TINOS

General Information

A glance at the island of Tinos is all that is necessary to convince the observer that the Virgin Mary has truly been watchful over the land of her most celebrated church. Beauteous beaches and picturesque landscapes are accompanied by impressive monuments and pretty villages adorned with marble decorative motives. Tinos, covering an area of 200 sq.km, is among the largest islands of the Cyclades, with a population of about 8000 inhabitants.

History - Culture

According to myth, Tinos is the birthplace of Aeolos, the father of the Winds. Late in the Neolithic Age, Tinos was colonized by Ionians, one of the most prominent ancient Greek tribes, whose version of ancient Greek is the one we are most familiar with today. From the 8th century and up to 655 BC the island was under the rule of Eretria -a noted city of the island of Evia- while, following the Persian Wars, it became a member of the Athenian Confederacy. By 200 BC it was under the control of Rhodes, which was followed by Macedon and Rome. During Byzantine times it suffered from repetitive pirate raids. To put a stop to this, the Venetians, who ruled the island from 1207 to 1715, fortified the town of Exombourgo. Nevertheless, Tinos came under the Turkish yoke in 1715, a situation which lasted ?with a brief interval of Russian control between 1770 and 1774- until the Greek War of Independence in 1821. In spite of the fact that it enjoyed privileged treatment, the people of the island took an active part in the struggle for liberty, which they gained -along with the rest of the Cyclades and all of Southern Greece- in 1830. A milestone in the recent history of Tinos was the discovery of the icon of the Virgin Mary in 1822, which has been associated with many miraculous events, and led to the construction of the church on the location where it was found. The island has been noted for its contribution to the arts, sculpture and painting in particular.

Sights

The natural beauties, the amazing beaches, the traditional architecture and the marble artworks that embellish every corner of the island make Tinos a unique place to visit. In the main town of Chora, one can admire the imposing church dedicated to Virgin Mary, erected on the location where her renowned icon was found. It is a wonderful construction made of white marble, predominant in the area of the capital, built on the foundations of an earlier church dedicated to St. John, which was destroyed by pirates during one of their attacks. Excavations in this same area have revealed that this was the site of an ancient temple dedicated to Dionyssos. The walls of the ancient city wall can be seen right behind the church. The ancient fortification is impressive, stretching at a length of 1500m, and some of its parts are wonderfully preserved near their original height. Only 6km away, there is the village of Triantaros, where one can see the "gournes", which are marble basins previously used as public laundries. However, the island holds many more interesting sights in store for the visitor. Isternia is one of the most enchanting villages with marble-paved paths and picturesque houses, most of which bear a built-in plate, where the owner"s name and the year of construction are inscribed. It is the birthplace of many artists, while from here one can get to the northern cape and see the Straits of Tinos, separating it from the island of Andros. Near Kionia there are the ruins of the temple of Poseidon, dating back to the Hellenistic period, and in Exombourgo one can visit the ruins of the ancient capital and the castle of the Venetian period (13th century). Apart from the numerous picturesque villages and areas, Tinos is overwhelmed with beautiful dovecotes, representative of fine folk architecture. In the broader areas of Gastria and Panormos -one of the most impressive villages in the Cyclades where almost everything is built out of marble- there are many unexplored caves, while the village of Volakas is an impressive sight in itself, as it stands surrounded by strange granite blocks, perhaps the remains of a prehistoric meteor storm.

Entertainment-Sports-Shopping

The presence of the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary has been attracting an endless stream of pilgrims, which has led to the development of a fine tourist infrastructure in the capital of Chora. As a steadily increasing number of visitors have been discovering that Tinos, one of the most populous and developed islands of the Cyclades, is also a place of exquisite beauty adorned with interesting monuments, this infrastructure has developed further to include the entire island. Accordingly, visitors who choose to stay in Chora have at their disposal a wide range of fine hotels, rooms-to-let, restaurants, taverns, coffee shops, bars and shopping places that stand up to all  expectations. Well-supplied shops in the capital and the rest of the villages offer a large variety of products, including beautiful earthenware, marble artworks, bronze and straw items, traditional textiles, as well as local delicacies such as dairy products, sausages, "louzes" (smoked pork), honey and almond sweets. Travellers who see beyond the religious nature of the island -which is predominant in Chora- and get acquainted with the whole of Tinos and its magnificence, will be amply rewarded. Buses and  taxis offer transportation services, while the fine road network allows comfortable journeys to all destinations on the island. Small inns, guesthouses, taverns, bars and coffee shops can be found in many villages. Water sports facilities are available on the most popular beaches, while the island of the winds is ideal for windsurfing.

Access

There is a regular ferryboat and flying dolphin service from the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Thessaloniki throughout the year, and especially in August when the Assumption Of The Virgin  Mary is celebrated.

Connections

Ferryboats and flying dolphins link Tinos with the rest of the Cyclades, the Sporades, Crete, Thessaloniki, Koufonissia, Evia, and, of course, Piraeus and Rafina.

Museums

The Archaeological Museum, located in the capital of Chora next to the church of Panagia, houses many impressive findings originating from Tinos. There is an interesting Art and Sculpture Gallery, also in Chora, and a Local Artists Museum in Isternia. 

Alternative Tourism

Spiritual, congressional, cultural, educational, religious, ecotourism, caving, gastronomy, archaeology,  sporting (water sports, windsurfing, trekking).

Useful Telephone Numbers:

TINOS AREA CODE:  22830-

MUNICIPALITY: 22830-22833, 60100-5

POLICE STATION: 22830-22100

TOURIST POLICE: 22830-23670

PORT POLICE: 22348-22220, 22348

RADIO TAXI STATION: 22830-22470

MEDICAL CENTER: 22830-23781-3, 22210

PHARMACIES: 22830-22272, 22213, 23888

TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORG.: 22830-22499

POST OFFICE: 22830-22247

TOURIST INFORMATION: 22830-51888

TINOS PHOTOS