Agiasos

Agiasos sits at about 475 metres in chestnut and pine forest on the flank of the island's Mount Olympus, and it is the craft centre of Lesvos: workshops produce carved wood, pottery and textiles, and the narrow cobbled lanes are lined with them alongside cafes serving the local ouzo. The village grew around the church of Panagia Vrefokratousa, which holds an icon traditionally attributed to Saint Luke, brought here in the ninth century; its feast on 15 August draws pilgrims from across the island and beyond. The church complex includes a small ecclesiastical museum and a folk museum. Above the village the forest gives walking routes toward the summit, and chestnut gathering in autumn is a local occasion.

What you actually see

• The craft workshops - woodcarving, ceramics and weaving in the lanes.
• Panagia Vrefokratousa - the pilgrimage church and its ancient icon.
• The cobbled village - stone houses and covered passages on the slope.
• The chestnut forest - woodland walks above the village.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the forest and comfortable walking; 15 August for the pilgrimage, when the village is packed. Winter is cold and often misty at this altitude.

Honest expectations

The village is compact and steep, with parking outside the centre. Some workshops sell imported goods alongside local work, so ask. Facilities are limited to cafes and small tavernas.

Nearby

Mytilene lies northeast; the Gulf of Kalloni and the petrified forest are west.