Planning a trip to Tinos
Visitor Information
For information on accommodations, car rentals, island tours, and Tinos in general, contact Sharon Turner (sharon@thn.forthnet.gr) at Windmills Travel (tel. 22830/23-398; fax 22830/23-327; www.windmillstravel.com). She is the friendly, helpful, and efficient Windmills Tinos representative, with unparalleled knowledge of Tinos and its neighboring islands. She sees clients at her office by appointment, but can solve almost any problem and supply information on Tinos, the Cyclades, and beyond by phone and email.
Fast Facts
There are several banks on the harbor, open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 2pm and Friday from 8am to 1:30pm; all have ATMs. The first-aid center can be reached at tel. 22830/22-210. For luggage storage, try Windmills Travel (tel. 22830/23-398). The police (tel. 22830/22-348) are located just past the new pier, past Lito Hotel and Windmills Travel. The post office (tel. 22830/22-247), open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 2pm, is at the harbor's south end, next to Tinion Hotel. The telephone office (OTE), open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 12:30pm, is on the main street leading to the church of Panagia Evangelistria, about halfway up on the right (tel. 22830/22-399). The Tinos Cultural Foundation (tel. 22830/29-070) has a small permanent collection and temporary exhibitions; admission is sometimes charged for special exhibits. It's usually open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10am to 2pm and 7 to 9pm; weekend hours are 10:30am to 2pm and 7 to 9pm. It also has the cheapest Internet service in town, with a nearby cafe.
Getting Around
By Bus
The bus station (tel. 22830/22-440) is beside the Catholic church on the harbor, above the pier where the large island boats dock. Schedules are usually posted or available here. There are frequent daily buses to most island villages. The local bus company also offers a tour of the island, which usually departs from the Tinos town station daily from late June to late September at 10am; it returns to Tinos town around 5pm, after stopping at a number of villages and for lunch and a swim at Panormos. The 15€ charge does not include lunch. It is an excellent way to get an initial sense of the island. If you speak Greek, or feel adventurous, do this tour simply by hopping on a variety of local buses.
By Car & Moped
Vidalis Car Hire on the harbor at 2 Trion Hierarchon, where taxis congregate (tel. 22830/15-670; www.vidalis-rentacar.gr), has a wide range of vehicles. Expect to pay from 40€ per day for a car, half that for a moped; prices lower off season.
By Taxi
Taxis hang out on Trion Hierarchon, which runs uphill from the harbor just before Palamaris supermarket and Hotel Tinion.
Getting There
Several ferries travel to Tinos daily from Piraeus (5 hr.). Catamaran (1 1/2 hr.) and ferry services (4 hr.) are available daily in summer from Rafina. Check schedules at the Athens GNTO (tel. 210/331-0562); Piraeus Port Authority (tel. 210/459-3223 or 210/422-6000; phone seldom answered); or Rafina Port Authority (tel. 22940/22-300). Several times a day, boats connect Tinos with nearby Mykonos (20-35 min.); there's daily service to Paros (and thence to many islands) in summer, and to and from Siros every day. Tinos has more winter connections than most Cycladic isles due to its religious tourism, which continues throughout the year.
There are three ports in Tinos harbor. Be sure to find out from which pier your ship will depart -- and be prepared for last-minute changes. The small catamarans (Seajet, Flying Cat, and Jet One) dock at the old pier in the town center; the large and high-speed ferries use the new pier to the north, on the side of town in the direction of Kionia. Tinos Port Authority (not guaranteed to be helpful) can be reached at tel. 22830/22-348.
