Oinousses

Oinousses is a small archipelago of one main island and eight islets off the northeast coast of Chios, just 14 square kilometres in total, facing the Turkish coast. It is a legendary shipping island, home to some of Greece’s biggest ship-owning families like the Lemos, Pateras and Hadjipateras, who built mansions, a maritime museum and a naval academy here, and whose wealth funds the neat, immaculate main town with its sailors’ houses and yacht-filled harbour.

With only about 1,000 residents, Oinousses feels orderly and prosperous rather than remote, with pine-covered hills, stone monasteries like Evangelismos, and beaches of pebble and clear water at Bilali, Kastro and Zampatis. Ferry-linked to Chios town, it is not a mass tourism island but a place of quiet coves, goat bells, and the deep maritime identity of the eastern Aegean.

The shipowners’ island off Chios

Oinousses is the main island in a cluster of 9 isles, 2 kilometres off the north-east coast of Chios and 8 kilometres west of Turkey in the Aegean. It has an area of just 14 to 15 square kilometres and is also recorded as 17.43 km2 with 700 residents in its picturesque town Aignousa built amphitheatrically on a steep hill. The eight isles lie between the northeast end of Chios and the Turkish Peninsula of Erythraia, opposite Lagada village.

The island is known as the island of shipowners — one of the wealthiest spots in Greece where several millionaire shipping dynasties have roots and family homes, giving it a noble and serene aura. Despite small size it offers natural beauty with small rolling hills, vineyards and beaches protected by the Natura 2000 network, producing honey, rare mushrooms and wild greens, though the economy is mainly shipping. Its emblem is the copper statue of the mermaid welcoming visitors at the port entrance. Important sights are the Maritime Museum housed in Pantelis Laimos mansion near the port, founded in 1965 with ship models, paintings from the Napoleonic Wars, nautical instruments and documents tracing sailboats to steam, plus the Monastery of Evangelismos from 1964 with frescoes by Fotis Kontoglou and the Mausoleum of shipowning families with marble sculptures.

This is for you if you want an authentic, unspoiled North Aegean island with deep maritime history and no mass tourism. It is not for large beaches or nightlife.

How to get there & around

Oinousses may only be reached by ferry, which connects the island to the town of Chios on a daily basis. The trip lasts about 45 minutes to one hour for the 10 nautical miles or 19 kilometres. Ferries from Chios to Oinousses run on average once per day, from as little as €3 to €4 if booked in advance, with earliest around 03:05 and latest at 22:00, and twice weekly services noted seasonally around 22:00 departure. Operators include Blue Star Ferries and Hellenic Seaways. If travelling by plane you fly domestic from Athens International ATH to Chios National Airport JKH, then catch the ferry. The island is also connected by boat to Ikaria, Lesvos, Lemnos, Samos, Fournoi, Psara, Mykonos, Syros and Tinos. The main island is small and everything is within walking distance.

Sources

https://broadreachmaritime.org/greece/oinousses/ | Oinousses main island cluster 9 islands 2 kilometres off north-east coast Chios 8 km west Turkey area just 15 km2 small rolling hills vineyards beaches protected Natura 2000 produces honey rare mushrooms wild greens economy mainly made up daily linked Chios town by ferry
https://greece.com/destinations/north-aegean/chios/oinousses/ | eight isles located Aegean between northeast end Chios west Turkish Peninsula Erithrea largest island Egnoussa stretches over 14km2 only inhabited circa 700 residents Marine Museum priceless collection Antonis Laimos miniature ship models Napoleonic Wars may only be reached by ferry connects town Chios daily trip lasts one hour
https://www.chios.gr/en/discover-chios/the-island/oinousses | complex islets east Chios Island opposite Lagada village picturesque town Aignousa built amphitheatrically steep hill Maritime Museum true gem housed Pantelis Ant Laimos mansion near port founded 1965 history thousands years famous seamanship island shipowners known noble serene aura Annunciation Monastery Foti Kontoglou hagiography copper statue mermaid emblem entrance port
https://www.omio.com/ferries/chios/oinousses-island | Ferries Chios Oinousses average 1 times per day 45m cheap tickets start $4 €3 advance 1 ferry per day earliest 03:05 last 22:00 fastest 10 nautical miles 19 km 45m foot passengers

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Last Updated on August 30, 2026 by admin