Around 36km north of Mytilini Town, near Mantamados village, stands one of Lesvos’ most important pilgrimage sites. An axis of Orthodoxy, myth and militarism, the grand 17th-century Moni Taxiarhon says much about the blatant lack of separation between State and Church in Greece – note the fighter plane parked out the front, reminding the faithful that the Archangel Michael is the patron saint of the Hellenic Air Force.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest
26.88 MILES
This fascinating state-of-the-art museum chronicles what a volcano can do at a moment's notice – in this case 20 million years ago. Don't miss the…
-
19.06 MILES
Ayvalık’s old town is a joy to explore. A maze of cobbled streets east of the liman, it is full of market squares, atmospheric cafes, Greek Orthodox…
-
20.95 MILES
Extraordinary. It's worth coming to Lesvos for this alone – the Teriade Museum and its astonishing collection of paintings by artists including Picasso,…
-
19.27 MILES
This impressive site in the village of Gülpınar includes a partially reconstructed 2nd-century-BC Temple to Apollo, two Roman baths complexes that were…
-
29.76 MILES
Located on the coastal slope of Mt Ida, the Greek city of Antandros was established in the 7th century BC and was famous for its dockyards and harbours…
-
12.12 MILES
Built in 540 BC on top of a 238m-high hill overlooking the Gulf of Edremit, this temple with its squat Doric columns has undergone a reconstruction that…
-
Church of the Panagia Vrefokratousa
16.26 MILES
A pilgrimage site of national importance, this elegant walled-off church contains a namesake icon depicting the Virgin, which is believed to make miracles…
-
20.95 MILES
On the same site as the Teriade Museum, this humble structure contains 86 paintings by the primitive painter Theophilos, who remains a folk hero among…
Nearby Lesvos attractions
1. Museum of Industrial Olive Oil Production
6.18 MILES
South of Molyvos, this museum is a handsomely restored oil mill, full of polished equipment and well-signed displays. The original 'people's machine' was…
7.84 MILES
Eftalou Beach (also called Agii Anargyri Beach), 2km northeast of Petra, is the place for solitude seekers. Backed by a cliff, the serene, narrow pebbled…
9.3 MILES
This handsome 14th-century castle stands guard above Molyvos. A steep climb is repaid by sweeping views over the town and sea – even across to Turkey,…
11.88 MILES
A heavily restored theatre and the remains of the ancient city walls can be seen below the agora; the theatre is accessed via a gate on the winding road…
12.12 MILES
Built in 540 BC on top of a 238m-high hill overlooking the Gulf of Edremit, this temple with its squat Doric columns has undergone a reconstruction that…
12.23 MILES
Next to the entrance to the Temple of Athena, this poorly maintained 14th-century mosque is a simple structure – a dome on squinches set on top of a…
7. Church of the Panagia Vrefokratousa
16.26 MILES
A pilgrimage site of national importance, this elegant walled-off church contains a namesake icon depicting the Virgin, which is believed to make miracles…
17.2 MILES
Housed in the magnificently restored Taksiyarhis Church (Church of the Archangels), a Greek Orthodox church built in 1873 and now painted in a distinctive…