The bustling dock was a vantage point where one could discern the coast of Asia Minor; as such, it enchanted the European travelers who visited the island from the 16th to the early 20th century. In 1820, the French philhellene Lodois de Martin de Tyrac Marcellus (1795-1865) vividly describes ‘’The public walk at the city of Chios extends along the beach, from the embankment of the Castle to the road leading to the School of Homer. (…) This walk is where lovers meet”. The harbor of Chios was constructed during 1895-1904. Its design along with the neoclassical buildings, some of which are preserved to this day, are reminiscent of the ambiance of Smyrna in Asia Minor.