Lesvos

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Southern Harbor and Agios Therapon Church in morning, Mytilini, Lesvos, Aegean Islands, Greece

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Overview

Greece’s third-largest island (and one of the best-organised), Lesvos is marked by long sweeps of rugged desert-like western plains that give way to sandy beaches and salt marshes in the centre. To the east are thickly forested mountains and dense olive groves – around 11 million olive trees are cultivated here.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest

Lesvos

This fascinating state-of-the-art museum chronicles what a volcano can do at a moment's notice – in this case 20 million years ago. Don't miss the…
Teriade Museum

Lesvos

Extraordinary. It's worth coming to Lesvos for this alone – the Teriade Museum and its astonishing collection of paintings by artists including Picasso,…
Church of the Panagia Vrefokratousa

Lesvos

A pilgrimage site of national importance, this elegant walled-off church contains a namesake icon depicting the Virgin, which is believed to make miracles…
Theophilos Museum

Lesvos

On the same site as the Teriade Museum, this humble structure contains 86 paintings by the primitive painter Theophilos, who remains a folk hero among…
Moni Taxiarhon

Lesvos

Around 36km north of Mytilini Town, near Mantamados village, stands one of Lesvos’ most important pilgrimage sites. An axis of Orthodoxy, myth and…
Moni Ypsilou

Lesvos

About 9km west of Andissa, the Byzantine Moni Ypsilou stands atop a solitary peak surrounded by volcanic plains. Founded in the 8th century, this storied…
Yeni Tzami

Lesvos

This early-19th-century Turkish mosque, with crumbling atmosphere to spare, is near the end of Ermou, where a Turkish market used to thrive. In front of…
Vrana Olive-Press Museum

Lesvos

Modestly tucked away in the village of Papados, between Mytilini and south-coast Plomari, this little museum showcases 19th-century steam-powered presses…