GreekIn September 2012, the entire island of Lesvos was awarded the title of Geopark by UNESCO, having geological heritage of international recognition and rich natural and cultural environment. If you are interested in geotourism, without a doubt this island offers the chance to be engaged in exciting tours for exploration and learning. Inactive volcanos such as that of Lepetymnos or Anemotia, calderas such as that of Agra or Vatousa, volcanic domes like those of Ypsilos, Eresos or Mithymna, Columnar lava formations such as of Pelopi, large geological faults like that of Larsos, sites with important concentrations of fossilized remains, thermal springs and rocky coasts are some of nature’s creations which attract more and more the interest of visitors.
A significant component of the Geopark is Lesvos’ Petrified Forest, a unique geological monument that you will have the chance to meet at the west part of the island, in the region of Sigri. It has been declared “Protected natural Monument” by the Greek state and is a major pole of attraction for scientists and visitors from all over the world.
In this area, in addition to your visit to the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest you can also wander around the Park of Petrified Forest, following the Lava path, a network of hiking trails connecting the Park with Eressos and Sigri. Along these trails, besides the impressive petrified trunks you will also admire sites of rare natural beauty and amazing geological formations. You will also have the chance to visit by glass bottom boat with organised tour the islet Nissiopi, opposite to Sigri, which is part of the Pertifired Forest. Here, 41 fossiliferous sites have been revealed, containing impressive petrified trunks, from which the most outstanding is that of a sekoia with 17.20 m. high and a diameter at its base which reaches 1.70 m.!
On Lesvos there are also important sites of natural habitats belonging to the NATURA 2000 Network: of course the southwest peninsula & the Petrified Forest but also the Gulfs of Kalloni and Gera, the marshes of Ntipi and Charamida, North Lesvos (its western part expanding to the west of Mithymna and Petra, towards the mount Lepetymnos, ending in the east at the cape Korakas in Mandamados and its eastern part covering the area of Agios Stefanos-Palios-Sarakina in Mandamados and the islet Monopetra close to Tsonia), the Mount Olympos as well as the Lesvos islets (Tomaronisia, Kydonas, Agios Georgios, Glaronisi).
Info:
www.lesvosgeopark.grwww.lesvosmuseum.grwww.hellenicgeoparks.gr
