Lesvos, or Mytilini, Jewel of the North Aegean is island of natural beauty in the Aegean Sea just five kilometers from the coast of Turkey, to the north of Chios and south of Limnos and is the third largest of all Greek islands. The island has been immortalized by the poetry of Sappho and Alcaeus both born here.The green island of Lesvos is like no other. Virtually unaffected by the mass tourism, Lesvos is the perfect place to visit for people who want to experience the real Greece. The history of the island is as colourful as its traditions, not surprising when you consider that it has been ruled successively by the Byzantines, the Genoese and the Turks. The island has been liberated in 1912. The remains of many historical monuments can still be seen today and some have been preserved to exceptional standards. In fact Lesvos is one of the few islands in Greece where most of the towns and villages have been preserved with much of the original architectural heritage intact. There are numerous sand and pebble beaches and many sheltered and isolated coves dotted along the spectacular indented coastline. Two huge natural bodies of water, the Gulf of Yera in the North and the Gulf of Kalloni in the centre give the island it's 'leaf like' shape and create fertile agricultural plains and valleys. The breathtaking landscape rolls through regions of pine-covered mountains to areas of barren, yet dramatic volcanic stone.