Located in the northern Aegean Sea, the Sporades include over 300 islands, most of which are uninhabited. The name Sporades originated in ancient times and means something like “scattered” islands. Even though most of the islands of the archipelago are uninhabited, the archipelago with its green islands is one of the most beautiful in Greece.

Divided into the northern and southern Sporades, the archipelago attracts visitors with attractive islands, some of which are important for tourism. Among the northern Sporades are the islands of Alonnisos, Skopelos, Skiathos and Skyros. In the southern part of the archipelago, Karpathos, Samos, Kos and Rhodes beckon. Some of the islands are among the most popular destinations in Greece, and not without reason, as each of these islands has its own peculiarities.

Natural paradise Sporades

Today, many of the small Sporades islands are completely uninhabited and many of them are protected. While some islands have never been inhabited, Kyra Panagia is a beautiful example of how nature makes you forget that the island was once inhabited. A good 50 years ago, there were still about 100 inhabitants on Kyra Panagia and in 2000 there were just 10 inhabitants. Many once inhabited islands suffered a similar fate, including Peristera. Today, the islands are a beautiful destination for nature lovers, as numerous species of birds and plants, including rare specimens, are waiting to be discovered. But rare sea creatures also cavort around the uninhabited islands. North of Alonissos is the largest water reserve in Greece, where rare seals, seagulls, dolphins and fish species can be observed, among other things.

The most popular holiday islands in the Sporades at a glance

Northern Sporades

Consisting of 135 islands and rocky islets, the northern Sporades form. Skyros, Skopelos, Skiathos and Alonnisos are the largest islands and tourist attractions.

The island of Skyros inspires with its steep granite rocks and unique sights such as the Kastro, a castle-like fortification. Historic monasteries, churches worth seeing, archaeological excavation sites, museums, beautiful olive groves characterize the island. The island is known for marble mining, but also for the fact that old customs are maintained here, with a special highlight being the carnival customs of the islanders.

The island of Skopelos is famous for the 2007 filming of the film “Mamma Mia!” Became known. But the scenic beauty and the picturesque villages and settlements as well as the enchanting beaches have ensured that Skopelos inspires as a travel destination much earlier.

Skiathos delights sun worshippers with over 60 beaches and numerous sights. Special highlights are the Evangelistria Monastery and the Bourtzi Peninsula as well as the ruins of the former capital Kástro. A stroll through the main town of Skiathos Town, which is known for its picturesque, historic harbour, is also particularly appealing.

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Popular with nature lovers, the limestone island of Alonnisos presents itself with natural beaches where seals sunbathe and over which wild pigeons roam. The lively harbour town of Patitiri is considered to be extremely worth seeing.

Southern Sporades

The Southern Sporades include over 170 islands, including 30 inhabited ones. Among the largest and most famous islands are Samos, Ikaria, Kos and Rhodes.

Samos was an important trading center in ancient times and is now one of the most popular holiday islands in Greece. As the greenest island in the Aegean, Samos is particularly worth seeing with its meadows, forests and fields and numerous watercourses. Ancient sights such as the remains of the Temple of Hera or the city wall of Pythagório are just as inspiring as the Cave of Pytagoras, Ano Vathy (the oldest island settlement) or the beautiful beaches.

The island of Ikaria is known worldwide through the Icarus legend. Characterized by beautiful beaches, small fishing villages, lively port towns and lots of nature, the island enchants its visitors. Highlights such as the thermal springs, historic monasteries and the remains of the Artimes temple delight travelers from all over the world.

Kos not only boasts unique sights such as the remains of the Asclepieion of Kos or the plane tree of Hippocrates, but also the beaches of the island. But the island with its lively island capital Kos Town is also known for its ghost village of Agios Dimitrios, the abandoned village of Palio Pyli, the enchanting mountain village of Zia and the salt lake Alykes.

Rhodes, one of the most famous Greek islands, is also part of the southern Sporades. The popular holiday island enchants its visitors with fantastic sights such as the Grand Master’s Palace, maritime harbours, historic fortifications and numerous cultural highlights. But the island with its dream beaches also offers lively towns and picturesque villages as well as monastery algae in the interior, where the landscape is rather rough.

Sporades – the ideal destination for an individual and flexible holiday

If you are planning a trip to the Sporades and can’t decide between the numerous islands, you should consider island hopping. For example, forays through the beautiful nature of Aloniso can be enjoyed as well as a stroll through the old town of Skopelos or a walk through the pine slopes of Skiathos. The combination possibilities are diverse and so everyone can plan their own personal dream holiday on the Sporades archipelago.

The Greek islands in the Aegean Sea have enjoyed great popularity for many decades. Many of them are developed for tourism and are the favourite destinations of holidaymakers from all over the world. However, the more visitors can be found on the well-known islands such as Kos, Rhodes or Mykonos , the more the gaze is directed towards the islands, which have so far been little discovered. Limnos is without question one of the most interesting insider tips. The island has only begun to really adapt to travellers in recent years and holidaymakers will not only find almost untouched nature here, but also a wide variety of historical treasures that have almost been forgotten over time.

What is the Aegean island of Limnos all about?

Even though Limnos can only be found in many travel catalogues in recent years, the island has a long history, but it has almost been forgotten even within Greece. The first settlers are said to have been active here as early as 15,000 years ago. Whether this was after or before the story from Greek mythology, after Hephaestus was banished to the island, cannot of course be recreated historically.

What is certain, however, is that the Greeks, for example, made a stop on the island before their attack on Troy and spent a few weeks here. Limnos also bears witness to a long history, but over time it has disappeared a little in the fog of history. Only in recent years have holidaymakers rediscovered the almost untouched island for themselves.

At times, the island, like so many others, was under Turkish rule and it was not until the 20th century that the Greeks reconquered the island. Since then, the lives of the people on the island have not really changed. For quite a while, agriculture played a role, as did trade with the other islands in the immediate vicinity. Although there have always been guests on the island, there has only been a real increase in tourists in recent years. A small regional airport, which is handling more and more guests, also helps. However, most visitors still opt for the classic journey by boat and some of them only come to the island for a day to relax a little on the deserted beaches.

What does Limnos have to offer visitors?

In general, you should know that the island actually only caters to visitors in the months between June and September. During this time, most of the locals work in the restaurants and hotels. After and before, they usually pursue other activities, take care of the fields or are more likely to be found in the trades. That says a lot about the matter of course on the island, where the tourists don’t set the tone. This is exactly what many visitors are looking for on a trip to Limnos.

You should also be prepared for the fact that although there are now some accommodation options, they may not quite correspond to the comfort you typically expect in Greece . Many former houses and even fortresses have been converted into overnight accommodation. The actual cores of the city are still as they have always been. This is also part of the fascination that emanates from the island – everything seems much more untouched and unchanged and so you can still discover a real part of Greece here, which is not dominated by tourism.

What can you discover and experience on the island?

Those who travel to Limnos usually want to take a look at the almost untouched nature. Actually, the island is one big beach and many of the beautiful coasts are almost extinct even in the periods between June and September. This means that you can enjoy the sea all alone here. If you want to see a little more of the island’s nature, you can of course also go inside and use one of the many hiking trails that have been created as one of the few compromises for tourists. Between dunes and small rocks, a church on a mountain and the traces of the former civilizations on the island, you can understand why the inhabitants guard their island with argus eyes and make sure that tourism here does not change too much.

Poliochni is said to be home to one of the oldest settlements in Europe, and in the island’s capital, Myrina, you will not only find a beautiful harbour, but also a variety of restaurants with the traditional cuisine of the Aegean islands. If you then also visit the ruins of the former temples and the Acropolis, you may have already understood why more and more visitors are drawn to this almost untouched island. If you decide to stay overnight on Limnos, you will also get to know more of the charm of the inhabitants and almost always stay in one of the old houses that are made available here for the duration of the season.

Weather in Limnos

A trip to Lesbos leads to a beautiful Greek island in the northern Aegean, which is full of colors and contrasts. On the third largest island in Greece with a length of 70 and a width of 40 kilometres, Lesbos offers everything that makes a varied holiday in the land of the bright. On the coasts, pretty fishing villages with beautiful beaches await sun-seeking bathers and water sports enthusiasts. In the hinterland, mountains up to 967 metres high with great valleys and plateaus invite you to go on hiking tours. For gourmets, on the other hand, Lesbos is considered an insider tip among Greece’s islands due to its authentic cuisine. There are many reasons for a holiday on Lesbos.

Beach holiday on Greece’s third largest island

If you are looking for pleasantly quiet yet well-organized beaches in Greece as a beach vacationer or water sports enthusiast, Lesbos is one of the best addresses in the Aegean. The turquoise blue water is characterized by excellent quality and the Blue Flags waving over many dream beaches indicate the highest cleanliness of the well-kept areas. To the southwest, Vatera is home to the largest beach on the island. The eight-kilometre-long golden sandy beach slopes gently into the Aegean Sea.

Families, seniors and water sports enthusiasts alike feel at home here. Diving and surfing schools offer a service from training to rental. If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, you can admire the coast from a bird’s eye view while parasailing. Along the beach sections there are numerous taverns, bars and cafés, which offer everything your heart desires between cosiness and lively parties.

Just like in Vatera, the beaches of Eresos in the west or Petra in the north of Lesvos also attract visitors with a variety of water sports such as kayak tours or all kinds of surfing. At the foot of the mountain villages of Asomatos and Ayii Anargyri, thermal water with a particularly high radon concentration invites you to take a dip on Eftalou beach. This rocky beach is also a paradise for divers. Beach lovers looking for peace and quiet enjoy the remoteness of Gavathas or Chrousos beaches.

Holidays between Mytilene and traditional island villages

Lesbos inspires with pretty fishing villages and mountain villages. The gateway to the island is the capital Mytilene, which is well worth seeing. A stroll through the narrow streets and a coffee frappé at the lively harbour creates a wonderful holiday atmosphere. In the Archaeological Museum you can experience the varied history of the island and from the castle of Mytilene there is a great view of the coast.

Lovers of the visual arts should not miss a visit to the Terias Museum in the village of Akrotiri, where you can admire works from Chagall to Picasso. While the port city of Plomari is known as the location of ouzo distilleries and olive oil mills, the town of Madamados has become famous for its ceramic handicrafts. In the north of the island, the resort of Molivos looks back with pride on its famous son, the ancient poet Arion. Even better known is the coastal town of Eressos, which has developed into a holiday Mecca in the west of the island as the birthplace of the ancient Greek poet Saphho.

Active experiences in the Lesbos Geopark for nature lovers

The volcanic island is designated as a geopark and wants to be conquered with all its small natural wonders on eventful hikes. Mountain forests of pines, oaks and chestnuts, olive groves, pines and cypresses are the ingredients that, along with a variety of fragrant wild herbs, make up the green landscape of Lesvos. Numerous designated hiking trails, which lead along old donkey paths or pilgrimage routes, open up pretty mountain villages, chapels worth seeing, remote monasteries and ancient sites. The hiking areas on the limestone massif of the Olymbo are exciting.

Up to an altitude of 450 meters, fruit trees also mingle with the olive groves. Not only hikers look forward to a total of 14 waterfalls on Lesbos. The waterfall of Man’katsa is a popular destination for climbers with volcanic rock walls up to 20 meters high. A geological feature is the Petrified Forest in the west of Lesbos, where fossil tree trunks bear witness to the island’s primeval vegetation.

The Gulf of Kalloni, which juts deep into the heart of Lesbos on the south coast, presents itself as a natural paradise. Near the towns of Kalloni and Polichnitos, large seawater salt flats offer a great habitat for numerous birds such as stilts, avocets or herons. The secret stars, however, are flamingos, which can be observed in the Gulf all year round. In spring, the wetlands are a trendy stop-over for almost 70 migratory bird species, including black and white storks. The wonderful natural spectacle attracts ornithologists from all over the world to the island every year. The flora is in no way inferior to the biodiversity of the fauna. A real feast for the eyes are the numerous species of orchids that thrive in the Gulf.

Lesvos – Paradise for Gourmets

If you want to get to know the authentic Greek cuisine, you will also find paradisiacal conditions as a gourmet on Lesbos. The fresh catches from the fish-rich Aegean Sea are refined into absolute delicacies in restaurants and taverns. A delicacy of Mediterranean-Greek cuisine is sardines, which are caught in the Gulf of Kalloni. But the lamb or beef dishes braised with wild herbs from the island are also real highlights for gourmets. Of course, good food includes Greece’s national drink, ouzo. About one in three bottles of this anise spirit that comes onto the world market is produced on Lesbos. Plomari on the south coast is even considered the world capital of ouzo. But not only ouzo, but also olive oil extracted from Lesbos is one of the island’s export hits. A visit to an ouzo distillery and the olive oil museum in Polomari are definitely on the to-do list of a Lesbos holiday.

Facts about Lesvos

1. Geography: Lesvos is the third largest Greek island and is located near the Turkish coast. The landscape is characterized by mountains, hills, fertile valleys and beautiful beaches.
2. History: The history of Lesvos dates back to ancient times. The island was a center for culture, literature and philosophy. Famous historical figures such as the poet Sappho come from Lesbos.
3. Tourism: Lesvos is a popular destination for tourists who want to enjoy the natural beauty of the island, the picturesque villages, the ancient sites and the beaches. Tourism is an important industry for the island.
4. Cultural significance: Lesvos is known for its rich cultural tradition, especially in terms of literature, music, and gastronomy. The annual “Lesbian Festival” attracts visitors from all over the world and celebrates the cultural diversity of the island.
5. Refugee crisis: In recent years, Lesbos has been a central point in the European refugee crisis, partly due to its proximity to Turkey. For a long time, the Moria refugee camp on Lesbos was one of the largest and most controversial refugee camps in Europe.
6. Ecology: The island is also known for its natural diversity, including rare bird species and rich marine fauna. The protection of the environment is therefore of great importance for the residents and the government of Lesvos.