Of course I knew about Lesbos. It’s in Greece, it’s the birth place of Sappho and … there are a lot of tourists? Ok so that was about it, but my heart belonged to Crete and the white houses with blue roofs of the Cycladic islands, so I never bothered to even look even further. And look at me now – here trying to tell you why Lesbos is a place you should not miss out on!
This article is written for people who would like to visit Lesbos as a tourist, but I can definitely recommend getting informed about the situation of the refugees and – if you can – also try volunteering. If you would like more information about that, please don’t hesitate to contact me! Your help is more than welcome!
About Lesbos
Lesbos has nature, beach, villages, cuisine and night life at once.
Nature: Lesbos is a very green, Greek island. That is because it is literally covered in olive and pine trees. Seriously.. they’re everywhere. There are mountains and valleys, making the island perfect for hiking.
Beach: The beaches are mostly pebbles, but there are also some sandy beaches. The water is incredibly clear and beautiful almost everywhere, so probably very good for swimming – WATCH OUT FOR SEA URCHINS THOUGH! Wear shoes when you go into the water.
Villages: there are so many nice and authentic villages to visit, I’ll give some examples later on.
Cuisine: there’s no way you can convince me otherwise: Greek food is the best food in the world and Lesbos definitely has its “places to be” when it comes to fresh and local food.
Night life: The capital of Lesbos is Mytilini, which has a surprisingly vibrant night life for such a small city.
How to get to Lesbos
You can fly to Mytilini from Athens a few times a day. There are some charter flights from other countries, but not from Belgium (anymore).
How to get around the island
Rent a car. There are buses, but even I didn’t bother to figure those out.
Hertz and EuRopcar have an office at the airport, but they are also more expensive.
Find something local at the city center, along the water on the side of the port there are a lot of agencies that rent cars for cheaper prizes. Most places offer pick-up and drop at the airport if you make a reservation upfront, so it’s worth checking before you leave.
If you don’t, just take a taxi and ask to be dropped of at the harbor.
Average price for a small car is 30 euros/day.
My recommendation: http://www.lesvos-carrentals.com – they are a bit harder to find, but very good service & prizes!
What to do on Lesbos?
Mytilini
Mytilini is the capital city and a very charming, vibrant place for a holiday.
– main street/shopping street: here you will find a lot of shops & places to eat
– The Sugar house: this bakery has the best Baklava ever; it’s located on the main street along the water – do not miss out on this place!
– on the left side of the bay, there are a lot of restaurants where you can have great Greek food and enjoy a view over the water and the city.
– the city center has a great nightlife with bars and clubs, definitely a recommendation
– Right outside Mytilini there’s an ancient castle on a hill, next to the sea. It’s a great place for a pick-nick, but if you want to go swimming watch out for sea urchins
Beaches
Most beaches have pebbles, some are sandy, but the water is amazing almost everywhere: very clear and clean. But again: WATCH OUT FOR SEA URCHINS!
– close to Mytilini: along the road from the airport to Mytilini. it’s not the most quiet place because of the traffic, but it’s very conveniently located and rarely crowded.
– Petra: beautiful beach, partly organized.
– Amelia: sandy, incredibly beautiful beach. Close to Petra, but completely deserted, except for a fish tavern. Be prepared to drive 2 km on small roads to get there.
– Plomari-area: shallow, pebbly/sandy beaches; said to be the most beautiful of the area but I haven’t been everywhere so I can’t confirm or deny that.
Villages
– Petra: touristy, but nice.
– Plomari: for the best Ouzo.
– Stipsi: also called “the hanging village”; very cute town with a few tavernas and a small, but very good bakery.
– Molyvos: the most famous place on Lesbos with a castle overlooking the old town – ironically haven’t been there myself.
– Thermi: small village about 15 km from Mytilini with thermal baths, a nice beach and a very good restaurant.
Restaurants
Absolute must: o Gavrilos on the way from Petra/Molyvos to Mytilini. It has an amazing view overlooking Petra and the valley and the food is delicious.
TripAdvisor link here
Day trip to Turkey
If you already have a passport, bring it with you, because Lesbos is so close to Turkey that you could take a day trip there (if the boat schedule allows it, otherwise you’ll have to stay overnight). I haven’t done this myself (because I actually didn’t bring my passport), so can’t say anything more about it.
About the refugees’ situation
When the media started reporting about the arrivals of the refugees, the tourism rate dropped to such an extent, that the locals had a hard time to make ends meet.
This is very sad, because as a tourist there is absolutely NO need to stay away from the island.
First of all (and I can’t believe I actually have to say this), refugees are just normal people, like you and me. Living in different circumstances, yes, but generally incredibly nice people. So in case you do run into some of them, just saying Hi never hurt anyone and you’ll see for yourself.
Second, the refugee camps are situated about 10km outside of the capital Mytilini in the middle of nowhere. So you will not just randomly stumble into the camps.
Third, if you are interested in knowing what is actually going on in Europe, it’s a good place to start. Because no – it’s not pretty what’s happening there or the circumstances people are living in. So the more people are aware about it, the more we can try to help.
But remember that you, as a tourist, don’t have anything to be afraid of. Unless Ali Baba stops by, but that’s another story 😉
The Graveyard
There is a place on the island you shouldn’t go to if you want a happy day out. It’s the place where all of the used life vests from the people coming in to Greece by boat are collected. It is not a nice place, it’s actually one of the saddest reminders of Europe’s humanitarian crisis – but it is a place you should visit if you want to get a better idea of what is happening. Be warned – it will leave an impression.
