MYTILENE
With the fortress standing out from afar, Mytilene enchants visitors from the first moment. A town with many preservable neoclassical buildings and Christian monuments like the imposing church of Agios Therapon (Saint Therapon) and the cathedral church of Agion Theodoron (Saint Theodore)
The castle of the city was built during the era of Justinian, and changes took place during the Turkish Rule. A section of it is used as a venue for cultural events during the summer months
Among the attractions is the Ancient Theatre of the Late Roman era situated on pine hill of Agia Kyriaki. It is considered as one of the largest theatres in antiquity.
Of particular interest are also the city museums, with the museum of the classical era being dominant. Here lies the museum of the worldwide recognised naïf painter Theophilos, created by the renowned art critic of Lesvos Stratis Eleftheriadis, and includes 86 paintings of Theophilos as well as the Museum of Modern Art – Library Eleftheriadis-Teriade.
In the cobbled Ermou Street, in the centre of the town, are situated most of the shops. On the waterfront, one can find many entertainment and dining shops, frequented by the students of the city. In Mytilene, there is also a marina with the potential of mooring many vessels.
PANAGIOUDA
A Fishing harbour, where pleasure boats are also moored, which is surrounded by many well-known fish taverns.
THERMI
A fishing harbour, just like the above, a focal point on the way to Agios (Saint) Raphael. Here is the oldest prehistoric visitable settlement of Lesvos and is perhaps one of the most ancient in Greece, which dates back to approximately 3000 B.C.
AGIOS RAPHAEL (SAINT RAPHAEL)
Above Thermi on the hill “Karyes” is the monastery of Agios (Saint) Raphael, where thousands of pilgrims throng from around the world. In the two storey church, the relics of the recently appearing Saints Agion Raphael, Nicholas and Irene are kept, which were found in a miraculous way after the persistent dreams of believers. In the monastery, there are cells-hostels, which can accommodate the pilgrims.
MANTAMADOS
A small town 38 km north of Mytilene, with tradition in pottery and large livestock production. Here is the monastery of the Taxiarchon with the miraculous “made without hand» icon of the Archangel Michael, which was made of soil and the blood of the monks who were slaughtered by the Saracens.
SKALA SKAMIAS (SYKAMINEAS)
A fishing village 13 km east of Mithymna. The homeland of the novelist Stratis Mirivilis, who was inspired by the mural in the chapel of «Panagia Gorgona» where the Virgin Mary is depicted with a fishtail, wrote the homonymous novel that made him famous worldwide.
EFTALOU
It is a beach near Molyvos (Mithymna) with thermal baths, nice hotels and taverns. There is also a nudist beach. Favourite place of Argyris Eftaliotis from where his artistic pseudonym derived.
MOLYVOS
It is the Number one tourist destination of Lesvos, a favourite place of artists and intellectuals. In 1965 it was declared a preserved settlement which resulted in having excellently maintained its architectural style and colour. Here the houses are stone built with elements of traditional architecture without any modern interventions.
Wander around the cobbled alleys, drink ouzo on the picturesque little harbour, admire the sunset and definitely visit the excellently preserved castle, which is its hallmark.
PETRA
The second tourist destination of the island, with the main and most impressive feature the castle monastery of Virgin Mary the Glykofilousa, which is built in a steep cliff, where, in order to get there you have to climb 114 hewed steps. The renovated mansion of Vareltzidenas attracts thousands of tourists.
ANAXOS
About three kilometres west of Petra is located the holiday resort of Anaxos. In the bay, a sandy beach is formed, incredibly clean, one kilometre long
ERESSOS
It is located on the west side of the island and is a favourite summer resort both for the locals and for tourists. It is the birthplace of the erotic poetess Sappho. Its amazing beach and taverns overlooking the endless blue will enchant you as well as the nightlife and nudist beach.
SIGRI
It is located 92 km from Mytilene, the unique Park of the Petrified Forest a total area of 286 acres, the Natural History Museum as well as the Ottoman castle built in 1757 are the main features, which are the main attractions for the tourism of the island in general.
Fresh fish, delicious spaghetti with lobster and deserted beaches are marvellous.
GAVATHAS
Picturesque fishing harbour, the ideal destination for little swimmers(shallow, warm, clear sea) and for the romantic who combine their holiday with absolute tranquillity. Here you can see the sunrise as well as the sunset.
KALLONI
Kalloni is a commercial financial town in the middle of the island. It is the next largest town after Mytilene. The wetlands of Kalloni have joined the network «Natura 2000» and are a shelter and breeding ground for rare and perhaps unique endangered bird species. Here observers and scientists are gathered from around the world. In the Gulf, many scallops are fished as well as the famous sardine of Kalloni.
MONI LEIMONOS (MONASTERY OF LEIMON)
From Kalloni on the way to Sigri is Moni Leimonos, which was built in the 15th century, In the Monastery there are museums that have exhibits of priceless historical, spiritual value and rarity.
POLICHNITOS
It is a town 40 km from Mytilene with thermal springs, of relatively high temperature, which is known for its relaxing qualities and for its therapeutic value.
VATERA
Of unique natural beauty is the beach of Vatera, perhaps the biggest in Greece, with many shops, hotels and places where you can isolate yourself and feel free.
AGIASOS
A mountainous town with a traditional character located on the slopes of Mount Olympus. Traditional crafts such as pottery and woodcarving flourish. The worldwide famous pilgrimage of the Virgin Mary with the miraculous icon of Brefokratousa (Virgin and Child) a work of Evangelist Lukas. Just outside Agiasos is Karyni with its running water, its perennial plane trees and the remainings of a mural by Theofilos.
MOUNT OLYMPUS
Mount Olympus and the neighbouring mountains have joined the network «Natura 2000» as a protected area of outstanding natural beauty. The well-known chestnut forest of Agiasos is located on the edge of the mountain with a vast variety of flora and fauna. Here for 15 years now, the newly introduced to the island, boars, deer and roe deer live and multiply.
PLOMARI
Harbor with high tourist movement, the homeland of ouzo and soap. Here there are many industrial buildings, such as olive presses, soap factories and shipyards as well as ouzo and soap museums. In Plomari many distillers producing the famous ouzo Plomariou are operated. The beach of Agios Isidoros is one of the largest and cleanest of the island
GERA
The area of Gera consists of the villages Papados, Paleokipos, Mesagros, Skopelos, Plakados and Perama.
At Papados, with its superb quaint mansions, the mansion Vrana stands out for its beauty and history, where the ancestral home of the Nobel Prize winner from Gera poet Odysseas Elytis is.
Nearby is Mesagros with the ruined mosque. A private hammam functions here upon request by telephone.
Skopelos, the largest village of Gera is known for its «burrows of Agia Magdalini», the early Christian catacombs of great length beneath the church.
At Palaiokipos the church of St. Ermolaos stands out with the wooden temple. It is the home of the pirate Hayreddin Barbarossa, whose parents were Christian renegades, and retained a pottery workshop.
At Evreiaki seaport of Paleokipos, there is a fishing harbour, an organized beach as well as dining shops.
Plakados is the smallest village of Gera. Perama is the port of Gera and presents more options for entertainment and quaint taverns of traditional cuisine.
The mountains of Gera, which adjoin Mount Olympus, are of particular natural interest because of the incredible variety of flora and fauna, the footpaths for trekking and the unique view they have. Here lies the rock of Paliokastro where the ruins of a pre-Medieval castle are saved, from where the legend says, begins a stoa, which reaches up to Perama. Here, always according to the legend, the gold loom of the princess of the castle is hidden. But in fact, they are the stops of the antimony mines, located near, in the area Selina. In the area of Gera there are also abandoned talc mines and several caves.
WETLAND OF LARSOS
It is a protected wetland in the estuary of Evergetoulas. Throngs of wild birds exist. Here the existence of otter (Lutra lutra) is considered to be most certain.
BEACHES OF THE ISLAND
We concisely mention beaches of outstanding natural beauty, almost all of which have dining shops, perfect for an enjoyable swim and a unique evening of Lesbos food tasting and drinking ouzo: Charamida, Agios Hermogenes, Tarti, Tavari, Chrousos Tsichranta, Ampelia, Baltziki, Xambelia, Palios, Skala Mystegnon, Skamnioudi, Kanoni Thermis, Tsonia, Skala Polichnitou, Ahladeri …
The more exquisite and lonely people can find what they are looking for at the following relatively deserted beaches:
Podaras, Phara, Tsilia, Ligonari, Ileyfkos, Gyaliotisa, Panagia Krifti, Drota, Lapsarna, Campos, Makara…
MONASTERIES
Moni Damandriou, Moni Puthariou, Moni Ypsilou, Moni Perivolis, Myrtidiotissa…
SITES
If the fortunate traveller has the time he should not skip the following locations of the island, which will surely compensate him for the time he spends and will capture images of utmost natural beauty in his memory and in his photographic lens:
Sorokos, Karyonas, Petrovouni, Petrinos Stylos, Mount Lepetimnos, Ampeliko, Waterfalls of Manikatsa, Waterfalls of Vassilika, Liota… and of course the pinewoods of the island.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
Castle of Mithymna, Castle of Molyvos, Castle of Sigri, Ancient Pyrrha (Achladeri), Roman Aqueduct in Moria, Ancient Theatre (In Agia Kyriaki – Mytilene), Temple of Messon (Kalloni), Temple of Klopedi…