Greek Islands

Limnos (Island)

Limnos

Welcome to Limnos!

Limnos (or Lemnos, as it is often spelled) is the eighth largest island in the Aegean Sea and lies in the North Aegean, between Lesvos and Samothraki. The island is some 475 square kilometers (150 square miles) in size, with mountains and fertile valleys and with a coastline of 260 kilometers (161.5 miles). It actually forms one Prefecture together with Lesvos and a smaller island, Aghios Efstratios.

It is of volcanic origin, and a series of ancient myths relate to this fact. According to one of them, Hephaestus, the god of forging and blacksmithing, fell onto this island when he was literally thrown away from Olympus by Zeus. The local people looked after him and he, in return, taught them his skills. One of the island’s mountain peaks was reported in antiquity to blow out smoke and fire, a good analogy to a gigantic forge.

The island’s main town and port is named Myrina, situated on the west coast. There are another 30 villages on the island, the largest of which is Moudros, which is also the island’s second largest port and located in the south. Limnos possesses a strategic position in the northern Aegean and thus has always had a strong military presence by the Greek Air Force, which may be the reason for its being discovered as a resort only recently.

The inhabitants make a living on fishing, farming and animal husbandry (mainly sheep and goats). They are welcoming to their visitors in the genuine Greek way, as they address them as guests rather than as a possible source of income. And more and more visitors do come, especially those who like Greek Cuisine, the beauty of the land and seascapes, the wide range of excursions offered to trekking-lovers, interesting archaeological sites, including the medieval castle in Myrina and the archaeological museum, and the many fine sand beaches on its long coastline.

The climate is of the Mediterranean type, with warm summers and mild winters. As it happens throughout the Aegean Sea, there are strong winds in late August and early autumn, high time for windsurfers.

Limnos is by no means a rich island. This is visible in the sad state of the capital's old neoclassical buildings, which is in direct opposition to the wonderful attitude of its proud inhabitants. There certainly must have been better times, when sailing ships dominated over commerce and transported goods throughout the Mediterranean and the Aegean. We believe that tourism is bound to give a new thrust to the local economy because of the many attributes of the island and its people.

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