There
are three main exits from Mytilini: (a) the southern one, that leads to
the airport and towards the southeastern shores of the bay of Gera (b)
the northern one, that leads to the northeastern part of the island, through
the area of the old port (Epano Skala) and the industrial zone and (c)
the western one, that leads to the remaining small towns and villages.
It is easy for the visitor to find his way around since there is an adequate
number of road signs.
South
route
As
we follow the main road towards the airport of Mytilene, through the southern
exit, we meet the picturesque suburbs of Sourada and Aklediou, with the
marvelous neoclassic buildings the coast. The first main junction on the
right takes us to Vareia, a beautiful place full of olive trees in which
the Museum of Theophilos and the Teriade Museum of Modern Art are situated.
 Going
uphill, we meet the village Kayiani or Taxiarches, with the imposing church
of the Taxiarch (Archangel Gabriel) and then going back down the first
junction to the eastwards leads to the small picturesque villages of Ayia
Marina and Pligoni. Back to the main road we go along the sea. The beaches
are crystal clear and several hotels and apartments offer accommodation.
Near the airport there is Neapolis, a coastal resort. About 4 km
further south among through a pine-clad area south, we meet
the coastal site of Kratigos and further south the beaches of Vigla and
Charamida, ideal places for swimming, food and enjoyment. At the 23rd km
there is the fantastic beach of Ayios Ermoyenis with the small church of
Ay. Ermogenis built on a rock beside the sea. Southwards, there is the
picturesque village Loutra, and from there a small road leads west to Skala
Loutron and Kountouridia, both of them picturesque fishing ports. From
Kountouridia we can take a boat across the bay of Geras. From Kountouridia
the main road takes us back to the town of Mytilene.
Northeastern
route
We
start our tour from the main road of the northern port - the area of Epano
Skala. The scenery is fantastic, as we can admire the Castle of Mytilene
in the background, the old breakwater, called “Koukos” and the statue of
the Asia Minor mother. Further down is the industrial zone and after it
on the left is Moria, the site of the Roman Aqueduct and on the right by
the sea is the village of Panayiouda with tavernas by the sea. To the west
is a small village, Aphalonas and further to the north is Pamphila, with
the imposing church of Ayia Barbara.
From
there a road leads to Skala Pamphilon, a picturesque fishing port. Keeping
northwards, we meet the area of Thermi. Thermi consists of three parts:
Pyrgi, where there are a few pyrgelia, the small towers - characteristic
samples of the Lesbian architecture of the last two centuries, Paralia
(beach) and Loutropolis. This last one is the site of the thermal springs
with ruins of the ancient bathhouses still visible. Further along the road
there the Byzantine church of Panayia “Troulloti”. A road passing through
Thermi leads uphill to the villages of Piyi and Komi and even higher up
to the Convent of Saint Rafael, which stands tall on a slope literally
covered with olive trees.
Returning
to the main road and heading north set among pines is the church of Ayios
Georgios, and further down the beautiful sandy beach of Petalidi, the village
of Mystegna where a junction leads to, to the coastal area of Skala Mystegnon
and to Nees Kydonies and to the Skala Neon Kydonion. The main road continues
north past “Xampelia” a small village with a large sandy beach to reach
another junction to the right first to the beach of Aspropotamos and then
to the old settlement of “Tsoukalades” (potters) and to Ayios Stefanos,
with the Byzantine church beside the sea. It is a picturesque coastal
area and the islets of Tokmakia complete the fantastic scenery. After a
distance of 6.5 km, the main road reaches the small town of Mandamados,
a town where Lesbian traditions and the religious feeling hold strong.
For its inhabitants, the art of pottery is still as alive as ever and there
are several pottery’s workshops spread around the area. In the entrance
of the town there is the Cultural Center, housed in an old olive press
now renovated, and in its center, the church of Ayios Vassileos (1750),
which is certainly worth a visit.
Outside
Mantamados there is the beautiful Monastery of the Archangel Michael, the
patron saint of the island, and at a distance of 7Km eastwards, we can
enjoy the wonderful beach of Langada. From the town of Mandamados, the
road continues north. Firstly, we meet the rural village of Kapi, and a
road from there takes to the old port of Kapi, the picturesque settlement
Yeni Limani. To the west are the mountain villages of Pelopi and Ipsilometopo.
From Kapi keeping north we come to the village of Kleo. A road form Kleo
leads to the beach of Tsonia. From the village of Kleo the road to the
northeastern leads to the village of Sykaminea. At a distance of 2.5 km
from Sykaminea there is one of the most beautiful spots of the island Skala
Sykamineas, where the small church of Panayia the Gorgona (Virgin Mary
the Mermaid ) stands on a rock practically in the sea. To the right of
Skala is Kaya, a long, quite beach lined with trees. To the west, towards
Mythemna, there is another beautiful beach, Ammoudeli, and set among lush
vegetation the villages of Lepetymnos and Argenos.
Southern
- Central route
The
southern and central parts of Lesvos include the area between the western
coasts of the Bay of Gera and the eastern ones of the bay of Kalloni.
Again our starting point is the town of Mytilene. From the eastern exit
through olive groves taking a turn-off we reach the small village of Alyphanta,
at the settlements Pyrgi and Kedros. Back to the main road, we follow the
shores of the Bay of Gera. The scenery is fantastic, combining the
silvery-green colour of the olive trees and the light blue or deep green
colour of the seawater. The waters are especially calm because the opening
of the bay towards the Aegean Sea is very narrow and so the visitor gets
the impression that he visits a lake reflecting the rich vegetation of
the surrounding slopes.
 Right
next to the sea are the Thermal Springs and the Bathhouse of “Therma Geras”.
The first village on our way is Dipi with impressive industrial buildings
of the 18th and 19th centuries (olive presses, ware houses), a sign of
the past prosperity of the area. Descending along the western coasts of
the bay of Gera we see villages and seaside settlements: Pigadakia, Kato
Tritos, Mychou, Paleokipos, Plakados, Perama, with traditional rural houses,
small churches and ruins from the Byzantine Era. The main road after Plakados
leads to the village of Papados, and further along to the picturesque villages
of Mesagros and Skopelos. The main road from Papados rises slightly.
The first junction southwards ends at the beach of Tarti, while the main
road to Plomari brings us to the small villages of Trigona and Playia.
On our way south through a pine-clad area the first turn-off to the left
leads to the superb beach of Ayios Issidoros. The main road heads to the
small town of Plomari.
Plomari
has the most important ouzo distilleries in the country and is the cultural
hub of the area with the Cultural Society “Benjamin of Lesvos” and several
Museums: The Soap-factory Museum, the Industry and Navy Museum, the Folk
art Museum and Library, the Ecclesiastical Museum and the unique Museum
of Ouzo.
At a distance of 10 km uphill there are the villages of Megalochori and
Paleochori. To the west is the beach of Melinda and to the northeast the
villages Akrassi and Drota. The road to the south of Drota takes us to
the Panayia Kryfti, a church inside a cave by the sea an a beautiful beach
nearby. From Akrassi northwards a turn-off leads to the small villages
of Ampeliko, Stavro and Kato Stavro. Further down the road is Vatera,
one of the longest and most beautiful sandy beaches (length 8-10 km) in
the Mediterannean and the picturesque beach of Ayios Phockas. To the north
is the village of Vrissa, with the Collection of Natural History.
The
main road takes us to the Thermal Springs of Polichnitos and finally we
reach the small town of Polichnitos, a significant resort in the
area, with traditional houses and paved streets. There we can visit
the Folk Art Collection, the Historic Museum, while the building of the
town’s High School houses a significant collection of ancient Greek coins.
In the wider area digs have brought to light ruins from the prehistoric
period (at the site “Perivola”) and the ruins of an early Byzantine church
(at the site “Chalakies”). At a distance of 4 km to the northwest, the
road reaches the picturesque port of Skala Polichnitou and to the west
Nyphida, a great place for swimming.
Back to Polichnitos the main road eastwards leads to Lisvori, and a smaller
road to the Thermal Springs of Lisvori, to Skamoudi and finally to the
salt-pans of the area. Having as our starting-point the village of Lisvori,
the main road guides us to the picturesque village of Vassilika. Between
Vassilika and Polichnitos, there is Damandriou Monastery. To the
northwest of Vassilika is Achladeri, a place full of natural beauties where
the ancient town Pyra, which after an earthquake in 231 sank into the sea,
is located.
Returning
to the main road and heading eastwards, the landscape changes, the terrain
becomes hilly and the vegetation denser. We move uphill through the green
slopes of Mt Olympus. First, we meet the springs of Tsingos -natural mineral
water - and then southwards built amphitheatrically on the slopes of Mt
Olympus, one the most beautiful mountain villages of the island Ayiassos.
In Ayiassos the folk arts (pottery, fretwork and weaving) are still very
much alive. The heart of Ayiassos is the Church of Panayia Vrefokratoussa
(the Virgin Mary holding the Holy Infant). Actually the whole area is dotted
with small churches set among lush vegetation. In Ayiassos one can visit
the Byzantine-Ecclesiastical Museum, the Folklore Exhibition, the Cultural
Center “Anagnostirion”, and the Garden of the Virgin Mary. Going downhill,
we reach Karini an idyllic site with fresh water springs and a huge plane
tree that Theophilos had for a time made his home. A little further down
a smaller road to the southeast takes us to the picturesque village of
Assomatos with the church of the Archangels. Our tour of the southern-central
part of the island ends at the villages of Keramia, Ippios, Sykounda and
the site of Ayioi Anargyri.
Northern
travelogue
Again
the starting point is the town of Mytilene. As we follow the main road
from the western exit of capital, we reach the village of Lampou Myli,
built at the entrance of a forest, full of pine and fir trees. At the forest’s
exit eastwards, we meet the ancient Temple of Messa, built by the Aeolians
in the 3rd BC century, where the gods Zeus, Hera and Dionysus were worshipped.
At the end of the forest, the landscape changes: olive groves to the east
and the coasts of the bay of Kalloni with the saltpans to the west, the
remarkable Wetland of the bay of Kalloni.
A turn-off to the east takes us to the small town of Ayia Paraskevi, a
place where the ancient custom of animal sacrifices has not died. The small
town has neoclassical mansions, the imposing church of the Archangels and
a beautiful school. To the east of Ayia Paraskevi is Napi. Near Napi are
the ruins from of the ancient and Byzantine periods and particularly :
the ancient temple of Klopedi (dedicated to the god Apollo - 8th century
BC), the early-Christian basilica of Chalinado (550-600AD) and the Gefyri
(Bridge) of Kremasti (1355-1432AD). As we return to the main crossroads,
the road leads to the picturesque settlement of Arisvi and then to the
biggest small town of Lesvos, Kalloni. Kalloni has been and still a
commercial and cultural center since the years.
The
archaeological finds of the area prove that the small town has known days
of rare prosperity. It reached its peak during the Byzantine and Medieval
periods, while during the years of the Ottoman occupation it was the spiritual
center of Orthodoxy. The town is built at the biggest plain of the island.
At a distance of 4 km from Kalloni, after the picturesque settlements of
Areana, Papiana and Kerami, is Skala Kallonis, a significant resort. At
a small distance north of Kalloni is the Convent of Panayia Myrshiniotissa.
From
the northern exit of Kalloni to the east, there is Stypsi (9km from Kalloni),
and from there a smaller road leads to the village of Laphionas.
Northwards there is the unique Petra, one of the most important resorts
of the island, built in a plain around a huge rock, on the top of
which the church of Panayia Glyckophiloussa stands (1742). Apart from Glykophiloussa
a visit to the church of Ayios Nikolaos - a basilica of the 17th century
and to the mansion of Vareltzidena (built in 1740) would be worth your
time. The main road southwards arrives the wonderful beach of Anaxos, while
a secondary road at the southeastern takes us to the green settlement of
Petri.
As
we follow the main road from Petra northwards, through fantastic rocky
scenery right next to the sea, we reach Mythimna or Molyvos, another important
resort of Lesvos. Its roots are lost somewhere in the prehistoric
period, and it is one of the most picturesque and well-preserved medieval
settlements in Mediterranean. The small town is amphitheatrically built
on a rocky hill, on the top of which a medieval castle is built.
Old stone houses, paved streets, stone Ottoman fountains and mansions all
in excellent condition make the Molyvos unforgettable. Apart from the castle
there is much to see in Molyvos: the Public Library, the Archaeological
Collection, the Public Gallery and several churches. At the edge of the
town, the picturesque port completes the picture. Near Molyvos is Eftalou,
a great beach for swimming and relaxation, with thermal springs and tourism
accommodation. To the southeast built on the green slopes of Mt Lepetymnos
and with a wonderful view to Molyvos is the village of Vafeios.
Western
route
Our
starting point is the road junction of Kalloni leading to the west. The
radical change in the landscape is extremely impressive: the light blue
color of the sea and the green of the olive groves are substituted by the
copper-red color of rocky hills and the brownish of bushes. It is one of
the most barren itineraries of the island, but one of the most exciting
too. Near Kalloni is village of Dafeia and westwards the Monastery of Leimonas,
with the Ecclesiastical and Geological Museum. Further uphill, there is
Filia. The road northwards leads to the village of Skoutaros, the one southwards
to the village of Anemotia, while straight ahead is Skalochori and further
north to the coastal site Kalo Limani.
The main road westwards takes us to Vatoussa, an absolutely beautiful and
very quite traditional village with a folk art Museum. Near Vatoussa are
the villages of Pterounda, Chydira and Revma. On the road from Vatoussa
to Antissa is Monastery of Perivoli. Today’s Antissa, is built near the
site of ancient Antissa, the first Aeolian settlement in the island, with
its ruins still visible. Antissa has a Cultural Center. There are two coastal
areas around Antissa: Gavathas -with a beautiful sandy beach - and Lapsarna.
The main road near Antissa forks into two directions: an eastern one to
Sigri or a southern one to Eressos.
Taking the eastward one we meet the Monastery of Ipsilo, built on the top
of Mt Ordymnos. A few kilometers further down is the Petrified Forest -
a unique Natural Monument, which was created by a volcano eruption some
15-20 million years ago. The road ends up at the picturesque and coastal
village of Sigri. In Sigri there is one of the most interesting museums
on the island: the Museum of Natural History - Petrified Forest which also
aims at the study, preservation and protection of the forest. At the western
edge of Sigri there is a small castle built by the Ottomans. Very near
Sigri is the islet of Nissiopi where one can see petrified trunks under
the water. Sigri, is a commercial port that links weekly the western part
of the island to the port of Rafina (near Athens).
Back to the junction leading to Eressos. Going downhill now but through
an equally rocky landscape we meet the interesting Monastery of Pythario
before arriving to Eressos. Eressos is a small town with very ancient roots.
Here the ancient lyric poetess Sappho and the historian Theophrastus were
born. Three kilometers to the south, there is Skala Eressou, another famous
resort. Equally famous is the beach of Skala Eressou which is every bit
as beautiful as it is supposed to be. At the northeastern of Skala,
at the site Xokastro the ruins of the ancient town have been found: walls,
the theater, the prytaneum, the agora and ancient temples. At the site
Vigla there are the ruins of medieval and Turkish small towers and of an
early-Christian church (5th AD century). An Archaeological Museum houses
the finds of the excavations. To the east of Skala Eressou, is the picturesque
village of Messotopos. From Mesotopos we can reach the beach of Tavari.
Other beaches in the area are Croussos and Podaras. From Messotopos southwards,
there is the village of Agra and the beaches of Makaras and Apothika. Here
again the ruins of ancient buildings prove that the area has been inhabited
since ancient times. Along the Bay of Kallonis the land becomes verdant
once more. Built on the green slopes of a hill is Parakila, and at Skala
Parakilon one can swim in the warm waters of the bay. Heading northeast
we reach Skala Kallonis. |
