Vessa is a hilly village on the island of Chios and belongs to the Municipality of the Mastic villages. It is situated 19kms southwest of Chios town (distance by road) in a valley which probably explains the name “Vessa” which, according to the poet Homer, means valley, and it is at an altitude of 180 metres. It is a picturesque village with narrow alleyways and traditional architecture. It is an old, medieval settlement, a typical  fortress or “castle-village” and forms part of the mastic villages.

These villages were built between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries by Genoese noblemen. Built in a row, the houses were joined by stone arches and formed the walls of the village. These :castle-villages” have very few entrances and a lot of churches. The Saint Dimitris Cathedral is particularly worth visiting.. The main occupation of the locals is the cultivation of mastic and olives. In the summer, the village comes to life and is full of both locals and visitors who can enjoy a meal or a drink in the village square at one of the two typical Greek cafes where the locals gather. The central position of the village gives visitors the opportunity to move around the island easily and visit the most beautiful beaches in the west of the island in a very short time