Lesvos aspires to conquer the place it deserves on the tourist map of the country, following the initiatives of the Municipality of Western Lesbos, mainly in the front of the promotion of the hidden and unexplored secrets of the island that Odysseus Elytis loved and inspired great painters, poets and authors.

Going through an extremely difficult time from migration, the coronavirus to the war in Ukraine, Lesbos, the third largest island of the country, after Evia and Crete, aims to project outwards what the island is primarily, as it states in APE-MPE the deputy mayor of tourism of western Lesvos Aphrodite Vation the occasion of a recent familiarization trip organized by the Municipality for journalists.

In fact, the Municipality of Western Lesvos recently presented the website https://welcometolesvos.com/ at a special event, which, as Mrs. Vati said, will be the portal through which the visitor will get to know the island’s portfolio of tourist products. Using the natural beauty of the island, which in 2012 was recognized by Unesco as an immense geopark, Lesvos invites the visitor to travel to its immense history, culture and unique and unspoiled nature, underlines Mrs. Vati. From the wetlands that Aristotle once studied and created the foundations of biology and scientific methodology, to the vast olive grove of 11 million olive trees, to the unique petrified forest that dominates the western part of Lesvos, over 20 million years old.

For the current tourist year, Lesvos started better than in previous years, as the island’s agencies emphasize, recalling that in previous years the tourist flows to the island were minimal. In any case, 2023 dawned with optimism for tourism in Lesvos, notes Mrs. Vati, and gives reason for high occupancy rates, especially in the period of July and August. In fact, all the actions of the Municipality contribute to the goal of extending the tourist season.

In order to reinforce the above, Lesvos bets on alternative forms of tourism as well as on new products that frame the tourist portfolio of the island.

The Kalloni wetland is a typical example of an alternative form of tourism. The Kalloni wetland is considered one of the most important wetlands in Europe with around 1500 species of plants including orchids and 311 species of birds recorded in the area. There, dozens of visitors daily observe the waterfowl that flood the area.

At the same time, visiting Sigri is one of the main reasons to visit Lesbos as the Petrified Forest is located there. This natural monument is unique as there are only two petrified forests in the entire world, the second one being in Arizona, USA! 20,000,000 years ago, there were active volcanoes on Lesvos. The eruptions of these volcanoes created the Petrified Forest in Sigri.

With an eye on new forms of tourism, Lesbos bets on the well-being that the thermal springs can offer. In fact, the hot springs of Polichnitos are among the hottest in Europe, sodium chloride and with a temperature ranging between 62°C and 86°C and are located 1 km. southeast of the town of Polichnitou. The hot springs of Polichnitos are in the revival phase and are going to be operational in the summer of 2023, as it was emphasized.

Trekking in western Lesbos

Every visit to Lesbos starts from Mytilini, the capital of the island and of course includes Mithymna or as it is called Molyvos today. The hallmark of Mytilene’s residential identity are undoubtedly the exquisite mansions that adorn it, examples of the economic strength of the past.

About 5 km after Molyvos, in the direction of Kalloni, is the village of Petra with its incredible sandy beach and the imposing volcanic rock almost 40 meters high, which stands almost in the middle of the settlement.

Staying with the traditional villages of the island, Vatoussa is one of the villages of Lesvos that is protected by law as a traditional settlement, as it has wonderful architecture and houses made of stone with the art of “rose wall” and tiled roofs. At the same time, Antissa is a semi-mountainous traditional village in the west of the island, surrounded by pine, olive and oak forests. According to mythology, the name belonged to one of the five daughters of King Makara. Antissa and Eresos had great power in antiquity and ruled western Lesbos. This beautiful and traditional village was the birthplace of Terpandros who was a musician, poet and inventor of the seven-stringed lyre.

Religious tourism in Lesbos – Visit to Mandamado

A pole of attraction for thousands of Greeks as well as foreign visitors is the charming village of Mandamados, located on the north-eastern side of the island in a valley, not visible from the sea, 37 kilometers north of Mytilini. There are two monasteries, the monastery of Agios Raphael, as well as the monastery of Taxiarchis, which are overwhelmed by believers. Thanks to these two monasteries, Lesbos owes its popularity to the Greek public, as is typically emphasized

Stop at the Agios Raphael monastery

Built on the olive tree-covered hill of Karia, it is one of the most famous places of worship. The current monastery was built in the 60s on the foundations of an older monastery that functioned in two different periods of the Byzantine era and was completely destroyed by the Ottomans in 1463.

Visit to the monastery of Taxiarchis

Legend has it that the old monastery was looted by Saracen pirates, towards the end of the first millennium. All the monks were slaughtered, except one, the cadet cadet, Gabriel. As the pirates left, the cadet climbed onto the roof of the monastery to make sure the pirates were gone. However, the pirates noticed him from afar and returned to kill him. At this point in history Archangel Michael performs his miracle! The roof of the temple turned into a stormy sea and the sword of the Archangel was shooting out fire while his form was fierce! His unexpected appearance before the Saracens forced them to retreat in terror. Thanks to this miracle from the Archangel, the monk survived. Out of deep respect, having seen the Archangel Michael “Taxiarchis”, the cadet monk gathered the soil soaked in the blood of his martyred brothers, made clay and formed a relief image depicting the sweet form of the Archangel whose dark blood color , to this day, remains unchanged and alive, far from the law of decay and time, as we see it displayed today inside the church.

Lesvos, a paradise, all seasons of the year. That’s how amazing this piece of land is… an Aegean mosaic with many hidden secrets that will amaze you again and again as you uncover them one by one…