Molyvos castle and the hillside village

Molyvos — officially Mithymna — is the picture of north Lesvos: a conical hill above the sea with the village wrapped around it in tight lanes, roofs stepping down towards the water, and a fourteenth-century Genoese castle holding the top. Almost every street is cobbled, most of them climb, and the houses are grey stone with wooden shutters and balconies overhanging the alleys.

The main lane through the village is roofed for much of its length with wisteria on a frame — in April and May it flowers, and even out of season the leaves give an even, dappled light that is far friendlier than the bare sun outside. That covered street is the best midday option in the whole village.

For the wide view, walk up to the castle. From the walls the roofs stack in layers down to the harbour, the sea fills the background, and the Turkish coast is visible across the strait on a clear day. Late afternoon is the hour: the sun comes off the water onto the west-facing hill and the terracotta turns bright.

The harbour below has the tavernas and the fishing boats and is a completely different, flatter, brighter setting. Between the two, expect a lot of climbing on polished cobbles. The castle keeps its own opening hours and charges admission — check before you plan the last light around it.