Volax

The plateau around Volax is covered with hundreds of granite boulders, smooth and spherical, some the size of houses, sitting on and among the fields in a way that looks deliberately arranged. Geologists explain them as the eroded remains of a granite mass weathered along joints into rounded corestones; local legend prefers the stones thrown by giants in a battle with the gods. The village itself is small and whitewashed, tucked among the rocks, and keeps a basket-weaving tradition using reeds from the valley, with a couple of weavers still working. A small open-air theatre has been built into the boulders, and painted verses on walls make a poetry trail through the lanes. Paths lead out among the rocks toward the surrounding villages.

What you'll find

• The boulder field - hundreds of rounded granite blocks across the plateau.
• The village lanes - whitewashed houses set among the rocks.
• The basket weavers - the surviving reed-weaving craft.
• The rock theatre - a small open-air stage built into the boulders.

When to go

Spring for green fields between the rocks and comfortable walking; autumn for clear light. The boulders bake in summer, and there is no shade among them.

Good to know

The village has one or two tavernas and no other facilities. Bus services are infrequent. The boulders are impressive but the visit is short, an hour or two unless you walk the surrounding paths.

Nearby

Pyrgos and the marble villages lie northwest; Tinos Town is twenty minutes south.

Key facts