Tinos Itinerary

I have loved every Greek Island I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. So much so that I want to go back until I see them all! Though I do have favorites.

Travel to Santorini is a must! It’s dreamy and stunning, but definitely go during the less crowded shoulder months. Tinos won me over with its authentic charm. It didn’t feel touristy, still had the allure of a Greek Island and I got to experience the most magical sunsets with NO crowds.

My friend and I spent a couple days driving around this sleepy but charming island. We didn’t go in with a set itinerary, but just planned to drive around the island and take it in. While I did do some research, the benefit of being on a small island is you can just explore!

So this Tinos itinerary isn’t meant to be copied minute by minute, but it’s great as a general travel guide to give you ideas! I left loving my time on this Greek island. The sunsets and authentic, sleepy villages completely stole my heart!

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DAY ONE | Tinos Itinerary

Mykonos to Tinos Ferry

My friend and I had flown direct from London to Mykonos and spent a three days exploring Mykonos. From Mykonos, the Ferry ride is only around 35 minutes! This will depend on which Ferry, but Tinos is very close.

We entered next to where the cars enter and since we were getting off at the next stop, the attendant put our luggage just off to the side with the other passengers stopping at Tinos. Then we continued up the escalator to the passenger lounge. There were places to buy drinks and snacks, but we weren’t going to be on the ferry long, so I can’t speak to them. Overall, the ferry was very comfortable!

Renting a Car

Once we disembarked, my friend and I walked to a car rental agency. In Tinos they require an International Driver’s License. This took me by surprise since I didn’t need one in Mykonos, Santorini, or Cyprus. Or anywhere else in Europe I’ve rented a car.

Well, I didn’t have one, but they told me of a website other customers had used, so I connected to their WiFi to get the license through a site. If you come prepared, renting a car won’t take long! It’s also worth noting it was shoulder season and Tinos was not crowded. If you go during busy Summer months, you might want to reserve a car.

Another thing worth noting is a lot of car rental places in Europe don’t have a large stock of automatic cars. I know how to drive a manual thankfully because the car we rented was a manual!

Checked In

From the car rental place we drove to our Airbnb. Finding this rental proved difficult and suddenly I’m driving on a one lane dirt road with no barrier between me and the sea!

We finally figured it out by contacting the host and the place was cute and clean! Cavos Hotel and Suites was down the road and actually helped us find our Airbnb and I can confirm it has a beautiful view!

This area wasn’t too far from the port, but felt secluded and quiet! Tinos is fairly large though, so there are plenty of areas you can stay.

Sunset

I’m not sure who I asked, but I got information on where to watch the sunset. So after unloading our luggage, we hopped back in the car to chase the sunset. We passed one recommended village and ended up in the second one, Isternia.

If it wasn’t for one resident walking a dog, I would have thought this village was abandoned. It was SO quiet! We pulled in and there was a park with a basketball hoop overlooking the sea. It was incredibly beautiful!

We watched this magical sunset, took photos and enjoyed this experience all to ourselves! I’m not sure how much busier it would be in the Summer, but at the beginning of October this village was quiet!

Our first Tinos sunset was better than I could have imagined. Definitely chase the sunset! It’s worth it!

DAY TWO | Tinos Itinerary

Tinos Town

We started the day in Tinos town (Chora) to grab breakfast and walk around. In the capital of Tinos, you will not lack options of places to eat! We walked up to cafe, sat outside and enjoyed people watching with distant views of the sea.

After breakfast we started walking up the street. I noticed a woman crawling on her hands and knees. I was stunned, especially since no one seemed to move to help her. So I considered helping her and also considered the language barrier.

As we kept walking up the street, I saw someone else crawling on a carpet next to the sidewalk. At this point my research of Tinos sprung to mind. These women were crawling to the church!

Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Evangelistria

The Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Evangelistria at Tinos sits at the top of a hill about a 14 minute walk from the port. Pilgrims will crawl from the ferry to the church to show their devotion and seek miracles.

The church is home to the famous icon of the Virgin Mary that is believed to have miraculous powers. This icon, known as the “Panagia Evangelistria”, is thought to have healing properties which is why many people come to the church seeking blessings, healing, and miracles.

Some of the Pilgrims had knee pads and some braved the crawl without. The hill is not steep, but it’s noticeable on foot and we walked up this hill for several blocks before arriving to the church. The church was buzzing with people, but it’s not a surprise for a Sunday!

My friend and I walked around to the neighboring street parallel to the one we were just on. Ironically, this street is full of souvenir shops selling trinkets related to the church. This street had a completely different feel. While the shops selling church trinkets was off putting, there were other shops as well! And overall, this street had a very lively feel!

I’m not sure if you’d see church goers crawling during the week, but I found their devotion very impacting! While I don’t know what the church looks like inside, seeing the devotion first hand was special.

While we were there on an early October Sunday, there is a day each year that attracts thousands of pilgrims. During the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15th, people from all over Greece travel to the island to celebrate.

Whenever you are in Tinos, definitely take some time to explore this area and stop by the church!

Loutra

I don’t think Loutra was in the plan, but we stopped in this little village in the middle of Tinos! We walked around to see if there was a shop or cafe, but the village seemed abandoned.

We continued to walk around and take photos. Saw a couple cats, but no people. Up until an old Greek man tried to talk with us! He was so precious, but didn’t speak much English. Nonetheless, he attempted to speak with my friend through google translate before giving both of us roses.

We hadn’t been in Tinos a full 24 hours yet, but walked around two villages that seem empty! The old man was a highlight and we enjoyed taking some photos here as well.

Kolimvithra

Our real target was Kolimvithra beach! I had read it’s one of the few surfing beaches in Greece! We passed a Volkswagen Van on the way, which confirmed we were likely heading the right direction.

Arriving to this beautiful beach, I had to laugh. The one surfing beach was flat as a pancake! There are two beaches you can relax on. One is more protected in a cove, which had more people on it when we arrived.

So we went down to the main surfing beach on the other side and had it mostly to ourselves! The water is too cold for me, but the sun was shining, so we enjoyed getting some vitamin D for a while.

Ormos Panormou

After relaxing for a while, we drove to Ormos Panormou for a late lunch. This fishing village was easily the most lively place we encountered outside the capital of Tinos Town (Chora).

It was rather crowded, but it’s lined with restaurants all with views of the water. We chose a restaurant and sat down outside. This fishing village was so charming!

An older Greek man chatted with us a bit and told us of a cute village further up the road. I made note of it and my friend and I enjoyed the complimentary dessert the waiter gave us.

I suppose this is why Tinos won my heart. It’s the people! While the touristy islands are beautiful, it’s the people who really make the experience!

Pyrgos

After lunch, we made our way to the village recommended, Pyrgos. The drive was beautiful! Well, up until our lives flashed before our eyes. I was heading around a corner and thankfully was able to stop as a massive tourist bus came around the corner.

Anyway, we made it to the town and suddenly the older Greek man on his moped spotted us on the road! He told us where to park before continuing on. So sweet! We pulled into the dirt parking lot filled with cars!

This village was so cute! There were some people around, but for the most part, my friend and I walked and enjoyed its charm! Taking photos and just exploring.

There was a couple restaurants or cafes open, but it’s now late afternoon on a Sunday so not much was opened. However, this village was so beautiful and definitely worth a stop!

Chased the Sunset in Ormos Kardianis

We started heading to the village, Kardiani, that we skipped the night before to catch the sunset. Made one picture stop before continuing on to Ormos Kardianis. However, we stopped at the top of the hill rather than driving down into the village.

The reason being, as we were driving around the corner, the sun was already too low to continue driving. It was also too beautiful to keep driving and potentially miss another second of it. So, we pulled over on the side of the road, and my friend and I enjoyed another stunning sunset in Tinos!

I really can’t emphasize this enough: chase the sunsets!

Returning to Mykonos

On the last day, we drove into Tinos Town, returned the car, and enjoyed some breakfast. The ferry back to Mykonos was just as smooth as the one coming over.

The only bummer was the weather. It was a little rainy, which didn’t matter in Tinos since we were leaving, but it was supposed to be our beach day in Mykonos. In the end, we just rested in our room and enjoyed walking and taking in the views once the weather cleared.

When to Visit Tinos Greece

Overall this island is less visited, but with it being so close to Mykonos they would still likely see a lot of tourists. The Summer is high season for the Mediterranean in general, which I personally try to avoid.

The shoulder months of May, September and October would be beautiful weather and less tourists! I was there early October and the island felt super quiet, but there were some tourists around.

A date worth noting is August 15th. The island sees a lot of devout Greeks coming to the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

How to Get Around Tinos

Rent a car! Having the freedom is the best way to get around. It’s easy to navigate and wasn’t crowded when I was there. There are plenty of car rental places in the capital city and close to the port. Just be sure to have an International Driver’s License. I learned this hard this way.

There is a bus system if you really don’t want to drive. The station is within about five minutes walking distance of the Tinos port. I never used it so I can’t speak to it. However, it would hit the major highlights.

Taxis are also an option, but definitely the most costly option.

Tinos Tours

Of course if you don’t want to drive or navigate the bus system, you may want to consider booking a tour! Tinos doesn’t have many on offer, but there are a couple that would make a day trip easier!

The below tour offers highlights of the cute villages around the island. It’s a great choice for anyone who doesn’t want to drive, but still explore the cute Greek villages.

Highlights tour on traditional villages

If you like wine, then the below tour is for you! This is another great day trip option from Mykonos. This tour is private, allowing it to be more personalized. If you’re staying in Tinos, pickup is offered. Just be sure to check if your accommodation is included in the pickup zone.

Tinos Itinerary

I hope my Tinos itinerary helps you in planning your visit! It’s less of a set plan and more just go with the flow, but if you got nothing else, I hope you chase the sunset and explore the authentic and charming villages of Tinos!

I absolutely recommend visiting Tinos and this island only increased my desire to visit all the Greek Islands! So I hope you enjoy your trip to Greece and leave as charmed as I did!