Perhaps it’s the dilapidated windmill or the pungent aroma of oregano which gives Sigri a magical feel of an island town from another era. This untouched essence is hard to find anywhere but particularly in Greece whose popularity as a tourist destination has “ruined” the authenticity of most of the Greek islands. Sigri’s lack of popularity is by no means an indication of lack of tourist attractions but rather an indication of the hassle it takes to get there. The town and surrounding area boasts ruins of a Turkish castle, a hilltop monastery, one of the largest petrified forests in the world, a natural history museum, and deserted beaches. While these attractions make a nice laundry list of activities to keep you busy on your holiday, once you arrive in Sigri you’ll realize that one of the best parts of being there is simply enjoying the hospitality of its residents and the culinary delights.
Getting to Sigri is the most challenging part of the trip. After flying into Mytilline, the main city on Lesvos, driving to Sigri takes a minimum of two hours on winding roads through Lesvos’ mountains. If you plan on exploring the surrounding countryside or making a trip to the monastery consider renting a car as hitchhiking once you get to Sigri is virtually impossible due to a lack of any traffic. If your main goal is to relax in the town and nearby beaches taking a bus can allow you to avoid the treacherous roads.
Sigri’s remoteness is the very thing that has protected it from overdevelopment. Organized tours were run to Sigri during the late 1980s and throughout the 90s but the last tour company stopped running tours right after the turn of the century. While this can mean an unreliable flow of tourists for business owners in the town, it does mean that tourists who choose to come to Sigri are the kind of tourists who are looking for a genuine Greek experience rather than the curio shops and nightclubs which liter other Greek islands.
Indeed many of these tourists actually return to Sigri year after year. A former tour leader on the island indicated that during the 15 years of running tours in the town, over two-thirds of people return at least once. When asked why they return, tourists say they come back for the people and the authenticity of the town. One British couple that has been vacationing in the village for over twenty years articulated feeling like “part of the family” in Sigri. When asked what has changed over the years the couple has been vacationing in Sigri she said nothing other than people being born and dying. An American tourist visiting Greece for the first time said that even though normally she doesn’t go back to places she would be reluctant to go anywhere else in Greece for fear that it wouldn’t feel as special and authentic as Sigri feels.
Business owners also express affection for tourists who are interested in the town itself. The owner of the only jewelry shop in the town said that he welcomes tourists, even large groups especially when they’re interested in the history and culture of the town and when they come for more than just partying.
But one word of advice for your trip to Sigri: take enough cash to cover your stay there because Sigri is at the end of the road but beyond the end of the bank machine lines.
Getting to Sigri is the most challenging part of the trip. After flying into Mytilline, the main city on Lesvos, driving to Sigri takes a minimum of two hours on winding roads through Lesvos’ mountains. If you plan on exploring the surrounding countryside or making a trip to the monastery consider renting a car as hitchhiking once you get to Sigri is virtually impossible due to a lack of any traffic. If your main goal is to relax in the town and nearby beaches taking a bus can allow you to avoid the treacherous roads.
Sigri’s remoteness is the very thing that has protected it from overdevelopment. Organized tours were run to Sigri during the late 1980s and throughout the 90s but the last tour company stopped running tours right after the turn of the century. While this can mean an unreliable flow of tourists for business owners in the town, it does mean that tourists who choose to come to Sigri are the kind of tourists who are looking for a genuine Greek experience rather than the curio shops and nightclubs which liter other Greek islands.
Indeed many of these tourists actually return to Sigri year after year. A former tour leader on the island indicated that during the 15 years of running tours in the town, over two-thirds of people return at least once. When asked why they return, tourists say they come back for the people and the authenticity of the town. One British couple that has been vacationing in the village for over twenty years articulated feeling like “part of the family” in Sigri. When asked what has changed over the years the couple has been vacationing in Sigri she said nothing other than people being born and dying. An American tourist visiting Greece for the first time said that even though normally she doesn’t go back to places she would be reluctant to go anywhere else in Greece for fear that it wouldn’t feel as special and authentic as Sigri feels.
Business owners also express affection for tourists who are interested in the town itself. The owner of the only jewelry shop in the town said that he welcomes tourists, even large groups especially when they’re interested in the history and culture of the town and when they come for more than just partying.
But one word of advice for your trip to Sigri: take enough cash to cover your stay there because Sigri is at the end of the road but beyond the end of the bank machine lines.
