Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
elders sip Greek coffees in the local
kafeneia
, and local ceramic artisans hawk their
wares. It's a relaxing, leafy place and boasts the exceptional
Church of the Panagia Vre-
fokratousa
.
The road south along the western shore of the Gulf of Gera reaches
Plomari
, the
centre of Lesvos' ouzo industry. It's an attractive, if busy, seaside village with a large,
palm-lined
plateia
and waterfront tavernas. It also has the
Varvagianni Ouzo Museum
(
22520 32741; 9am-4pm Mon-Fri, by appointment Sat & Sun)
where the family has made
ouzo for five generations, and where you're invited to compare different ouzo tastes. The
popular beach settlement of
Agios Isidoros
, 3km east, absorbs most of Plomari's sum-
mertime guests. But
Tarti
, a bit further east, is less crowded. West of Plomari,
Melinda
is
a tranquil fishing village with beach, tavernas and domatia.
Melinda to Vatera Μελίντα προς Βατερά
From Melinda, the road less taken to the beach resort of Vatera passes through tranquil
mountain villages, richly forested hills and steep gorges.
Driving north, you'll past the picturesque villages of
Paleohori
,
Akrassi
and
Ambe-
liko
, from where a signposted, rental-car-friendly dirt road descends through serene olive
and pine forests with great views to the coast. The total driving time from Melinda to
Vatera is about an hour.
Hikers here can enjoy southern Lesvos'
olive trails
, which comprise paths and old loc-
al roads threading inland from Plomari and Melinda. The
Melinda-Paleohori trail
(1.2km, 30 minutes) follows the Selandas River for 200m before ascending to Paleohori,
passing a spring with potable water along the way. The trail ends at the village's olive
press.
Another appealing trail leads to
Panagia Kryfti
, a cave church near a
hot spring
(built
for two) and the nearby
Drota Beach
, or take the
Paleohori-Rahidi trail
(1km, 30
minutes), which is paved with white stone and passes springs and vineyards. Rahidi,
which was only connected to electricity in 2001, has charming old houses and a
kafeneio
.
Information
Other, more complicated hiking trails can get you directly from Melinda to Vatera; con-
sult the
EOT
(
22510 42511; Aristarhou 6;
9am-1pm Mon-Fri)
or the
tourist office
(
22530 71347)
, both in Mytilini Town.
