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
| Month | Average temperature (°C) | Precipitation (mm) | Sunny days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10 | 80 | 20 |
| February | 11 | 50 | 18 |
| March | 13 | 40 | 22 |
| April | 17 | 30 | 25 |
| May | 21 | 20 | 27 |
| June | 25 | 10 | 29 |
| July | 28 | 5 | 30 |
| August | 28 | 5 | 31 |
| September | 25 | 15 | 27 |
| October | 20 | 40 | 25 |
| November | 15 | 60 | 20 |
| December | 12 | 90 | 18 |
