LESVOS

General Information

Lesvos, also known by the name of its capital, the city of Mytilene, is the third in size Greek island, after the islands of Crete and Evia. A mother of arts and culture, it is also the homeland of the ancient lyric poets Sapfo and Alkeos and the birthplace of the renowned poet Stratis Myrivilis and of the nobelist Odysseus Elytis. Lesvos also enchants the visitor with its astounding natural beauties, its soft climate, its impressive sights, and its unique fairs and festivities, most of whose origins are traced back into antiquity. Endless groves of olive trees and vast pinewoods adorn the gentle slopes of its fertile hills, while lengthy sandy beaches succeed one another to form a majestic coastline. The fossil forest, an indescribable natural monument, is added to the picture, to compose a series of highlights that make Lesvos a destination none can afford to pass by. Its population reaches 90643 residents, while its extent covers 1630 sq.km.

History - Culture

According to tradition, the first inhabitants of Lesvos were people of the Pelasgian tribe. The island was named after Lesvos, the leader of a group of the Lapithian tribe that arrived from Thessaly in central Greece. It thrived as a center of agriculture, commerce, seafaring, arts and literature during the Bronze Age and the early Iron age, reaching its zenith in the 8th and 7th century BC (the archaic period), when it founded colonies all across the nearby coastline of Asia Minor, as well as in Thrace and Egypt. The famous poets Sapfo ?the first known woman poet and among the first women to stand out in man?s ancient world-  and Alkeos were both natives of Lesvos. Later on, the island shared the same fate with the other islands of the Eastern Aegean Sea, becoming a member of the first and the second Athenian alliance, falling to the Persians in 357 BC, and liberated by Alexander the Great. During the Hellenistic era, the island was under the rule of the Ptolemies, and it prospered again in the age of Rome. During the Byzantine years, Lesvos, being rather close to the capital of the Empire and thus quite well defended, developed significant commercial activities. This was enhanced by the presence of many important monasteries, which attracted additional wealth and attention to the island. From 1355 and until 1462 the island was administered by the Gattelusi until it fell to the Turks in the latter date. Turkish rule was hard on Lesvos, which lived its darkest days in this long period. The populace suffered frequent child collection ?the best local sons were taken to Turkey to become Jannissaries, the elite warriors of the Turkish armies- and a horrible massacre at the time of the Greek War of Independence, which shocked the entire European continent at the time. It was finally liberated and incorporated into Greece in 1912. Since then, the island has nurtured great personalities in the fields of literature (Stratis Myrivilis, Ilias Venezis and Odysseas Elytis) and Art (Theophilos, Iakovidis, Eleftheriadis), as if intent to prove that it has not lost its touch, even though nearly three millennia have gone by since the days of Sapfo and Alkeos.

Sights

The island of Lesvos is abound with sights, all of which are well worth visiting. There are many churches, castles, monasteries, towers, archaeological sites, old mansions, and of course the fossil forest, a landscape of rare beauty and incalculable scientific value. Within the capital city of Mytilene itself, the most distinguished sights are the medieval castle, the ancient theatre, the remains of the fortifications of the ancient city of Mytilene, the Metropolis, the cave of St. Bartholemy, the old mansions and the manor towers of Saltas and Hatzisavvas. The numerous churches are all worth visiting, while the castles in the areas of Agiassos, Kalloni, Mandamados, Molyvos, Polichnitos and Sigri are remarkable. Scattered all over the island are the many monasteries and old manors. Most of the monasteries are also Museums, holding treasures and rare collections of books, scrolls, garments, and much more. Archaeological sights can be seen in Mytilene, Aghia Paraskevi, Vrisa, Eressos, Kalloni, Mandamados, Molyvos, and Moria. The Petrified (fossil) Forest is in the area of Sigri, and is considered to be one of the most remarkable sights in Greece. In addition, there are caves, hot springs and the wooded slopes which offer a spectacular view. These are but some of the countless sights of this renowned island. In fact, there is such an abundance of sights of religious (churches, monasteries) and historical (archaeological sites, castles) significance that the visitor can never have enough of this island, or may neglect to enjoy its natural beauty. Evergreen hillsides dive into crystal clear blue-green waters, beckoning everyone to dive in and enjoy a refreshing swim.

Entertainment-Sports-Shopping

As expected from one of the most favored tourist destinations in the Aegean Sea, the services and facilities provided are of the highest quality. There are excellent hotel services, a large variety of leisure and entertainment activities, attractive shopping places, and top quality cuisine, offered in Mytilene as well as the towns of Agiassos, Vrisa, Eressos, Thermi, Kalloni, Mandamados, Molyvos, Petra and Plomari. All these along with the lively night life are sure to meet the needs of every visitor who can also enjoy the alternatives offered by the charming little villages of the island. Water sports facilities can be found on most of the beaches in Mytilene, Thermi, Kratigo, Sigri, Eftalou, Tarti, Ammoudeli, Aghios Isidoros, Skala Eressou and at Vatera. One can also enjoy working out in the fully equipped National Stadium and in the closed gymnasium of Plomari. Agiassos offers the visitor the opportunity of mountain climbing, playing soccer, basket and volley, while at Tsamakia one can also play tennis. The numerous peripheral islets can serve briefly as private beaches, for those with the means to access them. Boats and yachts can be accommodated and supplied in most seaside villages. The road network of Lesvos is quite satisfactory and frequent transport is available to all the areas of the island. Religious festivals are also celebrated on the island. They are quite unique and include local specialties such as "keskesi" (meat), sardines and octopus. The list of local traditional products is endless, the most famous of which are ouzo, fried pies, dairy products, ceramics, hand-woven material, embroidery and wood-carvings. Lesvos also produces olive oil and olives of fine quality, gardening products and halvah. If ouzo is a traditional Greek drink, Lesvos is its capital. This strong drink is best accompanied by seafood on seaside taverns, where the sea captivates all senses; the sound of the frothing waves, the salty smell of the gentle sea breeze, the taste of the seafood, the feel of the water and the wind caressing the skin, and the view to a landscape of endless blue.

Access

All year round flights are carried out from Athens and Thessaloniki to Mytilene. There is also a ferry boat service from the ports of Piraeus and Rafina.

Connections

Mytilene is connected to Athens, Thessaloniki, Chios and Lemnos by flights all year round, while there are ferry boat links with Lemnos, Chios, Psara, Aghios Efstratios, Skyros, Patmos, Ikaria, Samos, the Dodecanese islands, Alexandroupolis and Kavala throughout the year.

Museums

There is a number of museums one can visit in Mytilene, such as the Archaeological Museum with interesting mosaics and inscriptions, the new Archaeological museum, the Byzantine museum, the House of Lesvos (Museum of Folk Art and Tradition), the Museum of Modern art and the Theophilos Museum with the works of the famous painter who was born on the island. In the areas of Aghia Paraskevi, Agiassos and Antissa one can admire Folk art collections. In Eressos, one can visit the Archaeological museum with significant statues, pots and headstones from the Archaic and Classic era. In Molyvos, the Archaeological collection and the public library is worth visiting. A Byzantine collection of icons and religious findings can be admired in the area of Petra. As mentioned above, most of the Byzantine monasteries are also Museums, with collections of rare, handwritten books and scrolls, traditional clerical garments, and other invaluable items. 

Alternative Tourism

Ecotourism, agrotourism, spiritual, religious, environmental, cultural, curative, archaeology, gastronomy, sporting (trekking, sailing, yachting, water sports, windsurfing, scuba diving).

Useful Telephone Numbers:

MYTILINI AREA CODE:  22510-

POLICE STATION  : 22510-41911

TOURIST POLICE: 22510-22776

TRAFFIC POLICE: 22510-22030

MUNICIPALITY: 22510-27777

TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORG.: 22510-29999

RADIO TAXI STATION: 22510-25900, 22064

HOSPITAL: 22510-43777, 43781

SOCIAL INSURANCE ORG.: 22510-44133

BUS STATION: 22510-28873

AIRPORT: 22510-38700