Arnados: Arcades, Hiking Trail and Church Courtyard

Arnados lies on the slope of Mount Kechrovouni near the Monastery of Agia Pelagia. The village dates back to the 13th to 14th century and is considered one of the oldest villages on Tinos. When choosing a place to stay, you can consider the village’s history, the route and ecclesiastical architecture as distinct points of reference. This lets you assess Arnados through specific features and decide which aspects of the village are of particular interest for planning your trip.

Hiking Trail T2 and Arcades

Hiking Trail T2 connects Agios Ioannis Porto on the coast with Arnados and Dyo Choria, the two highest villages on Tinos. The route also passes through Arnados and its numerous arcades, or covered passageways. T2 can therefore be considered both a link between the coast and the highest villages and a route through a village with distinctive covered passages. If you assess hiking trails not only by their endpoints but also by the character of the places they pass through, Arnados is a specific point of reference here.

Church Courtyard and Museums

The Church of the Ascension in Arnados has a pebble-mosaic courtyard. From the courtyard, the view extends as far as Mykonos. Design and scenery come together at this named location: the mosaic describes the courtyard, while the distant view broadens the sense of space. Unlike T2, where the connections and arcades shape the route, a single architectural point takes centre stage here. This gives the cultural and landscape aspects of Arnados their own distinct focus.

There are also two museums near the church, each with a different focus. Next to the church is a museum of icons and ecclesiastical treasures; a little further down is the folklore museum. Their locations help distinguish the two institutions. Their themes are also clearly distinct: ecclesiastical art and treasures on the one hand, folklore on the other. Together with the church and its pebble-mosaic courtyard, they form a distinct cultural context rooted in Arnados.

Culture on the Island of Tinos

On the island of Tinos, marble art adds an island-wide cultural context to the local focus on Arnados. In 2013, it was included in the National Inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece, and in 2015, in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In Pyrgos on Tinos, the Museum of Marble Crafts showcases the technology of marble processing. Its focus is on pre-industrial and proto-industrial Tinos, which is considered the most important centre of marble art in modern Greece. Also in Pyrgos, the Yannoulis Halepas Museum is housed in the sculptor’s former home. The building is designated as a historic listed monument. Thus, on Tinos, the history of marble art and a sculptor’s home are further, distinct cultural themes alongside the village history of Arnados.

Getting to the Island

Tinos is served by ferry connections from the ports of Piraeus and Rafina. Check the ferry schedule when coordinating your travel dates with your stay in Arnados. Checking the connections before your trip helps you include your arrival on Tinos in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Volakas, Ormos Panormou, Isternia, Tinos, Agios Sostis, Agios Romanos, Agios Fokas, Komi.

Back to the main travel overview: Tinos.