Discover Vrontados: Coast, Culture and Trails

When looking for hotels in Vrontados, it is worth keeping the area’s distinct highlights in mind: the coast, waterfront art, historic sights and a mountain hiking trail in the west each offer a different focus for planning your trip.

Coast and activities

Afanis Naftis Beach is suitable for windsurfing when the north wind blows. Trees provide shade at nearby Mersinidi Beach. A road leads to Mersinidi Monastery and its beach. When choosing a beach, different features come to the fore: the wind conditions for windsurfing at Afanis Naftis and the tree shade at Mersinidi.

Cultural sites in Vrontados

On the waterfront promenade, the sculpture “Lost Sailor” commemorates sailors lost at sea. The work by Thanasis Apartis is dedicated to them. The windmills on Vrontados’s main road are also worth a visit. Outside the harbor lies Daskalopetra, literally “Teacher’s Stone”: this famous monument offers a view of the sea. Nearby is the marble tomb of Psihari, regarded as an important philologist and linguist.

The main collection of the Museum of the Progressive Association of Vrontados includes folk art objects, old books and natural science materials. The Progressive Association of Vrontados (F.O.V.) was founded in 1924. The area’s public art and memorial sites are thus complemented by a collection that brings together folk art and natural science.

Kleidou and the trail to the Aipos Plateau

Kleidou, known for its abundant water and lush vegetation, lies west of Vrontados. A mountain hiking trail begins there, following the Armenis stream and passing through the narrow Fagano Gorge before reaching the Aipos Plateau. The route links a stream, a gorge and a plateau, making it quite different from the coastal highlights of the area. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Chios: Culture and landscapes across the wider destination

Chios has further cultural attractions. Nea Moni Monastery was built between 1042 and 1056 and is considered an undisputed masterpiece of Byzantine art. Its mosaics are part of one of only three collections from the Middle Byzantine period preserved in Greece. The Chios Mastic Museum in Pyrgi offers a different focus: its permanent exhibition presents traditional knowledge about mastic cultivation, while the outdoor exhibition introduces visitors to the mastic plant and its natural habitat. The museum opened to the public in 2016.

The island’s architecture also takes various forms. Mesta is a medieval village preserved as a monument. Its closely packed houses form a protective outer wall, giving the settlement a castle-like layout. In Pyrgi, black-and-white geometric xysta decorate house facades; the village is often called the “painted village” because of its detailed facade designs. The Church of Agioi Apostoloi in Pyrgi is a well-preserved Byzantine monument dating from the 14th century.

In Kampos, narrow roads wind between citrus groves and estates surrounded by high stone walls, making the area pleasant for walking. Traffic is light, so cycling is also possible; check road conditions before a bike ride. These routes between gardens and walled estates offer a different landscape from Vrontados’s coastal area.

Discover more destinations: Karfás, Thimianá, Agia Ermioni, Aghios Georgios Sykoussis, Patrika, Kambochora, Paralia Agias Fotinis, Emporios.

For the broader travel guide: Chios.