Mithymna or Molyvos. The birthplace of Arion, the first guitar player in written history, and favourite spot for poets, painters and intellectuals all around the world. Molyvos inspires with its unique charm, its imposing fortress, the picturesque harbour with the fishing boats, the famous pebbled alleyways with the wisteria dominating the traditional market, the mansions, the old fountains.
Visit the Byzantine Castle, the excavations that highlight Ancient Mithymna, the Ottoman baths, the Conference Hall, the Public Library with its rich material, the Municipal Art Gallery with works of great Greek artists, the Kralli Mansion, housing a Dept of the School of Fine Arts of Athens, a beautiful old mansion with frescoes dating back to the 18th century.
Following the paths around Molyvos, you can visit small traditional villages like Vafios, known for its supreme culinary excellence and the walking-cycling routes around Mount Lepetymnos. Argennos, with the Valletta Museum. The village of Lepetymnos with the church of Panagia, where every August the traditional feast of the Assumption takes place. Sykaminia with its Folklore Museum and Skala Sykaminia with the beautiful small church of Panagia Gorgona (Mermaid) on the rock and its famous fish taverns.
Photo by Pantelis Thomaidis
Petra
Petra is a beautiful traditional village in the NW part of Lesvos, with a long sandy beach. There are hotels, restaurants and bars, most of which are right next to the fully organized beach, where you can do water sports and scuba diving. Walking through the settlement you will come across many remarkable neoclassical buildings from the 19th and 20th Century. The Vareltzidena Mansion with tapestries from the 1800’s is a site you shouldn’t miss. The biggest attraction is the imposing rock of 40 metres height located in the centre of the settlement. The church of Virgin Mary dominates the cliff top. Built in 1724, it has 114 carved steps that will lead you to the top. Petra’s new Schengen Gate operating from April till September will attract cruise ships and sailing boats from all over Greece and Turkey and will make it easy to take a day trip to Turkey.
For nature lovers, the area around Petra offers great walking and biking trails, like Ligona with the 18 old watermills, an unparalleled monument of nature. Petri, Skoutaros, Agios Alexandros, Stipsi, Ipsilometopo are only a few places you must visit. Avlaki is a beautiful bay only 2 mins from Petra and a bit further down lies Anaxos, both with tavernas and café bars on the wonderful sandy beaches.