Things to do in Lesbos

Best time to visit Lesbos

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• May and June

  Green, wildflowers, flamingos at Kalloni; the best window

• July and August

  Hot and busy; book ahead

• September and October

  Warm sea, harvest; good and calmer

• November to April

  Quiet; many hotels and tavernas closed, but Mytilene town stays alive

What's on

• Village panigyri festivals summer

  Religious festivals with food and music in the villages; ask locally

• Chestnut festival, Agiasos autumn

  The mountain village's big autumn event

Best things to do in Lesbos

• Castle of Mytilene

  $

  One of the Mediterranean's largest castles; walk the walls for harbour views.

• Mithymna Castle

  $

  Medieval fortress capping the stone village; late afternoon light.

• Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest

  $

  Fossil trunks and the volcanic story; do it before the forest park.

• Ouzo Museum Barbayanni

  $

  Copper stills and the ouzo process, with a tasting at the end.

• Museum of Industrial Olive Oil Production

  $

  Restored steam-powered olive press; one of Greece's best industrial museums.

• Roman Aqueduct of Moria

  Free

  Grand Roman aqueduct with 17 arches in the countryside.

• Eftalou Hot Springs

  $

  Hot sulphurous springs by the sea; rustic, check conditions locally.

• Skala Eressou

  Free

  Beach village below Sappho's hometown; long sand, slow pace.

Best restaurants in Lesbos

• I Mouria tou Mirivili

  $$

  Fish taverna under the mulberry tree on the harbour; the catch of the day.

• Gatos Restaurant

  $$

  Long-running Molyvos restaurant; grilled fish and local wines.

• Tropicana Platanos

  $$

  Under the plane tree on the square; meze and grills.

• Molyvos Stars Restaurant

  $$

  Restaurant on the harbour road; seafood pasta.

• The Captain's Table

  $$$

  Harbour-front dining in Molyvos; the fresh fish.

• Kalderimi

  $$

  Grill house in Petra; souvlaki and village sausage.

• Women's Cooperative of Petra

  $

  Cooperative taverna; handmade pasta and sweets, lunch service.

• O Gavrilos

  $$

  Grill house outside Petra; kontosouvli and lamb.

Best coffee in Lesbos

• Kafeneion O Ermis

  $

  The old kafeneio; coffee, ouzo and meze the traditional way.

Outdoor things to do in Lesbos

• Petrified Forest of Lesbos

  $

  Standing 19.5m fossil trunks from eruptions 20 million years ago.

• Vatera Beach

  Free

  Seven kilometres of south-coast sand; the island's longest beach.

• Skala Sikamineas

  Free

  Tiny fishing harbour; lunch on the water, the coastal drive is the trip.

• Kalloni Salt Pans

  Free

  Wetlands birdwatching; flamingos and herons, best in spring.

• Agios Isidoros Beach

  Free

  Organised beach east of Plomari; the swim after the ouzo museum.

Best hotels in Lesbos

• Blue Sea Hotel

  $$

  Art-deco-feel hotel by the port; handy for early ferries.

• Lasia Hotel

  $$

  Retreat above the town with panoramic island views.

• Elysion Hotel

  $$$

  Beachfront with spa and tennis, minutes from town.

• Theofilos Paradise Boutique Hotel

  $$$

  Direct beach access by the port with a sunset terrace.

• Sea Horse Hotel

  $$

  Small hotel right on the Molyvos harbour with its own restaurant.

• Amfitriti Hotel

  $$

  By the pebble beach and village centre; terrace rooms.

• Eressian Hotel & Hammam Spa

  $$$$

  Boutique hotel with hammam spa, walkable to beach and tavernas.

• Maria Pantermou Rooms

  $$

  Clean bright rooms on a quiet backstreet by the beach.

Is Lesbos expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• I Mouria tou Mirivili: a few days ahead
• The Captain's Table: a few days ahead
• Blue Sea Hotel: weeks ahead
• Lasia Hotel: weeks ahead
• Elysion Hotel: weeks ahead
• Theofilos Paradise Boutique Hotel: weeks ahead
• Sea Horse Hotel: weeks ahead
• Amfitriti Hotel: weeks ahead

• August: book hotels two weeks ahead; the island fills with Greek holidaymakers
• I Mouria tou Mirivili: book lunch ahead in summer
• Eressian Hotel: weeks ahead in season; it is small

Is Lesbos safe?

• Lesbos is very safe. The practical risks are the winding roads, the summer sun, and sea urchins on rocky shores. Emergency number 112.

Lesbos travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Sappho souvenirs in Skala Eressou: the village is lovely, the merchandise generic
• Eftalou as a spa day: a rustic hot spring, not a spa
• Driving the west coast after dark: unlit winding roads; be back before sunset

Getting around Lesbos: public transport and more

• Rent a car: the island is big, buses thin, roads winding with hairpins and few guardrails
• Ferries: Mytilene to Piraeus overnight, Thessaloniki and Ayvalik in Turkey; book summer crossings ahead
• Taxis fine in Mytilene; agree long fares upfront
• Airport 8km south of town; the bus into Mytilene is infrequent

Who Lesbos suits

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