The Magic of Chios

Chios is the fifth largest Greek island situated off the Asia Minor coast and was one of the richest and most powerful states of ancient Greece, possessing the most well trained war fleet in the Aegean. Over the centuries, many conquerors tried to invade the island in order to control the mastic production. Chios Gum Mastic is a resinous extract from the Pistacia lentiscus tree, indigenous to the Mediterranean islands. The mastic tree thrives especially well in the southern part of the island of Chios, due to the mild climate and characteristics of the soil. Mastic trees found elsewhere, even in other parts of Chios, do not produce mastic gum. The plant itself is known for its lemony balsam-like smell, which can permeate the air of the 'Mastichochoria', the villages on Chios where mastic gum is produced. Interestingly, the ancient Egyptians used mastic gum, imported from Chios, in the incense they burned as a tonic for exhaustion and to restore mental clarity . Currently, mastic is a protected commodity and has international brand protection. It can be consumed in its natural form, or as a gum, in desserts and in drinks. Mastic oil is much sought after and apart from its use in cooking and pastry making, it can be used for perfumes, the production of varnish, liquor and pharmaceuticals. Mastic resin is collected through small incisions on the lentiscus trunk and thicker branches, then the fragrant mastic flows down in the form of a crystallized resin. Chios has been renowned since antiquity for its wines, which have been praised by many writers, like Aristophanes in his comedies to Athineos in this play "Dipnosofistes". The Ariousios wine especially was of great quality and was used for healing purposes too. The wines of Chios were also in great demand during the Byzantine era and the imperial dinner table would always include "the island's superior wine".
Volissos is situated north of the town of Chios, a picturesque village with narrow cobbled streets, old churches, watch towers and windmills, make up a picture of an era gone by. Thucydides' Voliskos, nowadays Volissos, was according to tradition the home city of Homer. Here, according to one interpretation, the great poet wrote "Vatrachomiomachia", a parody of the Iliad. The settlement is built on the slopes of a small hill, crowned by a Byzantine castle with six circular towers. There are remains of cisterns and churches in its interior. A tunnel connected the castle with the sea below.

Accommodation at Pyrgos village

Pyrgos village is now a community of 35 village cottages at the Eastern end of Volissos. Each one of the villas in the traditional settlement has been faithfully restored with modern comforts in mind. Stone and wood are the dominant materials while a tasteful combination of modern furnishings and traditional décor create a very pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. All villas bear a name from Greek mythology. Depending on the location of the villas, there are views to the sea, the fortress of Volissos or the narrow streets of the village. A traditional café serving breakfast, snacks and drinks throughout the day and a gourmet restaurant offers delicious local specialities.