Chania

Useful phones

Hotels

Recommended

Bookhotels Lesvos

Lesvos

Lesvos is the third in size island of Greece, right after Evia and Crete. It is the homeland of the known poet from the antiquity Sapfo, as well as other eponymous persons of culture and intellect. Unique sights, in beauty and imposing presence, constitute the churches and the monasteries, the enetic castles, and the graphic houses in the cities and villages of the prefecture.

Lesvos is offered for cosmopolitan vacations as it is filled with wooded mountain sides and golden sandy beaches with crystal waters. Mytilini, the capital of the prefecture, was built above the ruins of the ancient city and it allocates the biggest harbour and airport of the island. Jewel of the city is the Byzantine castle of Ioustinianos. The castle was built by the emperor Ioustinianos above the ancient ruins and was strengthened by the Genovese Fragiskos Gatelouzos in 1373. During the summer, the castle constitutes the centre of all cultural events of the island.

The Metropolis is still an interesting monument of the island with its gothic rhythm belfry that was built at the 17th century. Other monuments are the churches Agii Theodori and Agjos Therapon with the famous icon of Evangelist John (15th century AD).

The civilisation that has been developed in the island of Lesvos, from the Prehistoric times, according to the discoveries is analogous to the Trojan and the Mycenae civilisations. Important persons of the antiquity are the troubadour Arion, the poet Alkeos and the poet Sapfo. In modern history Lesvos did not stop having great personalities of culture with the most known representative of these the popular painter Theofilos that lived during the times of the Ottoman domination.

Weather /

A closer look

Prefecture of Lesvos