Molyvos
Facilities: Bank, ATM, Doctor, Dentist, Pharmacy, Tourist Information, Post Office
Molyvos (also sometimes called Mithimna) is a beautiful village on the north coast of Lesvos. It has a perfect harbour, where there are lots of wonderful restaurants to eat at in the evening. It is crowned by a Genoese castle, which is illuminated at night.
There is a small pebbly beach at Molyvos, where water sports are available. Our preference is for the unspoilt pebbly beach at nearby Eftalou, which also has areas where nude sunbathing is allowed and a thermal spring baths.
The agora (market) in the centre of the village is shaded by ancient wisteria vines and is a beautiful sight in the early spring. Here there are various shops, some just sell tourist trinkets, but there are some nice jewellers, a good bookshop and stationer and a good clothes shop at the top of the street, as well as the ubiquitous mini markets. There is also a traditional tailor and the main post office.
Down from the agora is the steep cobbled street that runs through the village, falling right to the harbour and left to the beach, passing through an archway under the former mosque. Along here there are more shops and a few restaurants, which are open in the summer. Many of these have terraces with superb views over the sea and the surrounding countryside.
The harbour is a working fishing harbour as well as a place to eat and drink in the evenings. It is nice to visit at any time of the day and sit in the shade and watch life going on. In the evenings you can sit at any one of many restaurants and eat good food and generally people watch.
The castle dates from the Byzantine period and was extensively reinforced by the Venetian Francesco Gattelusi in about 1373. It's best to visit early in the morning as it closes at 15:00 in the afternoon, so there is not an opportunity to visit in the cool of the early evening. From the battlements you get good views over the village and the surrounding mountains.
See the Information page for details of the local bus service that runs between Anaxos and Eftalou in the summer.
