Avgónyma

Avgónyma is a medieval castle settlement on a rocky hill above the surrounding pine forests. Narrow, cobbled alleys and picturesque stone houses define the village. If you choose a holiday apartment to match the character of your destination, Avgónyma puts village architecture and paths through pine forests at the heart of your stay.

Village history, tavernas and remembrance

The tavernas in Avgónyma serve local dishes such as young goat, wild herb balls, chickpea balls and handmade pasta, along with local souma and ouzo. If you would like to try one of the dishes mentioned, ask the tavernas what is currently available.

Near Avgónyma, a monument erected in 2011 commemorates residents of the village who lost their lives in the struggle to liberate Chios.

Trails through pine forests

A wide path, formerly used by monks, leads to Avgónyma; the Monastery of Agioi Pateres lies along the way. Another route starts in the village and heads east along old footpaths through pine forest to the small chapel of St Isidoros. This is followed by a short stretch on a paved road. The route then follows a stream and continues along old footpaths and unpaved trails through pine forest to the Chapel of Taxiarch, then on to the medieval settlement of Anavatos.

The route descriptions differ in their starting points and courses: Agioi Pateres lies along the wide path formerly used by monks, while the other route starts in Avgónyma and leads to Anavatos. This allows you to plan for two different destinations and routes.

For swimming, Elinda Beach is also nearby. It is listed as ten minutes from Avgónyma; visitors can swim there, and its clear water is highlighted.

More discoveries on Chios

On Chios, Nea Moni offers a remarkable focus on Byzantine art. The monastery was built between 1042 and 1056 and is considered an undisputed masterpiece of this art. Its mosaics are part of one of three collections from the Middle Byzantine period preserved in Greece.

The Chios Mastic Museum in Pyrgi presents traditional knowledge about mastic cultivation in its permanent exhibition. The outdoor exhibition brings visitors into contact with the mastic plant and its natural habitat. The museum opened to the public in 2016.

Mesta and Pyrgi also showcase Chios’s distinctive architecture. In medieval Mesta, closely packed houses form a protective outer wall; the village is preserved as a monument. In Pyrgi, the Xysta are black-and-white geometric decorations on house façades. The detailed façade patterns explain why Pyrgi is often called the “painted village.”

Anavatos is a medieval Byzantine tower village in the central region of Chios. The Church of Taxiarchis is well preserved. The so-called “Three-Storey Building” houses an olive press, a school, a water cistern and the Church of the Theotokos.

Discover more destinations: Patrika, Mestá, Volissos, Aghios Georgios Sykoussis, Kallimasia, Vouno, Kardamyla, Paralia Agias Fotinis.

For the broader travel overview: Chios.