Take a ferry to Limnos and meet the volcanic island with traditional stone villages, fertile plains, beautiful clean beaches, ideal island for a quiet vacation!
Lemnos is the frontier island of the Aegean Sea, a volcanic island that justifies the legend according to ancient Greek mythology that it was the island of Hephaestus, the god of fire and volcanoes. It is a large island in the northeastern Aegean, located between the island of Samothraki in the northeast and Agios Efstratios in the southwest.
There are no forests on the island, but it has fertile fields planted with vineyards with local wine varieties that are famous all over the world.Along its coast, there are many beautiful sandy beaches, most of them easily accessible, while 4 of them are awarded with the Blue Flag.The island has two lakes, a salt lake (Limni Aliki) and Lake Chortarolimni which is a haven for flamingos and other birds and in the winter months when the water is captured, the area becomes a small nature reserve. The existence of more than 40 villages with traditional houses is definitely worth the traveler's visit.
Also during a holiday the traveler will discover interesting places such as the desert of Lemnos known as "Pachies Amoudies") and the Cape of Falakro that millions of years ago the hot volcanic lava created a beautiful geographical phenomenon with fascinating petrified rocks that is of great interest to photographers. Also it is important to mention that the island has interesting archeological sites such as the ancient site of Ifestia (or Hephaistia) which is located in the north of Lemnos where the visitor can admire ancient baths, a Hellenistic theatre, remnants of a palace, and the ruins of a sanctuary devoted to the Great Goddess.
Due to the great distance from Athens, Lemnos has retained its charm and has not been affected by mass tourism and for this reason it is an ideal destination for families.
Plan your summer vacation to the beautiful island of Limnos and book your ferry tickets to Limnos in advance to find availability on ferry schedules that suit your personal preferences.
Reaching Limnos by ferry
Reaching Lemnos by ferry can easily be accomplished from Athens, either from the port of Lavrion, which is located in the southern part of Attica and the journey is shorter, as well as from the port of Piraeus with a longer journey time. During the summer, Lemnos is also connected by ferry with the port of Kavala in northern Greece. In particular, the ferry connections are:
- Lavrion to Limnos ferry: all year round, 3 times a week and the journey takes 9 hours
- Piraeus to Limnos ferry: all year round , 2 times a week and the journey takes around 22 -24 hours
- Kavala to Limnos ferry: There are 4 to 5 ferry departures per week from Kavala to Lemnos and the journey takes about 4 hours
Please note that the trip to Limnos can be made by conventional or high-speed ferry, depending on the season, day and shipping company, and the duration of the trip varies depending on the type of ship and the shipping company.The frequency of ferries can also be increased during the high season that the routes of all shipping companies multiply.
Ferry connections from Limnos to Greek Islands
Besides the connections with the main ports of Athens, there are regular ferry connections from Limnos to the Greek islands of the Dodecanese and the Cyclades, with Chios (Mesta), Karlovasi (Samos), Mytilene (Lesvos), Ikaria (Agios Kirikos & Evdilos), Patmos, Fourni and Agios Efstratios, Syros, Naxos, Paros, Tinos, Mykonos and with Northern Greece, Kavala and Thessaloniki. Ferry frequency varies by season and ferry operator, but is usually 2 or 3 crossings per week.
Port of Limnos
The main port of Limnos is in Myrina the capital of the island located on the west coast and is classified as the eighth largest in Greece. Daily scheduled ferries reach the port of Myrina from the ports of Piraeus and Lavrion. The port of Limnos is the starting point of the economic life of the whole island. In fact, it consists of two bays, the small Venetian one, as it seems to be very picturesque, with its cobbled street and traditional taverns where fresh fish from the northern Aegean is served, and the newer, passenger and commercial one. Along the waterfront, you will find plenty of restaurants and traditional taverns, An impressive medieval castle lies between the two bays and is worth a visit. The paved market street starts from the port and leads to the town's picturesque alleys all within walking distance where the visitor can find numerous shops and cafes glued next to each other.
How to get from Limnos port to Limnos town
When the ship docks in the port of Myrina, visitors can get to Limnos town either on foot, which takes about 20 minutes, or by using a free shuttle 30-seat municipal minibus that is available each time a ferry arrives. Please, ask the tourist office at the port for further details.
Getting around in Limnos
If you are traveling without your own vehicle, you can easily get around Limnos by public bus, taxi and rented car or motorbikes.
Bus
Bus service on the island is poor with few buses during the day! Although there are local buses that run daily (usually in the morning) to most places on the island, to Varo, Lyhna, Moudro, Roussopouli, Kaminia, Agia Sofia, Caspaka, Korno, Agio Dimitrio, Pedino, Portiano, Rimano, Kalliopi, Panagia and Plaka, sometimes there is no return bus until the next day.
There is a ticket office in the bus station in Eleftheriou Venizelou square with the timetables. We recommend you to ask for the timetables because they change frequently.
For more information please visit KTEL Limnos or contact +30 22540 22464.
Taxi
The option of hiring a taxicab is the safest and fastest transportation solution for visiting any place in Limnos! For more information, please call Radio Taxi Limnos at +30 22540 23820.
Holidays in Lemnos
The truth is that when the traveler chooses his holidays in Lemnos he doesn't know that gradually he will start to discover the charm and beauty of this island! Although this island is, in general, less popular than those of the Cyclades, it is no less beautiful and in many ways has retained its Greekness more than the more popular islands. It has one of the most beautiful harbors in Greece, more than 30 beautiful beaches and picturesque, traditional villages that are still untouched by mass tourism, amazing sites with archaeological value and incredible nature.
Moreover, the traveler will meet the island with unique ecosystems, from wild landscapes to waterfalls and sea caves. He will be surprised when he will discover that in Limnos there is the only desert in Greece (and maybe in the whole of Europe) surrounded by green hills, a great experience for fun in the sand and lots of photos, while he will be impressed by the magnificent rock formations in Falakro, in the northern part of the island.
Even for the most active travelers, it is ideal for windsurfing and kitesurfing, as Lemnos enjoys constant winds during the summer. Lastly, those who love gastronomy will be satisfied by tasting the wonderful famous wine varieties of Limnos such as Muscat of Alexandria, Limnio, Kalampaki, Mandilaria, Fokiano, and Assyrtiko together with delicious traditional dishes.As for accommodation, a wide variety is available in Lemnos, from 5-star hotels, villas, to simple rooms in family-run hotels and guesthouses.
Below you will find some information about suggested accommodation, places and beaches to visit according to travelers’ reviews:
Limnos Hotels
- Lemnos Village Resort Hotel
- Kalliopi Luxury Apartments
- Traditional Stone House
- Archontiko Hotel
- Varos Village Boutique Hotel
- The Varos Residences
- Porto Plaza Hotel
- Ethaleia Estate Hotel
- Stonehouses Lemnos
- Iliovasilema Hotel
- Platy Beach Hotel
Lemnos Beaches
In Limnos the traveler will find beautiful and untouched beaches. The most popular and organized beaches are located on the western side of the island with beach bars, sunbeds and umbrellas while on the eastern side they are more secluded but offer the opportunity for sports lovers to windsurf and kitesurf!
The following beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag:
- Platy
- Thanos
- Evgatis
- Agios Ioannis
Other popular beaches:
- Mikro Fanaraki & Megalo Fanaraki (Moudros)
- Romeikos Gialos (Myrina)
- Riha Nera (Myrina)
- Panagia Beach
- Kotsinas Beach
- Atsiki Beach
- Gomati beach
- Zematas Beach
- Havouli Beach
- Keros Beach - Ideal for windsurfing
Places to Visit
- Byzantine Castle of Myrina
- Philoctetes Cave
- Church of Panagia Kakaviotissa
- Hephaistia - Ruins of an ancient settlement
- Archaeological Museum of Limnos
- The sanctuary of Artemis
- Kaspakas village
- Kavirio Temple(Chloe) -remains of a sanctuary connected with the cult of Kabiroi on Samothraki. The temple was dedicated to Thracian Aphrodite.
- Kondias village
- Moudros - second largest town of the island and commercial and fishing port
- Poliochni - most important archaeological site in Limnos island
- Repanidi - Here is a Byzantine Castle
- Natural reserve and salt lakes of Kontopouli
- Sand dunes on the north part of the island
- Cave of the Seal
- Faraklo Geological Park
- Folklore Museum in Portianos
Island hopping from Lemnos
Lemnos is a great location for island hopping to the islands of the eastern Aegean. Some of the most popular sea routes from Lemnos are to Chios and Lesvos. Also there is a possibility of making an excursion to the nearby island of Agios Efstratios.
