Volissos is the largest village in the northwest part of Chios

Chios

Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...

, Aegean Islands

Aegean Islands

The Aegean Islands are the group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south, those of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos to the southeast...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

. The village is situated 40km away from the main town of Chios. Volissos has a port called "Limia" that connects the island with the island of Psara

Psara

Psara is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Together with the small uninhabited island of Antipsara it forms the municipality of Psara. It is part of the Chios peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The only town of the island and seat of the municipality is also called...

. Saint Markella of Chios lived in the village. Volissos is claimed to be one of the possible birthplaces of the famous poet Homer

Homer

In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...

. According to the famous historian Herodotus

Herodotus

Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...

, in one of his chapters refers that Homer

Homer

In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...

 lived and wrote his marvelous epics in this village. The village is built in amphitheatrical style on a hill and on top of it there is a Byzantine castle built in the medieval times. The castle has a trapezoid shape with six circular towers.

The village

Volissos has a primary school and a high school that serves also the surrounding villages. The village has a post-office, a pharmacy, a small doctor's surgery, a police station, a small museum, three mini-markets, four taverns, a butchery, a traditional bakery, several traditional cafeterias and two gas-stations located 4km away on the road to Chios town. There is also a small crêperie near the castle with nice view. Volissos is situated about 1,5km away from the seaside and its port. Inside the village the main square is called "Christos" square and the next large one is called "Pythonas" square. Each square has its own church. There are several rooms to let in the village most of them located near the castle on the top of the hill.

The surroundings

Mountains dominate the northwestern part of the municipality including the highest peak on the island at 1267m, the "Pellinaion" mountain. "Limia" is the port of Volissos. It has three restaurants, a hotel and two bars. From the northwest side of the port are the beaches "Lefkathia", "Limnos", "Lampsa", "Vakelonas" and "Aghia Markella", where the monastery of Markella of Chios is established. Heading south next to the port of "Limia", there is a large beach starting from "Gonia" beach to "Magemena" beach ending at "Managros" beach. There are seasonal beach-bars at the beaches "Lefkathia", "Limnos", "Gonia" and "Magemena". "Limnos" beach has also two restaurants and a patisserie. There are rooms to let at the beaches of "Lefkathia", "Limnos", "Gonia" and "Managros".

Festivals

• On 22nd of July is the nameday and celebration of Markella of Chios and thousands of worshipers are coming from all over the island and the country to celebrate. Holly water springs from a hole just beside the cold sea. The previous night on 21st July, a large music festival is taking place at the port of "Limia" where hundreds of young people are coming from all over the island to party.
• On 28th of July is the nameday and celebration of Saint Panteleon and sometimes a traditional festival takes place in the village.
• On 6th of August is the nameday and celebration of the Christ
  Christ
  Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
  
   and a traditional festival is taking place in the village at the "Christos" square. On "Christos" square there is a church devoted to the Christ
  Christ
  Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
  
  .
• On 15th of August is the nameday and celebration of Mary (mother of Jesus)
  Mary (mother of Jesus)
  Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
  
   and a traditional festival is taking place in the second square of the village, the "Pythonas" square. On "Pythonas" square there is a church devoted to Mary (mother of Jesus)
  Mary (mother of Jesus)
  Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
  
  .

Historical population

The population of the village is declining.

Year	Population
1951	1.087
1961	936
1971	676
1981	479
1991	404
2001	417

External links

• Information about Volissos, Chios
• Chios Online Travel Guide (Detailed Informations about the Island of Chios: all villages, beaches, history and attractions)
• Photos of Volissos