Emporio is situated in the southernmost end of the island and is 30 kms away from the town of Chios. The greater area is an ideal spot for you to get a rough idea as well as a clear and full picture of the island of Chios. Archaeological digs of the early classical times, palaeochristian churches, medieval towers amid gum trees, all in a unique environment created by the eruption of the volcano of Psaronas.
The tour, for which the use of a form of transport is a requirement, lasts well over an hour and the Acoustic Guide devices are readily availableat Musticulture, the Agro tourist Agency which is located at the Square of Mesta.
“Although the volcano is now extinct, the whole area was marked by an eruption in the past. It is likely that lava was ejected from a submarine crater. When this cooled it produced the black rocks which are still visible on the beaches that are found under Psaronas: Mavra Volia and Foki.”
“The wooden statue of Athena stood towards the back, next to the altar. The goddess wore a lead crown decorated with griffons. These were mythical creatures with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle; they symbolized the wisdom of the goddess.. The temple cannot compare in splendour with others that were built during the same period in Greece: but the view from the top of the hill compensates us as much as it must have our ancestors from Athens who came here as pilgrims.”