Greece - Korina Miller [510]
Some 9km west of Andissa, the Byzantine Moni Ypsilou (Monastery of Ypsilou; admission free; 7.30am-10pm) stands atop a solitary peak surrounded by volcanic plains. Founded in the 8th century, this storied place includes a flowering arched courtyard, a sumptuously decorated church, and a small but spectacular museum with gold and silver reliquaries, antique liturgical vestments, centuries-old icons and Byzantine manuscripts dating back to the 10th century. From the top of the monastery stairs, you can gaze out over the fortress-like walls upon the desolate ochre plains stretched out against the sea.
Some 4km beyond the monastery a signposted left-hand road leads, after another 4.9km, to Lesvos’ celebrated petrified forest ( 22530 54434; www.petrifiedforest.gr; admission €2; 8am-5pm) – more honestly, a petrified desert. The 20-million-year-old stumps that decorate this baking, shadeless valley are few and far between, though experts insist many more lurk under the ground, waiting to be dug up.
The best specimens are in the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest ( 22530 54434; admission €5; 8am-8pm 15 Jun-18 Oct, 8.30am-4.30pm 5 Oct-5 Jun) in Sigri, a coastal village 7km west. This engaging modern museum manages to make old rocks and dusty fossils interesting, helped by interactive displays and a veritable mother lode of glittering amethyst, quartz and other semiprecious stones.
Sleepy Sigri is a fishing port with a sometimes operational ferry port. The village has beautiful sea views, especially at sunset, and there are idyllic, little-visited beaches just southwest. A good-quality dirt coastal road pointing south passes these beaches; it’s about a 45-minute drive to Skala Eresou, western Lesvos’ most popular destination.
Skala Eresou Σκλα Ερεσο
pop 1560
All historic places are burdened by their past, but the once-quiet fishing village of Skala Eresou has learned to profit from its. This bohemian beach town, where sensuous songstress Sappho was born in 630 BC, is supposedly ground zero for the lesbian internationale – though this reputation has been overblown. In fact, with its shiatsu, fruit smoothies, healing arts and laptopped cafes, it resembles nothing so much as a New England college town (with a decidedly better climate). All in all Eresou is benign.
Skala Eresou’s mainstream appeal derives from its 2km-long beach, good seafood, and low-key nightlife, while the Women Together festival each September marks the apogee of the season for lesbians.
ORIENTATION & INFORMATION
The central square of Plateia Anthis and Evristhenous abuts the waterfront; the beach extends laterally. Restaurants and bars are found here, the latter on the eastern waterfront; most cafes here offer free wi-fi internet. Behind the plateia is the Church of Agias Andreas. Further west along Gyrinnis are the major services and ATMs. There’s also a doctor ( 22530 53947; 24hr).
The full-service Sappho Travel ( 22530 52140; www.sapphotravel.com) provides information and car hire, sells tickets, arranges accommodation and exchanges currency. It organises women-only sunset cruises and the two-week Women Together festival each September. The event brings lesbians from all over for workshops, music, art, therapies and socialising.
SIGHTS
Eresos’ archaeological museum contains Greek and Roman antiquities, but was still closed at the time of writing. The nearby remains of the early Christian Basilica of Agios Andreas include partially intact 5th-century mosaics.
SLEEPING
Skala Eresou has reasonable domatia options, as well as (fairly pricey) hotels. Some former women-only places have gone metrosexual, though two currently remain just for women.
Domatia