Whenever I have the chance to vacation in Europe, I always seem drawn to those cities with a lovely character. Places like Paris, Rome, Nice and Lyon.

Recently I visited the island of Chios, located on the eastern side of the Greek Agean across the water from Czesme in Turkey. The walled streets and homes offer wonderful photo ops with their layers of multi-hued stacked stones inset with tall, wooden doors.

A peek into the courtyard of these homes reveals balconies covered with vividly colored bougainvillea and pots of geraniums. Many of the older estates have a well with a water wheel called a maganos.