Introduction

The green island of Lesbos is a popular summer resort without being too busy. This is where the 7th century BC poetess Sappho lived, as well as Alcaios, another ancient poet and allegedly Sapphos lover. The philosopher Theophrastus was born here in the 4th century BC, and the poet and Nobel Prize winner Odysseas Elytis also came from Lesbos.

The Greeks call the island Lesvos or Mytilene after its capital. It is large and has a wonderful landscape, well worth exploring on your own. Because there is a big military camp here where young Greeks do their national service, the nightlife gets quite wild, without being extreme like on Ios or Kos. There are very quiet villages on Lesbos for those that want their peace and quiet, and it is very close to Turkey.

History

The island was probably inhabited by peoples from Asia Minor in the 2nd Millennium BC, or even earlier than that. It was a prosperous island, and Sappho had her school for young noble women in the 7th century BC. The famous philosopher Epicurus also founded a school here.

Because of its location, Lesbos was ruled by the Persians during the 6th and 5th century BC, but the island was a member of the Athenian League, doing its best to sabotage the Persian enemy. The Romans invaded in the 2nd century BC, and archaeological remains tell us that many wealthy Romans had villas on the island.

Genuans took the island after the fall of Constantinople and Byzantium in the beginning of the 13th century, and the Turks came in the 15th century.

The war of Independence started in 1821, and 91 years later, Lesbos was finally freed.

What to See

The capital Mytilene has an interesting archaeological museum as well as a folklore museum. You can also visit the 14th century Kastro, as well as the Roman theatre from the 3rd or 2nd century BC.

The most beautiful part of the island is by the Kallanis Bay in the center of the island. There, you can visit the picturesque villages Kalloni and Molyvo. At the ancient town you can still see walls from the 8th century BC. There is a Byzantine castle.

Not far from there is Petra, a village with a strange, tall cliff with a church from the 18th century dedicated to the Virgin Mary the Sweet Kisser (Panagia Glykofilousas) on top of it.

The monastery Limonos holds invaluable treasures in its museum. Parts of the monastery can only be visited by men.

The nunnery Ag Raphael is also open to the public .

At the village Mantamado there is a church dedicated to the saint Taxiarcho. It has a famous icon which allegedly was made out of clay and blood.

Another famous icon is kept at the church of the Virgin Mary Zion (Panagia Sion). It was allegedly made by the evangelist Lucas, and is believed to have healing powers.

A little further north, the picturesque village Mithymna is situated by the sea. The village is full of traditional houses and winding streets, and there is an old Kastro here.

Eressos is another lovely village of special interest, since both Sappho and Theophrastus lived here. There is an archaeological and a folklore museum here, as well as a petrified forest well worth a visit.

What to Do

There are many places to visit, and several beaches have watersports. The island is also great for trekking and driving around, and many bird-watchers have found their paradise on the island.

Beaches

Kalloni and Petra are just two of the island's wonderful beaches, which are also good for families with children. Ag Isidoros and Skala are also very nice places for swimming, but there are many, many more beaches here.

Nightlife

Lesbos has a good nightlife, and you'll find bars and discos in Mytilene, Mithymnia and Skala for example.

Food

In Mytilene and Mithymna you'll find both Greek and International restaurants, but all the villages also have small, traditional taverns with good food. The island is known for its olives and ouzo, and there are several local sweets.

Shopping

You'll find everything you need in Mytilene. A typical souvenir from Lesbos is the oliveoil or ouzo.

Getting Around

The local buses all start in Mytilene, and there are connections to most villages around the island. There are also taxis and vehicles for rent, as well as boats that can take you to some of the beaches.

Getting There

Lesbos has its own airport, and if you can't find a direct flight, it also has good connections with both Athens and Thessaloniki. There are also ferry-boats to and from Pireus, Thessaloniki and Alexandropolis, as well as islands like Chios, Samos, Rhodes and Kos.