If you ask the locals for a unique souvenir of this lovely Island, I promise you everyone will recommend you the same thing: Mastic!

The chiots are very proud of it alright, but they also have reason to: From chewing gum over body lotion until glue (I’m not kidding!), Mastic is a real allrounder and can be used for literally everything.

Especially the south of Chios is full of tiny Mastic trees and the villages there are generally called mastic villages, because their economy is mostly based on the cultivation, harvesting, production of different products.

The local people there are either sailors or working in the mastic production, believe me!

But back to the Mastic: In Greece it is known as the “tears of Chios,” being traditionally produced on our Greek island, and, like other natural resins, is produced in “tears” or droplets and the harvest of mastic is from July to October.

Within the countries of the European Union, the South of Chios is the only place where the production of mastic is executed. Mastic from Chios island is well known in Greece, as it is said to bring good health. And get this, during the Ottoman Rule of the island (1566-1822), mastic was worth the same amount of money as gold! (for more background information check out Chios.expert)

So you search for the perfect holiday souvenirs for family and friends can officially come to an end now: How about some mastic liqueur for uncle Bob? And I’m sure aunt Leslie will love those earrings which look like the really elegant leaves of a mastic tree! For your nieces and nephews just grab some of the different kinds of mastic chewing gum and you will be their favourite family mamber for ever!