Where To Stay In Chios: The Ultimate Guide

There is a great possibility you don’t know what’s the best place to stay in Chios. The names of places might look all Greek to you, plus Chios is a relatively big Greek island… This is the ultimate guide to help you out!

where to stay in chios

The place you will stay in Chios can really make or break your holiday on the 5th biggest Greek island.

Ok…here are my tips to you (use the links to jump right where you want to):

JUMP IN QUICKLY:
  1. The Best Place To Stay in Chios (overall)
  2. Town or village stay?
  3. The Best Place for a Family with kids
  4. The Best Place for a Young Couple
  5. The Best Place for Nightlife
  6. The Best Place for Beach Life
  7. The Best Place for Seniors and people with difficulty in mobility
  8. The Best Place for Solo Travellers
  9. The Best Place for Budget Holidays
  10. The Best Place for Sightseeing
  11. The Best Place for Great Sunset Views

keep reading….

READ ALSO: 
Where To Stay In Chios
Best Hotels in Chios
Best Apartments in Chios
Best Villas in Chios
Best Beaches in Chios

Booking.com is the website with the most available rooms and Private Villas in Chios (more than Airbnb!)

Ferryhopper is the best website to book your ferry tickets or check the timetables for Chios

Get Your Guide has the best and largest variety of Tours in Chios and the greek islands

Rentalcars is the easiest way to rent a car or a quad for Chios with thousands of available options

Expedia has all the available flights to and from Chios

1. The Best Place To Stay in Chios

best time to visit chios
Beautiful Pyrgi village in Chios

The best place to stay in Chios depends on the type of traveller you are, the purpose of your trip and really what you are looking for.

The east coast side includes the main Chios Town, as known as Chora and some of the best hotels or apartments you can book to enjoy your holiday. Stay in or close to Chios Town, aka Chora (Kampos is the traditional stay or Karfas for the most touristic area on the island) or travel north to get a wild natural beauty in the historical Kardamila and the villages around it.

The west coast side actually offers some amazing views of the sunset, gives you easy access to the most isolated beaches and picturesque villages. Stay at Volissos to get a bit of everything including some nightlife in the peak season or pick Mesta to feel like you live in the medieval times.

The good thing for sightseeing lovers is that there is so much to explore that no matter where you stay, you will still be rewarded. But we’ll come to that too…

Best Hotel in Chios Town: Argentikon Luxury Suites
Best Villa close to Chios Town: Mastiha Villas

2. Town or Village stay?

best time to visit chios

If you want to be closer to Chios nightlife (mainly bars, not so many clubs), the shops and also the bus hub and taxis that can take you almost anywhere on the island, then stay in or close to Chios Town. The capital of the island is almost always alive in the summer months. There are some noisy bars and cafes but they are mainly located at the port, so in the options we give you there will be no problem of losing your sleep.

However, if you want to stay in a village then… pick a side of the island, west or east, and enjoy combining relaxation with exploration. As I’ve mentioned before Chios is big and probably you will not be able to get all around it in less than a week’s stay. Staying in a village does not mean you will be bored in the night time if you want to have a drink (or more). Villages like KardamilaVolissosMesta have their own unique style of nightlife. However it is intense only in August if we’re talking about… am hours. Other that Chora, I could say Karfas can get busy for a longer period.

Best Hotel in Kardamila: Ai Yannis Suites
Best Hotel in Volissos: Yasemi of Chios

3. The Best Stay for a Family with kids

Two places come in mind when I think of family holidays, Karfas and Lithi.

Karfas is the nearest option to Chora, the Chios airport and Chios Port. It is a very touristic area with many hotels and rooms to let, as well as restaurants on the beach.

The beach of Karfas is very shallow and kids love to play with it. Just to be clear, I was always a bit scared of the sea (strange for an islander) as a kid and now as a dad, so don’t take the safety because of shallow waters for granted. However, they are much safer than other deep sea in different beaches.

I mention Lithi as the best place to eat fresh fish and that combined with a family holiday could be a winner. The waters are also shallow on most of the beaches around the area, but you will probably stick to the main beach of Lithi that is similar to Karfas and has some water activities and sports to enjoy.

Best Hotel in Karfas: Erytha Resort
Best Rooms in Karfas: Sideratos Apartments
Best Hotel in Lithi: Almiriki Hotel

4. The Best Place for a Young Couple

best beaches in chios

There is an understanding in the Chios society that specific groups of people do not want a lot of tourism in the island. These are mainly people making their living outside of tourism, something very common in Chios. There are other sources of income to the residents like the production of mastic, working in shipping companies etc.

To my impression, those group of people try to keep Chios quiet and the secrets of Chios unrevealed .

How wrong is that?

Well, you cannot blame anyone for looking for his tranquillity but on the other hand you get amazed to discover what those hidden gems (islands) have to provide.

So, to get to the answer of the question here, the best place for a young couple (considering they have no kids) would be to stay around the Chios Town. That’s because you enjoy the nightlife and have many options for restaurants, taverns and sightseeing. Being young (or feeling young) also means that a couple will get to visit even the most distant beaches from Chora (about 40 minutes maximum drive) because they still have the energy to combine it all together after a late night out.

Alternatively, but you will miss the nightlife of Chios Town, you could stay in the villages mentioned above. Mesta, Volissos, Karfas, Kardamila are all great options to explore.

More secrets revealed: Chios Apartments

5. The Best Place in Chios for nightlife

Panigiri in Chios villages – Ready for a spin?

Kind of repeating here, but there is a clear winner: Chios Town (aka Chora). You will be surprised by some other places as I’ve written above, but the safest option is around the port area.

There are lots of bars and restaurants to choose from. Have a cocktail at Oz Cocktail Bar or at ‘44‘ on the port (I always combine the two) and you will not regret it. Get lost in the crowd at ‘Sueno‘ for loud music and dance.

If you want to live the local style of celebrating the big Greek days (usually the religious ones), you will need to drive north or south of the island to experience the Greek ‘panigiri’ (fest with live music, food and a lot of drinking). I think you should try this to be honest even if it is not your style. The biggest panigiri in Chios gets place around the 15th of August. It is usually on the 14th but in some villages (Viki, up north) it can last for 3 nights!

6. The Best Place to stay in Chios for Beach Life

Chios has 71 beaches that can be accessed by car. I have already listed the best beaches in Chios to help you out. It is around those beaches the ideal place for you to stay if laying down at the beach first thing in the morning is what you look for in your vacation.

Honestly though, there are not hundreds of places that provide that privilege in Chios. But there are some and you are lucky to know them unlike other people that still look for it.

Earlier we said that Karfas and Lithi are ideal places for families. That is because of the beach life they offer to the kids. The first one, Karfas, is also a place for everybody. The beach is long and spacious even for the busy months, while hotels, apartments and restaurants complete a set that most people want in their holidays.

Best Hotel in Karfas: Erytha Resort
Best Rooms in Karfas: Sideratos Apartments

But a more secret place to enjoy beach life in Chios is Nagos, only a short drive from Kardamila, north east of the island. There are just a few apartments you can stay there, but the variety is what makes it interesting. Pick a seaside bungalow on the beach or a luxury apartment for a more cozy stay.

How about that for a morning treat?

7. The Best Place in Chios for Seniors or people with difficulty in movement

Unfortunately, Greece is a bit behind regarding the satisfaction of people with a difficulty in movement or senior travelers. Chios is not an exception to that and in a way it makes some sort of sense since there is some wild beauty around here, quite a few beaches that can only be reached on foot, some others only by boat or even more some that are literally not accessible.

This would mean that if senior travelers or people with mobility needs do not know where to go then their holiday can turn into a nightmare.

However, those people can still enjoy what Chios has to offer. Sightseeing should not be a problem apart from some places like Anavatos (steep and a lot of stairs) or Volissos (a lot of steps to get the sunset views too). I suggest they stay around the main port in Chora or get information about the accessibility of their hotel before booking.

I’ll save you some time by taking you directly to a list of hotels and apartments that provide facilities for disabled guests in Chios.

You probably know this from experience, but please make sure you inform your hotel in advance and let them know of your situation. I am certain they will do their best to make sure you have a great and comfortable stay.

8. The Best Place in Chios for solo travelers

I kind of still do not understand how people like traveling on their own. However, I have accepted it as a… thing and there are many reasons I can see when somebody does it. You might be looking for tranquillity or partying or exploring at your own pace. Or even for the lifestyle, to take pictures, to share them in the social media. That variety actually makes it harder for me to suggest the best place for solo travelers.

But I have to pick one and considering all option I can be quite positive saying that if you like traveling solo then Chios Town (Chora) is the place to stay. This is where all the buzz is. Consider staying in a hotel to get more chances of meeting people as soon as you get to Chios.

People here, as well as in most islands in Greece, are friendly enough to help you out. Especially if they see you are alone and you seek information, company or just a quick chit chat.

Talking of buzz, you will probably want to visit a busy beach to get more chances to meet people. Unless your traveling solo style means you want to stay alone for the holiday too. Well, in that case there are a couple of Monasteries I could suggest…

Beach-wise, possibilities are you want to spend your laying down time in Komi or Agia Fotia beach. Alternatively, staying close in Mesta will give you a unique feeling due to its unique ID and around Mavra Volia if all you care is the scenery and laying down on black pebbles which alone is a special experience.

However, you need to keep in mind that if you don’t stay in Chios Town or close by (Karfas) then you will miss out on the nightlife (look up, it’s no.5).

Chios has so much to offer but has not been discovered as a solo traveler’s destination. So, even being a bit bias, I need to mention that in this place I find my own tranquillity. This is where Homer got great inspiration (the famous ‘Homer’s Rock’ is in Daskalopetra). Maybe you can also get that push you need to make this solo holiday worth every minute of it.

I might be repeating myself here, but I have to be clear with you like the clear waters around Chios:

If you are not a distant cousin of Bear Grylls it would be better not to visit Chios in the winter. Chora, the main town, is excluded because it’s full of student life.

Forget the stereotype that Greece is hot during the whole year. It is sunny, but it can get cold too. Spring and Autumn should be okay (you need to be brave to swim), but still a bit adventurous and most places are closed; apart from Chios Town.

Best Hotel in Chios: Grecian Castle
Best Rooms in Karfas: Sideratos Apartments

9. The Best Place in Chios for Budget Holidays

Chios is in general a very affordable Greek island.

You will get full charge of your holiday and still be happy when you check your account at the end of it.

Don’t take me wrong, there are services that cost more (did you say private swimming pool?) and places you will need to pay a bit more because ie. for the location. Come on, you know that staying on the beach comes with a price…

However, I honestly believe that if you book well in advance you will find a great deal yourself. You really don’t need to use a travel agent but easily plan your holiday stay in Chios even if it’s your first time in Greece….

The good thing about Chios is that when it comes to what you pay for, this is actually relevant to the services you get. You will not be asked to pay extra for a sunset view or even for the look of a room. Some decent rooms can be as low as 25 euros per night in June.

So, I will filter down the locations you can stay. I believe you already have the information above depending on the type of traveler you are or the stay you would like and try to make a choice yourself. The last thing I will try and do to save you time is give you a direct link to the best budget hotels in Chios listed for under 50 euros per night in June.

10. The Best Place in Chios for sightseeing

Chios is full of history that goes back thousands of years. So, sightseeing can consume a lot of time of your holiday. Luckily, you can visit most places of interest and some times combine two or more in a day or on a late afternoon after spending time at the beach.

I’ve included a list of the top places to visit during your stay in Chios and I can promise you from time to time to include posts of with day trips combining sightseeing and leisure for different tastes and type of visitors.

As a general rule I consider the Chios Town the best place to stay if you want to be in close vicinity to the following attractions.

  • Nea Moni
  • Castle of Chios
  • Agia Markella
  • Mastic Museum
  • Citrus Museum
  • Maritime Museum
  • Archaeological Museum
  • Olimpi’s Cave
  • Anavatos

11. The Best Place to stay in Chios for Great Sunset Views

Sunset views from a hill in Avgonima

This is an easy one. You pick the west side of the island, right? Common sense. But truly, not every sunset is the same.

Unlike other islands like Santorini there has not been much marketing in the sunset you can experience while staying in Chios.

Most of the west coast line of the island is what I call a rough diamond. This is actually the reason why it attracts more visitors of the exploring type and not the ones that travel in bulk because they read what is trendy this year in the travel magazines.

So, lucky you… You’re still reading this post and have it all figured out. Stay in Volissos or Avgonyma (Avgonima) for great views of the sunset. Or if you don’t stay, at least visit at the dawn at least once during your holidays in Chios.

Best Hotel in Volissos: Yasemi of Chios
Best Hotel in Avgonima: Avgonima All Seasons Hotel

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