Greece - Korina Miller [511]
Hotel Eressos ( 22530 53560; s/d €35/45; Mar-Dec; ) Decorated with African furnishings the owner brought from her travels, this eccentric place has well-kept, clean rooms in a quiet location, a couple of streets in from the water.
Villa La Passione ( 6944602080; s/d/tr €40/50/60) Self-caterers will appreciate these modern, well-outfitted studios, located near Eresou’s central parking area.
Hotel Antiopi ( 22530 53311; s/d €35/50) A women-only hotel that benefited when the Hotel Sappho went co-ed, the Antiopi has well-maintained but slightly cramped rooms that might strike one as either kitsch and cool or too cute.
Mascot Hotel ( 22530 52140; www.sapphotravel.com; s/d €40/60; ) There’s no sign reading ‘males forbidden’, but rest assured that the Mascot is female-only. A few blocks back from the beach, it’s a bohemian place with 10 snug modern rooms with balconies. Book through Sappho Travel.
Hotel Sappho ( 22530 53233; www.sapphohotel.com; s/d €40/60; 1 Apr-15 Oct; ) The Sappho was the village’s first women-only hotel, but has since gone co-ed. While it has thus lost some street cred among the lesbian set, the Sappho still has a prime waterfront setting, smartly appointed rooms and free wi-fi.
EATING
Skala Eresou’s restaurants and bars line the beach, the latter to the eastern side. On clear days Chios emerges on the horizon.
Eressos Palace ( 22530 5385; mains €6-10) A good psarotaverna on the western edge, it also does grills and purveys local Eressos cheese.
Soulatso ( 22530 52078; fish €6-13) This busy beachfront place with outdoor patio specialises in fresh fish and other seafood.
DRINKING
Skala Eresou’s limited nightlife consists of a contiguous series of cafe-bars strung along the eastern waterfront, several quite pretty.
Tenth Muse ( 22530 53287) The first place along the main plateia is an old favourite of females, strong on fruit drinks, Haagen-Dazs ice cream and conviviality.
Parasol ( 22530 52050) With its orange lanterns further down on the waterfront, it does cocktails that match its South Seas decor.
Margaritari ( 22530 53042) Recognisable by its orange furnishings, it’s another nice outdoor cafe with great sweets.
Breez ( 22530 537108) An ever-so-slick nightspot more popular with young Greeks.
Zorba the Buddha ( 22530 53777) The place furthest down on the eastern waterfront is a popular old standby that’s full til late.
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SOUTHERN LESVOS
Interspersed groves of olive and pine trees mark southern Lesvos, from the flanks of Mt Olympus (968m), the area’s highest peak, right down to the sea, where the best beaches lie. This is a hot, intensely agricultural place where the vital olive-oil, wine and ouzo industries overshadow tourism. Southern Lesvos has thus retained authenticity in its villages and solitude on its beaches.
Just south of the Mytilini–Polyhtinos road, Agiasos is the first point of interest. On the northern side of Mt Olympus, it’s a quirky, well-kept traditional hamlet where village elders sip Greek coffees in the local kafeneia, unmindful of time, and local artisans hawk their wares to day-trippers from Mytilini Town. Nevertheless, it’s a relaxing, leafy place and boasts the exceptional Church of the Panagia Vrefokratousa, which hosts an icon-rich Byzantine Museum and Popular Museum. Atmospheric accommodation is also available.
Alternatively, the road south that hugs the western side of the Gulf of Gera reaches Plomari, the centre of Lesvos’ ouzo industry and an attractive seaside village with its large, palm-lined plateia and waterfront tavernas. Here see the Varvagianni Ouzo Museum ( 22520 32741; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, by appointment Sat & Sun). The popular beach settlement of Agios Isidoros, 3km east, absorbs most of Plomari’s summertime guests. This beach isn’t bad but Tarti, a bit further east, is nicer and less crowded. West of Plomari, Melinda is a tranquil