The capital of Tinos is an important place of pilgrimage of the Orthodox Church and the hinterland, with its traditional villages, is a paradise for hikers and for anybody interested in the marble crafts.
Aghapi
One of the secret jewels of Tinos, far from the main roads and visited mostly by hikers. The access road goes up a picturesque valley, bypasses the village and ends in cul-de-sac. The village is pedestrian: just an alley partly underground, which passes under the church and where a nice tavern is nestled. A unique and magical place, ignored by mass tourism!
Chora (Tinos)
Port and capital of Tinos, Chora is the city of the Basilica Panaghia Evangelistria, one of the most important places of pilgrimage of Greece. The city is not a Cycladic village but, with its lively seafront, it has a lot of urban charm. It's an ideal place to stay if you wish to visit the island.
Dhyo Horia
Nicknamed "The Balcony of Tinos", this traditional village located 450 m above sea level offers exceptional points of view to the south of Tinos and the neighbouring islands. Its main square, in the shade of majestic plane trees, is in itself worth the visit. (Unfortunately, during our visit, the weather was cloudy and our photos don't really reflect the charm of the place...)
Exombourgho
This huge rock, which rises to an altitude of 641 m, is not the highest mountain in Tinos (Mount Tsiknias, east of the island, is 727 m high), but it dominates the whole hinterland. In the Middle Ages was built a fortress deemed impregnable, which walls protected a large city. Everything was destroyed by the Ottomans in the early 18th century and today the rock is a paradise for rock climbing, with several routes.
Falatadhos
There are more than 45 villages in Tinos, impossible of course to visit them all during a stay, you will have to make a choice. Feel free to add Falatadhos to your selection, because this traditional village is a real gem! For hikers, it's also a good starting point to explore the center of the island, where many picturesque villages gather in amazing landscapes.
Isternia
The other "marble village", less known than Pyrghos but equally picturesque. Many Greek sculptors were born there and marble is omnipresent. The village is built on a steep slope, above the road leading to Pyrghos along the west coast. The road doesn't cross it and seen from below you can't guess how charming it is. Take the time to go up, you won't regret the effort!
Kechrovouni
This big monastery, with its labyrinth of alleys, looks like a small Cycladic village. It was here that lived Pelagia, the nun who saw in recurring dreams the place where a forgotten icon was buried. A miraculous story since, after excavations, the icon was found and gave birth to the Panaghia Evangelistria, built in the capital Chora on the site of the discovery!
Museum of Marble Crafts
The Museum of Marble Crafts, in Pyrghos, is devoted to everything related to this wonderful metamorphic rock, from its extraction to its sculpture, for art or craft. All the marbles are reviewed, from the white marble of the ancient statues to the black marble, along the yellow, the green, the pink, the red, the blue... Didactic and exciting!
Ormos Panormou
A small fishing village below Pyrghos, far north of the island. It used to be, with the port of Chora, the most important port of Tinos, and today it's a popular seaside destination, close to several beautiful beaches, including Rochari Beach, a few minutes walk away. It's the only village on the north coast of the island.
Panaghia Evangelistria
Our Lady of Tinos is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Greece, comparable to Lourdes in France or Fatima in Portugal. The sanctuary was built of marble partially "borrowed" from Delos, following the discovery of an icon deemed miraculous, which appeared in a dream to a nun in Kechrovouni Monastery.
Pyrghos
The famous "Marble Village", north of Tinos, a maze of picturesque alleys where many workshops and an interesting museum dedicated to the marble crafts have been set up. It's a "mandatory" stopover of any stay in Tinos so it's very touristy, but the village hasn't lost its charm and you will not regret the visit!
Volax
One of the strangest places of all the Cyclades! Some houses with doors covered with poems, set in a surreal landscape dotted with almost spherical rocks of all sizes. Some artisans, taverns, a beautiful church, a small amphitheater. Even if it's more a hamlet than a village, Volax is one of the greatest tourist attractions of Tinos!
Xinara
A tiny village nestled at the foot of Exombourgho Rock. One street, a small square with a small amphitheater, a few houses and two large and beautiful churches, one Catholic and the other Orthodox. Formerly, Xinara was the seat of the municipality of Exombourgho, which included several villages of the island. Nowadays, it's just a picturesque hamlet that we visit in a few minutes.
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