Due south of Mount Olympos and perched on the edge of the fan, Plomari is the only sizeable coastal settlement in the south, and indeed the second largest town on Lesvos. It presents an unlikely juxtaposition of scenic appeal and its famous ouzo distilling industry among several local brands, Varvayianni is the most famous but Yiannatsi and Arvanitou are reckoned just as good. They can all be sampled at the traditional kafenia. The local panigiri season kicks off in mid-July with an ouzo festival, and culminates towards the end month in celebrations honouring Agios Haralambos and including such rural activities as horse race. The seside summer resort of Agios Isidoros lies on the east, two kilometers far from Plomari, while picturesque Amoudelli is located on the west. Agios Isidoros has been voted as the seventh best beach of Greece, in a voting that took place through internet within the program clean coasts.
West of Plomari 6Km away you can reach Melinda, a 700-metre sand-and-shingle beach at the mouth of a canyon choked with olive trees. It’s an alluring place, with sweeping views west towards the Vatera coast and the cape of Agios Fokas.
Another great beach is Tarti, about 22Km from Plomari, is a 400-metre-wide cove. Rocky capes gird it to either side, or the water in the bay are unique in colour and clearance.A vivid, evolving city.
Plomari combines the past with the present, tradition with progress, memories with historic necessity. The abandoned olive-presses and soap factories, the mansions with the peculiar architecture of projected upper floors, the narrow alleys, the imposing churches of the town and of Megalohori with the woodcut icon screen of great art value and the folklore museum with various exhibits are the evidence of the great flourish that the town achieved in the last century. The cultural centre, former soap factory restored with great longing, is the centre of intellectual and cultural life of the town, and today a hall of cultural activities, conferences, permanent and periodic exhibitions. It is called Veniamin the Lesbian, in honour of the Nation’s great teacher who was barn in Megalohori.
The ouzo of Plomari is considered as the best one. Several local brands, Varvayianni is the most famous but Yiannatsi and Arvanitou are reckoned just as good. Most kafenion owners in Greece will admit that the best ouzo comes from this island and they probably carry one of the more popular Lesvos products. Ouzo is made from a precise combination of pressed grapes and herbs and berries. It begins as alcohol made from grape skins or other local products. It is then brought together with herbs and other ingredients, including star anise, coriander, cloves, angelica root, liquorice, mint, wintergreen, fennel, hazelnut and even cinnamon and lime blossom. The mixture is boiled in a copper still, regulated by a taster. The resulting liquid is cooled and stored for several months before it is diluted to about 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol.
