Kalloni

Kalloni lies on the gulf of the same name in central Lesvos and is the island’s second-largest commercial center after Mytilene. It is built on an extensive and fertile plain crossed by six rivers, which favor vineyards, olive groves and orchards. In antiquity, thanks to its strategic position, Kalloni was one of the island’s wealthiest villages, while its gulf has been and remains a major fishing center. The area has always been a key transit point, as evidenced by the many archaeological sites identified. The Kalloni wetland, which encompasses the entire coastal zone of the gulf, is considered one of Europe’s most important, with rich biodiversity including about 1,500 plant species—among them rare orchids—and 311 recorded bird species. A special point of interest is the Kalloni saltpans, which produce large quantities of salt annually. In spring, the road to the saltpans offers a striking landscape known as the “red field of poppies,” thanks to their mass flowering.