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TOWNS
& VILLAGES
Of LESVOS
STAVROS
STAVROS
(Upper & Lower)
To get to the village of Stavros you need to fol low
the coastal road at the eastern end of the Vatera beach.
At the end of the beach, the road turns inland and running
parallel to Vourkos River which divides the village, leads
you to the picturesque village of Stavros, Upper & Lower,
tucked away amongst the greenery.
Quite paradoxically Upper (Ano) Stavros lies lower than
Lower (Kato) Stavros which is located at a higher
level. The local explanation for this unusual naming
practice is that that it relates to the proximity to the
coast, rather than the geological positioning.
Apart from the distance to the coast the villagers like to
poin t
out, that the residents of Lower Stavros hailed from
Agiasos and the residents of Upper Stavros from
Polichnitos. Of course the significance of this in the
present day of moving populations is not as high as it was
a century ago. In any case the distance from Lower Stavros
to the beach is 4 km & to Vatera 6 km. To get to Upper
Stavros you can add another 1.5 km
The main occupation of the locals is agriculture and
husbandry, producing olives, olive oil ( with their very
own Olive Press ) cheese (fresh cheese and cheese matured
in olive oil), pasta made with coarse wheat flour and sour
milk ( traxanas), organic vegetables and mushrooms picked
in the forested areas (pefkites ).
Vourkos River is life giving to the village as it waters
the small plane located between the coast and the village.
In the springtime, a good marshy area at its exit to the
Aegean, is a veritable paradise for migrant birds (such as
Little Egrets), also insects and butterflies.
Along the northern gravel road between Lower ( Kato)
Stavros and A mbeliko
several Common Buzzards, Robins in their hundreds, a lot
of Common Chaffinch feeding on the olives, several
warblers like Whinchat and Stonechat can be seen in the
spring. You can safely leave your car and walk towards the
small chapels ... counting birds for sure and enjoying
the great mountainous views.
When you reach Ambeliko ( after 9 km of steady rising)
driving through the small villages of Akrasi, Neochori,
and Palaeochori you can get to the coastal location of
Melinda for a well deserved swim in the clear sea , a rest
in one of the two homely tavernas and if you are looking
for orchids you will not be disappointed.
If you choose not to take the uphill northern road to
Ambeliko, you can carry on straight ahead out of the
village and head to the small hamlet of Drota and its
secluded beach. Further on is the picturesque chapel of
Panayia Kryfti fashioned inside the high cave by the sea.
From this vantage position you can enjoy the best sunsets
of the Aegean.
Click here for Information regarding
ACCOMMODATION
in
VATERA
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