Your guide to Petra, on the Greek Island of Lesbos.

Where to stay, must try restaurants & cafes, important tips and helpful links to get you where you want to be faster!

It’s hard for me to put into words just how special the island of Lesbos was to Don and I. This isn't just a vacation destination, it's somewhere we could see ourselves living. We only had five days there, but it left a lasting impression on us both. We spent our time in Petra and the surrounding area, which is about an hour and a half from the main port of Mytilene. And though there is plenty of tourism, this slice of paradise is not overrun like most Greek islands. One of my favorite things about Lesbos was how many products were made there, from meat, to cheese, yogurt, vegetables and olives. Despite its small size it seemed self-sufficient. Obviously the other things I fell in love with was the amazing blue water and arid mountains. There is just something about the Mediterranean that has always felt like home to me. I swear I notice significant changes in my physical and mental well being even after a short stay. Maybe it's the ocean air, or the bright sun, or perhaps it's the amazing food, people, and laid back lifestyle. Though I imagine it's the combination of everything.

The stone construction with the burgundy stutters was a theme through out the island of Lesbos and honestly I loved it!

Must try Restaurants & Cafes on Lesbos Island Greece

The Octopus Restaurant: We had the most amazing dinner here! We were on the early side so we got a table, but I would definitely recommend reservation for a sunset dinner and during high season. Even though we were there pretty early for dinner (4:30pm) it was still very busy. The view is amazing, nestled beside the harbor with a great view of the water. What really caught our eye were the octopus hanging in the sun. Don has wanted sun dried octopus for years and this looked like the place to get it. I ordered the veal stafado which came with French fries and Don ordered the grilled sun dried octopus. For an appetizer we shared the peppers stuffed with cheese and tomatoes and we also ordered a small sparkling water. My stafado was amazing, I was surprised how tender the meat was and the delicious warm herbal flavor was better than I had imagined. Don loved his octopus, he said it tastes like sea bacon. They warned us that because they only grill the meat after sun drying ( no boiling because you lose the flavor) that it can be a little chewy so you need to cut thin pieces. They even cut a few pieces when they brought it out to demonstrate the correct way to eat it. Neither of us thought it was chewy and the flavor was delicious, especially near the ends where it was charred a little more. This place is a little bit more expensive than we normally do, but honestly for what you get it is very reasonable. The service, atmosphere, and food is all top notch. This meal cost us €42EUR ($49.51 USD) and it was definitely worth it!

Cafe Tavern Costas: Tucked back on a hill in Petra, we had a delicious lunch away from the crowded beach at this charming cafe. The amazing food was handmade by a mother and son. I had the meatballs with tomato sauce and Don ordered fried fresh local sardines, both came with French fries and a small salad. Both dishes were delicious and the quiet cobblestone street was a perfect setting. The meal was €17.00EUR (19.69USD)

The Blue Fox: We stopped here for two espressos and a cheesecake parfait cup. Both were absolutely delicious and the owners were very friendly. We sat out on the balcony overlooking the water. Can't beat a treat with a view! The owner said her son makes the desserts fresh and it tasted like it. The cheesecake was light and fluffy and the tart berries added a great contrast to the sweetest. It was a little pricey coming in at €13.50 EUR ($16.00 USD) which is more than we normally spend, but ya gotta treat yourself sometimes.

La Casa Del Gelato: We stopped here for a sweet treat after dinner. We decided to share a scoop of the rose pistachio and I'm glad we did. The rose flavor was strong and florally and the pistachio was sweet and nutty making a perfect combination. They have tables across the street overlooking the water or right out front under umbrellas. The one scoop was €3.00EUR ( $3.54 USD)

Plateia Cafe Bar Restaurant: Best sheep's milk ice cream! We shared one and took it to the pier to watch the water and fishes. It cost €3EUR ($3.47USD)

Must see Beaches on Lesbos Island, Greece

Paralia Petra: This is the closest beach to our apartment and the first one we went to. It's a long narrow sandy beach right in downtown Petra. There are plenty of restaurants that offer free cabanas to their guest as well as open sandy areas where you can throw out your own towel. The beach is sandy but it gets rocky once you enter the water. We read it was recommended to wear water shoes, Don heeded this warning where I did not, and I did get a small cut on my toe, so lesson learned. It is not illegal for women to be topless in Greece, so it's not unusual for people to sun bathe without a top, though most women didn't while we were there.

Paralia Efthalou: An amazing blue water, rocky beach where we went snorkeling. There were so many fish and sea urchins that we could see perfectly in the crystal clear water. When you arrive you will see a building with a thermal bath. I enjoyed a 20 minute soak in here and my skin was so soft! We set up our stuff just a minute walk down the beach by some big rocks that provided nice shade. Further down is a nudist beach and you will mostly find naked people there, we did. So if that's a big no for you, stay closer to the thermal baths where you will be less likely to see people in the nude, but it is still Greece so it is not illegal at any beach for women to be topless.

Paralia Molivos: This is a rocky beach at first, but sandy in the water. The water is shallow for longer making it great for kids and to cool off. The water is very clear but doesn't have the same sealife as Paralia Efthalou. Even though there wasn't the same sealife we still enjoyed snorkeling around and finding neat rocks. The beach has bathrooms, changing rooms and outdoor showers.

Paralia Anaxos: A beautiful sandy beach with lots of restaurant provided lounge chairs, and plenty of open, free, sandy beach. There was also a place to rent paddle boats and other watersports equipment.

Best Local Businesses in Petra, Greece

The downtown area of Petra is small, but packed full of everything you need including groceries, baked goods, a butchers, and souvenir shops as well as plenty of restaurants. The narrow cobblestone streets are beautiful, but don't be surprised if a moped drives by! Be sure to try some local market sheep milk feta cheese and yogurt, honey or pickles, all made on the island! We shopped in these stores daily to gather the ingredients for our nightly home cooked meals.

Κρεοπωλείο Βερβέρης Αχιλλέας: This was our favorite butcher to buy from. Everthing he had was fresh and sold fast. So if you see something you want its best to by it then because it may not be available the next day, as we found out.

Bakery: We went to this bakery almost every day for fresh bread and different pastries. Everything was delicious and we were always greeted with a smile by the women who worked there.

Minas Market: This market had the most amazing goat cheese that was made on the island! They also have a great produce section as well as dry goods.

Most affordable and reliable moped rental in Petra, Greece

Euro Motors Petra Car & Moto Rentals: The husband and wife who own this place were amazing. They were easy to work with and even let us take the moped half a day early for free. We rented the smallest moped which was just enough to get us up the mountain hills, but barely. So if you're any bigger (our combined weight is 275) you may want to get the bigger moped, they had several models to choose from. We paid €65 EUR for four days ) $74.94USD. Cash is best, but they do accept credit cards

Trail to a secluded beach in Petra, Greece

Don found this trail on Google maps so we decided to see if it was real. It is! It's a nice trail that overlooks the water on a beautiful hillside with stairs down to the beach most of the way, then a short sketchy ladder. The beach was rocky and no one was there which was nice. Unfortunately when we were there it was windy so the waves were too big to go in. Otherwise, it looked like good swimming and snorkeling.

Holy Church of the the Virgin Mary in Petra, Greece

Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Glykophilousa-Ιερός Ναός Παναγίας Γλυκοφιλούσας: This iconic Byzantine church is a must see while you are in Petra. Built in 1747 and rebuilt in 1840, it's hewn into the rocks 40m above Petra and overlooking the North Aegean Sea. Climb its 114 steps to see this beautiful church and the amazing panoramic view of Petra.

Skala Sikamineas, Greece

A little fishing village about 40 minutes from Petra. The drive there is beautiful and worth the trip alone. This cute little town has a few restaurants (with good ratings) and numerous little shops selling beautiful art and homemade souvenirs. There also is The Panagia Gorgona - Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, a small Greek Orthodox church built up on a rock face overlooking the water that is beautiful. We didn't eat or buy anything, but it was worth the ride to walk around the small village and enjoy the views.

Mithymna, Greece

This village is just a short and beautiful 20 minute ride from Petra. It's also another village that would be perfect to stay in while you are on Lesbos, we went there several times. The Octopus Restaurant is located here as well as the Blue fox cafe and La Casa Del Gelato. While you are there the Molyvos Castle Κάστρο Μολύβου is a must see. The fortress, built on top of a hill in the 14th century by the Genoese Gateluzi can be seen for miles. Once inside the Castle offers a commanding view of the village and the Aegean Sea. The entry cost is €5 per person. I also recommend wandering Molyvos' beautiful cobblestone streets where they have many cafes, restaurants and shops to buy souvenirs. The flowers were in full bloom while we were there making the streets look like a fairytale.

Where we stayed in Petra, Greece

Karya: I loved this rental! It was small and simple, but perfect for us. Karya's apartments are just a 5 min walk to the cobblestone shopping streets and a 10 min walk from the beach, making it a very peaceful stay, but close to everything we needed. The kitchen was well stocked and the caretaker and owner were very responsive. We were also given clean towels every other day. The balcony overlooked an olive grove with a view of the Holy Church of the Virgin Mary was my favorite feature. The beautiful sunset and light breeze made it a perfect place to enjoy our meals and morning coffee. I would definitely stay here again. As with most islands in Greece you can not drink the tap water or flush toilet paper! We stayed 6 night for a total of €277.55EUR ($268USD)

Helpful phrases in Greek

Hello: Γεια σας (Yassas)

Good Morning: Καλημέρα (kah-lee-mehr-rah)

Thank you: Ευχαριστώ” (ef-ha-ree-STO)

Good Evening: Καλησπέρα (kah-lees-peh-rah)

Yes: Ναί (Naí)

No: Όχι (OH-hee)

How to say one through ten in Greek

One: ένα (éna)

Two: δύο (dýo)

Three: τρία (tría)

Four: τέσσερα (téssera)

Five: πέντε (pénte)

Six: έξι (éxi)

Seven: επτά (eptá)

Eight: οκτώ (októ)

Nine: εννέα (ennéa)

Ten: δέκα (déka)

Helpful tips when traveling to Lesbos, Greece

Sim card: We purchased a sim card from Cosmote which included unlimited data for 30 day and cost $17.63 USD. We purchased ours in Thessaloniki, Greece but there is a location in Mytilini on Lesbos.

ATM: We used a Eurobank ATM. It only charge €1.80 EUR fee, but remember never to select conversion! After you select local currency it will ask you again if you want to convert, HIT NO! This is very important, if you opt to have the money converted you will likely pay a 20% conversion fee for the withdrawal.

Is Lesbos pedestrian friendly? Yes, but you need to pay attention because there isn't always a sidewalk and people ride mopeds down the narrow streets.

Is the tap water safe to drink? NO! The tap water on the island is not safe to drink, but you can buy affordable bottled water almost everywhere. The water and ice that the restaurants give you is safe.

Language: The official language is Greek though English is widely spoken in the tourist areas. But if you are like us and venture out of the tourist areas Google Translate works well and the Greek people are more than happy to work with you. The written language uses the Greek alphabet that was formalized in the year 403 BCE, almost 2500 years ago!

Maps: We used Google Maps for walking and bus directions and it worked really well. Though don't be surprised if the bus is running a few minutes behind.

Buses: There are not many busses on the island and Sunday there is only one between the town of Petra and Mytilini! For up to date information on the bus check the schedule HERE.

Plug type: Greece uses two plug types, Type C (two round pins) and type F (two round pins with two grounding clips). The voltage is 240V so your 110-120V hairdryer for the U.S. will not work there.

Visa: Greece is part of the Schengen Area so as of 2025 U.S citizens do not need a visa for stays under 90 days. Starting in late 2026 US citizens will need to apply for an ETIAS (European Travle Information and Authorization System).

Public restrooms: Most cafes and restaurants have restrooms as well as some of the beaches. You CAN NOT flush your toilet paper on the island.

Public trash cans: There are many public trash cans around, especially in tourist areas

How we got to Lesbos from Thessaloniki, Greece

Blue Star Ferry: We decided to take an overnight ferry from Thessaloniki to Mytilene. The port in Thessaloniki was easy to navigate, just follow the signs and crowds. We bought tickets online in advance and if you want a cabin I recommend you do so as they were all full when we boarded. We bought general seat tickets which have no assigned seats, so I recommend getting there early if you want a nice window seat like we had. There is an outdoor eating area that sells snacks, sandwiches and coffee, but we brought our own food to save money. There are also racks in the seating area to store your luggage. The ferry is overnight and takes about 13 hours depending on which one you choose. When we went there were lots of empty seats so we were able to lay under the armrests (they do not go up) . It was okay, but only worked because we are smaller. Some people brought mats and slept on the floor and that looked a lot better. I wish they dimmed the lights at night because they were really bright and made it hard to sleep. There is WIFI, but you have to pay for it. There are also daily flights from Athens, Greece to Mytilene if an overnight ferry ride is not for you.

How we left Lesbos Island

iZDENiZ Ferry: Okay, so here's what we did, but I definitely do not recommend this! The bus only runs once on Sundays from Petra to Mytilene and it was running late so it got us there 5 minutes after final check-in for the ferry, then the passport control line was out the door, we never saw where to pick up our tickets (nor did we have time to) so we just walked on the boat like we owned it and they took a picture of our passport and let us on.... I'm not sure if we got lucky or if that's normal. There was no WIFI, but there were concessions and toilets, but bring your own toilet paper. I recommend you take the bus on Saturday and stay in Mytilene or pay for a taxi on Sunday because I heard that sometimes the bus on Sunday never shows up so it's not worth the risk. And as with the arrival, there are daily flights off the island from Mytilene to Athens, Greece.

Petra, Greece to Izmir, Turkey:

Check out Don's YouTube Video on Lesbos Island HERE

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