Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Anna Floradis Rooms
PENSION $
( 22710 76455;
www.floradi.gr
; s/d €40/50; )
The friendly Anna Floradis, who speaks
French and some English, has rooms, studios and kitchenette suites throughout Mesta.
Meseonas
TAVERNA $
(Plateia Taxiarhon; mains €5-10)
With tables spread across Plateia Taxiarhon, this venerable
old favourite appeals to locals and tourists alike, and serves hearty portions of
mayirefta
,
beef
keftedhes
(rissoles) and grills. Everything is local, right down to the
souma
(mastic-
flavoured firewater).
Getting Around
Mesta is a walking-only town; there are regular buses to Chios Town. English-speaking
Dimitris Kokkinos
( 6972543543)
provides a taxi service. Sample fares from Mesta in-
clude: Limenas Mesta €7; Olymbi €5; Pyrgi €20; and Chios Town €50.
Around Mesta
Mesta's workaday west-coast port of
Limenas Meston
(also called Limenas) offers a
shorter exit to the Greek mainland via Psara to Lavrio. There are a couple of decent tav-
ernas to feed travellers and transients, including the fish taverna
Limani Meston
.
For swimming, head to
Agia Dynami Beach
(7km south of Olympi), a curving, sandy
cove where the water is a stunning turquoise, backed by two tamarisk shade trees and a
popular canteen.
Some 3km southeast of Mesta is
Olympi
- like Mesta and Pyrgi, a mastic-producing
village characterised by its defensive architecture. A well-maintained 3km
trail
connects
Oympi and Mesta.
A popular side-trip takes you 5km south to the splendid
Cave of Sykia Olymbi
(
22710 93364; admission €5; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun)
, signposted at Olympi as 'Olympi Cave',
a 150-million-year-old cavern discovered accidentally in 1985. The cave is some 57m
deep and is filled with multicoloured stalactites and other rock formations with whimsic-
al names such as the Pipe Organ, Cacti and the Jellyfish. Floodlights light it up, and a
series of platforms and staircases with handrails connect it all - be prepared for some
climbing. The cave maintains a steady temperature of 18°C and humidity is a moist 95%.
Guided tours are mandatory and run every 30 minutes.
