Lesbos (sometimes spelt Lesvos) is located in the Aegean and is the third largest of the Greek Islands - it's
nearest neighbour is 
Turkey which is not many KMs away
and as might be expected there are quite a few military establishments
on the island. However their presence is very low key and did not
affect us enjoying loads of walks and taking even more loads of photos whilst on holiday.
Lesbos has many tracks and also miles of paths - the walking we did in
May 2005 was really good with quite often lots of lush undergrowth,
streams and springs - also the wildlife - from snakes to lizards to
tortoises to a huge variety of birds - was excellent to see and enjoy.
Our topics mainly concern the walks (with many accompanying
photos) we did whilst on holiday on Lesbos (over 250km walked in the fortnight). We stayed in
the North at Anaxos (near Petra and Molovos) and we have several walks out
of there which could be done as circulars from Petra/Anaxos including a
water mills walk. Other suggested walks you may enjoy whilst on holiday on Lesbos
involved using a taxi to get to the start and then a walk back. Also we walked out of the Agiassos area on several circulars
including a wander up to the top of Mt. Olympos (where incidentally there
were no issues about vertigo).
Wildlife Snakes - well they are around -
we walked in the hills and regularly saw sometimes quite large ones
including several nose-horned vipers but most snakes seen were
Montpelliers (poisonous but not lethal),  whip snakes and a few leopard
snakes. We did not just seen them up in the
hills and mountains but also down in the villages - we stayed at Anaxos
(near Petra) and they were certainly around there too. Generally when out walking
the noise made by our boots on the rocks and undergrowth scared them off
but sometimes vipers (the only dangerous snake on Lesvos) especially
seemed a bit reluctant to move. On two occasions my wife (in the
lead on a rocky path) literally walked over a viper which then decided to
move just as I arrived - and one time on a track in the mountains my wife
pointed out a very large (and seemingly grumpy viper with its head up in
strike position) slithering alongside me for several yards and only about
18 inches away - sadly it went off before we could get a photoLizards were around including the quite large Balkan Green Lizard. Near the various springs and streams the air was full of many different types of butterflies. No sign of wasps but maybe just a little early for them to become a pest but there were plenty of very large bees around. Birds. Where to start.. we saw Black Storks, eagles, buzzards, flamingos, bee-eaters, lots of gold finches and swallows and even a Hoopoe - the island is a major attraction to bird watchers of course - particularly in early Spring. And for the first time ever on a Greek island we saw several foxes. |
Getting Around. Taxis.
Plenty of taxis available - even smaller towns seemed
to have a taxi rank. As always it is best to agree a price before
departure. Price example - Petra to Molovos cost 9 Euros. For walking
purposes we found the taxi drivers happy to be shown "somewhere" on a map
and then take us there. To get an idea of prices thy asking them at this
Lesvos Taxi
site.
Buses. The bus services were barely starting
up when we went on holiday to Lesbos in May 2005 but towards the end of our stay a bus service was
apparently commencing between Anaxos - Petra - Molovos
Hire Car. We had an 8 day hire which we
did at Billys (Anaxos and also at Petra) - the Fiat Punto cost UKstg. 138
including insurance and this had a 350 Euro damage penalty if any
accident/damage was deemed to be our fault.
The Roads. Generally speaking the roads
were well surfaced - actually way better than the appalling road-surfaces
generally found here in Oxfordshire (there again a cattle grid without the "grid" is smoother than an Oxfordshire road surface).
The trip between Petra and Kalloni is
just full of hair-pin bends and should you get stuck behind a coach or
lorry then there are only a couple of very short stretches where
overtaking is perhaps possible. Beware of several things in particular -
flocks of sheep which are regularly moved around on the roads and also farmers driving in
pick-up trucks - the farmers (as is quite typical on Greek Islands) simply
stop their trucks where they want to be and if this is on a blind bend or
a double white line road then so be it. Another road block of sort is
courtesy of the military which are quite often on the roads especially by
Kalloni and on out past the saltpans - the lorries they use seem to be
totally worn out - hardly able to move above a few miles per hour even on
the flat and belching out incredibly horrible and smelly black diesel
exhaust fumes.
Walking. At the end of our two weeks holiday we had trekked more than 250km - both on paths and tracks - and reckoned Lesbos had given us the best walking we have ever found on a Greek Island. Since we were staying in Anaxos quite a bit of walking was done from there in the form of circulars but also we used taxis to get out into the island a little way and walked back. Other walks were done from Agiassos and from Kalloni - we just did not have the time to go down to the south of the island where there many more paths and tracks to walk shown on the maps.
Beaches. We were blessed with quite a nice fairly strong and
cold northerly during the first week of our holiday so beaches were not of much interest
and 
we were anyway on
Lesbos for walking rather than sunbathing. Petra and Anaxos beaches
are quite long, sandy and had sun umbrellas etc - we did walk to
Ambelia and Megali Tsikhranda - these two
beaches are mostly pebble and were pretty mucky with seaweed and other
flotsam but possibly they get cleaned up as the season gets going.
Kambos is really wild, a very long beach
and not a soul in sight - needless to say no tavernas around. Fine for
stripping off and having a nude swim though.
Food and Drink. We mostly used the tavernas in Anaxos - favourite one being Agiassos with its neighbouring taverna next to the track being a close second. Food was cheapish with large well-cooked meals and fortunately oven potatoes etc. rather than chips with everything - also other types of vegetable were available for the asking. We would not go overboard about either the red or the white wine (house) which was drinkable but hardly exciting - a typical meal for the two of us cost about 25 Euros - main meal plus jug of wine plus a dish of really nice yoghurt (and lashings of wild honey). The half glass of ouzo often offered to us at the end of the meal was courtesy of the taverna.
Molovos. A busy place, quite a few people seem to
like walking between Molovos and Petra or vica versa. There is a pretty port
with fishing boats etc. and a ferry to Petra runs from here. The cobbled streets
are great to walk around, there are lots of tavernas but the shops seem to be
pure touristy.
Similarly to quite a few others we made the climb up to the
castle and could not get in since it only opens until 1430h but maybe this
changes during the Summer. Below are a few more photos taken around Molovos.
Petrified Forest.
(fossilised trees). Well worth a visit and only a 2 Euros entrance fee -
there is a
small cafe there. We found it was extremely hot when walking the several kilometres down and
round the trees even in mid May.
Skala Sikamineas. This nice coastal village is well known for it's fish
tavernas, has a great little harbour and an unusally named church which is
perched on a rock - "Panagia Gorgona" - The Virgin Mary Mermadi.
Sigri. Not much further along from the Petrified Forest and
certainly worth visiting especially if you are using a hire car.
Sigri is a nice pleasant place to visit and has a museum and castle to
look round.
There are quite a few tavernas and also quite a decent beach on one
side of the town.
Don't miss taking a look round the port's main defences which can be seen from the castle wall.
Waterfalls.
The track going down to the waterfalls starts from the
road about 3kms south of Achladeri. There is quite a large parking area
and a sign in Greek "PYRGI PESAS" but this track is very easy to miss as
you drive along, or initially drive past it in our case. This is an easy
walk of 3kms and perhaps takes around an hour to wander around.
Walk down the track (ignore a track to
the right just after starting off), then at the next track junction ignore
the sign telling you to go left - instead go right. Continue down to
another track junction, turn left still going down until you come to a
bridge over the river. Turn left just before the bridge on a path and now
simply follow the stream back up through initially open country, then woodland.
The path becomes more rocky as it goes above the stream
(which is protected with a wooden fence). Continue on up the path and then turn right
to reach a viewing platform.
Return back to where you turned right but this time
keep straight on, follow the path which eventually becomes a track to
reach a track junction. Turn right here and walk on back to the parking area.
Lesvos Flora photos: To finish off find below a series of photos showing some of
the flowers and flora which can be enjoyed in Lesvos.
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Please visit our
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Greece related travel and holiday guides on Symi, Thassos, Skiathos, Mykonos, Crete, Sikinos,
Santorini, Samos, Naxos, Patmos, Lipsi, Kos, Skopelos, Andros, Lefkas,
Alonissos, Paros and Paxos - or our Home Page for the Canary Islands.
Our uk-site
has lots about England - many walks, church, wildflower and canal bridge and
lock photos - also holiday guides for Cyprus and The
Algarve.
Our far-east
has amongst other items guides for Hong Kong and India.
Lesvos Greece - GPS Readings.
Varia T-junction (south of Mitilini) N39°04'51.60" E026°34'41.40
Mount Olympus (top) N39°04'23.76" E026°21'14.58"
Sigri Harbour N39°12'43.44" E025°51'00.30"
Mithimna-Petra-Vafios road junction N39°21'49.71"E026°10'47.05"
Books and Maps for Lesvos
Sunflower Books Lesvos - isbn 1-85691-237-x
On Foot in N. Lesvos - isbn 0-9539214-3-3
Walks in N. Lesvos - isbn 1-900802-48-1
Freytag + Berndt: Lesvos - isbn 3-85084-584-2
Road Editions: Lesvos 212 - isbn 960-8481-92-9
External Links
Walking the Greek Islands
Lesvos Greece Travel Guide from Greek Island Postcards
Lesvos by Greeka
