The Thinking Traveller

Luxury villas on Tinos

Tinos is easy to explore in a week or two. The west coast is a series of little coves, many of which have little sandy beaches, including Kantani, Giannaki, and Vathi. A day or two exploring these by boat is highly recommended, also because some are difficult to access on foot or by car. Longer stretches of sand can be found at Agios Fokas and Laouti on the south coast below Tinos Town. The interior of Tinos is mountainous and home to a liberal scattering of pretty whitewashed villages, such as Pyrgos (Panormos), Steni, Dio Choria, Komi, Ysternia, Tripotamos and Skalados. Many of these have their origins in Byzantine and Venetian times and it is no coincidence that they were all built at a safe distance from the sea.