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Molyvos, Lesvos

Molyvos is the tourist capital of Lesvos but don't let that scare you away. It is Greek Island tourism at its best with all of the good qualities and few of the bad and attracts visitors who are sensitive to culture and tradition but are still there to have a good time.

Mithymna, or Molyvos as it was called during the middle ages, is truly an amazing town. When you pass through Petra and follow the coastal road you really are unprepared for the dramatic first view you get when you come around that last bend. Luckily there is a place to pull off where you can take it all in, rather then sneak glances and endanger your family and everyone else on the road. The town is situated on a small mountain topped by a dramatic medieval castle, built by the Byzantines and renovated by the Gattelusis, who were from Genoa and were ceded the island when Francesco Gattelusi married the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor John Paliologos. The original castle which this one replaced, was conquered by none other then Achilles during the Trojan war. There are still ancient ruins scattered around the town including impressive polygonal walls and a few giant holes where archaeologists have begun their slow work.

The town of Molyvos itself is built of stone houses and shops which surround the castle and follow the coast to one of the most beautiful harbors in Greece. As one enters the village there is certainly a lot of tourist activity, at least more then anywhere else on the island, yet nowhere near Cycladic proportions. But rather then terrifying teens on motorbikes, these are a more sophisticated breed, some of them actually carrying books of Greek Mythology and Histories of the island. I think one of the things I like about Molyvos is that the tourists are interesting. You can sit down with one and have a decent conversation at breakfast. You can get drunk with one and actually learn something because unlike places like Mykonos, Ios and Santorini which people hear about by word of mouth or from their local travel agent, to know about Molyvos, you have to at least know how to read. Many of these tourists not only know how to read but they devour literature on the island and return year after year, some of them eventually buying a house and settling here.

There is a stone beach and a small park in Molyvos down by what used to be the village Olive Oil factory but what is now the Olive Press Hotel, one of the most interesting hotels on the island. Living in America or any modern industrialized country it might be hard to conceive of turning a factory into a hotel. But the Olive Press is a simple, large stone building, broken up into different rooms with a beautiful courtyard garden and a very nice restaurant right on the water. The beach is small stones but once you get out a few feet this gives way to soft sand and there are few beaches that have the view you get when you turn around and face the land. It is a view of the town and castle so beautiful that you will risk the possible destruction of your camera in order to get a photo. (I didn't risk it). There are a few cafe-bars and restaurants in this part of the village . Unfortunately a garbage truck hit my rental car while I was asleep one night. Because of this experience I should warn you that it is not a great idea to park on the small streets of Molyvos. There is a parking lot outside the village that is within easy walking distance from most of the hotels and another lot in the harbor.

The most unfortunate aspect of this part of Molyvos is the fact that during the summer and particularly on weekends there is so much motorbike traffic that it sounds like you are living next to the Indianapolis motor-speedway. All the traffic seems to come from the small bar between the Molyvos I and the Olive-Press hotel and it seems simply amazing to me that the town officials would allow the owners of the bar to infringe upon the right of the tourists for a good night's sleep. I spoke to several of the local residents and the managers of the hotels and asked how was it possible that a town so reliant upon tourism would allow motorcycles to race in an area of the town where the guests of the village are trying to get some rest. "It is a complicated situation" was what one owner told me "and there is nothing that can be done". But the general consensus is that it is the fault of the local government and until someone from the village steps foreword to challenge the local leadership which seems to be beholden to certain interests and tied to the ways of the past, these hotels will continue to suffer from the noise and tourists will stay in other areas of the village which are quieter. But that should not stop you from coming here in the daytime to swim because this beach has won the prestigious Blue Flag award from the EEC for cleanliness and the sea here is cool and refreshing and also shallow and safe for children.

The harbor is Molyvos best feature in my opinion. It is a working fishing harbor and if you sit in one of the cafes or restaurants you will see the drama of Molyvos sea commerce as they unload boxes of sardines, mackerel, lakerda (a kind of tuna), gopes, barbounia and many other types of fish  to waiting pick-up trucks which race them to markets in Mytilini or sell them in other towns and villages around the island. The fishing boats themselves come in all sizes, some quite large, with crews from foreign countries, mostly Egypt, and some small caiques. There are usually a few sailboats in the harbor and there is an old wooden ship building yard that is still in use. The harbor is surrounded by a number of fish restaurants and you pretty much cannot go wrong though I do have my favorites. In particular I like the Captain's Table. They have a great number of mezedes to go with your ouzo, some of the best grilled sardines I have ever had, excellent wine, friendly and entertaining waiters and an owner named Melinda who will make you feel right at home. Try her spicy eggplant and her gavros pastes (fresh anchovies). For more places to eat, in and around Molyvos see my Lesvos Restaurant page.

Where to stay in Molyvos

The best place to stay in Molyvos to take advantage of the charm of the port and the good food is the Hotel called the Sea Horse which overlooks the boats in the harbor (not in the parking lot), owned by an Australian by the name of Stergios Tekes and run by him and his wife Toula and his son Dimitris, all of whom speak English. Their cafe on the waterfront is a great place for breakfast or a beer, or a late evening sweet and they serve excellent espresso and coffee drinks as well as ice-cream. His hotel is not only inexpensive but pretty darn nice and you absolutely cannot beat the view. Every room overlooks the harbor and you can watch the comings and goings of the fishing boats all day and all night if you like. All the rooms have air-conditioning and cable TV. They also have internet connection for laptops from each room. Mr. Tekes also owns the travel agency next door and the excursion boat Mercury Express which takes people every day to the beautiful town of Skala Sikaminias and the beach at Tsonia, to Gavathas and also on excursions to Rabbit Island where they have built a small building as an observatory for watching the many birds and animals that make their home there. They also do BBQs and snorkeling trips to various remote beaches in the area and can arrange to take you anywhere you like. But since the Seahorse only has a couple dozen rooms you need to book quickly or have a back-up hotel in mind there are more hotels on my Lesvos Hotels Page.

Exploring Molyvos

The walk through the village itself is one that should be taken even by those with fears of walking uphill. The main street of Molyvos is made of cobbled stone and covered entirely by wisteria that seems to be in bloom even when it shouldn't be. The street is completely shaded by these incredible vines and make walking by day quite bearable, even on the hottest days. If you continue upwards you will pass museums, galleries and eventually wind up at the castle where they have concerts during the summer of some of the most well-known Greek musicians and even some International groups on tour. There are plenty of interesting shops for those addicted to buying, including jewelry stores, boutiques, pastry shops, fruits and vegetable stores, and several fine restaurants and ouzeries that have a view of the coast and the entire valley of Molyvos as well as most of northwestern Lesvos that may make you feel like you are in Santorini.

If you like swimming and in particular snorkeling, walk beyond the dock and follow the rocky coast until you find a place that looks easy to get in the water and more importantly to get out. If you have been looking for those sparking clear azure seas that they show you in the guidebooks you will find them here and some privacy too. There is a stony beach that you can get to by following the paths above. Watch out for sea-urchins which are plentiful. If you step on one take the time to get all the little spines out of your foot, because if you don't by the next day they will hurt like hell. We were told that if they are too deep to get out, rub tooth-paste on it and leave it overnight. The next morning there should be enough of the spine protruding for you to get a grip on it. They are not poisonous. Just a pain. If you would rather have a long beach relatively free of people try following the coast in the opposite direction past the town beach until you get to an area relatively free of people which should not be hard to find in the off-season or on weekdays. For those who have the need to fill their days with loftier activity then laying on the beach, there are several cultural and spiritual centers in both Molyvos and nearby Petra where you can learn yoga, iconography or study with famed author Carol P. Christ who leads seminars for women every summer.

Molyvos at Night

For those who crave a little nightlife with their relaxing holiday, Molyvos will not disappoint. There are many bars in town and a few discos and some large clubs on the outskirts of town and enough young people to make it interesting. A popular place for foreigners and local ex-pats is Molly's Bar right down in the harbor, across from the Greek music bar that used to be Christine's. Those who are into serenity won't be bothered by the nightlife since the louder clubs seem to be set away from the hotels (with the exception of those by the town beach). Those people who enjoy an evening of ouzo or wine and deeply profound philosophical conversation about life, love, God and other important matters, should have plenty of company in the various restaurants and cafes around the port. If you love Greek music played by a talented musician just follow Vangelis around to whichever restaurant he happens to be playing at that night and by the end of your visit you should be able to sing-along with most of the songs. Last summer I saw him playing in a boat in the sea in front of one of the harbor fish-tavernas, I suppose to get around the fact that the restaurant had no license for live music.

Shopping in Molyvos

There are a number of interesting stores in Molyvos and visitors can pass the time between their afternoon naps and their first ouzo and dinner by looking at some of my favorites. The three most interesting shops in my opinion are down in the harbor.

The small shop called Glaros , next to the Seahorse cafe has some unique gifts by local artists and is owned by a German woman named Bergit who is married to Vangelis. (Not the famous one but the local bouzouki player who plays at the restaurants.) She has a nice selection of CD's and is happy to play samples for you and give you a little information on the musical styles. She also has a number of books that I think fall under the category of necessary reading or excellent souvenirs  of the island and an asset to any library or coffee table. My recommendations are the books of Myrivilis, Greece's most widely read novelist: The Mermaid Madonna and The Schoolmistress with the Golden Eyes which are both stories that take place on the island in the twenties and thirties. Also Daphnis and Chloe, an ancient Greek love story, beautifully illustrated by Marc Chagall. The book and CD set Music of Lesvos is a great collection and history of the island's music.

On the opposite side of the Seahorse are two very interesting shops. The Aigaio is owned by Costas and Ute Zissiadis and has perhaps the most interesting collection of local, Greek and Turkish art that you will find anywhere and can experienced as a gallery rather than just a gift shop. Right across the street the same can be said for the shop called O Diaskosmos (photo), owned by A Dasiras and contains not only his paintings but art from several of the other local artists.

Around Molyvos

Hot Springs of Eftalou

On the other side of Molyvos on the road to Eftalou there are a few stony beaches and several nice hotels with swimming pools some with restaurants and bars where you can have a meal or a drink and let your kids play in the pool if you have the kind of kids who prefer pools to the sea (like mine). We stayed at the Sunrise which was one of the best hotels we have ever stayed at in Greece (or anywhere). It's a 20 minute walk to town but there is a shuttle bus. If you are on Lesvos chances are you will want to have a rental car to see the whole island so where the hotel is located should not make too much difference. It's also a 20 minute walk to the wonderful hot mineral baths and beach at Eftalou, where I swear that my injured back, which made any movement brutally painful, was cured in about twenty minutes. If the baths are closed it doesn't matter. The hot water seeps through the ancient building into the sea and by moving a few rocks you can have your own hot pool. There is also a great restaurant called the Eftalou, a wonderful place for lunch with a diverse menu and a staff, which like every staff in every restaurant in Molyvos, speaks English like they have been speaking it all their lives. In fact they have. Many people who own and work in the restaurants are Greeks from the USA, Canada and Australia, and have returned to their ancestral homeland. Beyond the beach and hot springs of Eftalou is the very nice Golden Beach (photo) which is worth the journey. You can get to this part of Molyvos by town bus or by taxi.

Skala Sikaminias

Further along the coast on a terrible dirt road, or else reached by another road that goes over the hills, is the tiny port village of Skala Sikaminias. There are two or three nice little restaurants and it's a spot popular with artists, poets and Greek filmmakers. It is the legendary village made famous by Stratis Myrivillis in The Mermaid Madonna, a book I highly recommend buying while you are in Lesvos because chances are you will not find it anywhere else and it is a wonderful book. With a backdrop of the arrival of the refugees from Asia Minor in 1922 it tells the story of a young girl and a mysterious icon of the Madonna in the shape of a mermaid that was in the small church on the stone peninsula that protected the harbor. We went there looking for the Madonna but it was no longer there. When we asked a woman in one of the shops she told us that it is a matter of opinion whether the Madonna existed at all outside the mind of Myrivrillis and his readers. Then while in the Theophilos Museum I discovered the sad fact that not only did the Madonna not exist, but according to one of the famous artist's paintings of Skala Sikaminias, the church itself did not even exist in 1922. Nevertheless it is a lovely spot to visit and the church should not be missed by lovers of this book.

The beach at Tsonia is worth a visit, especially for snorklers. It's a stone beach with a taverna or two and shade trees nearby. It is also a popular visiting place for Dolphins, or at least it was when we were there.

Above Skala Sikaminias is the village of Sikaminias. Between Sikaminias and Molyvos is a deserted village above the town of Lepetimnos. According to an old man I met on the road, the village was moved in the sixties because of rock slides and water damage during heavy rains. You can still walk down what were once cobbled streets and walk into what were houses and stores.

Final Words About Molyvos

No matter what your vacation needs are I think you will find the time you spend in Molyvos fulfilling and chances are, like many people before you, it will be a place you return to every chance you get. You can book your hotels here through any of the travel agencies on this website or through the hotel page or at www.hotelsofgreece.com

The Molyvos area is a good place to base yourself if you want to stay in one town and see the entire island because it is centrally located, at least as centrally located as a place can be on an island the shape of Lesvos. You are within an hour and a quarter of just about any town or beach you want to see. (If it were me I would spend half my trip here and the other half in Vatera. It will seem like you have visited two separate islands.)

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