Traditional Café "Panhellenion"

The “Panellinion” café in Mytilene began operating in 1916, initially under the name “Anaktorikon,” and in 1921 acquired the name by which it became historically known. For many decades it was a central point of the city’s social life and culture, linked to the rise of the bourgeoisie and the era’s general economic boom. It hosted theatre performances and live music, and had a radio and French billiards, features that made it particularly pioneering. Men of letters and politics frequented the “Panellinion,” such as Eleftherios Venizelos and Georgios Papandreou, and over time separate areas emerged for the aristocracy and the working class. The building, which adorned Mytilene’s waterfront, was listed in 1985, reopened in 2009 and until 2022 once again hosted local social and cultural activities. In the same year it was entered into the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, recognizing its important role in Lesvos’ historical and cultural identity.