Pytios of Chios, On the Paths of Homer A Historical and Gastronomic Destination

Pityos (or Pityus), mountain village of North Chios, in the so-called North country, with history, cultural heritage, natural environment, traditional house architecture, narrow streets with stone arches and authentic Chios cuisine.

It is placed in NE. Island's, in a narrow valley full of olive trees, fig trees, almond, pears, vines. OR village valley Pitios meets in D. its mountainous mass Terms (1.186 m.), where is the 2^The highest mountain of the island after the neighboring one Pellinaio or Pelineus (1.297 m.) and to A.. the Plateau of Aipus, which ends in the valley. It grows amphitheatrically at an altitude of approx 460 m., over torrent Makelo up to Genoese Tower, which is the trademark of the village.

Traditional livestock village, with large shepherd tradition, as it was the largest livestock farming community of the island (authorities 18^th century. – inside 20^th c.), with endless pastures. While in N. Chios flourished the trade of citrus fruits and mastic, here cheesemaking flourished. The Pytians produced their own milk and cheese, the pytian, where they made cheese on the mountains, under difficult conditions, with harsh winters and the family following the shepherd and his flock.

THE Pitios is far from Cardamom 6 Km (15’) and from city Chios 25 km (45’), through the Eparch. Chios - Volissou Street.

OR valley of Pitios village it is a passage for migratory birds and is ideal for observation and hunting as they are recorded in Chios 211 bird species, such as owls, partridges, aetogerakines etc.

Pitys means Pine and according to Greek mythology the Pitys it was Nymph of the forests who transformed into a pine tree to escape the love of the god Pan, who was the god of forests and shepherds.

Pitys is the place visited by Hostage, the great poet of antiquity, during his stay in Chios. Chios is one of the 7 cities that claim Homer's origin. OR Master stone or Stone of Homer, at the village Thunder, it is the rock on which Homer sat and taught.

Homer's arrival and stay in Chios is described in the biography "Life of Homer» of Herodotus of Halicarnassus or pseudo- Herodotus. He states that Homer, upon his arrival in Chios, he stayed a day on the beach and then walked to the Term and Pitys, where after wandering in the forest, he was accommodated in the stable of the shepherd Glaucus. He then went to Volissos where he stayed for some time and worked as a tutor in the house of a lord named Chios.

PITYOS – tastes

You will find traditional dishes, made with local pure ingredients such as meat, milk and cheese from local shepherds, aromatic herbs and wild grasses from the mountains.

• Makelos, tavern in Pityous Square, with small tables under the centuries-old plane tree and next to the Makelo stream. Local kid, must η braised goat and the goat shoulder oven, handmade spaghetti (χιώτικα χειροποίητα μακαρόνια) sprinkled with dry mouth (local dry mizithra), wild snails, greens and mushrooms of the mountain, meatballs, malathropites (with fennel or sedge as they call it here), broad beans with fennel or yahni, mince pies (with Chios pounded cheese), meatballs, riganokeftedes (potato meatballs with oregano), Chiotian wine, B. Χίος ήταν γνωστή από την αρχαιότητα για τον «Holy Wine", Chiotian sum (fig spirit, equivalent of tsipouro), Chiotian Ouzo and Chiotiki beer.

• Blueberry Sweets And Coffee, in the square next to the "Old School".

Fresh scent coffee, traditional handmade sweets, must the rice pudding and GALAKTOBOUREKO (from local goat's milk), baby chicks (with goat's milk misithra), drumsticks (the yellow pumpkin is called tamboura), Tarts, sweets.

Φεύγοντας μπορείτε να αγοράσετε τα προϊόντα του μαγαζιού.

• «The Old School», guest house, brown – steakhouse, Pitios village square. The old school building was transformed into a welcoming space, for an overnight stay. features 2 apartments 4 of people and remains open 11 months a year. In the tavern you will find good food, homemade snacks, brown, dessert. Definitely try local roasted goat with handmade spaghetti, handmade cheesecake (with feta cheese and Chios goat cheese), mince pies (with Chios pounded cheese), bay leaves (with rice), meatballs (with wild mountain grasses) etc..

• «Cafes of George», cafe, ouzo, tsipouradiko. Chiot tradition, authentic home recipes and dishes with local ingredients, manually Alexa's spaghetti, handmade pickles, sweet, jams.

• Traditional wood oven of G. Mission, for fresh bread in wood and handmade nuts. The old oven of Mr. Giannis is at the same time an attraction of the village of Pitios as it has collection of old useful objects and traditional loom.

• «Pitys chios herbs cultivation»

It is a small family business growing and processing aromatic plants, that grow in the nature of Chios, such as thyme, savory, oregano, sage, which are collected by hand and used in cooking to flavor foods and as a decoction. Vassilis Bando is responsible for the purchase of herbs, tel. : 6947 982751 (ask in the village and they will inform you).

• Anna's coffee shop, 22720 42004, 6932 617840, 21^The km Eparch. GS. Chios-Keramos, before the village of Pytios, at the junction to the NW. and the villages of Dieucha, Descent, Volisso etc. A coffee stop, dessert, food in the historic cafe of "Kourounainas», in St.. Isidore, which was a resting point for travelers from the city of Chios to the villages of the Amani region.

PITYOS – SIGHTSEEING

• Genoese Tower

The two-story Tower was built during the Genoese period (1346 – 1566) and served as a warehouse (ground floor) and as a residence (1^th floor).

In the large tanks on the ground floor the Genoese stored a flammable liquid, the turpentine, resulting from the processing of a resin, similar to pine resin, from the local wild pistachio trees and served as insulation material while the upper floor apparently served as the keeper's residence.

• Byzantine church of St. Demetriou (14^th c.), under the Tower.

• Feko Windmill, next to the church
• Museum – Traditional Olive Mill of Gianomorou

The old olive mill of the Chloros family has been turned into a Museum, with old machinery and useful tools related to the extraction of olive oil, tel. : 6949 611042, George Chloros.

• Church of St. Georgiou Hiopolitis of Pityanos (1785-1807), at the entrance of the village next to the Makelos tavern. Local Saint of Chios who was born in Pitios and celebrates 26/11.

EVENTS – ACTIVITIES

• Mountain Festival & Livestock, every year in midsummer, in the square of the village of Pitios, dancing and food.
• Binge drinking, done by KOINSEP "Pitios Destination», a Cooperative Enterprise of Chios that aims to promote and highlight the village of Pitios.

PITYOS – TOUR TRAIL

• «Homer's Path» The path that, according to tradition, was walked by Hostage, from Master stone to Pityos, is part of the network of ancient Greek paths "Greek army», located in His plateau Pigus and near the village Pitios. It starts from 18^The Km of District. GS. Chios-Ag. Isidorou-Volissos, goes D. to Church and terminates above the Pitios. During the interwar period the "Path of Homer" was the main communication path of the Pityans with city ​​of Chios. You can cross it on your own or organized by "Pitios Destination», tel. : 22720 23444, 6949 611042, https://www.pityos-proorismos.gr.
• «Ottoman car road"Or"Turkish road», part of the network of "Greek armys". It was built in its midst 19^th century. από τους Οθωμανούς (1566-1912), who occupied Chios after the Genoese, to connect her city ​​of Chios with the Volisso. It starts from Bottles of Aipus, the Celery and from 18^The km, through the so-called "River», continues to him Ag. Isidore, the forest of Giannakis, the Drimaka river, the Retsinadica, the Descent and terminates at Volisso (passable route).
• This pastoral paths Aipus, in D.. of Pitius. It starts from Panagia Spiliotina, meets the abandoned OTE building, passes through his Pitian sheepfolds Plateau and reaches the top. The view from above is amazing (a relatively strenuous climb).