The ultimate travel guide to the Greek island of Lesvos

Lesvos is the third largest island in Greece, however, it still isn't as well-known as others like Santorini and Mykonos! It's off the beaten track and retains authentic charm throughout the year. It is an ideal base for a fantastic Greek island holiday. We've outlined some of the best reasons to visit Lesvos in our travel guide -

1. The most beautiful villages

Whether you love a mountain village surrounded by greenery or being on the coast with a seaside taverna and a chilled glass of ouzo, there's a different village to suit you here on Lesvos. This jewel in the northern Aegean has plenty of special villages to explore.

Molyvos - this pretty village with a quaint harbour and cobbled streets leading up to a Byzantine castle. In spring the alleyways are blanketed in sweet smelling lilac wisteria - winning accolades as one of the worlds prettiest streets!

Agiasos - this traditional mountain village lies on the slopes of Mount Olympus. Known for its famous church and icon, and for lots of local handmade produce from cheese to wood carvings!

Sigri - this is a small fishing village at the south of the island with a port and gently shelving beaches. There's usually a nice cooling breeze here in the heat of summer making it a great place to visit. It's also home to the world famous Petrified Forest and the small, modern Natural History Museum.

Melinda - this pretty little village by a wonderful beach is close to Plomari and has tavernas serving the fresh catch of the day.

2. Amazing Places to stay

Lesvos has accommodation to suit every taste. There are boutique hotels, villas with private pools, cosy studios, seafront houses and mountain hideaways. Check out the whole range of accommodations at www.reallesvos.com and let us help you plan your perfect trip. We are also experts and planning two and three-centre trips to help visitors experience more of the island.

3. The best local foods to try

There's so much wonderful food on Lesvos, and most of it is local, so has low food miles and is super fresh. Check out our food blog here. We would really recommend trying local cheeses, honey and of course the world famous Lesvos ouzo. Some of our favourite Greek dishes are Spanakopita ( spinach pies, often with cheese), Sardines ( famous locally from the bay of Kalloni), Moussaka ( Greek comfort food at its best), tzatziki ( yogurt and herbs) and of course a Choriatiki - a Greek village salad! The ideal way to sample all the delicious food here is to order meze - small plates designed to be shared. Its a lovely way to eat and a great way to explore new flavours! There's lots of options for vegetarians too, please just ask if we can advise you or help with restaurant reservations.

4. The wide variety of interesting activities

A lot of visitors to Lesvos come for the beaches and good weather in the summer months but there's plenty to see and do all year round.

The Petrified Forest - park and museum

Museums and art galleries - across the island

Historical sites and castles - Molyvos, Mytilene and Mesa are three historical spots we would highly recommend!

Boat trips - to deserted beaches, for fishing or bird watching and spot wild dolphins! Real Lesvos can advise on a wide variety of trips and locations, contact us now to find out more and make a reservation

Hot springs - very therapeutic!

Hiking and mountain biking - we can book bicycle hire too!

5. Some of the Best Beaches in Greece

There are rocky beaches, sandy beaches, shingle beaches, beaches with sun umbrellas and tavernas and deserted coves on Lesvos! With 320km of coastline there's a beach to suit every taste! Check out our beaches blog here.

6. Ideal Islands to combine with Lesvos

If you like the idea of island hopping and trying to see more than one Greek island on your trip then Lesvos works for you. Although as the third largest island there's plenty to see and do if you're keen to travel more then it's ideal to combine with visiting Chios ( the nearest neighbour to Lesvos) Samos and Lemnos. Blue Star ferries and Hellenic Seaways operate from Mytilene, please contact us if you'd like any advice!

Book your next trip to Lesvos now with Real Lesvos at www.reallesvos.com