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The Province consists of three main islands (Lesvos, Lemnos and Agios
Efstratios) and belongs to the Northeastern Aegean Islands group.
Lesvos island (Lesbos)
The rich archaeological findings on Lesvos show that the island was
inhabited from early antiquity due to its fertile hinterland and its
advantageous geographical position.
The first organized communities developed about four thousand years
ago and soon enough trading began with Asia Minor, other islands of the
Aegean Sea and the wider Greek area. The nature and position of the
island often made it a target for the powers of those times, but also
contributed to the development of a particularly distinguished
civilization marked by Sappho, Arion, Pittacus, Alcaeus, Terpandrus,
Theophrastus, Theophanes and numerous other poets, writers and
philosophers.
Alexander the Great liberated the island from the Persians only for
it to later fall under the domination of the Romans.
Under the Byzantine Empire, the island became a place of exile for
officials who had fallen out of the Court's favour. In 1462 Lesvos was
conquered by the Turks. For many centuries, the economy of Lesvos has had close connections
with the coast of Asia Minor, which due to the small distance between
the two, allow thw mainland to act as hinterland, with Smyrni as the
"metropolis".
From the mid-19th century until the first decades of the 20th, the
island experienced prosperity based on the cultivation of olive trees.
After the almost total catastrophe in 1850 dye to extremely severe
weather conditions, the revival of cultivation both in terms of the
variaties cultivated and the area of land under cultivation marked the
beginning of a new period. Manufacturing units and industries were
established to process olive products and byproducts, while commercial
networks were set up to transfer the local produce to the Balkans,
Europe, Asia Minor, and Northern and Central Africa.
The methods of standardization and processing used competed with those
of the world market.
Lesvos became a gateway to the East, with Western standards, a fact
which left its mark on the island's culture. Buildings, churches, and
luxurious residences were erected combining cultural elements from both
East and West. The island became international and actively participated
in the social, economic and cultural development of the times.
At the end of the 19th century, considerable wealth was accumulated on
the island as commerce developed. A Commercial Club was established and
in the 1915 the Commercial Association of Mytilene was set up. In 1919,
the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mytilene was established.
Between 1912, the date of liberation, and the catastrophe of 1922,
the island's economy gradually turned away from Asia Minor and towards
Greece and its capital. In 1922 the stream of refugees dramatically
changed the social and economic life of the island and a gradual
shrinkage of the industrial production was observed as the huge market
for local produce declined. At the same time, the arrival of refugees
provided cheap manpower thus new cultivation developed and older ones
improved.
Since 1960, an effort to break dependence on the cultivation of olive
trees has started because unstable production has led to failing
populations. Instead, the focus has turned to tourism and the immediate
need to develop infrastructure - hotels, roads and transport set against
a background of modernization, something which became more evident after
Greece's accession to the EC.
Nowadays, the prefecture revolves around the processing of agricultural
produce, mainly olive oil, cheese, ouzo (which is particularly
profitable), wine, salted preserves as well as tourism. In recent years,
great emphasis has been placed on the production of olive oil and wine
using organic cultivation methods.
Mytilene is the capital of the island and has a population of 30,000
people. This is about one third of the total population of the island.
It is built amphitheatrically around its well preserved Byzantine
Castle. Not very far from there, on the north-east side of town, one can
find the Hellenistic Theatre with its superb acoustics and capacity of
10,000 people. Further in the suburb of Varia one can visit the
Theophilos Museum.
Twelve kilometers from Mytilene, near the town of Moria, one can
visit the Roman Aqueduct that was built in the second century AD.
Going further up north by the east coast, thru a series of beautiful
little villages one will arrive in the town of Mantamados, famous for
its cheeses and the fine pottery. The next stop will be Skala
Sikaminias, one of the most charming fishing villages one would ever
see.
And then, at the northest point of the island one will find the
picturesque village of Mithymna (also known as Molivos), with its
mediaeval castle and the traditional architecture. Molivos is also the
islands best known resort.
The association with Arts is appropriate enough, for it was here in
Mithymna that the head of Orpheus is said to have been washed ashore
after his dismemberment of the Thracian women. Another mythical citizen
of Mithymna was the lyric poet and musician Arion. It has been said that
he has been saved by the music-loving dolphin.
Only a short distance of 5 Km SW of Molivos the village of Petra can be
found. Petra has one of the best sandy beaches of the island.
Again further south the village of Agia Paraskevi is situated. This
village has a lot of old mansions and is known for the Bull Festival
that has been celebrated since more than two hundred years. Near the
village lay ruins of an ancient temple of Napaios Apollo and the ruins
of an Ionian temple dated from the 3rd century BC. This temple was
dedicated to Zeus, Hera and Dionysos.
In the island's center, not far from Agia Paraskevi, lays the modern
town Kalloni. It is famous for its sardines which are caught in the
nearby bay called the Gulf of Kalloni. On this gulf one will also find
the popular summer resort Skala Kalloni with its beautiful sandy
beaches.
Also near the center of the island another well known town is Agiassos.
This town is famous for its pottery. Going further south again we reach
the towns of Plomari and Vatera which have the one of most superb
beaches of the island, 10 Km long.
At the western tip of Lesvos (Lesvos), Sigri is a pretty fishing village with a
nice little beach and a castle that goes back to the 18th century. Not
far from there lies the Petrified Forest, dating back fifteen million
years.
Finally, not far from Sigri, one will find the town of Eressos. Eressos
has been the birth place of Sappho and Theoprastos. Its port, Skala
Eressos, is a famous resort with a magnificent beach.
Lesvos, as it can be seen from its classical history, its abundance
of poets, musicians, philosophers and lawgivers, was one of the great
cultural centers of the Greek world. It was second perhaps only to
Athens, in its influence if not in its power.
As a place for a holiday, for a rest or for quiet work, Lesvos is HARD
to BETTER. It is big enough to permit that change of scene so necessary
if one is to avoid "island claustrophobia". It has a further
advantage that it is easy from here to organize a trip to visit Troy or
to explore the coastline of ancient Ionia.
Limnos island (Lemnos)
Limnos is one of the most beautiful islands of the Northern Aegean
Sea.
Full of plains and fertile with unexploited seas, rich fisheries, small,
natural ports and long sandy beaches, life on the island is peaceful.
It was named after a great goddess who was worshipped there, a goddess
whom Homer called Anemoessa.
The local products have been famed since antiquity.
Cheese products from goat/sheep milk are still made using traditional
methods. When the wey is ready, it is put into small baskets so the
stripes mark it, thus giving the cheese its distinctive name
"kalathaki" which means small basket in Greek. The fame of the
island's wines has spread around the world while pottery, hand-woven
items, and popular art items are also well-known.
Myrina, the capital of the island, is situated to the west and has
5,000 inhabitants. The Byzantine castle, the beautiful beach of Romeikos
Yialos (a Hellenic Tourist Organization beach) and cobbled streets are
charming sights for the visitor.
On the NE side of the island in the area known as Kontopoliou is the
sanctuary of the Kabeiri and the ancient Hephestia, a town that
flourished during antiquity.
Agios Efstratios
 The island of Ayios Efstratios is 21 miles north of Limnos, with
approximately 300 inhabitants was named after the missionary who taught
there.
It has beautiful coasts and long sandy beaches that alternate with steep
rocks.
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