Nightlife in Chios

Chios has a surprisingly lively nightlife for an island which is not a major package holiday destination. Chios Town is awash with late night music bars and clubs, many of which stay open throughout the year thanks to the presence of several hundred students attending the local technical school and business faculty of the University of the Aegean.

This is a bustling port and commercial centre and there’s a more sophisticated air to the night scene here than you’ll find in many of the more tourist orientated capitals of the Greek islands.

As the sun goes down, follow the example of the locals and settle yourself down at one of the town’s many excellent ouzeris where you can watch the world go by while you sip an ouzo and tuck into some tasty seafood mezedes. Try a shot of the local “souma” , a fierce local firewater, Similar to ouzo but made from distilling figs. One of the best ouzeria on the waterfront is Theodosiou at the northern end of the port. Or try Iakovou Plyta Ouzeri on Agiou Georgiou Frouriou in the town’s old quarter. Both offer first class fish snacks and other tempting tidbits.

There are plenty of good quality tavernas serving traditional Greek fare at reasonable prices and if you pick the right place you can eat well for far less money than you’d pay on neighbouring Samos or Lesvos. Avoid the over-priced restaurants and fast food gyros joints on the waterfront if you want to get the best value for money. One of the best tavernas in town is Hotzas, on Yioryiou Kondili tucked away in the back streets. The restaurant has a wonderful garden dining area and has been delighting Chiot diners since 1822.

Hotzas serves mainly meat dishes so if you’re a seafood fan you might want to take advantage of one of the summer night dinner cruises to the fishing village of Langada, 20 kilometres north of Chios Town. Check with Chios Tours, at the southern end of the waterfront, for details of the cruises which include a meal at one of the half dozen fish tavernas which line Langada’s harbourfront.

If the night still seems young after dining both Chios Town and the island’s premier resort of Karfas, seven kilometres south of the capital, have a plentiful supply of late might music bars and clubs. Many of the larger hotels, such as Chandris on the Chios Town waterfront, have their own discos and organise in-house entertainment.

In the smaller villages, such as charming Volissos in the north west of the island, you’ll often find live Greek music at the local tavernas especially in the summer months.

From June to mid-September there’s an outdoor cinema in Chios Town’s central park where you can often see English films screened in their original language. Look out for posters around town for details of forthcoming films. The Omirio Cultural Centre on the south side of the park stages various events and often attracts big-name foreign musicians after they have performed in Athens.