Inousses

Inousses is one of the more unusual Greek islands — a small, immaculate community just off the northern coast of Chios that is home to several of Greece's most powerful shipping dynasties. The wealth is visible without being ostentatious: neoclassical houses in exceptional condition, a well-maintained waterfront, and a Nautical Museum that tells the story of the island's seafaring tradition with obvious, justified pride. The beaches — particularly Platsa, a long curve of pebble and clear water on the eastern coast — are excellent and almost entirely unoccupied. The atmosphere is of a place that has money, taste, and has arranged its affairs for its own satisfaction rather than for any visiting audience. Almost no international tourists ever arrive. Getting there requires a ferry or water taxi from Chios, and the experience of arriving — immaculate painted facades, the quiet of a place with absolutely nothing to prove — is immediately distinctive.