day, return to the hotel to rest. In the evening rich buffet dinner and free time. where one of the biggest massacres of Christians took place. Finally, we will enjoy our afternoon coffee in the impressive Kampos. Kampos constitutes a special residential complex, where the unique natural landscape is harmoniously combined with the local architectural features and is widely known for its fragrant citrus groves, but also for its old mansions. Enchanted and completely full of our day, return to the hotel to rest. In the evening rich buffet dinner and free time. where one of the biggest massacres of Christians took place. Finally, we will enjoy our afternoon coffee in the impressive Kampos. Kampos constitutes a special residential complex, where the unique natural landscape is harmoniously combined with the local architectural features and is widely known for its fragrant citrus groves, but also for its old mansions. Enchanted and completely full of our day, return to the hotel to rest. In the evening rich buffet dinner and free time. but also, the old mansions. Enchanted and completely full of our day, return to the hotel to rest. In the evening rich buffet dinner and free time. but also, the old mansions. Enchanted and completely full of our day, return to the hotel to rest. In the evening rich buffet dinner and free time.

3rd DAY Cesme – Izmir – Fragomahala lodges
Breakfast at a rich buffet and transfer to the port where we will take the boat to Cesme (optional excursion – individual expenses). Passing outside the Greek villages of Alacsata and Vourla, we reach the legendary city of Smyrna, where we visit its many attractions (famous Clock, Government House, Kasamba railway station, Greek Consulate). We will have.

4DAY Mastic Museum – Pyrgi – Mesta – Chora – Athens
th Breakfast buffet and from our excursion we could not miss the trademark of the island, the Chios mastic museum (individual expenses). It is in Mastichohoria, a set of medieval villages in South Chios, in the only place in the Mediterranean where mastic, known today all over the world, is cultivated and produced. Here we will learn about the traditional know-how of mastic cultivation and how the management of mastic historically shaped the rural and inhabited landscape of Chios until today. Then we will visit the “painted village” Pyrgi, as many call it because of the elaborate decorative patterns on the facades of the buildings. It is the largest medieval village of Chios and despite all the changes brought to it by time and human interventions, the Tower is even today a living medieval legend. Next, we will visit one of the most beautiful villages of the island, classified as a preserved monument, the medieval village of Mesta. Its elaborate architecture stems from the Byzantine period and the village itself is built like a castle. The houses, small and stone, built next to each other, form a strong protective wall on the outer perimeter of the settlement. The walk through the small alleys of the village, under the arches that form the balconies, offers the visitor a unique experience. Arrival in Chora with time to eat and buy local products and transfer to the airport for our return flight to Athens. the medieval village of Mesta. Its elaborate architecture stems from the Byzantine period and the village itself is built like a castle. The houses, small and stone, built next to each other, form a strong protective wall on the outer perimeter of the settlement. The walk through the small alleys of the village, under the arches that form the balconies, offers the visitor a unique experience. Arrival in Chora with time to eat and buy local products and transfer to the airport for our return flight to Athens. the medieval village of Mesta. Its elaborate architecture stems from the Byzantine period and the village itself is built like a castle. The houses, small and stone, built next to each other, form a strong protective wall on the outer perimeter of the settlement. The walk through the small alleys of the village, under the arches that form the balconies, offers the visitor a unique experience. Arrival in Chora with time to eat and buy local products and transfer to the airport for our return flight to Athens. The walk through the small alleys of the village, under the arches that form the balconies, offers the visitor a unique experience. Arrival in Chora with time to eat and buy local products and transfer to the airport for our return flight to Athens. The walk through the small alleys of the village, under the arches that form the balconies, offers the visitor a unique experience. Arrival in Chora with time to eat and buy local products and transfer to the airport for our return flight to Athens.