Tinos

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Tinos

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37°32.1′N, 25°09.4′E
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Photo gallery
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Local chartlet

Tinos (Τήνος) or Tenos belongs to the Cyclades group. It is a mountainous island of 195 km2 and about 8,500 inhabitants. Its tallest peak, Tsiknias is 729 m (2392 ft). It is a wooded island famous for its many villages (64) and its Venetian dove coats (800), little white towers inhabited by flocks of white pigeons. But the real fame of Tinos is owed to the miraculous icon of the Madonna. The yearly pilgrimage of the faithful and afflicted on August 15 has made Tinos the Lourdes of Greece.

The ancient name of the island was Ophiousa, meaning with snakes, because it was infested with small vipers. The name Tinos maybe is a corruption of the Phoenician word Tunnoth ("snake"). The island was settled by the Ionians in the 10th century BC. The Persians occupied the island in 490 BC but after the Battle of Marathon is was freed. Following the liberation a sanctuary was built dedicated to Poseidon because he sent a flock of storks that ate the snakes. Pilgrims and afflicted persons would go to the island to celebrate the December festival of Poseidon, the Poseidonia, and many were cured from their afflictions. In Roman times Mithridates of Pontus (Black Sea) invaded the island and destroyed its towns in 88 BC. After the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204 AD), the Venetians conquered the island from the Byzantines. The Gizis, its Venetian masters, built the fortress Of Santa Hellena at Exombourgo, on the foundations of the old acropolis. This fortress, deemed the strongest in the Cyclades, withstood all eleven attacks of Barbarossa. In 1715 AD, long after the rest of Greece had been occupied by the Ottomans, the island was surrounded by a massive Ottoman fleet. The Venetians finally surrendered. Their captains were executed in Venice, and Santa Hellena was blown up. The result of this long occupation by the Venetian was that most of the island inhabitants became Catholic. Even today, Tinos has the largest number of Catholics in Greece.

Tinos stayed under the Ottomans until the Greek War of Independence of 1821. In the second year of the war a nun, Pelagia, had a vision of the Madonna who directed her to look under a certain rock. Next day, remembering her vision she looked and found the icon which proved to have very potent in healing powers. The icon inspired the Orthodox inhabitants to revolt and liberate their island. A church, the Panagia Evangelistria was built at the site where the icon was found. People flock to this church and dedicate diamond, pearls, engraved human limbs, in silver and gold, engraved ships, etc. Religion has become the island's major industry.

The Church of the Virgin MaryClick for larger view

Charts

Greece Tinos m.jpg
BA
2682 Kólpos Patalion to Nísos Nísiros
1647 Nísos Tínos to Nísos Ikaría
Imray-Tetra
G31 Northern Cyclades
NIMA
54334 Plans in the Aegean Sea
Greek
42 Andros to Chalki Island
421 Karystos to Naxos

Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

  • Coast Guard - VHF channel 12 & Tel. +30 2830 22 348
  • Olympia Radio - VHF channel 03 & 04

Weather

See Aegean Sea.

Approach and Navigation

Warning: The strait between Tinos and Andros to the north, Strait Dhisvato, has a current setting towards the south-west. The strait at its narrowest is just over half a mile wide. With the meltemi blowing there are very strong gusts through this narrow channel. Also the channel between Tinos and Mykonos is notorious for its gusts.

Check-in facilities

Submit details about facilities for checking in - where to dock, location of immigration & customs, etc.

Ports and Popular Stops

Ports

Tinos Harbor

Greece Tinos h.jpg

World icon.png 37°32.3′N, 25°09.7′E Tinos is the only harbor in the island. It is a large commercial harbor with very limited space for yachts. Because it is an excellent all-weather harbor it is crowded, especially when the meltemi is blowing.

Proceed to the inner harbor and moor stern-to. You may have to tie on a second or even a third tier. The bottom is mud and provides good holding.

There is now (2010) a harbor attendant, Dimitris Psaradelis (tel. +30 6932 810 489, Email). He will sow you where to dock and help with the stern lines. He will also connect you with water and electricity.

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:

Anchorages

Tinos has several nice anchorages:

Ayios Fokas

World icon.png 37°31.8′N, 25°10.2′E
This cove just east of the harbor could provide some shelter.

Livadha

LivadhaClick for larger view

World icon.png 37°36.7′N, 25°14.3′E
Livadha (Λιβάδα) is a very attractive cove. It is just W of Cape LIvadha. It has lovely clear warts and sandy bottom. Anchor in about 4.5 m over sand. Good holding.

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

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Kolympithra

KolympithraClick for larger view

World icon.png 37°38.0′N, 25°09.0′E
Kolympithra (Kολυμπήθρα) is another attractive cove on the E side of Tinos. Anchor over sand in 5-5 m depth.

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

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Panormos

World icon.png 37°39.1′N, 25°03.8′E

Panormos (Πάνορμος) is a small fishing harbor within a large bay on the north-east side of the island provides some protection from the meltemi but it is not comfortable because of the swell.

But within this bay there is much better shelter in Ayia Thalassa (Αγία Θάλασσα - Holy Sea) World icon.png 37°39.6′N, 25°03.4′E. Here you can anchor off in about 5 m depth. From here you can easily go with the dinghy to the fashionable little harbor.

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Pourgia

PourgiaClick for larger view

World icon.png 37°39.9′N, 25°0′E

Pourgia (Πούργια) is an attractive anchorage on the north side of Tinos across from [[Andros-Greece|Andros]. The anchorage is exposed to the N and it is tenable when there is no meltemi or with south winds.

Anchor in about 7 m depth. Good holding.

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

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Marinas & Yacht Clubs

None.

Yacht Services and Repairs

Marine Stores

None.

Yacht Services/Repairs/Yards

None.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

Fuel
On the quay
Water
On the quay
Electricity
On the quay

Offshore Islands

None.

Tourism and Things to do Ashore

Tourism

Greece Tinos Halepas1.jpg
Halepas’ House
Click for larger view
Greece Tinos Pyrgos1.jpg
A Street in the village of Pyrgos
Click for larger view
Greece Tinos DoveCote1.jpg
Dovecotes in Tarampados
Click for larger view
Greece Tinos Smardaki2.jpg
A Dovecote in Smardaki
Click for larger view

Tourism & things to do ashore

Other than the church of Panagia Evangelistria in the town of Tinos there is an Archaeological Museum (open 8-3 except Mondays) which contains artifacts from the Sanctuary of Poseidon and Amphitrite. The excavation of the sanctuary can be seen in Kionia about 4 km W of the town.

Another place worth visiting is the Kechrovouni Convent, one of the largest in Greece where Sister Pelagia, now a saint, had her vision. On the way one can see many picturesque villages. The drive past Exombourgo to Volax, where they still do nice basket weaving, all the way to Kolymbithres goes past many villages and dove cotes.

There are two modern sculpture museums: in Isternia and in Pirgos, the later was the house of the famous Greek sculpture Giannolis Halepas.

There many dovecotes through out the island. Some of lovely and intricate architecture well worth seeing. The villages of Tarampados and Smardaki have some of the best examples of these dovecotes.

Grocery & Supply Stores

  • Good shopping in the town

Eateries

  • Indifferent restaurants in the town

Internet/WiFi

In Internet cafés.

Laundry

Motorbike & Car Rentals

  • Possible from the town

Garbage Disposal

There are bins around the harbor.

Transportation

Ferries to Rafina and Piraeus.

Routes/Passages To/From

Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

References & Publications

See Greece.

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:

See individual ports in this page.

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?


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