I’m finally back from my vacation to Chalkidiki, but I still have a few posts to share with you from my trip to Chios. Despite the wedding, and the preparations, we still found enough time to tour the island as much as we could. Day 5 in Chios was dedicated to yet another “road trip”, this time visiting, the church of St.Markella, the villages of Anavatos and Avgonima and finally Nea Moni (New Monastery).
The church of St. Markella in Chios, Greece: ”The holy and glorious Virgin-martyr Markella of Chios (also Marcella) is the patron saint of Chios and was born and lived in the village of Volissos of Chios. Her feast day is celebrated on July 22”. (Source)
Our next stop was the village of Anavatos, which “is built on a conical cliff 450 meters above sea level. The village was abandoned after the slaughters of Chios by Turks in 1822 and in our days it is a national Monument”. (Source) Not many people still live in Anavatos. Most houses are abandoned, although there are a few beautiful renovated houses there.
The cliff of Anavatos from afar! You can hardly distinguish the village and the houses from that far away.
The houses of Anavatos village
Climbing to the top
The church and the houses at the top are being renovated at the moment
A small sample of the houses of Anavatos that are still inhabited! This cute little one is the perfect example of the renovated houses in the village.
Climbing to the top calls for comfortable shoes, so the change into flats was required. My heels from my previous post might be the most comfortable ever but nothing beats flat comfortable sandals when you have to do a lot of walking and climbing.
I wore these flats A LOT while I was in Chios! And by the way, this is my Shoe Save #14 for my Shoeper Shoe Challenge by Shoeperwoman.com. Totally forgot to count them when I wore them on a previous post. I’ll have to wear a lot of shoes until the end of the summer in order to save them. With all this travelling/vacation, and with T. being away most of the summer I didn’t get to wear all my summer shoes yet. And there’s no way I’m kissing any of my shoes goodbye.
After Anavatos we traveled to the nearby village of Avgonima. They have almost the same architecture, but Avgonima is bigger and has definitely more population.
A small sample of the houses there
Cute door
Breathtaking view of the sea from Avgonima
Leaving Avgonima behind, we stopped at Nea Moni, on our way to Chios city.
“Nea Moni (New Monastery) is a monument of international significance. The catholicon (main church) is the most important specimen of the insular octagonal domed type of church and is lavishly decorated with marble revetments and mosaics”. (Source).
You can see the mosaics inside the church. See a small sample here.
The marble floor outside the church
I was going to share a few more photos from the monastery with you, but I guess they can be a bit shocking. If you’re curious though you can check out a similar picture here, and read about the massacre of Chios, in 1822.
A few more posts are left about my vacation to Chios. I hope you stay around to read them. And then I can continue with my regular posting and newer posts. Although, I needed that little break to relax, and enjoy my holidays in Chalkidiki last week…
See you soon with a new post!
♥ BLOGLOVIN / FACEBOOK / TWITTER ♥
An kai sto exw xanapei ta meri ekei den yparxoun! Einai yperoxo pou mesa apo ena fashion blog mporoume na gnwrisoume thn ellada kalytera!
so-st-yle recently posted..Pastel and animal print!
S’euxaristw para poli gia ta kala sou logia! Xairomai para poli pou sou aresoun ta post mou…
I Ellada mas exei polles omorfies! Makari na mporousa na ti girisw oli… 🙂
Ax omorfi Ellada! Den exw paei pote Xio alla meta ta post sou exei mpei stis prwtous proorismous mou gia diakopes!
Filakia polla polla M mou
Elsa recently posted..High Details
Xairomai pou katafera na to kanw auto mesa apo to post mou! 🙂 Na’sai kala!
Filakia polla Elsa mou!
In my opinion, you canand go on with these posts as much as you want!!! Cause when someone writes “check the city of xyz on internet, where I went last week”, for example, normally very few would really check out and what for a loss it would be, not seeing these pictures now! So, I like when you post these pictures, I love to know more about the wonderful places you show us, they are amazing! You know I’m honest when I say this, I am really impressed about what you showed!
For me, the greatest is Anavatos!!! The mountain with a whole village! I’m so glad some people are still living there! The view is fabulous and I felt almost like being there!!!
The church is very beautiful and I did check the mosaics – very beautiful! Such a peaceful atmosphere! (I love churches!)
I confess when you said the other images would be a bit shocking, I didn’t check them… (I’m a bit too scared sometimes!)
You look always gorgeous, in flats or heels! Always cool!
Thank you again for these explanations about the towns and the pictures!
Made my day, really!
Filakia polla!
Denise recently posted..Full skirt trench coat
Thank you so much for your amazing comment Denise! I’m afraid that If I continue with these posts there won’t be many readers left. hehe Because I’ve been posting about my vacation to Chios for weeks. But I needed that break from regular posting, and I also wanted to show you the beauty of this island! There are so many beautiful places in Greece (and not only in Greece but all over the world-you know this better) and I’m glad that some people take some time to read my posts, and find what I have to say interesting.
Anavatos was great but it was way too far away from anything, and it is on a mountain with very few inhabitants. Avgonima has more population. But definitely less than 100 people. And I may be exaggerating with the numbers.
When I say shocking, I meant skulls, and bones of monks of the Monastery from the massacre of Chios, that are being held there, and they are displayed in a cabinet. I remembered these from when I was a child. I was going to show it to you, but then I thought that I better not, cause someone might find it shocking. But I linked to a similar image anyway, if anyone’s interested. It’s ok that you didn’t click on it. You don’t have to, if you’re scared (or for any other reason).
Thank YOU again for your kind words, and for reading my posts every time! 🙂
Filakia polla Denise mou! 🙂
Foveres photo! xxxxxxx
themodisher.gr recently posted..Giveaway #3
simply beautiful!
Xo
Megan, The Frugalista Diaries recently posted..MBFW Swimwear 2013 Highlights
Anavatos looks amazing! Love how it ‘blends in’ with the landscape. I’m always blown away by the beauty of Greece so please keep posting these! Love the monastery too; I remember I went to one in Mykonos and was told I could not enter because my shorts were too short 🙂
Steph recently posted..Something borrowed
It’s true, you usually can’t enter monasteries if your pants or skirt is too short, of if you’re wearing a blouse that doesn’t fully cover your back, or breasts…They usually give skirts, or shirts at the entrances so you can wear them. I was wearing a strapless dress that day, and they asked me to wear a pasmina to cover myself before I enter. I definitely don’t like wearing clothes that have been worn by so many others before me.
I have one more post about Chios, and I’m going to post it tomorrow! 🙂
I love Greece!!
Simone recently posted..Outfit #23
great outfit <3
great pics <3
antonella recently posted..——————–ON THE WINDOW———————-
Beautiful photos! Nature that leaves you breathless, next summer I want to see it all live. 😉 Kiss!!
ElaFilleSimple recently posted..Through the Lens: Colors of the Mediterranean
I’m glad you like them! In that case you’re welcome to visit my country next summer to see those places in person! 🙂
Thank you all for your comments! Stay tuned for my new post tomorrow.
GREAT PHOTOS!!!!!!!!
XX
Style-Squared by Z&M recently posted..BOY MEETS GIRL…
Εντάξει δεν θα μπορούσα να μην ζηλέψω!! Πρέπει να ήταν υπέροχο το ταξίδι.. 🙂
Claire recently posted..Αυτός λοιπόν θα είναι ο μήνας μου…
such beautiful churches! and the houses…omg…there is nowhere like Greece 🙂
Nancy recently posted..Thank you, Sephora!!!
Πες μου ότι φάγατε λουκουμάδες στα Αυγώνυμα και είδατε τη δύση από τον Ανάβατο… Στο σπήλαιο των Ολύμπων προλάβατε να πάτε για περιπετειώδη εξερεύνηση? Αχ.. αν ξαναπάς θυμήσου τα! Και να φας οπωσδήποτε Μαστέλλο, το τοπικό τυρί, ψητό στα κάρβουνα με λεμονάκι, είναι ελαφρύ και η υφή του θυμίζει μοτσαρέλα! Και το πράσινο φόρεμα σου ταιριάζει απίθανα!
S for Summer recently posted..Διαγωνισμός Ann bottle Mar!