Bays, villages, castles and chapels. Discover the places I have collected over the years, along with their photographs, memories and local legends.
This personal guide includes photographs and memories from the original Visit Leros collection. Older business recommendations are marked as archive memories; please check current services, opening times and boat arrangements directly. Click a photograph to return to the island map.
A lovely coastal area with a beach and views across the water towards Kalymnos. It is a good starting point for exploring Paleokastro and the nearby chapel of Panagia Kavouradena.
From the original guide: I noted local boat connections to Kalymnos, camping and diving activities here. Check which services are available when planning your visit.
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Above Xirokampos, Paleokastro, also known as the Castle of Lepida, is well worth a visit for its views and layers of history. The fortifications occupy an ancient acropolis site, with remains reused and altered over successive periods.
Take your time here. The stonework and the outlook across the bay give this quieter castle its own character.
Read more about Paleokastro's history
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This small chapel, built into the coastal rock near Xirokampos, is one of the places I encourage visitors to discover.
A fisherman searching for crabs was bitten by one. When he discovered an icon of Panagia, the Virgin Mary, his wound was miraculously healed. According to the story, the chapel was built where he found the icon.
Lakki is one of the island's principal harbours, set around a large natural bay. Walk along the waterfront and allow time to appreciate the town's distinctive architecture from the Italian period.
The harbour also holds an important wartime story. The Greek destroyer Vasilissa Olga, or Queen Olga, was sunk here during a German air raid on 26 September 1943. A memorial commemorates the ship and those who were lost.
Read the Hellenic Navy's account of Vasilissa Olga
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Gourna offers a broad beach with shallow water. Nearby Drymonas is another corner of the coastline to explore, with the church of Panagia Gourlomata also mentioned in the original guide.
A memory from the original guide: I recommended Sotos restaurant in Drymonas for seafood and suggested asking about local specialities. This recommendation belongs to the earlier collection.
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Alinda, also written Alinta, is one of the island's well-known beach areas. In the original guide I described it as a lively choice for a beach day and mentioned windsurfing. Belenis Tower adds a cultural stop to a visit here.
Back to the place directoryIn Alinda, Belenis Tower houses a collection connected with the island's history and folklore. Its distinctive towers make it an easy landmark to recognise.
From the original guide: Summer activities around this area included wine festivals, the Alinta Games and theatrical productions. Check the current programme for your visit.
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Panagies is one of the small coastal places I included for visitors seeking a quieter moment. Continue exploring this part of the island to discover Dyo Liskaria, also written Dio Liskaria, another little bay mentioned in the original guide.
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Kryfos, sometimes written Krifos, is a secluded coastal spot beyond Dyo Liskaria. The original guide described reaching it by boat from Alinda or by a demanding route on foot. Ask locally about access and conditions before setting out.
Back to the place directoryA lively waterfront town with places to stop for a coffee, a meal or an evening drink. Its streets connect with Platanos above, making the two places rewarding to explore together.
Agia Marina is also a harbour used by passenger boats. Confirm your departure port and current connections with your operator, as arrangements can change.
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Partheni is close to the island's airport and forms part of Leros's northern landscape. It is also associated with the ancient worship of Artemis, the goddess of hunting.
The original guide referred to the Temple of Artemis. Archaeological evidence in the area supports the connection with her worship, although the temple's precise location is uncertain.
Read more about Artemis and Partheni
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Beyond Partheni, Blefouti is a lovely bay to include in your exploration of the island. It is one of the beaches I encouraged readers of the original guide to discover.
A memory from the original guide: I recommended a relaxing lunch at Artemis Restaurant and remembered Frideriki's calamari in particular.
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Platanos is an important administrative and shopping centre, with the town hall and familiar island life around its square. Take time to wander through the streets rather than simply passing through.
In the original guide, I suggested asking for directions to Agia Paraskevi, the old cathedral of the island.
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The castle above the town is one of Leros's most recognisable landmarks. Within it is the church of Panagia tou Kastrou, known for its revered icon and religious treasures. The original guide also described a collection of manuscripts, holy books, icons and ecclesiastical objects.
According to local tradition, an icon of Panagia arrived from Constantinople in a small boat with a candle burning beside it and nobody steering. The islanders took the icon to the cathedral, but it appeared the following day inside a locked arsenal at the castle.
When the priests returned it to the cathedral, the same thing happened again. The story tells that the Turkish captain, who held the only keys to the arsenal, recognised the miracle and gave the room to the islanders to house the icon.
On the road towards the castle, stop to appreciate the windmills and the views across the settlements and the sea.
Castle information from the Municipality of Leros
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A beautiful fishing village with boats, waterfront tables and places to enjoy an evening by the sea. The road towards the castle and the windmills is another connection to explore from this area.
A memory from the original guide: Savana Bar, near the end of the village, was one of my favourite places to relax in the evening. I remembered Peter, the music and an extensive collection of CDs.
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Between Panteli and Vromolithos, Spilia was described in the original guide as a convenient base for exploring the two beach areas.
It is also part of this website's family story: the original pages introduced Rodon Hotel and Dimitris Ouzeri here.
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A beautiful beach area to discover near Panteli and Spilia. The original guide also mentioned the coastal rocks known locally as Deftera and Psili, which form part of my memories of this shore.
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Agios Georgios, called Agios Georgis in the original guide, is another chapel associated with a quieter coastal corner. I included Vourlidia as somewhere to relax away from the busier places.
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A chapel built on a rocky islet and reached by a narrow stone causeway. Walking towards it can feel as though you are walking across the surface of the sea.
This is one of the images of Leros that stays with me. Take a moment to enjoy the setting as well as the chapel itself.
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In the original guide, I described reaching this chapel as requiring some effort, but being well worth it for the peaceful setting. Ask locally about the appropriate route before including it in your plans.
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North of Partheni, Agia Kioura, also known as Matrona, is a small church with an important connection to the island's modern history. Its distinctive religious paintings were created by political exiles during the Greek dictatorship.
A local told me of a pirate's widow who settled here with his crew. She used the wealth her husband had left to care for the islanders, who called her Kyra, or Kioura in the Lerian dialect, meaning lady. In this local telling, a church was built in her memory after her death.
Read more about Agia Kioura's history and paintings
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The small island of Agia Kyriaki, with its white chapel, is another place included in the original guide. A visit depends on suitable boat arrangements and conditions.
A fisherman who visited the island to collect salt kept stumbling over a piece of wood. He threw it into the sea, only to find it there again on his next visit. The third time, he looked more closely and discovered that it was an icon of Saint Kyriaki. According to the story, he built a chapel where he found it.
My favourite taverna and restaurant on the island. Follow Karaflas on Instagram for photographs and updates, or join the Facebook group celebrating his food.
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