Location

Our Location

Our school is on the island of Chios, Greece. It is in the Aegean Sea on the Western coast of Turkey. Chios is the fifth largest island in Greece with an approximate population of 54,000. It is also the birthplace of the great teacher and poet, Homer. Our landscape is varied and its main crop is mastic, the "chew, in chewing gum", produced by trees that grow nowhere else in the world. Chios City is also the capital and port of the island. It is a very lively town on the East Coast of the island, opposite the shores of ancient Ionia. There is a large medieval castle near the harbor. Its walls enclose the old section of the town, which have lattice windows and balconies. The main Travlos SFL building is right in the center of town, over looking the harbor.

Located in Chios is the Korai Library, one of the most important libraries in all of Greece. It contains 95,000 volumes, including Adamandios Korais's (the founder) collection of rare books and an exhibit of local traditional costumes. The personal library of Philippos Argentis is also located at the Korai Library.

There are two museums within the city of Chios, which have finds from the island and works by the internationally famous sculptor, Halepas and many others. Additionally, there are folk art musuems in both Pyrgi and Vrontados.

The Southern part of the island is where the mastic trees grow in abundance. Many people use raw mastic in cooking. Mastica gum and "suma" (a drink similar to Cretan "raki") are also very popular.

On the Northern part of the island there is the village of Vrontados, where the rock called "Daskalopetra" (The Teacher's Rock) can be found. It is said to be the seat of Homer, author of the "Illiad and the Odyssey."

The island of Chios has endured the Persian invasion, Egyptian rule, the Mithridatic wars, Byzantine rule, Genoan rule, and the Turkish occupation. The proud people of the island have survived and prospered. History can be seen and touched with each footstep in each and every village of the island.

Medieval architecture can be found all over the island, as many villages have retained their medieval characteristics throughout the years. Italian influence can be found in the geometrically decorated grey/white walls of Pyrgi. The village of Mesta, considered to be one of the most preserved examples of medieval architecture, is protected and watched over by The Byzantine Antiquities Department. In order to maintain the antiquity of Mesta, any and all restorations to the village are to be done in the traditional way. The remains of the medieval village of the once thriving Genoan settlement of Sklavia can be found not far from the village of Thimiana.

Fine examples of Byzantine monuments can also be found. The monastery of Nea Moni dates back to the 11th century. And although the Castle of Chios now has a "Genovesan appearance" due to expansion during the Medieval times by the Genoans, it was first built by the Byzantines.

And what would a visit to a Greek island be without a visit to the beach? From Daskalopetra to Mavra Volia (the famous black rock beach), rich flora can be found just a few steps from the sea. And a visit north is a must in order to see the water turtles swimming in the sea near Kardamila.

Throughout the year, paniyiria (celebrations) are held all over the island. These are excellent events to attend for a taste of the local traditions, culture, cuisine and music.

Tourists find a variety of lovely beaches here, resorts and beautiful hotels, restaurants and taverns. It is a fantastic vacation spot, and people have been known to come back time and time again to see and experience the history and beauty that encompass Chios and Greece itself.