Karfás: Beach and Discoveries on Chios

Karfás beach is sandy, and the water is shallow and warm. There are also daily city bus services to Chios Town and other places. This brings together two different considerations for planning a holiday in Karfás: the beach as a local focal point, and bus connections for days when you want to include other places.

A beach destination and planning day trips

If you enjoy spending time by the water, you can include Karfás as a destination when looking for a holiday apartment. The sandy beach and shallow, warm water shape the experience by the shore. Which accommodation suits your travel group will also depend on your own plans; you can first choose a beach destination independently of that.

Buses connect Karfás with Chios Town and other places every day. If you want to include trips in your holiday plans, check the timetable for your travel dates. Diving is another activity to consider in the area of Karfás beach: a diving school offers lessons there. Check in advance whether this is available during your travel dates. Another local landmark is the watchtower near Agia Eleni in Karfás.

Cultural sites on Chios

On Chios, history, architecture and landscape are also in focus alongside the beach. The Monastery of Nea Moni of Chios was built between 1042 and 1056, in the 11th century, and is regarded as an undisputed masterpiece of Byzantine art. Its mosaics are among three surviving collections in Greece from the Middle Byzantine period. Those with a particular appreciation for cultural history will find a distinct focus for their trip here.

In Pyrgi, the permanent exhibition at the Chios Mastic Museum presents traditional knowledge about mastic cultivation. The outdoor exhibition brings visitors into contact with the mastic plant and its natural habitat. The museum opened to the public in 2016 and has free parking; check the parking situation before your visit.

Pyrgi is also known for its facade decoration: the black-and-white geometric patterns on the houses are called “Xysta”. Because of its detailed decorative motifs, Pyrgi is often called the “painted village”. Another landmark there is the well-preserved Church of Agioi Apostoloi, a Byzantine monument dating from the 14th century. Mesta offers a different architectural emphasis. The medieval village is preserved as a monument and laid out like a castle: its closely packed houses form a protective outer wall.

Landscape and walking routes

The landscape on Chios also offers a variety of impressions. Kampos is a settlement and agricultural complex that combines an exceptional natural landscape with distinctive local architectural features. Narrow roads run between citrus groves and estates with high stone walls, making the area well suited to walking. This landscape-focused destination differs from the beach character of Karfás.

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 reservoir and the Church of the Theotokos. Visitors can walk along the village’s stone-paved streets. Chios therefore offers a range of interests: time at the beach in Karfás, architecture and history in places such as Pyrgi, Mesta and Anavatos, and walks through the landscape of Kampos. Deciding which of these you want to shape your stay can help guide your choice of holiday destination and apartment.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Volissos, Agia Ermioni, Limnia, Pyrgi, Psara, Mestá, Lagkada, Vessa.

Return to the main travel guide: Chios.