Anavatos

Anavatos stands on a rock spur with a three-hundred-metre drop on one side, and its houses were built of the same grey stone as the cliff, packed so tightly that from a distance the village reads as a single mass growing out of the rock. It was constructed for defence, with the houses forming an outer wall and narrow stepped lanes climbing to a church and a small castle at the top. The population declined through the twentieth century until only a handful of elderly residents remained, and today the village is essentially abandoned, many roofs fallen and lanes blocked by rubble, with restoration proceeding slowly on a few buildings. Walking up through it is quiet and slightly unnerving, and the view from the summit over the Chian plain is superb.

What you actually see

• The cliff village - grey stone houses merging visually with the rock.
• The stepped lanes - narrow passages climbing between ruined houses.
• The summit church - the small chapel and castle remains at the top.
• The plain view - the interior of Chios spread below the cliff.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the climb and clear light; the village is fully exposed and hot in summer. Morning light suits photographs of the stone.

Honest expectations

Much of the village is unsafe, with collapsing walls and open drops, and parts are fenced off; visitors should keep to the marked path. There are no facilities beyond a seasonal cafe at the entrance and no signage explaining the site.

Nearby

Nea Moni monastery is minutes away; Chios Town and the mastic villages lie east and south.