Lesbos Travel Guide, Greek Islands

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Photos and travel information about the island of Lesbos


Lesbos Click on the map to see our photo gallery for Lesbos. The map requested shows only a limited number of the resorts on the island, if the resort you are looking for is not indicated on the map, please don't give up. If you are looking for a specific resort or place, you may find by browsing through our image gallery that you will find the location you are looking for and a brief summary of the place or image submitted.We hope to give you a good idea about the location, hotels and places of interest to help you make your mind up and find the perfect holiday destination for you. Click HERE to see our image gallery of the island you have chosen. If you find the holiday destination you are looking for, why not submit your favourite holiday photos and help others in there quest to find their perfect holiday destination. About Lesbos Lesbos is an island located in the northeastern Agean Sea, its inhabitants are called Lesvonians or Lesviotians. Lesbos is part of the Lesbos Prefecture and is the third largest Greek island and the seventh largest in the Mediterranean. It has an area of 1630 km² (630 square miles) with 320 kilometres (230 miles) of coastline. Its population is approximately 108,000 about a third of which live in the Capitol City, Mytilene, located in the southeastern part of the island. The remaining population is distributed in small towns and villages. The largest towns are Kalloni, Plomari, Ayassos, Eressos, and Molyvos, the ancient Mythymna. Mytilene was founded ca 1050 BC by the family Penthilides who arrived from Thessaly in mainland Greece and ruled the city until the popular revolt (590-580 BC) led by Pittacus. The word "lesbian" is derived from the island. This developed from the poems of Sappho of Lesbos, in which love between women was celebrated in song. Because of this association, Lesbos has today become a frequent travel destination of lesbians. This is seen with much skepticism from the Lesvonian authorities, and passenger ships were in part earlier denied entry. Today, the heart of the lesbian scene is located in the town of Eressos, the birthplace of Sappho. The island is mountainous; two peaks "Lepetymnos" (967 metres or 3,176 feet) and "Olympus" of similar height dominate its northern and central sections. The island’s volcanic origin is manifested in several hot springs. Two almost land-locked gulfs penetrate the interior so that no part of it is farther than a few miles from the sea. The island is verdant, aptly named the Emerald Island, with a variety of flora that belies its size. Olive trees, eleven million of them, cover 40% of the island together with other fruit trees. Forests of pine and some oak occupy 20%, and the remainder is scrub, grassland and urban. In the western part of the island is the world’s second largest petrified forest of Sequoia trees. Its economy is essentially agricultural. The cultivation of the olive tree for olive oil is the main source of income for most towns and villages. Tourism in Mytilene, encouraged by its international airport, and the coastal towns of Plomari, Molyvos, and Eressos contribute substantially to the economy of the island. Fishing and the manufacture of soap and ouzo, the Greek national liquor, are the remaining sources of income. According to myths, Lesvos was the patron god of the island. Macar is reputed to be the first king whose daughters bequeathed their names to some of the present larger towns. Homer refers to the island as "Macaros edos", the seat of Macar. Important archaeological sites on the island are the Neolithic cave of Kagiani, probably a refuge for shepherds, the Neolithic settlement of Chalakies, and the extensive habitation of Thermi (3000-1000 BC). The largest habitation is found in Lisvori (2800-1900 BC) part of which is submerged in shallow coastal waters. There are also several archaic, classical Greek and Roman remains. Vitruvius called the ancient city of Mytilene "magnificent and of good taste". Remnants of its medieval history are three impressive castles. Lesbos is the birthplace of several famous persons. In archaic times, Arion developed the type of poem called dithyramb, the progenitor of tragedy, Terpander invented the seven note musical scale for the lyre, followed by the lyric poet Alcaeus, and the most famous poetess Sappho. The climate is mild Mediterranean, the mean annual temperature is 18 °C (64°F), and the mean annual rainfall is 750 mm (29 in). Its exceptional sunshine make it one of the sunniest islands in the Aegean. Snow is extremely rare as are temperatures below freezing. .
Around Lesbos Island Molivos Molivas is one of the main tourist centres of the island. The imposing fortress that over looks the town adds to the atmosphere and is particularly noticeable at night when it is illuminated. The old town is full of the old greek charm that is missing from many of the resorts today. It is a mixture of the old and the new where modern tourism seems to mean souvenir shops. If you can see through this side of the commercialism you will enjoy the experience. The beaches in this area are not that good but if you just want a quick swim to cool off then the beach is ok. The music festival held in the summer is said to be worth visiting. Petra Located in the northwest of Lesbos the area around Petra is well known for it's beautiful scenery and exceptional sandy beaches. Petra like most modern resorts has to give way to modern developments that have taken place as the resort has become more and more popular this has given rise to a mixture of new and the old. If you take the trouble to adventure into the town from the beach you will see another side of Petra that is not so obvious from the beach. The beach itself has all the facilities and is lined with restaurants and bars waiting for the tourist trade. If your feeling really energetic try walking to the church of Panagia Glykofylousa that dominates the resort. Once you reach the church you are rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding coastline. Agia Paraskevi Agia Paraskevi is said to be one of the last true Greek villages on the island of Lesbos. Named after the church of Agia Paraskevi which is located high over the village it has many old buildings that give the village it's character and island status. The village contains many traditional houses that shows the Venetian and Roman occupation of the island. The village has not been commercialised and you will still see the locals sitting outside the tavernas that line the main street and socialize. Agiasos Built on the mountain of Olympos the village of Agiasos has retained its old traditional charm. The village with its special bright green landscape, its narrow cobbled streets lined by ranks of tiled-roof houses, has become the cultural centre for the island with a museum and theatre as well as being one of the religious centres for the island. Kalloni Underground springs and natural rivers make this area very fertile with vineyards and vegetation. It is also known for its wild life and many tourists come to this area for the birds that migrate through here and the wild flowers that carpet the valley floor. The town of kolloni is set against this very green valley on one side, the bay of kolloni on the other and the mountain ranges on either side of the bay making a perfect landscape. The sandy beach and calm shallow waters at Skala Kolloni make this resort ideal for families. The festival of sardine in Skala Kalloni in July, where the taste of freshly grilled sardines are offered to the visitors with plenty of ouzo accompanied with live Greek traditional music and dance shows. Mytilini Mytilini is the capital town of Lesbos and it has a population of 33,000. The town is well connected with main roads and the airport is just south of the town. The port has connections to Piraeus, Lemnos, Thessaloniki and Athens and many more. Mytilene has schools, lyceums, gymnasia, churches, a post office, beaches, a hospital and a few squares. The town of Mytilene is also the centre of the University of the Aegean. Plomari Home of the famous Ouzo distilleries, Plomari is located just south of Mount Olympus. The small local harbour has a number of restaurants that have a good reputation. The local beaches are Agios Isidoros, a fine beach of coarse sand, ideal for snorkeling and said to be one of the best in Greece and in the opposite direction is Amoudelli a small stony beach not in the same league. Further along the coast you will find the resort of Melinda where the beaches are pretty good. Melinda The beach is made up of sand and shingle, very quite and about 5 miles west of Plomari. There are tavernas in the area and a couple of houses with rooms to let. Tarti The beautiful cove with rocky outcrops at either end of the beach and made up of coarse sand is a favourite of the locals. The beach is not that easy to get to so it does not get that crowded. A number of local restaurants have sprung up near the beach. Polichnitos A town of charm and character with many examples of the traditional greek architecture to be found. The local beach is Nifida is definitely worth a visit. Restaurants in this area are especially well known for their sea food. Skala Eressos Said to be the birthplace of the poetess Sapho, Skala Erossos is a very picturesque resort. The beautiful beach is lined with restaurants and bars to tempt you away from the beach. there are water sports on the beach and if you feel inclined you can take a trip on one of many boats to explore the surrounding coast line. Vatera Valtera is a long stretch of sandy beach located near the town of Polychnitou. The beach is near Vatera ha has many restaurants, shops and bars. The 7Km long, sandy beach here, backed by vegetated hills and looking out to Hios and Psara, offers some of the warmest, cleanest swimming on Lesbos. Several decent hotels and taverns with traditional tastes are across the biggest beach on the island. Sigri On the western side of Lesbos is the excellent beach at Sigri which is ideal for families. The resort has a pretty little fishing port and a number of restaurants that are known for their seafood. The resort never seems to get overcrowded and yet it is one of the better resorts on the island and well worth a visit. Gulf of Yera The Gulf of Yera is a wide bay with a very fertile valley and a natural home for many species of birds and wild life making this area one of the most natural and outstanding landscapes on the island..Most of the area is agricultural land and the beach area does have a few restaurants serving locally caught fresh fish. Top of Page ©Copyright www.holidayphotosite.co.uk All rights reserved

Lesbos

Click on the map to see our photo gallery for Lesbos.

The map requested shows only a limited number of the resorts on the island, if the resort you are looking for is not indicated on the map, please don't give up. If you are looking for a specific resort or place, you may find by browsing through our image gallery that you will find the location you are looking for and a brief summary of the place or image submitted.We hope to give you a good idea about the location, hotels and places of interest to help you make your mind up and find the perfect holiday destination for you.

Click HERE to see our image gallery of the island you have chosen.

If you find the holiday destination you are looking for, why not submit your favourite holiday photos and help others in there quest to find their perfect holiday destination.

About Lesbos

Lesbos is an island located in the northeastern Agean Sea, its inhabitants are called Lesvonians or Lesviotians. Lesbos is part of the Lesbos Prefecture and is the third largest Greek island and the seventh largest in the Mediterranean. It has an area of 1630 km² (630 square miles) with 320 kilometres (230 miles) of coastline. Its population is approximately 108,000 about a third of which live in the Capitol City, Mytilene, located in the southeastern part of the island.
The remaining population is distributed in small towns and villages. The largest towns are Kalloni, Plomari, Ayassos, Eressos, and Molyvos, the ancient Mythymna. Mytilene was founded ca 1050 BC by the family Penthilides who arrived from Thessaly in mainland Greece and ruled the city until the popular revolt (590-580 BC) led by Pittacus.
The word "lesbian" is derived from the island. This developed from the poems of Sappho of Lesbos, in which love between women was celebrated in song. Because of this association, Lesbos has today become a frequent travel destination of lesbians. This is seen with much skepticism from the Lesvonian authorities, and passenger ships were in part earlier denied entry. Today, the heart of the lesbian scene is located in the town of Eressos, the birthplace of Sappho.
The island is mountainous; two peaks "Lepetymnos" (967 metres or 3,176 feet) and "Olympus" of similar height dominate its northern and central sections. The island’s volcanic origin is manifested in several hot springs. Two almost land-locked gulfs penetrate the interior so that no part of it is farther than a few miles from the sea. The island is verdant, aptly named the Emerald Island, with a variety of flora that belies its size. Olive trees, eleven million of them, cover 40% of the island together with other fruit trees. Forests of pine and some oak occupy 20%, and the remainder is scrub, grassland and urban. In the western part of the island is the world’s second largest petrified forest of Sequoia trees.
Its economy is essentially agricultural. The cultivation of the olive tree for olive oil is the main source of income for most towns and villages. Tourism in Mytilene, encouraged by its international airport, and the coastal towns of Plomari, Molyvos, and Eressos contribute substantially to the economy of the island. Fishing and the manufacture of soap and ouzo, the Greek national liquor, are the remaining sources of income.
According to myths, Lesvos was the patron god of the island. Macar is reputed to be the first king whose daughters bequeathed their names to some of the present larger towns. Homer refers to the island as "Macaros edos", the seat of Macar.
Important archaeological sites on the island are the Neolithic cave of Kagiani, probably a refuge for shepherds, the Neolithic settlement of Chalakies, and the extensive habitation of Thermi (3000-1000 BC). The largest habitation is found in Lisvori (2800-1900 BC) part of which is submerged in shallow coastal waters. There are also several archaic, classical Greek and Roman remains. Vitruvius called the ancient city of Mytilene "magnificent and of good taste". Remnants of its medieval history are three impressive castles.
Lesbos is the birthplace of several famous persons. In archaic times, Arion developed the type of poem called dithyramb, the progenitor of tragedy, Terpander invented the seven note musical scale for the lyre, followed by the lyric poet Alcaeus, and the most famous poetess Sappho.

The climate is mild Mediterranean, the mean annual temperature is 18 °C (64°F), and the mean annual rainfall is 750 mm (29 in). Its exceptional sunshine make it one of the sunniest islands in the Aegean. Snow is extremely rare as are temperatures below freezing.

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Around Lesbos Island

Molivos

Molivas is one of the main tourist centres of the island. The imposing fortress that over looks the town adds to the atmosphere and is particularly noticeable at night when it is illuminated. The old town is full of the old greek charm that is missing from many of the resorts today. It is a mixture of the old and the new where modern tourism seems to mean souvenir shops. If you can see through this side of the commercialism you will enjoy the experience. The beaches in this area are not that good but if you just want a quick swim to cool off then the beach is ok. The music festival held in the summer is said to be worth visiting.

Petra

Located in the northwest of Lesbos the area around Petra is well known for it's beautiful scenery and exceptional sandy beaches. Petra like most modern resorts has to give way to modern developments that have taken place as the resort has become more and more popular this has given rise to a mixture of new and the old. If you take the trouble to adventure into the town from the beach you will see another side of Petra that is not so obvious from the beach. The beach itself has all the facilities and is lined with restaurants and bars waiting for the tourist trade. If your feeling really energetic try walking to the church of Panagia Glykofylousa that dominates the resort. Once you reach the church you are rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding coastline.

Agia Paraskevi

Agia Paraskevi is said to be one of the last true Greek villages on the island of Lesbos. Named after the church of Agia Paraskevi which is located high over the village it has many old buildings that give the village it's character and island status. The village contains many traditional houses that shows the Venetian and Roman occupation of the island. The village has not been commercialised and you will still see the locals sitting outside the tavernas that line the main street and socialize.

Agiasos

Built on the mountain of Olympos the village of Agiasos has retained its old traditional charm. The village with its special bright green landscape, its narrow cobbled streets lined by ranks of tiled-roof houses, has become the cultural centre for the island with a museum and theatre as well as being one of the religious centres for the island.

Kalloni

Underground springs and natural rivers make this area very fertile with vineyards and vegetation. It is also known for its wild life and many tourists come to this area for the birds that migrate through here and the wild flowers that carpet the valley floor. The town of kolloni is set against this very green valley on one side, the bay of kolloni on the other and the mountain ranges on either side of the bay making a perfect landscape. The sandy beach and calm shallow waters at Skala Kolloni make this resort ideal for families. The festival of sardine in Skala Kalloni in July, where the taste of freshly grilled sardines are offered to the visitors with plenty of ouzo accompanied with live Greek traditional music and dance shows.

Mytilini

Mytilini is the capital town of Lesbos and it has a population of 33,000. The town is well connected with main roads and the airport is just south of the town. The port has connections to Piraeus, Lemnos, Thessaloniki and Athens and many more. Mytilene has schools, lyceums, gymnasia, churches, a post office, beaches, a hospital and a few squares. The town of Mytilene is also the centre of the University of the Aegean.

Plomari

Home of the famous Ouzo distilleries, Plomari is located just south of Mount Olympus. The small local harbour has a number of restaurants that have a good reputation. The local beaches are Agios Isidoros, a fine beach of coarse sand, ideal for snorkeling and said to be one of the best in Greece and in the opposite direction is Amoudelli a small stony beach not in the same league. Further along the coast you will find the resort of Melinda where the beaches are pretty good.

Melinda

The beach is made up of sand and shingle, very quite and about 5 miles west of Plomari. There are tavernas in the area and a couple of houses with rooms to let.

Tarti

The beautiful cove with rocky outcrops at either end of the beach and made up of coarse sand is a favourite of the locals. The beach is not that easy to get to so it does not get that crowded. A number of local restaurants have sprung up near the beach.

Polichnitos

A town of charm and character with many examples of the traditional greek architecture to be found. The local beach is Nifida is definitely worth a visit. Restaurants in this area are especially well known for their sea food.

Skala Eressos

Said to be the birthplace of the poetess Sapho, Skala Erossos is a very picturesque resort. The beautiful beach is lined with restaurants and bars to tempt you away from the beach. there are water sports on the beach and if you feel inclined you can take a trip on one of many boats to explore the surrounding coast line.

Vatera

Valtera is a long stretch of sandy beach located near the town of Polychnitou. The beach is near Vatera ha has many restaurants, shops and bars. The 7Km long, sandy beach here, backed by vegetated hills and looking out to Hios and Psara, offers some of the warmest, cleanest swimming on Lesbos. Several decent hotels and taverns with traditional tastes are across the biggest beach on the island.

Sigri

On the western side of Lesbos is the excellent beach at Sigri which is ideal for families. The resort has a pretty little fishing port and a number of restaurants that are known for their seafood. The resort never seems to get overcrowded and yet it is one of the better resorts on the island and well worth a visit.

Gulf of Yera

The Gulf of Yera is a wide bay with a very fertile valley and a natural home for many species of birds and wild life making this area one of the most natural and outstanding landscapes on the island..Most of the area is agricultural land and the beach area does have a few restaurants serving locally caught fresh fish.

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