Mesta lies southwest of the town of Chios,
35 kilometers away, in the area of Mastihohoria (meaning the "mastic villages").
It is a perfectly preserved castle village dated to the medieval period. The houses
were built one right next to the other, thereby creating a protective wall surrounding
the village. The open-hearted and kind people of Mesta still preserve the traditions
of the 14th century village. The village's most important custom takes place during
the carnival festivities where the "Aghas" trials, a satirical replica
of the trials that used to take place under the Turkish Occupation, are presented.
There are two routes that visitors may choose in order to come to Mesta.
•From Chios, the road leading to Armolia,
Pyrgi, and Olympi
also continues onward to Mesta. This route is the easiest and fastest.
•From Chios, the road leading to Aghios
Georghios, Vessa,
and Elata also leads
to Mesta. Thus Mesta is a crossroad by which visitors are afforded access to the
majority of the noteworthy sites of the central and southern portions of the island
of Chios.
