Mytilene is considered as one of the most ancient towns of Eastern Aegean. It has been established - as a town-state - since the beginning of the 10th century BC and architectural ruins of the Ancient, Classic, Hellenistic, Roman and Medieval times have been excavated all around the town and mainly to the area limited by the central Ermou street and Epano Skala’s area

The modern town of Mytilene spreads amphitheatrically along the Southeastern coasts of the island. It’s a hospitable town that perfectly combines old with modern elemets. Its inhabitants are distinguished by their friendly and hospitable manners.

The old- northern - harbor, Epano Skala, has been substituted by the southern one during the beginning of the 20th century.At the same time the town expanded towards the Northwestern with the establishment of the refuges’ settlement after the Asia Minor Disaster in 1922 and a little bit later towards the South, Southwestern. Old neighborhoods - Sourada, Kioski- till today keep their aristocratic tint with the restoration of artistic mansions, built in 19th and 20th century.

   Mytilene’s harbor offers all the necessary substructures. The airport is situated at a distance of 10Km away from the town’s center, while a secondary commercial port and a marina are under construction. There are three main exits from the town : ( a ) a northern one, that guides to the Northeastern part of the island, through the area of the old port ( Epano Skala ), ( b ) a southern one, that leads to the airport and towards the southern edge of Geras Gulf and ( c ) the eastern one, that through the main road network guides to the small towns and villages of the entire island. The orientation of the visitor is easy as there is sufficient directing signaling all around the roads of Lesvos.

   As we follow the main road from the harbor of Mytilene, at the southern exit we meet the picturesque suburbs of Sourada and Aklediou with the restored neoclassic mansions. Afterwards as we go on at the first road junction we reach the site of Varea, an area full of olive trees and where the Museums of Theophilos ( Popular Art ) and Elephteriadi-Terriade (Library of Modern Art ) are situated.

    If we go uphill at the eastern we can visit the village Kayiani or Taxiarches, with the homonymous church dedicated to Archangel Gabriel, and then as we descend backwards if we follow the first crossroad we meet at the eastern, we will approach the small picturesque villages of Ayia Marina and Pligoni. As we go downhill again back to the main road towards the airport, our travelogue continues beside the sea. The area after the airport is called Neapolis, a coastal tourism resort.

 

Going on for another 4Km in a pine-clad area at the southern, we meet the coastal site of Kratigos and even more at the southern the beaches of Vigla and Charamida, ideal places for swimming, food and enjoyment. At the 23rd Km of this course we reach the fantastic beach of Ayios Ermoyenis and as we go on at the southern we reach the mountainous village Loutra, while a secondary road towards the west guides us to the coastal areas of Skala Loutron or to Kountouridia.

From Kountouridia we can travel to the opposite coasts of Geras Gulf by small boats. From this point the main road gets us back inside a scenery full of olive groves to the town of Mytilene.