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Plomari, southern Lesvos's only sizeable coastal settlement, is the world's capital of ouzo production, it has a population of 4,000 and is situated 2km from Agios Isidoros.
Every day except Sunday, at 10.30am hotel boss Vicky fired up her minibus and dropped guests off in the town centre for free. Described as Beautiful, authentic and bustling by The Lonely Planet, we absolutely loved spending time bere.
It's not just Wetherspoons pensioners who start the day with a tipple, the Lesvos gents enjoy an ouzo with their morning coffee.
The main square is flanked by beautifully preserved, pastel-coloured grand Palladian mansions. There's so few cars in Plomeri that, by the end of the first week, we knew all of them and, as is typical throughout the Greek islands, their owners never lock them. Isn't this 1960s Mazda T1500 three wheeler a beauty?
Locally grown fruit and veg is remarkably cheap and walking past the fish market we noticed that freshly caught fish was 7 euros a kilo!
A fisherman taking his freshly caught fish to market...
We loved how there are chairs everywhere, allowing weary passers-by to sit in the shade. Xenia, the Greek tradition of guest friendship is alive and well in Lesvos.
The labyrinthine alleyways snaking away from the seafront are full of treasures, like this grand stone built mansion currently on the market for just 50,000€.
And there's always a friendly cat or two.
No matter how limited the space, a Greek will always squeeze in a few potted plants.
More dream houses....
Yassas, chonky!
Geraniums in repurposed olive oil cans, recycling at its prettiest.
There's two Blue Flag beaches in Plomari and we spent a day on both, swimming and sizzling in the 40°C degree before retreating to a nearby taverna for a lazy lunch.
Buy a beer...or a coffee.. and you get a free sunbed & umbrella on all of the beaches in the area, what a contrast to the 120€ sunbeds at st Antony's Bay in Lindos a few years ago!
They live long lives on Lesvos.
Built into the mountain, there's a lot of steps in Plomari but my hip held out.
Plomari's industrial history is visible throughout the town with the chimneys of the old olive oil, ouzo and soap factories piercing the skyline.
One morning we took the coastal path and walked to Plomari. Halfway is the Varvayanni Ouzo factory, which has been producing the finest ouzo in Greece for 164 years. Open six days a week, visitors can pop in for a free tour of the museum and to see the ouzo being distilled and the finished product still bottled by hand in the traditional style. Free samples were available but it was a bit too early, even for us!
We popped into our favourite kafenion for ice cold frappes and one of the locals took an instant fancy to Jon.
Beautiful, unspoilt and an absolute dream to visit....stay tuned for my final instalment coming up very soon!
