Skala Eressou

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Skala Eressou is a seaside village on the island of Lesbos Greece.

[edit] Overview

The word Skala can be translated as "beach". The village has two access roads, one from the north and one from the west. Both lead towards the central square, which is paved with flagstones, but due to the one-way system, vehicle access is restricted. On the outskirts of the village, there are several large car parks which can accommodate cars while people visit the village.

The volcanic character of the west side of Lesbos is shown in the dark grey color of the beach, which extends for almost three kilometers from a small harbour in the east to the headland in the west. In 2006, the beach of Skala Eressos was again awarded the E.U Blue Flag, for the cleanliness of its waters and its beach.

There are many small family hotels and also self-catering apartments for rent, which are distributed either within the village or just on the outskirts. There is also a dispensary, a pharmacy, a large number of restaurants and bars together with several tourist offices. Every summer, Eressos has a large number of visitors, both Greeks and foreigners. Many lesbian women make the pilgrimage to Skala Eressou in order to visit the birthplace of Sappho, but also to enjoy freedom in an open-minded micro-society which is unfortunately seldom found anywhere else.

The village of Skala Eressos offers all kinds of alternative events throughout the summer, from tai-chi lessons on the beach to reiki, shiatsu or ayurvedic massage. A "Women festival" takes place in Skala Eressou every September, attracting women from all over the world.

In terms of transport, there are daily buses in the summer. But the most convenient way to travel to the village is by taxi from the airport or the port of Mytilene. The trip by taxi will cost somewhere in the region of 65 euro at the time of writing.

[edit] Famous People from Eressos

Skala Eressou was the home town for the ancient Greek philosopher Phanias, who was a pupil of Aristotle. The town is also famed in history for being the birthplace of Sappho, the legendary lyric poetess also called the "Tenth Muse" and of Theophrastus, the father of classical botany. The ancient city walls are still visible from when it was an important trading centre.

Coordinates: 39°08′N, 25°56′E