Tour of Lesvos Island
Lesvos is the third largest island in Greece after Crete and Evia.
It is a very beautiful island with unique natural beauties, magic beaches, hot springs well known since antiquity, long history, a lot of monuments, friendly inhabitants and the amazing petrified forest.
It is the birthplace of famous Greek people: Theofilos, Alkaios, Sappho, Arion, Pittakos, Myrivilis, Elytis, Eftaliotis,Venezis…
Lesvos is a popular travel destination, ideal for cosmopolitan holidays and quiet as well. In this island the visitors can enjoy everything: accommodation, entertainment and food will leave you the best of impressions. Lesvos is also famous for its excellent ouzo production.
MYTILENE
The beautiful town of MYTILENE, the capital and the main port of the island, is built amphitheatrically on seven hills and spreads along the coast with its impressive neoclassical houses.
Mytilene is the artistic, commercial and industrial center of the island.
The summit of the hill is dominated by the castle, standing out in the pine wood.
The old part of the town is densely built and has narrow, picturesque streets.
The major sights in the town are:
The Castle, built on ancient remains by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, with additions by the Genoese and Turks. Performances of plays and concerts are held inside the castle.
The Hellenistic Theater, in the area of Agia Kyriaki.
The ruins of a Late Roman Villa (the house of Menader).
The remains of the polygonal fortifications of Ancient Mytilene (5th c. BC)
A square building in which Christian martyrs were buried.
Traditional houses, mansions and neoclassical buildings.
The church of Agios Therapon (18th c.), the Cathedral (17th c.) and many other churches in and around the town.
MUSEUMS
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM Amongst the many important exhibits from the excavations on the island, the most impressive are the mosaics from the House of Menander.
BYZANTINE MUSEUM : This is housed in the grounds of the church of Agios Therapon.
FOLKLORE MUSEUM in the old Harbor Authority Building.
THE THEOFILOS MUSEUM at Varia, 3,5 kilometers outside the town which houses paintings by the artist Theofilos himself.
THE MODERN ART MUSEUM near the Theofilos Museum, contains paintings by major artists.
The marketplace is one of the most active in Greece with shops of every variety and closed to automobile traffic while the stores are open.
The accommodations and entertainment facilities in the city and suburbs, which are surrounded by greenery and located by the sea, have every modern convenience.
The city beach of Mytilene is situated near the port. It is popular, well-organized and has small pebbles and sand.
Tour of Lesvos Island
Taking the coast road north-west of the town, we come to the following villages:
MORIA is located 6 km. north of Mytilene.
It is a traditional village with old houses, gardens, narrow streets, churches and the ruins of a Roman aqueduct.
THERMI (11km. north) is a traditional village with towers and narrow, paved streets, mineral springs known since ancient times, and the monastery of Saint Raphael on the hill of Karyes.
North of Thermi, you will found the fine sandy beach of Petalidi.
MISTEGNA
Further down the road you can visit the villages of MISTEGNA and NEES KYDONIES as well as their picturesque ports surrounded by traditional restaurants and rooms to let.
Don’t miss to taste the local specialty: barbecued octopus which is said to be the tastiest on the whole island.
In the southern side of the city there are many picturesque seaside villages like the village of VARIA and NEAPOLIS.
MANDAMADOS
The traditional village of MANDAMADOS, 36 kilometers north of the town of Mytilene, has many old customs and popular festivals – the bull festival is unique – pottery workshops, old churches and monasteries, the remains of a medieval castle, a Byzantine fort and rock-cut tombs just outside the village.
Tour of Lesvos Island
SYKAMINIA
SYKAMINIA and SKALA SYKAMINIAS (46 kilometers north-west the town) have a magnificent setting.
Sykamnia is one of the top tourist destinations of the island with loads of rooms to let, excellent traditional taverns by the coast renowned for their fresh fish dishes.
MOLYVOS
The same road brings us to MITHYMNA (or MOLYVOS) 62 kilometers north-west the town, clinging to the rock, with the Byzantine castle on the summit, local architecture, some interesting churches, the remains of the ancient city – one of the most important on the island and birthplace of the poet Arion -, a Roman aqueduct, h bath-house, characteristic springs, an archaeological collection and a library.
The town of Molyvos itself is built of stone houses and shops which are surround the castle and follow the coast to one of the most beautiful harbors in Greece.
In the area there are numerous hotels, apartments and rooms to let, taverns, coffee shops, many bars and some clubs.
At Mithymna it is found the famous beach of EFTALOU and the pebbled beach of Molyvos where the sea is usually calm. In Eftalou village you can visit the residence of Elias Venizis and Argyris Eftaliotis.
Tour of Lesvos Island
PETRA
Beyond this is PETRA, with a fine beach, lush vegetation and the church of the Panagia Glykofiloussa, on the rock from which the village takes its name.
Petra is a big resort style beach fully organized.
You will find a wide range of hotels, rooms to let, pensions, restaurants, cafes and bars for your nightlife.
On August 15th the festival of Virgin Mary takes place on Petra and is a great holiday for the village.
Just opposite Petra you can see four islets (Ai Giorgis, Mikro Nisi, Glaronisi and Mirmingi) which have been declared protected wildlife bird zones serving at the same time as bird observatories.
ANAXOS
Just beyond Petra is the beach village ANAXOS, a resort style beach where you can find hotels, rooms to let, taverns and bars. Near Petra is also the fine beach of Avlaki which is small.
To the west of Anaxos lies Tsichrada, an idyllic beach close to a lush field.
ANTISSA
ANTISSA (76 kilometers north-west of Mytilene) is a small inland town 300 meters above sea level, while the remains of the ancient city of this name, the birthplace of the poet Terpander, are near the sea.
Antissa has some important churches and a folklore collection.
SIGRI
SIGRI, 18 kilometers to the east, is a beautiful coastal settlement with a well preserved Turkish castle, Byzantine and medieval remains at Paliokastro and, 6 kilometers away the amazing Petrified Forest, a unique natural phenomenon. It was formed due to favorable petrification conditions which occurred at the north-eastern part of the island 15-20 million years ago.
Between Antissa and Sigri lies the monastery of Ypsilou, which has some important treasures and manuscripts.
Sigri is the largest natural harbor on the island. The beach of Sigri is long, sandy with shallow waters ideal for families with kids.
In the area you will find everything: good food, clear beaches, nice hotels, traditional taverns where you will taste fresh fish and seafood, coffee shops and snack bars.
The beaches to the north of Sigri like Faneromeni are also beautiful.
ERESSOS
Further south is the small inland town of ERESSOS (89 kilometers north-west of the capital) and SKALA ERESSOU, a lovely sea side village set in a volcanic landscape.
Eresos, which retains its ancient name, is the birthplace of the poetess Sappho.
At the Archeological museum of Eressos there are exhibits of black and red urns of the 5th and 6th centuries.
Skala Eressou beach is one of the most famous and organized on the island, perfect for families.
It has 2 kilometers sandy beach and clear blue waters.
KALLONI
SKALA KALLONIS, deep in the bay of Kalloni, is a fishing center with sandy beaches: 4 kilometers to the north is Kalloni (40 kilometers from Mytilene).
KALLONI is 45 kilometers west of the capital and 4 kilometers from the sea-side village of Skala, which has plentiful fish and the most popular and fully organized beach on the island. In the region you can find hotels, rooms to let, taverns, restaurants and cafes. In the taverns of the region don’t forget to taste fresh fish and sardines. Every summer, as part of its cultural events, the municipality organizes the “Sardine Festival”, which attracts a lot of people.
Tour of Lesvos Island
The small inland town of AGIA PARASKEVI, 8 kilometers to the north-east, has some traditional houses and a church, also called Agia Paraskevi, in a cave.
The festival of the bull takes place here, and there is also a traditional carnival.
In this area are to be found the ruins of buildings in the Aeolic style (the only ones in Greece), the remains of a Byzantine fortress, the ruins of a large temple of Aphrodite, the remains of ancient Pyrra, an Early Christian basilica of Saint George, and the famous medieval bridge of Kremasti.
The Folklore collection in the village contains some important objects.
POLICHNITOS
At the entrance to the bay of Kalloni lies the picturesque little town of POLICHNITOS, which has impressive stone houses.
Worth seeing in and around Polichnitos are the church of Saint George, the monastery of Damandri (12th c.), the ruins of a tower at Lisvori and the traditional village of Vasilika.
In Polychnitos itself there are many festivals with a local atmosphere and the traditional ceremony of the Klidona (fortune telling) with the fires of Ai- Gianni.
At a distance of 4km from Polichnitos is Skala Polichnitou, a quaint harbor with fish taverns, bars and coffee shops.
Polichnitos has the hottest natural springs in all of Europe.
The baths are 60 meters above the sea close to the banks of the Almyropotamos river. There are five mineral springs but only three are used.
VATERA
The inland village of VRISA is 5 kilometers south of Polychnitos, and on the coast lies the village of VATERA, near the promontory of Agios Fokas.
In this area there are some interesting churches and an ancient tower. The beach of Vatera is one of the longest and most beautiful in Greece.
The inland head-village of PAPADOS is in a verdant plain 25 kilometers south-west of the town, and on the coast at the entrance to the bay of Gera lies PERAMA.
A short distance away, at the village of Skopelos, is the church of Agia Magdalini, where there are Early Christian catacombs.
Tour of Lesvos Island
PLOMARI
PLOMARI, 42 kilometers north-west of the town of Mytilene, is the largest settlement on Lesvos, with a good street grid, impressive mansions and lavish greenery.
It is famous for its “ouzo”, its vineyards and its fine beaches.
The settlement possesses an “Ouzo Museum”, where visitors can see old stills and other implements used to produce ouzo, labels of various brands of local soap, as well as the trade correspondence of soap industry owners with overseas markets.
There is an enchanting view from the little church of Profitis Elias at the top of the town.
Plomari has a Folklore collection, an Ecclesiastical museum and some important churches.
There are some impressive caves nearly, though the approach to them is difficult.
Tourism is highly developed in Plomari, with many hotel complexes, shops, taverns, café bars and souvenir shops.
The beach of Agios Isidoros is situated just off the town of Plomari and is one of the biggest and cleanest beaches on Lesvos.
Other beaches worth mentioning in the area are: Melinta, Ammoudeli, Agia Varvara and Drota.
Melinda is a wide beach with golden sand and crystal clear waters.
AGIASOS
The beautiful settlement of AGIASOS, 28 kilometers west of the capital, spreads around the foothills of Mount Olympos with picturesque paved streets, stone houses, plane trees, pottery and wood-carving workshops, rich traditions, local events and festivals.
The inhabitants of the village are keeping their traditions alive.
Lent and Shrove Monday are celebrated in the traditional way, which has its roots in the worship of Dionysos.
The village has a Folklore collection and an Ecclesiastical museum. The church of the Virgin Mary houses a valuable icon painted by St. Lucas the Evangelist. Accommodations and traditional taverns and coffee shops are available in the village.
LOCAL PRODUCTS
Lesvos produces the best ouzo drink in Greece, famous all around the world, fine olive oil and cheeses.
The most famous local specialties are barbecued octopus and sardines.
