Greetings to everyone from Lesbos, one of the closest Greek Islands to Turkey, one ferry from Ayvalık! Lesbos is one of the three islands you can cross by car from Turkey. Since we want to visit the whole island, we take our own car. Of course, if you wish, you can rent a car after you pass through or you can choose public transportation / taxi within the island. This is one of the largest islands in Greece, so a car is a must to explore it well.
How and when to get to Lesvos Island?
Lesvos and the Greek Islands in general are ideal destinations for summer, but they are also very pleasant in spring. Keep in mind that both the ferries and the island can be crowded, especially during the summer months and holidays. If you are planning to go during these periods, buy your tickets in advance and make all your reservations to avoid any surprises.
Ferries from Turkey to Lesbos depart from Ayvalık. It takes about 1-1.5 hours. You can buy your tickets from Turyol and Jalem Tur. When buying your ticket, it makes the most sense to buy round-trip tickets from the same company. Before going to the island, you need to go to the tour office where you bought your ticket and print your round-trip tickets. Since you print the return on the way out, you have to queue twice if you buy from a different company. On holidays the line can be quite long, it is recommended to arrive 1 hour before departure time, but the line can be quite long.
Get your fee stamp online before you arrive. Make sure you have cash with you because you also pay port tax separately. If you are going to pass by car, you first pass your car to the harbor and then get in line.
How many days should I allocate for Lesvos Island?
On a day trip you can only visit the central city of Mytilini, to fully understand the island we recommend planning a trip of at least 4 nights and 5 days.
Mytilene Accommodation:
There are airbnb options for accommodation on the island, although not many. It is also possible to find it in different villages. You can look through Booking or airbnb.
The most popular places to stay are around Molyvos and Plomari in the south of the island. It is best to plan your trip by staying in two different houses, around Molyvos when visiting the North and West coast and in the center or Plomari when visiting the South and East coast. It is a bit difficult to drive on the winding roads of the island, so you can shorten the journeys to your destinations during the day by staying in different houses.
Restaurants/Taverns:
Mytilini:
•To Kastro
•To Frikton Lathos
•Kalderimi Taverna
•Kafeneion Ermis
•Agios Ermogenis
•Στ αποστολή το κουτούκι
•Eukalyptos, Panagiouda
•I Mouria tou Mirivili, Skala Sikamenias
Molyvos & Petra:
•Molyvos Stars
•Hamam Restaurant
•Tropicana Platanos
•Women’s Cooperative of Petra
•O Gavrilos
•Remezzo, Sigri
•Aigaio, Skala Eresou
•ΨΑΡΟΤΑΒΕΡΝΑ ΤΟΥ ΧΟΝΤΡΟΥ, Apothikes
•Seven Seas Taverna, Plomari
•To Stavri, Agiasos
Coffee/Sweet/Breakfast:
•Sykeli
•White Lab
•Skiniko Cafe-Bar
•To Kentro 1904
•Blue Fox Molyvos
•To Megalo Kafe
•ΣΟΥΣΑΜΛΗ ΜΑΡΊΑ Ο.Ε
Bar:
•Fuga
•Symposion
•Congas Beach Bar
•Parasol
•Ammos Beach Bar
For swimming:
-Agios Isidoros
•Plomari
•Melinta
•Agios Ermogenis
•Skala Mistegnon
-Tarti Beach – with music & a little more lively
•Skala Eresou
-Paralia Sigri – very cottage type, not touristy
What is on our list but we haven’t tried:
-Octopus Restaurant – we received many negative comments from here
•Blue Sardine
•Zouros Restaurant
•Mama Katerina
•Serafino Cafe
•The Captain’s Table
•Le Grand Bleu
•Taverna Maria, Melinta
At the end of the island closest to us is the big city of Mytilini, which we can call the center. The ferries from Ayvalık reach the port here and the island’s airport is also close by. Although the original name of the island is Lesbos/Lesvos, it is from this city that we know it as Lesbos.
One of the largest islands in Greece. Although quite close in size to Rhodes, the island is difficult to get from one place to another due to its winding roads and mountain topography, and offers traditional villages, stone houses, castles, pristine beaches and thermal springs – most of what you could look for on a trip.
The parts facing Turkey are covered with olive and pine trees; The western part of the island is drier. The Petrified Forest of Lesvos is a rare site left over from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago and well worth a visit.
Here are 10 things to do in Molyvos and Petra in Lesvos, which for us is the most touristic region of Lesvos:
-Visit the castle of Molyvos and watch the sunset from here.
Discover Greek flavors at the Hammam Restaurant or the family-run Molyvos Stars.
-Take a coffee break with a dessert at Blue Fox Molyvos.
-Sip cocktails from Symposium or Fuga with a view.
-Explore the restaurants in the harbor part of Molyvos;
-Enjoy the sandy beach in Petra or Anaxos.
-Walk through the narrow streets of Petra to the beach at sunset time;
-Visit the Church of St. Nicholas, built on a rock and known as the guardian of the seas.
-Save an evening for a good dinner at the Women’s Cooperative of Petra, born out of women’s solidarity.
-Enjoy a panoramic view of the Aegean against the sunset at O Gavrilos.
Lesbos as an island always reminds me of a fig tree. Not because they grow very good figs, but because when you look at the island from above it looks like a fig leaf.
A question that often comes up on foreign travel channels is how safe Lesvos is. Europe is one of the first places where the world’s refugee crisis is reflected. It is possible to encounter refugees in the center of the island and in the surrounding area, but I did not encounter any unsafe situation.
The most visited and popular areas of the island are Molyvos and Petra in the north; The least visited region of Lesvos is the westernmost part of the island, which we liken to a fig leaf.
Even if mountain villages and Eresos are visited here, it is less than in other regions. In this area you can wander calmly in most areas except Skala Eresos.
In Sigri, the westernmost part of the island, it would be unreasonable to expect a resort with a classic Greek island aesthetic. This is a quiet summer resort with a castle dating back to the Turks in the 18th century.
Here you can also find one or two places where you can have a good meal. Cavo Doro taverna and Remezzo restaurant just by the castle are the highlights. At Remezzo, known for its seafood and lobster, I tasted a seafood pasta and a dish made from wild greens called ‘Horta’ by the Greeks. Both were successful.
Skala Eresos is crowded, I remember having difficulty parking even on weekdays. I tried Aigaio, one of the tavernas on the beach;
But the most tranquil and peaceful place on the island was Apothikes, where there was only one taverna. The tavern is called ΨΑΡΟΤΑΒΕΡΝΑ ΤΟΥ ΧΟΝΤΡΟΥ, it is further inland and overlooks the bay of Kalloni. There is no menu, they come and tell you what is fresh, it is a quiet little place.
Antissa, Vatoussa and Agra are the places where I take a coffee break under the plane tree in the squares as I walk around here.
Our favorite places in the Greek Islands are undoubtedly those tavernas by the sea!
Here are the seaside towns & taverns in Lesvos where you can enjoy the sea and find peace and tranquility at the same time:
📍Panagiouda, Eukalyptos
📍Skala Eresou, Aigaio
📍Skala Sikamineas, I Mouria tou Mirivili
📍Agios Ermogenis
📍Skala Loutron, Στ αποστολή το κουτούκι
📍Aphotikes, ΨΑΡΟΤΑΒΕΡΝΑ ΤΟΥ ΧΟΝΤΡΟΥ
📍Plomari, Seven Seas Taverna
For detailed information about the venues and other recommendations, you can check the posts on the profile.
‘Kafeneion O Ermis’, the oldest cafe in Greece, dating back to 1800 #kafeneionoermis #kishnishvslesvos #kishnishvsmidilli
These historic cafes, which were the meeting point of poets, writers and politicians, especially in Europe, are an important cultural heritage with their valuable stories.
This Ottoman-era coffee shop also has an interesting story to tell. G. Spanoudakis, who lived in Izmir-Aliaga and owned two cafes, emigrated to Lesvos with the exchange in 1922. Spanoudakis is taking over this coffee shop in exchange for the two locations he left behind.
A coffee shop on Ermou, the busiest street in Mytilene, frequented by people from all walks of life. The small details that have survived from the first version of the cafe to today make this place even more valuable. The wooden ceiling, ceramic tiles on the floor, marble tables, large mirrors with gold frames and paintings telling funny stories are still part of the place today. The details of the unconscious man who was given intravenous ouzo instead of serum and the woman hugging the ouzo barrel in the paintings are wonderful!
This business is still run by the Spanoudakis family. A place where you can – and should – stop by for coffee during the day and delicious Greek food in the evening. The kitchen starts serving at noon and the venue opens at 10 a.m. Like most places in the center, Sunday is closed.
What I spent in 4 days in Lesvos, one of the most affordable Greek islands I have indicated travel costs assuming that in most places you will be traveling two people. Mytilene is the most convenient island you can cross directly from Turkey with your own car, and if you have a folding chair and in-car refrigerator in your car, every corner of the island is your beach bar. 🍸🍻I think that’s the best part.
While the costs may vary from person to person and venue to venue, you can take these figures as an average.
Transportation to the island:
Round trip ticket from Ayvalık with Jalemtur/Turyol:
1 adult 30euro
1 automobile 80euro
Port tax 50₺
Fee stamp 150₺
Vehicle Expenses:
Green Visa 47,25euro (15 days)
Port tax 180₺
+ 1.5 tanks of gasoline (depending on vehicle type)
Accommodation:
Accommodation can be found for around 40-50euro per night. We paid 160euro for Eftalou Olive Grove for 4 nights 2 persons.
Coffee/Breakfast:
Coffee 1-3euro
Dessert / ice cream 2-3euro
Scones/sandwiches 4-7euro
Food & Beverage:
Appetizers 3-5euro
Seafood 7-16euro
Gyros 3-4euro
Beer 3euro
200ml Ouzo 6-7euro
A meal for two in the tavern:
25-35euro
eSIM:
Unlimited internet 5 days for 19euro, Holafly.
Beaches:
Entrance to the beaches is mostly free.
Sun loungers and umbrellas are also usually included in the food and beverages.
We compared two of the largest Greek islands close to Turkey; Lesvos and Rhodes. Which one is your favorite?
With a fine dining culture, nature discoveries and historical riches, Rhodes?
Mytilene, with its budget-friendly, humble tavernas and quiet villages?
