LESVOS TRAVEL GUIDE

LESVOS (MYTILINI) > OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW

Lesvos is the third largest island in Greece and is one of the most forested islands of the Aegean, as it not only has olives groves everywhere but it also covers a great proportion of its land with pines, oaks, chestnuts etc. Its coastlines are characterized by the two closed gulfs of Kalloni and Gera found in the southern department. On its land there are many natural springs as those of Therma, Eftalou, Gera, Lisvorio, Polihnitos testifying the strong volcanic activity.

The capital is Mytilini that reflects the economic growth of the island in the 18th century. Some of the impressive things of the island are the urban mansions, made by great architects, well preserved to this very day. Furthermore, worth visiting is its castle which was one of the most powerful in the eastern Mediterranean, the splendid church of Agios Athanassios, with renaissance, post Byzantine and gothic elements, the Geni Tzami (mosque), with the adjacent Tsarsi hamam and the church of Agios Therapondas.

Lesvos has innumerable beaches to satisfy all its visitors, some of them are Vatera, Varia, Agios Isidoros, Skala Eresou, Molyvos, Thermi and Anaxos. However, there are many isolated bays as in the Tarti, on the south eastern end of the island, outside the gulf of Geras, in Melinta to the west of Plomari, in the region of Eresos are: Hrousos, Podaras, Tavari and to the north Lapsarna, Tsonia and Lagkada.

The villages near the beach that are notable for their unique colour, are Molyvos (Mithymna) and Plomari that will amaze the visitor with their architecture and natural beauty. Equally remarkable and peaceful is Sigri gathering lots of visitors for its famous Petrified Forest.

Finally, the island has a fantastic inland filled with dense forests, ravines, picturesque traditional villages like Agiasos and wild, arid landscapes. It is a large island that requires time to visit all its sights.