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Limnos - A charming island

Limnos, Myrina

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Limnos Images

Limnos with one of the prettiest harbours in Greece, beautiful beaches and picturesque, traditional villages untouched by modern-day tourism, hardly fits with any Greek Island stereotypes. It lies low with gently rolling hills, a lush green carpet in the spring that becomes cracling yellow-brown in the summer. The landscape is dotted with fields of grain, quirky scarerows and beehives.

Limnos, Myrina Limnos was famous since antiquity for its vineyiards; Aristotle wrote about the traditional red wine of the island, produced from a very ancient and unique variety of grape that he called Limnio (locally referred as Kalambaki).

It was the holy island of Hephaistos (Vulcan) god, who was worshipped on Mount Moschylus, which in ancient times emitted a fiery jet of asphaltic gas. Today Limnos' volcanic past is manifest in its astringent hot springs and the highly sulphuric Limnian Earth, found near Repanidi, used from ancient times until Turkish occupation for healing wounds and stomach aches.

  • Getting There

    By sea: Connections with Lesvos (Mytelene), Chios, Samos, Agios Efstratios islands. Limnos is also connected with Piraeus and Lavrio (Athens ports), Thessaloniki and Kavala (north mainland Greece).
    By air: Daily service from Athens. There are also direct flights from Europe.

  • Getting Around

    There is a bus service to Varo, Lyhna, Moudro, Roussopouli, Kaminia, Agia Sofia, Caspaka, Korno, Agio Dimitrio, Pedino, Portiano, Rimano, Kalliopi, Panagia, Plaka.
    Car, motorbike rentals and taxis are available.

Limnos Beaches

Limnos Map Evgati, beautiful sandy beach (1 Km from Kondias)
Keros, sandy, one of the best, the most popular.
Plati, sandy beach.
Riha Nera, fine grains of golden sand, swallow waters.
Romaikos Yialos, shallow waters
Thanos, beautiful golden stretch of sand.

Touring Limnos Island

Myrina (Kastro)
Myrina Limnos Island the island's capital and port, is sometimes known as Kastro for its romantic castle built over the rocky promontory in the midst of the sandy shore. A long main shopping street noodles up from the commercial harbour in the south, lined by houses and shops built in the Thracian style with little gardens.

The walk up to the castle (Kastro) offers a fine view over much of the low rolling island and across the sea to the Mount Athos. The castle foundations date back to Classical times, when it was the site of a temple of Artemis. The walls were built in 1186 by Andronicus Comnenus I, then substancially rebuilt by the Venetians in the 15th century and the Turks in the late 16th century.

The castle divides Myrina's waterfront into two, the harbour beach on the south side near the commercial port and the north, the main long sandy Romaikos Yialos (beach), with tavernas and much of the town's night life. Off Romaikos Yialos, the Archaeological Museum has recently been renovated to show off its superb collection, filling ten rooms with findings from Limnos. There are prehistoric relics from Poliochne, discoveries from Hephestia, Hloi and Myrina.

Hephaistia
an ancient site, was the largest and most significant town in classical times. It was built in 1000 and survived for over 2000 years. Hephaistia took its name from Hephaistos, god of fire and metal working. According to Mythology, Hephaistos landed in Limnos after being hurled from Mount Olympus by Zeus, the fall leaving him lame for ever. Much of the site remains unexcavated, but there are scant remains of a theatre and a temple dedicated to the god.

Kaspakas
is a picturesque village 5 Km away from Myrina. Here is the extended beach of Ai Yiannis with the beautiful long-narrow rocks on the one side.

Kavirio (Chloe)
In Kavirio, on the opposite side of Tigani Bay, there are remains of a sanctuary connected with the cult of Kabiroi on Samothraki. The temple with the bases of 12 Doric columns, built in around 6th-7th century BC, was dedicated to Thracian Aphrodite. There is a beach below.

Kondias
is one of the largest and most beautiful villages of the island. In Kondias there is a nice hill with pine trees, picturesque wind mills, picturesque stone built houses and the beautiful church of Agios Dimitrios with the stone bell tower.

Kotsinas
is a fishing village in Bournia Bay, 25 Km away from Myrina, with a medieval castle.

Moudros
is the second largest town of the island with 1100 inhabitants. Once the capital of Limnos, Moudros today is a commercial and fishing port. Moudros Bay is considered one of the safest in the Medditeranean.

Poliohni
is the most important archaeological site in Limnos island. Here the Italians archaeologists discovered seven different layers of civilization, one on the top of the other, dating back to the very dawn time. The Neolithic town predates the Egyptian dynasties, the Minoan Kingdoms of Crete, and even the earliest level of Troy. Walls and remains of the next oldest town (2000 BC) which was probably destroyed by an earthquake or another geological phenomenon and claims the oldest baths in the Agean. The third city dates back to the Copper Age while the top Bronze Age settlement was contemporary with the Mycenaeans. Close to Poliohni is the abandoned monastery of Agios (Saint) Sozon.

Repanidi
is 25 Km away from Myrina. Here is the Byzantine Castle, which has been associated with the Hero Maroula who fighted against the Turks in the 15th Century. There are very important churches with Byzantine Icons such as Agios (Saint) Athanassios, Agios Georgios (Saint George) and Zoodohos Pigi. Not far away (2.5 Km north west) from Repanidi is the beach of Kotsinas.

Useful Info

Population: 17,000
Distance from Piraeus: 186 Nautical Miles
Hospital: 22543 50400
Police (Myrina): 22540 22200
Port Authority (Myrina): 22540 22225
Buses: 22540 22464

More about Limnos

See also » Limnos Images