Tinos

A few years ago, you could not see many foreign tourists in Tinos. The island was above all a pilgrimage destination.

Times have changed, tourists started to flock around. Not without a good reason: it's a truly fascinating island! Kneeling pilgrims, beautifully crafted marble, dovecotes that are real artworks... and much more!

When arriving in Chora, capital of Tinos, the huge church of Panagia Evangelistria will catch your eye. It watches over a city that, seen from afar, doesn't look very attractive, but will offer you some good surprises.

It's rather urbanized, thus it won't suit all tastes, but the waterfront and the alleyways in the city center are quite friendly, with their cozy taverns.

The big attraction is of course Panaghia Evangelistria, Our Lady of Tinos. To walk up to this amazing church, take the alley parallel to the main avenue (on the right), lined with shops and taverns.

In the hinterland

Pyrghos is the most touristic village of the island and it's not for no reason: here, even the bus shelter is made of marble!

The village is not very big but there is so much to see that, for sure, you'll get lost in its narrow streets and you won't see the time passing...

Volax is a really tiny village, but just extraordinary. You've never seen anything like it! Elsewhere in Greece, abandoned houses are just left over. Here, their doors are covered with poems. In Greek and handwrittten, of course, thus incomprehensible for foreign tourists, but what an evocative power!

Doors that conceal poetic mysteries, but also houses set in a spectacular landscape of rounded rocks, large and small, like a gigantic marble game thrown away by children of mythological titans...

Although less known than Pyrghos, Isternia was the birthplace of many sculptors and its long tradition of marble crafts is still very present. It is located on the road leading to Pyrghos via the western coast and, seen when you pass by, it doesn't look really attractive. But you have to stop and take the time to stroll along its steep alleys, as it is worth the visit!

Climb up to the big church, on its large terrace you'll have an impressive view on Ormos Isterniou, just below, and on the island of Syros, on the horizon. And in the alley just beside the church, a tiny café will welcome you for a drink.

Falatadhos is not only a village really worth a visit, but also a very good starting point for hikes in the hinterland.

At the entrance of the village, south side, a large billboard displays a detailed map of the village, with pictures of everything there is to discover. It's a relatively large village, take the time to stroll around and admire its many architectural details!

It's near the tiny village of Tarabadhos that you will see some of the finest dovecotes of Tinos.

You'll see dovecotes everywhere in the Cyclades, but it's in Tinos that they have reached the highest artistic expression.

It is said that these decorations are meant to attract the pigeons, who find them to their liking... Truth or legend, it's a lovely idea!

Nobody knows how many dovecotes there are in Tinos. Some say 600, others almost 1,000! They are ubiquitous, and in fact Tarabadhos is only a village among others where you'll see these tiny bird houses...