Lesbos holidays

There are dozens of beaches in Lesbos, ticking off everything from hidden-away bays to volcanic sand swathes. One that's considered the best in the biz is Agios Isidoros Beach. This vanilla-hued sweep is near Plomari, on the southern coast of the island. It has glassy waters, making it a winning pick for a sea dip, and there are a few bars and tavernas near the sand.

Hoping to pick up some holiday souvenirs? The capital city of Mytilene's the place to be. It has a couple of major shopping spots – Ermou Street and the Covered Market spring to mind – and as this island flies a little under the radar compared to some of Greek's more touristy spots, you can often snap up a real bargain.

Sunset drinks in bars with boho vibes are all the rage in the seaside town of Skala Eressos. This place sits on the south-west coast, and many joints along the seafront are cafés by day, and cocktail lounges by night. If sipping cold mojitos with a chilled-out jazz-and-blues soundtrack sounds like your kind of vibe, this place ticks all the boxes.

Lesbos is famous for being the home of Greece's iconic drink – ouzo. The island produces over half of Greece's total output of the stuff, so you can see why it's such a big deal here. There are fistfuls of distilleries dotted around the island where you can learn about the ingredients and see the production process. You can even try some for yourself, if you fancy.