Thymiana

Location

Thymiana lies seven kilometers south from the city of Chios, past Kambos. It has approximately 1600 inhabitants, therefore being one of the largest settlements of Chios.

The village used to be called "Efthymiana", a renowned place for its many quarries, from which the Thymianousiko stone was extracted in many shades of brown and red. This stone is an excellent decorative substance for buildings and used in building mansions and churches in Kambos. Even today it is still used for construction purpose.

The "resorts" of Thymiana include Agia Ermioni and Megas Limnionas, the second one renowned for its fine, sandy beach. Over the last few years, the area became known as a result of its expansive development of tourism, with the establishment of rooms for rent, small hotels, taverns, cafeterias and bars. The village of Thymiana has a primary school, sports associations, a yacht club, a cultural club, as well as a large church dedicated to Agios Efstratios. This religious monument was also built with the well-known Thymiana stone in 1890 and is one of the largest churches on the island of Chios.

The 4th of September is the national day for the area honoring the memory of Agia Ermioni. This day, local orchestras play traditional island tunes in the large fair that takes place by the church this day.

Karfa, Agia Ermioni and Mega Limniona are three areas that belong to the Community of Thymiana. The visitor can find in those areas plenty of hotels, rented rooms, inns and furnished apartments, as well as restaurants, cafeterias, fish taverns and bars. In the village are also many small taverns and cafeterias where the local people and visitors can spend their time.

The Thymiana region includes also the lonian swimming pool. It is a closed pool with an Olympic-size (2000 seats with a 50 meters main basin and many auxiliary basins, external sport fields, auxiliary areas, accommodation and parking areas). The village has also a soccer-, basketball- and a volleyball-field.

The hills of the region have an amazing shade of brown and red. In 1967, a fossil skull weighing 400 kilograms was discovered in the Keramia area. It belonged to a pre-historic 'Mastodon' - a species, that inhabited Earth over 15 million years ago. The scientists in charge of the excavations believe that the remaining bones of the animal are also buried somewhere in the vicinity.

Other interesting sights in Thymiana are:

• The "Mostra of Thymiana", a different kind of carnival celebration.
• The church of Agios Efstratios.
• The church of Agioi Sarantes in ruins.
• The monastery of Agioi Anargyroi with the pebbled courtyard.
• The prophet Elias chapel with panoramic view.
• Agios Yianis Fakas with wall icons and marks of Turkish vandalism in 1822.
• The Ossuary of Agios Dimitris (on the Thymiana-Karfas road).
• The Tower of Agios Yianis Stenakouson (on the Thymiana-Keramio road).
• Megas Limionas, with its pebbled plaza square, hotels, tavernas and shops.
• Agia Ermioni with the Mantraki harbor, the church and the Holy Spring.
• Karfas: The cosmopolitan beach with its fine sand, water sports, numerous hotels of all classes, as well as fine tavernas, shops and entertainment centers.
• The Vigla (Watch Tower and Aghia Eleni).
• The monastery of Agios Kostantinos.
• The stone bell-tower at Trachi.
• The quarry at Korakios, Agios Dimitris Fakas, Stenaka.
• The red-tinted beach at Mavri.