The beaches of Eftalou

Eftalou lies on the northern coast of Lesvos a couple of kilometres north by road from the ancient town of Molyvos. The beaches are reached by following the road down to the first right turn past the Hotel Sun Rise; the Hotel Alcaeos Beachclub is on the left side of the bend. The Hotel Eftalou and Restaurant Fantastico follow on the immediate right. Opposite these are a parking area and the beginning of a short gravel footpath which leads down to the middle of the first bay.

All these bays have quiet pebble beaches, and all are used by sunbathers; the sea is crystal clear, but the shorelines are matted with scruffy-looking dried seaweed. The wooded hills on the western coast of Turkey are clearly visible across the water.

 

A long sweeping bay, very narrow, set away from the road. It leads from a headland, past showers and a changing cubicle at the Hotel Elpis, past the beach front of the Hotel Alcaeos, and right round to the Panselinos Hotel back on the road.

 

BETA BAY

This bay is long, narrow, and hugged by the road. The Anatoli Restaurant and Mithimna Beach Hotel are separated from the beach by the road and a few trees. A lone showerhead hangs off the kerb just before the next high headland.

 

GAMMA BAY

Not as long as Alpha or Beta, but deeper and with more trees to afford some roadside shade. On the other side of the street there are holiday villas and the Restaurant Eftalou. The beach has showers, changing cubicles, and ends at a taxi car park.

 

ONE FINAL BAY BEFORE THE SLIP ROAD TO THE HOT SPRING …..

There is one last small bay, a few steps down behind the taxi car park, before the Eftalou Hot Spring. A short slip road – along which there is room for about four or five cars to park end-to-end – leads down to the bath house. The main road peels off up into the hills.

 

BAY 1 – EFTALOU HOT SPRING

Small-to-medium beach, narrow and rough with craggy rocks, in shade throughout the morning. The Hot Spring is in a small white-domed building with adjacent shower – admission €2.50. Temperatures are between 43.6°C and 46.5°C.

 

BAY 2

The end of the first beach is marked by two rocks topped with white masts. The following bay is a small cove, not more than a dozen paces in length, and mostly in shade before noon.

BAY 3

The third bay has a broad pebbled beach which extends back twenty or so yards to scrub-covered hills. This is the last bay with facilities: the wishfully-named Golden Beach Restaurant, plus showers and changing cubicles.

 

BAY 4

Similar in size to the previous bay, but without the restaurant, showers or cubicles – a simplicity which arguably makes it all the more open and natural.

 

http://www.phespirit.info/places/2002_09_molyvos_2.htm