We will be in Thessaloniki for 3 nights in late August and want to visit an island in the north. We are considering Thassos and Lebos. Any comments on either island? We live in southern California and don't need to spend time on the beach in Greece. We are interested in the culture, history and wish to see a performance in an amphitheater.
Thank you!
Thassos is mostly known for its beaches. I don't know much about Lesbos.
How about Mount Athos???
From Thessaloniki, you can reach Lesbos by ferry, but there is no ferry connection to Thasos, which requires going to the port of Kevala or Keramoti, more than 150 km east of Thessaloniki.
I also suggest the island of Limnos (or Lemnos) . It's much less touristy and well-known than Lesbos, but just as good, and can be reached by ferry on the same route as the route to Lesbos.
Limnos also has an airport with flights to/from Athens and Thessaloniki.
I have not been to Thassos but I have made many wonderful trips to Lesvos. It's a large island -- Greek's third largest -- with so much to see and do, depending on your time constraints and your interests. I don't believe there's an amphitheater with concerts -- but there is a Roman Aquaduct and a prehistoric archeological site at Thermi.
I'm attaching a link to a Matt Barrett website which outlines a 10-day itinerary for a sampling of the island. I've been to almost all of the places he mentions and some that he didn't. If you don't have 10 days, you could pick a few of your favorite sites. Lesvos has good roads and it is very easy to drive there.
My favorite place in Lesvos is one that he did not mention. It's a hotel maybe 20 minutes north of Mytilene, called Votsala. The friendly owners Iannis and Daphne organize special excursions (we went to Pergamon in Turkey once), cooking classes, archeological walks. Your room includes a huge breakfast by the sea, free use of beach toys, a private pebble beach. Tavernas for lunch and dinner are a short walk away, at the port. We've visited a half-dozen times -- we usually fly into Mytilene and taxi to Votsala. Then, when we're ready to explore the island, we have a car delivered to us there -- and then we return it at the airport when we leave. So easy. Highly recommend.
