Just off the Turkish coast, Lesvos is 70 kms long by 45 kms wide, with an area of 1630 sq. kms. It has two large narrow necked bays at Kaloni and Gera. Abundant springs and tidal river mouths ensure some parts never dry out even in high summer and the two large salt pans at Kaloni and Polichnitos attract many birds. Much of the coastal area is flat scrub with the main marshes and flatlands around Kaloni in the south and Sigri in the west. The hilliest areas are found in the north around Molivos and the east near Agiassos. The island uplands are cloaked in pines and oaks with olives groves below them. A great frost destroyed all the island's olive trees in 1850 but farmers planted frost resistant varieties and now Lesvos boasts some 12 million of them covering nearly a third of the island and producing 20,000 tons of oil each year. The third largest of all the Greek islands, Lesvos demands both time and transport for a full and proper appreciation. Resorts are scattered all around the island coast . While little on Lesvos stands out, this eclectic island has hidden treasures, especially to those looking to experience the delights of more provincial Greek life. There are wonderful beaches, fascinating villages and interesting towns even if you can find yourself crossing dreary countryside in order to savour them. The huge variety of flora and fauna are a magnet for botanists and for bird watchers, especially in the spring. Others come to dip themselves in one of the many healing hot water springs while many more head for some of the best fish tavernas in Greece, the strongest ouzo in the Mediterranean and the finest olive oil anywhere except perhaps Crete.
MYTILINI is the island capital and a big, messy and noisy port of some 30,000 people (a third of the island's total population). It has its grim side, especially in industrial areas dominated by tall, belching chimneys of the olive oil refineries. The waterfront, though noisy and crowded, is very pleasant with a double harbour separated by a 6th century castle-topped headland. The southern harbour takes all the tourist ferry traffic while the northern one has suffered neglect, though there are recent signs of a cleanup. The city's main attractions remain its castle and a wealth of good museums.
MOLIVOS is the main holiday destination on the island and a spectacularly beautiful one. Solid grey stone houses are topped with red tiled roofs and many old timbered buildings have been meticulously restored. The market in the centre is shaded by lovely wisteria but is unfortunately full of tourist trinket shops. Steep, cobbled and traffic-free streets lead up to an imposing Genoese fortress that is romantically illuminated at night. Down from the market is a narrow, cobbled main street, again overhung with vines and flowers and stuffed with craft shops, artists galleries and souvenir sellers. Tavernas along here have superb views over the sea so expect to pay more for the views. At the bottom is a very pretty fishing harbour lined with tavernas (where you can find excellent fish dishes) and a long, narrow, stony beach to the south.
The main western resort is SKALA ERESSOS. The area has been a mecca for lesbians thanks to the ancient Greek lyric poet Sappho who penned the first verses on lesbian love in 580 BC and ran a school for girls here. Nowadays Skala Eressos is even more popular with families and a firm favourite with heterosexual honeymooning couples. The reasons are pretty obvious. It boasts the most beautiful and dramatic beach on the island with a vast and splendid swathe of good sand, though it shelves rather steeply into the sea. Tamarind shaded tavernas fringe the beach, many built on bamboo covered decks over the sands and specialising in remarkably inexpensive fish dishes.
How to get there
Lesvos is easy to reach even in the winter. By air there are the usual package charter flights and arrivals from Athens five times a day and from Thessaloniki daily. Ferries arrive each day from Piraeus and on three days a week from Thessaloniki. In the summer hydrofoils links to Kavala and other islands in the Aegean. There are two bus stations in Mytilini, the one in the centre of the harbour served the city suburbs, the other near the public gardens serves outlying villages.
