Holidays in the North Aegean: three unmissable beaches on the island of Lesvos
The island of Lesvos is a Greek island in the north Aegean. It is the third largest island in Greece and this already makes you realize that there is no shortage of kilometers of coastline and beaches. As the island is large and the roads are often not very easy, it can take up to an hour and a half by car to reach a point on the island.
There are many organized beaches and then there is an infinity of free beaches. Just park your car anywhere along the roads that run along the sea and dive in. The water will undoubtedly be clean. It is therefore difficult to list the best beaches, because every corner is nice. However, I will introduce you to three not to miss beaches because they are among the best known, large and where you can also find organized beach bars, if you want to spend the whole day.
Charamida, the enchanting bay south of Mytilene
Coming from the road that goes south from the airport of Mytilene (capital of the island), the first impact you have of Charamida bay is from above and it is very suggestive. The surrounding environment is rich in vegetation and the predominant colors are the green of the forest and the olive groves, the blue of the sea and the blue of the sky.
After a few kilometers from the view from the top of the bay, you will find a sign indicating the beach; then leave the main road to turn left along a small road that runs along the beach itself. You can park your car right in front of the beach bar you choose (the beach is also free if you want to lie down with your towel).
There are three beach bars: the first one you meet is called “Karpouzi” (watermelon) and it was also the first beach bar ever on the beach, the second occupies the central and best position, not only because it is in the center of the bay, but also because the water to enter is lower and the pebbles are a little finer (obviously it is usually the most crowded); finally, the third beach bar, Barracuda, is located on the end corner of the bay adjacent to a hill where you can also see a small, old abandoned tank, probably left as a symbol of border defense in the past.
The shore has a dark shade as there are mostly black and gray pebbles on shore and it is quite wide to host many people.
Petra, an enchanting beach close to the homonymous village
Petra is basically a sandy beach with some fine pebbles on the shoreline and smaller pebbles for half a meter into the water. The best beach is on one side of the homonymous town of Petra, known for having a church built on a large rock overlooking the entire bay.
Also, right in front of the town of Petra there is a stretch of beach adjacent to the road full of restaurants, but if you want to swim or spend a day at the beach I recommend stopping on the right side (looking at the sea) of the town near the small port. In fact, on this side the sea is more protected than in the center on windy days, the beach is wider and there are more recent and modern beach bars.
Petra beach is often crowded in the summer months also due to its proximity to Molyvos village which brings a lot of tourism. The advice is to go there early in the morning to enjoy not only greater tranquility, but also the clearer colors of the sea with the sun behind you.
Skala Eresou, Sappho’s homeland and a relaxing atmosphere
Skala Eresou is a long sandy beach in the southwestern part of the island. It is also the birthplace of the poetess Sappho and it is for this reason that it has become one of the most characteristic beaches on the island. To reach it you have to take a single main road in the middle of an almost lunar landscape (the petrified forest is also not far away), but at the end of a journey where you think you are now lost in thin air, you will be rewarded with a beach full of life.
Over the years Skala Eresou has become a meeting point for many lesbians, because it is here that Sappho described the love between women in her school, but it remains a beach suitable for everyone. There are many bars and restaurants that stand with their own wooden structures overlooking a very long beach.
Since the beach is very narrow in the central section, there are no organized beach bars but there is only enough space to set up one umbrella on the seashore.
If you don’t have an umbrella and you want to swim more calmly, you should therefore take a seat in one of the bars attached to the beach and go down the few stairs that lead to the sandy shore with some fine pebbles. After a pleasant swim, you will not be disappointed in spending a few hours in these very characteristic bars where during the summer there is a great coming and going of people.
Finally, I would like to point out that the right side of the beach widens a lot, but is reserved for nudists.
There are many other beaches on Lesvos that are worth a visit
As mentioned at the beginning, these are just three of the countless beaches on the island of Lesvos. I chose them because all three have a certain charm that distinguishes them and they are organized beaches with deck chairs and sun loungers if you want to stop for the whole day.
The sea is beautiful in every corner of the island and in order to discover hidden bays or other equally organized beaches you just have to take the car and drive along the coast. You will meet many beach bars on small stretches of sea and as many well-organized beaches such as in Vatera, Sigri, Plomari or Molyvos.
Ready to dive into the sea of Lesvos?
