Limnos

Limnos

Limnos (also Lemnos) is a big island in the shape of a fish, located in the middle of North Aegean sea. Its remoteness from Athens and the other islands does not predispose tourists to come, so for this reason Limnos is still a serene place with rural landscapes, vast and empty sandy beaches and unspoiled Greek cuisine.

Many people say that being on Limnos is like going back in time but in the last few years it has become popular as a windsurf and kitesurf destination. Here you can see two unique places - the Ammotines desert (one of the few deserts in Europe) and the only roofless church in Greece.

General information about Limnos

Many people believe that Limnos is a very windy island because it is popular kitesurf spot. The truth is, however, that winds blow mainly on the east coast. The whole south and west coast are quite protected from wind and the beaches there are very calm.

The east part of Limnos is flat, while the west one is mountainous and rocky. The capital Myrina is on the west coast and all kinds of shops and public services can be found there. It is a beautiful settlement dominated by a Venetian castle above the port, nicely illuminated at night. Around Myrina there are many large beaches with shallow water, some of them have developed as small resorts like Plati and Thanos. The second largest village is Moudros, a small port in the southeast. Moudros is has no beaches but just 2 km away you can find the sandy shallow beaches of Havouli and Fanaraki.

Which are the best beaches of Limnos?

Almost all beaches of Limnos are sandy and shallow. Except for the east beaches which are surfing spots, the rest are suitable for kids. The most popular beaches among families are Megalo Fanaraki and Mikro Fanaraki, Plati, Thanos, Evgatis and Agios Ioannis Kaspakas.

The beaches in the north part are mainly wild and without facilities, except for the large Gomati beach which is close to the protected sand dunes.

What to do in Limnos?

Sights and interesting places to visit on Limnos:

- Myrina and its castle
- Ammothines (Sand Dunes) - the desert of Limnos which is also one of the few deserts in Europe
- The ancient city of Hephaestia. Limnos is known from mythology as the island where Hephestus forge was located and this city was devoted to him
- The ruins of Poliochni, the oldest neolithic settlement in Europe
- The old church of Panagia Kakaviotissa, a unique roofless church set in a cave on the top of the mountain (5 km away from Myrina)
- The Kavirio Temple in the northeast part
- The sea cave of Philoctetes under the Temple of Kavirio. The inner part of the cave is accessible by boat
- Cape Faraklo, with peculiar limestone shapes

How to get to Limnos?

Limnos can be reached by airplane and by ferry. The airport of the island serves domestic and charter flights.

By ferry Limnos can be reached as follows:
- From the port of Kavala - the ferry runs all year round and the journey lasts approximately 4 hours
- From the port of Alexandroupoli - only in summer and via Samothrace
- From the port of Thessaloniki - seasonal, once per week
- From the ports of Lavrio and Piraues - once per week

Limnos is also connected with the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria and the unknown Agios Efstratios.