Retsinadika
The route that connects Agios Isidoros to Volissos passes through one of the most striking mountainsides of Chios. Hikers on this path will encounter abundant pine forests flush with the scent of pinecones and resin. In fact, the latter is the reason behind the local name for the place, Retsinadika.
The path here is wide and well laid. The views of the surrounding mountains, on the slopes of which grow some of Chios’ last remaining primeval pine forests, are truly breathtaking. The island was once covered by pine forests. But that idyllic situation began to disappear in 1981, when the first major wildfire broke out. Unfortunately, since then, the once verdant pine forests of Chios have witnessed a precipitous decline.
Nevertheless, thick stands of tall, proud pine trees can still be found throughout the island, a refreshing sight for visitors and residents alike. Hikers looking to explore the region of Retsinadika can do so via two routes. The first of these is the southern approach. The path winds through an exceptionally dense, stately pine forest, at the end of which hikers will encounter a large stone sheep pen.
The other approach starts from the north and passes by the striking woodland environs of Mikrolimni. On this path, lush forests give way to rocky, sun-baked mountainsides, whose contrast creates a visually enchanting backdrop. After covering some distance on the track that goes over Mt Pelinaion in the shadow of Plakes peak, the route turns southward and descends through the pine forest. On this descent, hikers will encounter small plateaus.
The dirt path that goes through Retsinadika and ascends north into the striking scenery of Mikrolimni leads to the region of Fardi Pigadi (Long Well), a name that is attributed to the fact that, since Antiquity, a well and a settlement have existed here. According to folk legends, back when Chios was under Genoese rule Fardi Pigadi was said to have been the domain of a lord. This lord seems to have been severely injured in battle, when an enemy soldier sheared off the top of his skull. The legend has it that the lord covered the exposed section with wax and lived on, but from then on couldn’t go out in daylight as the sun would melt the wax shell. That’s why he became known as the Anilios Vassilias (the shaded king).
Orchards and abandoned livestock pens dot the local highlands. Some still stand, evidence of their continuing use. Piles of stones and dry-stone structures occasionally appear among the pine thickets. These are all that’s left of older structures, possibly the local windmills, the last remnants of the once vibrant agricultural and livestock production of the island.