Mytilene is the cultural island of the North Aegean. The richness of the past, from architecture to culinary culture, is carefully preserved in the lands that have grown the four leading writers of world literature. There are many villages like stone paintings in every corner, museums where many details can be learned from the secret of the fossil forest, the special formula of ouzo, and modest but delicious and affordable restaurants await explorers.
Friday 19:00 Welcome coffee
At customs exit, rent your car from the agencies on the quay, settle in the hotel and go on a bazaar tour. First, settle on To Navagio’s second-floor balcony behind the Sappho monument. Watch the live life on the dock as you sip ice cream frape to keep you vigorous throughout the night (8 TL). If you want to drink your iced coffee with the young people of the island, Mythos Café is behind the square, on the corner where Komninaki and Vernedaki streets meet.
Friday 19:30 Shopping in the market
The bazaar of the capital Mitiline is on the 700-meter-long Ermau Street, which starts from the parallel of the quay and returns to the New Mosque. The buildings on the side of the cathedral are two storeys at most, and the showcases are neatly decorated. Most of them use Turkish on their labels. Especially the cookies are provocative. The age-old bookstore Hacımihalidis (No: 19) provides detailed maps, pony flora, hiking trails and English books on history.
Neighbor QantaEtiko (No: 23) has been baking cinnamon and raisin cookies with the same formula for 70 years. You will reach the Ergani Atelier after passing the shop that sells souvenirs from the trees that hit the beach, boutique jewelers, Yeni Cami, Yeşilçam posters (No: 280). Georgia Zahariadu is the pride of the island with its delicate patterned jugs, vases and bouquets of flowers. Her works are also exhibited in the Lesvos Museum.
Friday 21:00 Accompanied by Bouzouki
Most taverna with music at the end of the week. Apagkio (Venizelou Eleftheriou No: 21) is a family-run family-run hotel, where the decor is ordinary, the price is reasonable, the service is fast, the portions are large and the food is delicious. Cook Eleni cooks the squid whole without grilling the grill. Octopus flavors in wine sauce, sardines in salt for half a day and served with lemon. You can cheer your palate with resin wine or you can arrange all the ounces of the island (in tasting mini bottles) on your table (60 TL per person). Another restaurant with fast, delicious, affordable service at tables lined up in the middle of the street is the Pavement (Thasou No: 2).
Friday 22:30 Chocolate Feast
ice cream in the quality that you come across in Turkey will surprise you to taste the ponies. There are about 20 varieties from tiramisu to mango at Sugar House on the waterfront. Dark chocolate is noteworthy. Local boutique wines as well as confectionery in their showcases are attractive souvenirs (P. Kauntourioti No. 15).
Friday 23:30 Night flight
The nightclubs lined up in Komninaki, parallel to the quay, can be very hot and crowded. Take a taxi and go to Kohilia on the coast of Agrilia Kratigou, 11 kilometers from the airport. Sip your fruity cocktail with the breeze from Dikili and dance with the groups on the stage.
Saturday 09:00 Breakfast in the bank
Panellinion’s historic hangar-sized building on the quay was a bank and post office in the past. Nowadays it is a stylish cafe. The staff were courteous, welcoming. With its giant photos and decoration on its wall, it keeps the past alive. From coffee to desserts all products are of good quality. There are many breakfast options (cheese pie, breakfast plate, sandwiches, pastries from the adjoining Sugar House (P.Kauntourioti No: 13).
Saturday 10:00 In the footsteps of the masters
A big expedition begins… First go to the most characteristic mountain village of the island, Agiasos. The road that runs through the olive groves along the coast of the Gulf of Gera is 25 kilometers. (The family of Odysseas Elytis migrated from the village of Pappados in the bay to Crete, and the Mytilene Airport is named after the Nobelli poet. His grandfather’s olive oil factory Vrana was converted into a museum.) Agiasos, chestnut, cherry, apple rich.
At the beginning of the 20th century, craftsmen from Çanakkale brought ceramics and monks brought wood carving. Ceramic artist Yannis Hacıyannis’s workshop at the village entrance is also her personal museum. Don’t miss the opportunity if you hear the sound of dulcimer from the library adjacent to the village museum that sheds light on a rich culture. Visit the music room and listen to Kostas Zafiriu’s young santuras in rehearsal.
On the slope beneath the church, Mr. Dimitri (84), his grandfather, continues his carving of wood in his dusty workshop. He makes giant chandeliers from chestnuts, village views from walnuts and flower paintings. Take a break when you arrive at the elegant Caffe Hausbrandt. Taste dried fruit desserts from the adjacent oven with sparkling ‘Greek coffee.. Castanelli sold in the square, the village special chestnut liqueur.
Saturday 12:30 Retorting is boiling
Plomari, the capital of Ouzo, is 35 kilometers from Agiasos’a Ampeliko. The first distilleries were established at the end of the 19th century on the banks of the stream descending from Mount Olympos. Uzo’s formula was created by the craftsmen who came from Istanbul with the water of Olympos. Two famous companies continue their activities. For information and tasting, the Plomari Ouzo World Museum is open until 15.00. Barbayanni Ouzo and Liqueur Museum opens on Saturdays. In the last week of July, the Ouzo Festival is organized all over the island.
Saturday 16:30 Lesbian Paradise
Sappho, an ancient woman poet, was born in Eressos, southwest of the island 2600 years ago. When she died at the age of 55, she left a large number of poems sung for women. The coast of the village is now the international meeting point for lesbians. A two-week art festival is held on September 9th. Quality restaurants and the beach are filled with islanders at the end of the week. Ask for the fish of the day in Costa Sardis, a simple fisherman’s restaurant next to the beach, where only the eyes of the beard are seen: swordfish, bream, coral, sardines? Besides ouzo, resin or grappa made by Kosta Kost Average. Then walk to the breakwater, see sculptures and stylish cafes.
Saturday 18:00 Stone Forest
The architecture of Sigri next to Erassos is ordinary. The petrified forest that makes the coastal village extraordinary. The museum, where you can see the flora of 20 million years ago, closes at 17.30. But you can see the petrified trees in the garden. On the way out of the village, take 15 minutes to Ipsulou Monastery, which resembles an eagle’s nest on a hill. Watch the panoramic view from Babakale to Limnos, one of the bastions of the castle-like structure in the middle of the desolation. The manuscript from the 1540s in the Museum of religious music, prayer books, Muslim Turkish doctor Nejat Bey Hz. See the picture of Jesus. Connect to the Internet and send photos to your friends.
Saturday 20:30 Captain’s desk at sunset
From Sigri to Antissa, Skalohori and Petra, the route to Molyvos (Mithimna), the most beautiful village of the island, runs through olive groves and pine trees, over the azure bays. The journey duration is 70 minutes. At the end of a 200-kilometer tour, settle into your hotel and throw yourself into the sea. Then walk to the small harbor. Islander Teo, Australian wife Melinda and her fisherman / captain stepfather founded Captain’s Table in 1994.
Teo’s in the kitchen serving his wife and children. The menu consists of meat, fish and appetizers. Smoked mackerel (19 TL), octopus grill is great. Standard menu consists of 6 appetizers, meat or fish and dessert. Alternative Betty’s elegant boutique hotel restaurant with a view (All meats are $ 28, £ 175 per kilo, $ 140 for sea bream). The most suitable alternative to the soul of the village is the Geia Mas, which serves in a small square under tables opened under the giant plane tree. Meats, appetizers are delicious.
Saturday 24.00 Plenty of oxygen, plenty of music
The nightclub Oxy’s scene on the Petra road is on a wide platform extending towards the sea. Its name is airy and with a view. Concerts or DJ shows are held at the weekend. Sometimes Turkish DJs are also guests. It opens at 23.00, the music is accelerating towards midnight. There’s food.
Sunday 09:30 Morning coffee at To Kombologaki
Every morning, the elders of Molyvos meet at To Kombologaki next to the ruins of the old mosque to have coffee and chat. Panoramic view of the balcony that opens into the space. Take your cookie from the oven next to the Ottoman fountain and have a snack with coffee. Then, stroll through the shops of art galleries in the bazaar shaded by centuries-old purple clusters. Browse elegant gifts from ceramics, wood, leather and metal. Take a novel by Ilias Venizis from the mini bookstore (The author’s house hidden in a pine grove is at Efthalau, 4 km away, and his grave is at the mini cemetery at the foot of Molyvos Castle.
Sunday 11:30 Pottery and cheese
The way back to Mitili passes through Mandamados. It is famous for its village ceramics and goat cheese (ladoteri). Get the delicious candied wax out of the pottery fair and workshops, which will last until August 29th.
Sunday 12.30 The Mermaid
Stratis Mirivilis (1890-1969) was one of the most important novelists of Greek literature as Kazancakis. Many of his works were translated into Turkish. In 1949, Panagia Gorgona (Mermaid Mary) tells the beautiful fishing shelter and old mulberry tree as a figurine of the church of the same name on the shore of Skamnias village (Skala Skamnias). Today the most famous restaurant on the island is under the mulberry. I Mouria tou Myrivili (Under Mulberry) is famous for its lobster pasta. Behind the Kavos Cafe, enjoy a view of Assos with ice cream frape. If you’re hungry, leave the village about 200 meters and take the turn to Kagia Bay.
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