See and Do
Eresos
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Lesvos provides the opportunity to enjoy different sights and experiences throughout the year. During peak season many people head for the attractive beaches and the inviting sea. Visitors are stunned by the fantastic range of wildflowers and shrubs which carpet the landscape in the spring. This is a great time of year for walking and seeing the thousands of migratory birds which visit the island. In September and October the daytime temperatures, both on the land and in the sea, are considered by many people to make this the best time to visit.
Life on the island proceeds at a leisurely pace. The islanders are welcoming, friendly and helpful and there is a strong sense of family and community. There is practically no crime, with the police seemingly occupied mainly in checking drivers documents and civil regulations and concerns.
Eresos offers traditional Greek life at its best. The focal point is the square, or plateia, shaded by plane trees and providing an ideal place to sit and watch the world go by. In the evenings the village becomes a livelier place, with people dining and relaxing in the restaurants and bars around the square. Visitors can be self-sufficient in Eresos as there are also bakers, butchers, greengrocers, mini-markets and a post office.
In common with many Greek island villages, there are mobile vendors offering a range of goods including fresh fish, fruit and vegetables. Although in many ways Eresos feels timeless, technology has not passed it by and there are numerous wi-fi hotspots. The village is quite literally at the end of the road as there is no through route.
The streets that lead off the square are narrow and well worth exploring on foot. Finding your way around the maze of streets can be a challenge to your sense of direction, but you won't get lost for long. You will discover interesting buildings, well-tended gardens and friendly locals happy to respond to your Kalimera or Kalispera. If you walk beyond the village you will find yourself in the countryside, where your only company is likely to be the sheep and goats which graze on the mountainsides.
Less than 4km away is the summer village of Skala Eresou, famous as the birthplace of the lyric poet, Sappho. It is a lively and friendly holiday resort which caters equally well for families, couples and singles. Skala has the best beach on the island, a 2.5 km sandy stretch from which you can safely swim in the crystal clear waters of the Aegean.
There is ample space to either peacefully sunbathe or take part in a wide range of water-based activities and sports. Wherever you are on the beach you are within walking distance of Skala's numerous shops, restaurants and bars.
A wide range of food is offered in the restaurants including wonderful locally caught seafood. A relaxing way to end the day is to take a seat at one of the beachfront cocktail bars and watch the sun go down. Alternatively, you can head for the open-air cinema which shows films on general release.
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Within a short distance of Eresos
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For many visitors, the attractions of Eresos and Skala Eresou keep them happily occupied during their holiday, but Lesvos, the third largest Greek island after Crete and Evia, offers many alternative sights and experiences.
For those seeking a change of beach scene, Chrousou (snorkelling), Franeromeni (exciting swimming) and Gavathas (child-friendly bathing) are just three alternatives.
For those with an interest in the natural world, one excursion could be a visit to the Petrified Forest and it's associated Natural History Museum at Sigri.
Another excursion could be a visit to the Salt Pans of Kalloni where both resident and migratory birds, such as Storks, Greater Flamingoes, Black-winged Stilts, Cranes and Glossy Ibis can be seen at different times.
For those wishing to sample history and architecture nearby, there are two significant monasteries. Moni Pithariou, Founded in the 17th Century, extensively renovated and enjoying a stunning setting in a ravine of oak and plane trees overlooking a reservoir and Moni Ipsilou, founded before 800AD, enjoying magnificent views, displaying a number of large icons, embroidered stoles and altar cloths, relics, sacred vessels and manuscripts.
Another possible site to visit is the Ancient Sanctuary of Mesa with its origins in the 4th century BC. Other villages worth exploring include Mesotopos with its attractive central square and it's Womens' Co-operative shop selling a wide range of locally made produce; Parakila with its Ottoman stone bridge and lone minaret; mansions including the impressive Gogos Folklore Museum; Gavathas with its pretty harbour and headland church of St Pandeleimon; Liota (Ligeri) which has a beautifully renovated church, a taverna shaded by an enormous ancient Plane Tree and spectacular views across the valley; Chidira with the Georgios Jakovadis Museum, the first digital art museum in Greece. All these points of interest are in the west.
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Explore further afield
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For those wishing to explore further afield there are equally interesting places and things to explore in the north, east and south of the island, too numerous to list but including the following:
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Molyvos (Gattulisi Castle)
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Mandamados (Ceramics)
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Plomari (Wood-carving & Ouzo production)
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Polichnitos (Ceramics & nesting White Storks)
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Agia Paraskevi and Papados (olive press museums)
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Moni Leimonos (grand 16th-century buildings)
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Eftalou, Grea, Thermi (thermal springs)
