Lemnos

North-East Aegean Islands

Lemnos (or Limnos) produces some of the best retsina in Greece, and other wines too for those whose palate does not take to Greece’s unique resinated drink. The vineyards are in the western and more volcanic half of this island, which is almost cut in two by the deep gouge of Moudros Bay, one of the biggest and best natural harbours in the Aegean. 

View of Myrina

In complete contrast to the barren and rocky western half of Lemnos, the east is mostly low-lying and agricultural, apart from several areas of marshland. There are a number of good beaches scattered around the coast, although nowhere has really developed very much in terms of tourist facilities. The main town is Myrina, or Kastro, on the west coast, which is also where the ferries call in that link the island with towns such as Kavala and Rafina on the mainland, and other islands like Lesbos and Chios. There is also a small airport with daily internal flights to Athens, Thessaloniki and Lesbos.

Myrina

Myrina is an enjoyably ordinary town, with an attractive waterfront, a couple of decent beaches close at hand and a picturesque small fishing port. There are also the ruins of its Byzantine Castle to explore, and from here there are excellent views over the town and the whole west coast from the site where the original acropolis once stood. In the old part of the town there are cobbled streets and some grand Ottoman houses, some of which have seen better days.

In one 19th-century mansion is the Archaeological Museum, which does its best with the limited displays that it has. There are several minor classical sites around the island, such as Polyochni (which dates back to 3000BC), Ifaistia and Kabireio, but much work remains to be done on these.

Retsina - Yammas!

Getting to Lemnos

Flights to Lemnos
You can fly to Lemnos International Airport from Athens on Olympic Air. There are also flights on Sky Express to Lemnos from Thessaloniki, Lesbos and Ikaria. British Airways also do direct summer charter flights from London Heathrow Airport to Lemnos. 

Ferries to Lemnos
There are daily ferries to Lemnos (or Limnos) from Kavala on the Greek mainland, with a journey time of between four and five hours. There are also one or two ferries a week to Lesbos (journey time over five hours). Ferries between Athens and Lemnos depart from the ferry terminal at Lavrio, about 30 miles south-east of Athens. There are 1-2 sailings per week and the  journey time is 10-11 hours.

Ferries in Greece

Ferries in Greece has an excellent and very thorough website where, in addition to checking ferry schedules and times, you can also book tickets and get lots of useful information about travelling by ferry in Greece.


Where is Lemnos?

Where to Stay on Lemnos

We have more pages about the North-East Aegean...

  • Chios

    The Greek island of Chios or Hios is a large island in the North East Aegean close to the Turkish coast, south of Lesvos and north of Samos, and famous for its mastic trees.

  • Lesbos or Lesvos in the North East Aegean Islands of Greece

    The island of Lesbos or Lesvos is in the North East Aegean Islands in Greece, and on this page you can see information including flights and ferries.

  • Thassos in the North East Aegean Islands of Greece

    Thassos is in the North East Aegean and on this page from the Greece Travel Secrets website you can also see information about flights and ferries to Thassos.

  • Samothraki

    Samothraki (Greek) or Samothrace (English) is a small island in the north-east Aegean Sea with the closest Greek islands being Thassos and Lemnos.

  • Samos in the NE Aegean Islands of Greece

    Samos is in the NE Aegean islands of Greece with attractions including Heraion and Pythagoreio, and this page tells you what to see and how to get there.

  • North East Aegean Islands

    The North East Aegean Islands include Lesvos, Thassos, Chios, Samos, Fourni, Ikaria, Limnos, Samothraki and here are tips on ferries, flights and what to do.

  • Museum of Samos Wine

    A visit to the Museum of Samos Wine to learn about the muscat grapes that produce the best dessert wines in the world and also the Greek spirit, Metaxa.

  • Best Things to Do on Thassos

    The best things to do on Thassos in the North East Aegean islands of Greece include its beaches, mountain hikes, and visiting its ancient archaeological sites.

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. Covid-19: PM Mitsotakis Appeals to Greeks to Follow Rules to Help Avoid Lockdown

    Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on the Greeks to be vigilant and respect the current health and safety measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), as confirmed cases cont…

    Read More

  2. Athens to Celebrate European Day of Languages 2020 with Digital Treasure Hunt

    The Municipality of Athens on Saturday, September 26, will join the celebrations for the European Day of Languages ​​2020 with an online treasure hunt. Organized in collaboration with the EU National…

    Read More

  3. Greece Revises Law on Vouchers for Canceled Travel Due to Covid-19

    The Greek government has revised regulations to the law on refund claims regarding bookings of airlines, ferries, yachts, hotels and travel packages that were canceled due to the coronavirus (Covid-19…

    Read More

  4. Czech Republic Passengers Need Negative Covid-19 Test to Enter Greece

    All travelers entering Greece from the Czech Republic from Monday, September 28, will be obliged to present a negative molecular test result (PCR) for coronavirus (Covid-19) upon arrival to the countr…

    Read More

  5. Greece to Launch Online Map with Latest Covid-19 Restrictions Per Area

    Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias on Tuesday announced that the government is preparing to introduce a platform to provide citizens with the latest coronavirus (Covid-19) restrict…

    Read More

  6. Ministry’s Tourist Guide Schools Attract 2,880 Applications

    Greece’s five tourist guide schools this year have accepted a total of 2,880 applications, which shows the increasing demand for tourism education in the country, the Greek Tourism Ministry said in an…

    Read More

  7. Covid-19 Hits Greek Accommodation & Food Services in Q2

    Greece’s accommodation and food services activities in July suffered the biggest blow to turnover, down by 71.4 percent as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, according to the latest data…

    Read More

  8. 24-hour Ferry Strike at Piraeus Port on Thursday

    Five seamen’s unions have announced a 24-hour strike on Thursday, September 24, at the Piraeus Port, which is expected to cause disruption to ferry transport in Greece.

    Read More

  9. Cruise Companies Submit Plan for Healthy Sailing in Covid-19 Era

    In efforts to ensure safe journeys at sea in the Covid-19 era, cruise companies have tabled a comprehensive plan that includes heightened health protocols aimed at safeguarding crew, passengers, and c…

    Read More

  10. Greece Suspends Outdoor Theatrical Performances Due to Covid-19

    Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias on Tuesday said that all outdoor theatrical performances in Greece will be suspended as of Thursday, September 24. The measure has been added to…

    Read More