After further reflection, I realised that Skala Eresou had given me the space to rest, recalibrate, and the time to figure out the direction of travel — literally — and in that sense, it was mission accomplished. It was now time to move on, and I decided to head north-west to Sigri, drawn by the quiet contrasts and small curiosities that make Lesvos such a rewarding island to explore.
A slow, reflective walk through Mytilini — its harbour, architecture, monuments and hidden corners — taken at a moment of transition before deciding what comes next on Lesvos.
A sunrise-to-sunset journey carrying us from Imbros to Lesvos via Kabatepe, Çanakkale and Ayvalık, ending with sunset in Mytilene and dinner at Laïkó Kafeneion — a day of ferries, landscapes, mishaps and that unmistakable feeling of being Hellas-bound.
High above the northern coast of Gökçeada sits Eski Bademli, a village that truly earns its nickname as the balcony of the island. From its terrace-like lanes, the views stretch across the valley to Kaleköy and out towards the hazy outline of Samothrace. Wandering through the narrow backstreets — once the heart of the old Stenáda quarter — we found stone houses, a quiet square, and a sense of place shaped as much by memory as by landscape. It’s a village that reveals itself slowly: a glimpse of history here, a story shared over coffee there, all framed by that extraordinary Aegean panorama.
Sunday on Bozcaada began with church bells drifting across the rooftop terrace — the first sign that the island’s tiny Greek Orthodox community still gathers here. From there we explored the vast Ottoman castle, uncovered myths of Tenes, climbed to the windmills and ended the day with a ten-wine tasting. A perfect blend of history, stories and island wandering.
Thanks to yesterday’s message from my host Diana I now have two trips booked. Trips that would have been impossible on foot and now will enable me to see a bit more of the island. On Sunday I have a “child” taking me to the monastery in the North of the island and on Monday…
