Discover the cultural and commercial hub of Lesvos

The true capital of Lesvos and a magnet for visitors in the North Aegean, Mytilene displays its handsome old buildings along the waterfront with the impressive church of Agios Therapon as the centrepiece. All of this is crowned by the Franko-Byzantine castle rising out of pinewood on the hill behind.

As the hub of Lesvos’ cultural and business life, Mytilene offers a myriad ways to spend your time. Admire sights like the ancient theatre, the Ottoman baths or the mosque. Explore streets lined with wonderful neoclassical buildings with an Anatolian flavour. And track down rare treasures in the Archaeological Museum, the Teriade collection of modern masters and the Theophilos museum, as well as libraries, galleries and folklore exhibitions.

Marvel at the castle town of Molyvos

Molyvos can rival the most beautiful medieval fortress towns in Europe, while its only peer in Greece is Monemvasia, in the Peloponnese. And like it, its houses grasp onto the sides of a steep rock while turning their gaze to the Mediterranean. The structure and layout of the town and its 13th-century Genoese castle have remained unchanged over the course of centuries. As you stroll up and down its alleyways, note the stone houses and the Anatolian-style mansions with their brightly coloured doors and windows and enclosed wooden balconies, as well as the elegant Turkish fountains scattered throughout.

Learn about the fascinating Petrified Forest

One of the undoubted highlights of Lesvos and one of the very few places in the world where you can see trees lying where they fell millions of years ago. Take the time to visit the ‘park’, which was declared a Protected Natural Monument in 1985, and the adjacent museum, where you’ll learn about the island’s intriguing geology.

source: https://www.discovergreece.com