Tinos, an island of the Cyclades close to the mainland, is a small preserved paradise to visit. In addition to its marble museum, discover its chapels, its picturesque villages, its hiking trails dotted with pigeon houses, its beaches… If you are wondering what to do in Tinos, here is an overview of the wonders to see on this island.
Visit the church of Panagia, the Greek Lourdes
Tinos the pious. Tinos is one of the largest islands of the Cyclades. Its capital has a church “Panagia” comparable to Our Lady of Lourdes. For the record, in 1822, a nun from the Kekronouvio convent had a dream that told her where a miraculous icon of the Virgin and Child, painted according to legend by the Evangelist Luke, was hidden. Once found, this icon was quickly attributed with extraordinary healing virtues and, today, “Tinos-ville” knows an important religious tourism. Apart from this church, Tinos is dotted with more than 750 churches and chapels with singular bell towers, more than the Vatican! A large part of them are Catholic. Also among the must-sees are the Sacred Heart Church in Xombourgho and the Ursuline Convent in Loutra.
Discover Tinos, a hiker’s paradise
What to do in Tinos? A hike of course!
This island of a thousand dovecotes is crossed in its entire length by a chain of mountains with steep peaks, whose highest peak, Mount Tsikna, rises to 725 meters. Its rugged landscapes, its small rocky paths and its large natural spaces, make it an exceptional site for hikers. The ” Terrain Maps ” editions have very nice maps: “hiking in Tinos” published by the cultural association “Archipelagos”. Note also that wild creeks await hikers for refreshing swims!
basically, we recommend climbing to the top of Exombourgo, a large rock that rises to 640 meters with the remains of a Venetian citadel on its summit that was besieged and destroyed in 1715. The view of the Aegean Sea and the nearby islands is impressive! The hiking trail (it climbs but it is easy) starts from the village of Xinara.
Wander through the picturesque villages of Tinos
Among the things to do in Tinos, visiting the villages is also a must.
Tinos has about 45 picturesque villages, which have preserved their traditional character and distinct vernacular architecture. They are snaked with alleys and arcades. Their whitewashed houses with sober lines, have a flat roof decorated with a beautiful chimney, often consisting of an earthen pot, pierced and decorated. The top of the doors is often decorated with marble lanterns, and openwork and sculpted marble lintels. Sometimes the upper part of the facades is embellished with slate decorations, reminiscent of those of the pigeon houses. These, although present in other islands of the Cyclades, represent a typical work of art of Tinos. The most beautiful ones are located in the central part of the island and date from the 18th and 19th centuries (stop at the village of Tarampados). The interesting villages are Falatados, Kardiani, Dio Choria, Pirgos, Volax, Isternia and Agapi.
- Volax and its lunar landscape with its gigantic pebbles coming from nowhere.
- Kardiani/Isternia: two beautiful villages that also offer extraordinary views of the Aegean Sea.
- Pirgos, the village of marble workers where the marble museum is located and its small port Panormos.
Laure M.
Enjoy the cultural life of the Tiniots! Museums, events…
On the cultural level, we highly recommend the museum of the Greek artist Tsoklis in Kambos and the marble museum in Pyrgos. But also, the Archaeological Museum in Chora, the one of the sculptor Yiannoulis Chapelas in Pyrgos, the archaeological area of Kionia and the ruins of the Castle of Xombourgho to name a few.
The marble museum exhibits the life cycle of marble, from the quarry to the workshop. This museum is really interesting for children but not only, it is possible via an application to make a treasure hunt in the museum. Admission (2021 rate): 4 euros.
The summer months are also animated by numerous cultural events. Theater, songs, concerts, village festivals, exhibitions of paintings, sculptures… With also the possibility of following courses of plastic arts, or of ceramics.
Laure M.
In this second article: restaurant recommendations, must-have products, and the most beautiful beaches…
Practical information for Tinos
Tinos is also a Greek island located in the northern Cyclades, between the islands of Andros and Mykonos.
How to get to the island of Tinos?
Tinos does not have an airport (unlike its neighbor Mykonos), so you can get there by boat.
- by connections with the port of Piraeus: between 3h and 4h20 of crossing
- connections with the port of Lavrio (60km southeast of Athens): between 2h20 and 3h40 of crossing
- by connection with the port of Rafina (30km east of Athens) : between 1h45 and 3h45 of crossing
- or by connections with the islands of Mykonos, Andros, Syros, Paros, Naxos
Ports of departure from Athens
Rafina? Piraeus ? To learn more about the ports of Athens (where to go, how to get there, practical information), check out our article on the ports of Athens.
Another way to visit Tinos is to include it in a sailing cruise from Lavrio for example. For this, we recommend click and boat which offer weekly sailboat and catamaran rentals, with or without skipper. An unforgettable vacation to discover the Northern Cyclades!
Where to stay in Tinos?
Several solutions are available to you:
- you can rent a house with your feet in the water: we recommend Villa Elia
- For our rental searches, we usually use Booking. This site offers many types of accommodation: hotels, apartments, houses…
- you can also find other houses for rent on the Aribnb website
This article was written by Myriam Elice
