Evaluation: This hike is rather long, but it is really fascinating; along the road you get to know about five beautiful villages in the interior of the island and you can also climb to the 559-metres high summit of Xóbourgo. A number of trails are absolutely marvellous. This hike definitely deserves an evaluation of ***.

Estimated time: The total hike takes 4 1/2 hours – actual hiking time: 1h40 to the foot of Xóbourgo, 25 minutes till Koumáros, some 20 minutes to Loutrá, 35 minutes till Kámbos, 30 minutes till Ktikádos and then another hour back to Chóra. By taking it fairly easy we hiked from 10.30am to 7.30pm. If you want to climb up the platform of Xóbourgo you have to add another hour – but you can also combine this climb with another hike. You can considerably shorten the hike by taking a taxi to Xóbourgo (7 € in April 2005) or by catching the bus from Kámbos back to Chóra – if the bus schedule allows you to.

Route description: When leaving from the town of Tínos or Chóra there are two ways to get to the important hiking trail leading to the interior of the island:
- you can either leave from the quay at the old harbour; from the little square with a kind of modern stage in the middle you then take the broad Leofóros Megalocháris, which goes up to the large cathedral of the Panagía Evangelístria. You thus follow this street upwards.

- you can also leave from the modern harbour and then you will enter Chóra via the Leofóros Stavroú - Kioníoon. In this case you arrive at a first little square with palm trees and a playground. If you go straight ahead in the left-hand corner, you reach a second little square with a fountain + dolphin. Over here a narrow street leads straight ahead to the third square, at the foot of the Leofóros Megalocháris, where you can go up on the left. However, maybe you did already see the small blue sign in the corner of the first square. The text on this sign says Xóbourgo - Falatádos - Liváda / Fáros and you can follow this sign by taking a left into the Odós Theológos Afentoúli. Later on this street becomes the Odós Nikoláou and after some 4 minutes you get to a sign pointing to the Evangelístria on the right.

[If you want to you can first visit the church, but it might be a better idea to postpone this visit to a more relaxed day! If you departed via the broad Megalocháris-lane, you have to take a left on the last crossing before the large church: over here you can also find a blue sign pointing to Xóbourgo and Falatádos. In this way you get to the Odós Nikoláou as well.]

The Panagía Evangelístria.

From the Odós Nikoláou you go straight ahead into the Odós Várvaras; this staircase-street continues for about 5 minutes, leaving the town behind, and then it turns into a paved road. After another 2-3 minutes you cross the asphalt ring road and on the other side you go up on a broad and paved path.

Slightly further down you get to the old paving and you also walk between the traditional walls; remember that this is still the ancient Venetian trail that many centuries ago already connected the harbour and the fortress of Xóbourgo. On your right-hand side you pass a drive with a misleading red arrow – which you ignore, obviously – and further down you also pass a broader gravel road off the right. You continue straight ahead all the time, going up on a marvellous kalderími.

The marvellous old path from Chóra to Tripótamos.

After about 40 minutes you walk on a road coming from the left for a short while. Going straight ahead, though, you get to the old monopáti again - which is narrower now - after about 10 metres. You walk underneath a small church and you gradually curve to the right; in this way you get a beautiful view on Chóra, right underneath your trail. After some 50 minutes you thus arrive at the chapel of Agia Xéni – this is a spot well maintained, with lanterns, but it is often very windy over here. You can take some rest on a bench inside the church.

In fact, this place is an important crossing of hiking trails, so it is a spot you might pass a number of more times when hiking on the island of Tínos. On the right there is only a blocked trail; on the left a nice path runs downwards in the direction of Ktikádos and Kámbos; and straight ahead (on the right-hand side of the chapel) the trail continues to Xóbourgo – today, this is the way to continue.

Your trail keeps going up beautifully until you walk underneath a high-voltage cable after some 10 minutes – from here onwards you start to descend gradually. A couple of minutes further down you get to a three-forked junction: your trail continues on the left, over a little bridge; on your right-hand side you notice a nice well. After another 6 minutes the trail leads to the asphalt road, next to some houses of Tripótamos. On the opposite side, on the left, you can see the famous cheese factory or "tirokomío".

On the right of the drive to the factory you can go down on an overgrown path. You can also proceed on the grounds of the factory for a short while and on the right you can then find the old trail again. In any case, you should walk on the left-hand side of a small church and in the direction of the right-hand wind mill. You have to watch out: do not go directly to the right on a vague trail. Instead, you should continue straight ahead, along a small white building. Usually, it is very windy over here – it is no coincidence that wind mills have been built on this place. A little further you get to a junction – wooden signs point to Xinára (straight ahead) and to Xóbourgo (to the right).

The path to Xóbourgo.

The narrow and overgrown trail (once in a while there is also a trail marker [2]) runs more or less horizontally above the village of Xinára, in the direction of the windy gorge, on the right and underneath the impressive rock summit of Xóbourgo. After 10 minutes you get to the left of a chapel, and a large signpost sends you to the left. A couple of more minutes later you already reach the first ruins of the old “city” – over here you should NOT go right on a flat trail, but straight ahead, on the left of a small ruin. You go up a little more, curving on the right of the rock with some more ruins on top. By climbing up all the time you get underneath a white chapel and slightly further down you can already distinguish the large building of the monastery of Ieras Kardías. A path on the left leads to the small church – this is a pleasant, though rather early picnic spot, not only because of the great panoramic view, but also because you can sit out of the wind.
The landscape is green and grand, with a view on Falatádos in front of you towards the left, and on Chóra on the right. The islands located in front of you are: on the left the island of Mýkonos with the smaller islands of Dílos and Rhínia, and further to the right first the island of Náxos and then Páros.

From the little church you walk back to the main trail, which you follow to the left. Just before you reach the two large churches, you find a sign on the left, pointing towards the Kástro – you are now at an altitude of 440 metres. After about 3 minutes you already walk through some remains of ruins and after 8 minutes you arrive at the actual Venetian remnants of the kástro. At this place, though, also remains of much older buildings have been found, such as the remnants of the ancient city of Tínos, founded at about 1000 BC. During the excavations, some geometrical and archaic statuettes have also been discovered.

View to the summit of Xóbourgo.

The trail continues now under the form of steps, until you get to the cross of 1931 and the aerials on top of the 559-metres-high summit. The panoramic view is fantastic over here: from the southeast to the southwest (and from left to right) you can distinguish in clear weather: Mýkonos with Dílos and Rhínia (and the islands of Náxos, Páros and Antíparos beyond), Sýros (with the islands of Sífnos, Sérifos and Kýthnos beyond) and the uninhabited island of Giáros. You can also discern many villages, such as Koumáros, Kámbos, Chatzirádos and Ktikádos!
It takes you about 10 minutes to get down again.  

A typical view in Koumáros.

You pass a self service café and you thus walk through the village till you reach the asphalt road, where you can find a nice well. You then walk back the way you came and some 10 metres past the third vault and the café, at the house with number 35, you take a right. Slightly further you go left and in this way you walk in north-western direction out of the village (there is also a red dot). You soon arrive at a shaded trail, which descends quickly into a very green valley (red dot and arrow). After 5-6 minutes you get to a concrete slope, you cross the valley and you continue straight ahead on a narrow and flat trail (red dot). A little further you go through an iron gate, not without difficulties. The trail is somewhat overgrown and some 3 minutes later on you arrive at a gravel road – you have to take the gravel road going DOWN on the left (so the second road).

You follow this road for some 6 minutes, which means that you have to go through a broad open gate. You thus get near the village of Loutrá, on the asphalt road. You take a left for a short while and then you go right immediately, towards the village. You enter the village on the right of the school. You proceed in the direction of the museum, you go past the church and in the centre you take a left. You should have a look into the side street off the right, with the vaulted arches. You continue through the village in south-western direction, on the right of the Ursulin monastery, until you get to the left of the large building of the Jezuits.

Over here you notice a crossing – the trail on the right leads to the villages of Perástra and Krókos, but you continue straight ahead on the nice stone staircase (large red dot). The following descent into the very green valley is wonderful; after some 6 minutes you cross a small river with streaming water (27 April 2005) by means of a number of stepping stones.

Between Loutrá and Kámbos.

Thereafter you get to a steep climb, so a couple of minutes later you have a great view on the three villages behind you: Krókos, Skaládos and Loutrá to the right. On your left-hand side you see the high rock of Xóbourgo with the village of Xinára. A little further you take a sharp right (redundant red arrow), this is a marvellous spot with a small stream and shaded by some large trees. About 14 minutes after your departure from Loutrá, near a pigeon tower, you get to a three-forked junction. Over here you take a right, following a red dot. Some 2 minutes later you might hesitate a little, but a red dot sends you to an overgrown and flat path, off the right. This is the right way to go, because 1 minute further down, at two pigeon towers, there is a red arrow pointing to the left, towards a steep trail made of steps. After a difficult climb you suddenly arrive at a small church and you can see the village of Kámbos in front of you – a small paved road, turning into gravel, leads to this village. You have to watch out, though: at the beginning of the village you have to take the first, somewhat overgrown street on the left and then you have to follow the red dots. Past the church you take a right for a short while and then you go left, where you find another red dot. Before the second church you notice the snack bar Romantica at a corner – taking a rest is not a bad idea and it is also worthwhile to have a look around here: also in Kámbos there are many arched streets, although “civilisation” has struck and some of the vaults are now made of concrete…

You continue on the street next to the bar Romantica (so on the left of the second church), until you get to the end of the village (have a look at the beautiful side streets). In this way you arrive at the asphalt road, near a telephone booth and the bus shed. You keep following the asphalt road to the left, in the direction of the mill with a red roof. Some 4 minutes further down, in a bend to the left and about 50 metres before the mill, there is a concrete wall with a gate on the right, to the left of which you find the beginning of a path between walls.  

You descend towards the blue dome of the church of Chatzirádos – after 4 minutes you keep to the left at a chapel, obviously (there are some red dots), and a couple of minutes later you cross a gravel road. On a steep slope you then proceed straight ahead.

The sloppy path almost gets to Chatzirádos, but 50 metres before the church a broad staircase comes from the right-hand side. Over here you enter a paved alley on the left. Another 50 metres further down, on a small square next to a little tower, you go up a broad staircase on the left. You thus get next to the asphalt road with a bus stop. You do not walk on the asphalt road, but you continue straight ahead on the paved street on the right-hand side of this road. In this way you proceed in the direction of a ruin of a mill on the opposite hill. 

The concrete street, later on with steps, leads to a bridge. You cross this bridge and then the road keeps meandering between the dispersed houses – once in a while there is a small church. You keep to the left and then to the right (red dots) and you thus get to another asphalt road, which you follow to the right for about 200 metres. At the end of this road (near a bus shed) you go straight ahead on the street running on the left-hand side of the large church. You are now in Ktikádos, another beautiful village; you should have a look at the beautifully decorated lunettes above the windows, even in the new houses. You first pass the Ouzéri Agnánti, and slightly further the beautiful tavern Drosiá. Over here you can have a drink, enjoying the great panoramic view. A little further, though, the view is as beautiful from the forecourt of the last church, the Panagía Megalómata (Our Blessed Lady with the big eyes) – to get to this spot you have to go right for a short while, through the gate with a nicely decorated frame. The view over the green terraces is fantastic and in the church itself there are a number of wonderful icons.  

Outside the village you immediately get to another beautiful path, on the left of the green valley. After 3-4 minutes you ignore the trail going down on the right, but you continue horizontally. You thus proceed straight towards the chapel far away in front of you, in the depression of the hills just opposite – this is where you were this morning! Just before you really start going down, you notice the beautiful staircase straight ahead on the opposite side… You cross the river on a marvellous arched bridge, built in 1859, and you then climb for 5 minutes on a nice, broad staircase towards the chapel.

The bridge near Ktikádos.

The bridge near Ktikádos.

In this way you get back to the laid out terrace, from where you can already see the tongue of land of the town of Tinos – the old harbour is built against this point. On the left you distinguish the island of Mýkonos with the small island of Dílos, and further on the islands of Náxos and Páros. You take a right here, of course, on the beautiful and old monopáti, which easily brings you back to Chóra. After 8 minutes you get to a gravel road for a short while, but some 20 metres further down you take a left again, onto the old trail – it still dates from the era of the Venetians. During the long and steady descent in the evening sun you gradually get a really beautiful view on the town of Tínos.

Chóra in the evening sun.

Just before you reach the ring road your trail turns into modern paving; on the asphalt road you continue straight ahead, keeping a little to the left on the paved road. Going straight ahead all the time you can thus reach your point of departure. You can also take the first broad street on the left and then further the Leofóros Megalocháris on the right. In this way you arrive at the marina, right in the centre of town.  

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