Tinos-Mykonos Tinos ,only 1 hour away from Mykonos, lies very close to the southern tip of Andros. This is the holy island of Our Lady, which in August is swamped by pilgrims who have come to pray in Her church (second photo above) or in fulfilment of a vow. As Our Lady's feast day on 15 August approaches, the church and the town of Tinos become crammed with people, and religious services take place next to the commercial fair being held in the surrounding streets.

 

A line of mountains, whose highest peak is Mt Tsiknias (in the myths, the home of the wind-god Aeolus), runs the length of the island. On its lower slopes, walls like the fortifications of old castles divide the terraced fields. The coast of the island is mostly steep, but there are also numerous coves with sandy or pebbly beaches. Among the special characteristics of Tinos are its dovecotes. These structures developed from simple roosts for pigeons into works of art - and the stone-built fountains to be seen in the villages evolved in a similar manner.

Church of Our Lady. As Our Lady's feast day on  August 15 approaches, the church and the town of  Tinos

become crammed with people, and religious services take place next to the commercial fair being held in the surrounding streets.  The church stands imposingly, high up at the end of the road. It is built of white marble and is ringed by a number of ancillary buildings. The famous healing iconof Our Lady dominates its interior. It is studded with diamonds, sapphires and pearls, the offerings of emperors, kings and the faithful. The church was built in 1823, during the revolt of the Hellenes against the Ottoman rule, on the spot where the miraculous icon was found.

Known as the island of Our Lady, Tinos is the greatest centre of pilgrimage in Greece. For that reason most of the visitors do not prolong their stay, and thus see little of the beauty of the island: the blindingly-white traditional villages have unadulterated Cycladic architecture and the famous dove-cotes which are constructed with great skill and imagination and are found almost exclusively in Tinos. In addition, Tinos has superb beaches with white sand, crystal-clear water and cool breezes in the summer. The island has long spells of sunlight in the summer, which helps to make Tinos one of the most interesting places in the Cyclades. A wonderful road connects most of the villages of the island. In Tinos one can see fine exhibits of local architecture.

Tinos, capital of the island and its port, is where most of the population lives. A broad paved street leads from the harbour to the low hill on which stands the magnificent church of Our Lady.

There are plenty of good beaches, too, notably at Agios Fokas near the town, Kionia, Porto, Panormos bay, Kolimbithra, Agios Sostis and Pahia Amos.

The lunar landscape at the spot known as 'Volax', with its peculiar boulders, is probably unique anywhere in the world. The beauties of Tinos are gradually making a name for themselves. Although amenities for tourists outside the town are scanty, they are constantly expanding.

A full tour of the island can include picturesque villages in the interior like Komi, Kalloni, Kardiani, Isternia and the insuperable Pyrgos (the largest and the most attractive village in Tinos), and a visit to the coast of the island in villages like Kionia, Kolymbithra and the pretty little harbour of Panormos .