(by Aspasia Kakari, journalist and travel blogger girandoperilmondo.it) 

Chios is a blessed place, the more you get to know it, the more you want to explore it. From the cosmopolitan picturesque little ports of the east side, facing the Turkish coast, to the blue-green waters of the free beaches at the piney west coast, and from the wild beauty of the mountainous north side, to the soft hills hosting the famous Mastiha villages in the south, Chios is not just an island, it’s rather many islands in one. That’ s why the summers in Chios have something for everyone. For me, they have mastic perfumed promenades, swimming in the countless beaches, hiking on ancient trails, but also appetizers (greek “mezedes”), music, summer movies.

   As a part of the Anniversary Activities of Piraeus Bank and with the anniversary of 200 years from the Greek Revolution in 1821,  Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP)  connects its power with the National Historical Museum (NHM) to present the temporary exhibition “REVOLUTION ’21 REFRAMED: CHIOS” which takes place at the Mastic Museum of Chios.

(editor’s note: Personal impressions of a Greek American who is visiting Chios every summer for forty years now)

There are a lot of extraordinary places that anyone can visit on the island of Chios.  There is one attraction that made quite an impression on us, and that is Olympoi cave.

(editor’s note: Personal impressions of a Greek American who is visiting Chios every summer for forty years now)

The island of Chios is one of the largest islands in Greece located in the north eastern part of the Aegean Sea. 

A few years ago, Chios was an undiscovered island in the world of tourism.  Lately it’s becoming quite known to European tourists and many Greek Americans who visit the island during the summer months, especially in August.  As with any other Greek American, my husband and I visit Chios every summer for the past 40 years. 

Remarkably rich in history, culture and traditions, Chios also boasts an extremely diverse musical tradition, with special characteristics, varying from one part of the island to the other. As it happens in many other fields, like the natural landscape and architecture, the northern villages of Chios are quite different from the south, even in terms of folk music. With multiple musical influences, tracing back to the Ionian musical rhythms of antiquity and the musical legacy of the Byzantine Empire, but also reflecting the influence of the Latin conquerors and the folk musical tradition of Asia Minor and the Aegean islands, the folk music of Chios is worth discovering for the visitor.