Papados - The Prosperous Seat of the Municipality of Gera

1. General Information
2. Papados Attractions
3. Nearby Attractions

General Information

Papados is situated just under 24 kilometers from the city of Mytilene. A well-tended village, it is the Seat of the Municipality of Gera and one of the largest settlements in eastern Lesvos. Papados was named after the many Orthodox priests (‘papades’) who settled in the area and formed the primary nucleus around which the settlement grew.

Defined by its array of restored mansions and well-maintained residential properties, Papados acts as a center of activity for the entirety of its surrounding areas. The route linking Mytilene to the coastal town of Plomari runs through the village, bringing a number of local or foreign visitors to Papados and facilitating its commercial and modest touristic growth: a hotel, numerous restaurants, a cinema hall, two banks and a couple of petrol stations have been added to the many stores and cafes to be found in Papados.

Papados is renowned for its preservation of the prolonged, age-old celebratory practices relating to the ritual of marriage. In Papados, preparations for a wedding commence on Monday and only end on the Sunday when the wedding is set to take place.

Papados Attractions

If you find yourself in the area, do make the trip to the Papados church of Taxiarches and the ruins of the Medieval fortress northwest of the village. The church of Taxiarches (the Holy Archangels) was built in 1836 and includes a mural depicting Saint Michael that dates from the year 1652 and was removed from the original, much smaller church of the Saint. Visitors to the location of ‘Kastreli’ (Little Castle) will be able to admire the remains of the old Medieval fortress believed to have been linked to the ‘Paleokastro’ (Old Fortress) of Messagros by an underground tunnel.

Arrive at Papados and you will observe numerous large Neo-classical properties that continue to lend their grace to the village. To add to the architectural interest of Papados, the village Town Hall (circa 1904) includes a variety of ceiling paintings.

The Vranas Olive Press and Museum was one of the first steam-powered factories of the Aegean. It was constructed in 1887 by Nicholaos Vranas, the grandfather of the Nobel award-winning poet Odysseas Elytis. The Vranas Olive Press remained operative until the 1970s. Having been restored and converted into a Museum in the four years between 2005 and 2009, today it is host to a variety of cultural events that promote the cultural and touristic development of the area. Opening times are between 10:00 am and 18:00 pm during summer and between 09:00 am and 16:00 pm in the course of the winter season. To arrange a group visit, contact the Museum Management on 22510 82007.

Nearby Attractions

The Bridge of Chryssomelissini bridges the river that traverses Papados and pours into the Bay of Gera. Located just outside the village, it was constructed on the spot where Chryssomelissini (a local woman) was drowned when the river burst its banks.

Nearby beaches include the organized beach of Evriaki and the coastal locations of Fara, Tsilia and Tarti on the northern coast of the island.