Leros is an island in the Dodecanese archipelago in the south-east of the Aegean. Its surface area is 53 km2 and it has more than 8000 permanent inhabitants. It is 317 km from Athens and 35 km from the Turkish coast. Since the beginning of its history and because of its strategic position, Leros was the subject of discord for many conquerors until it was integrated into the Greek state in 1948.
Leros is a small mountainous and green island, with high hills and numerous small coves and villages. Leros has retained its authentic character because it has been spared from mass tourism. Most of the buildings are Italian-style, but you will also find typical white houses with blue doors and shutters.
Platanos with the villages of Agia Marina and Panteli constitute the capital of Leros.
Its main ports are Lakkí and Agia Marina. Leros with a very large natural harbor, many sailing yachts and yachts come to anchor in summer, giving the island a cosmopolitan and international character.
The capital, Platanos is dominated by a Byzantine fortress dating from the 11th century and was once a stronghold for the knights of Saint John, as well as the Church of the Virgin Mary (Panagia tou Kastrou) which is the symbol of the island. According to the legend, the icon of the Virgin is miraculous, it appeared from the sea and was installed between two candles in the powder magazine of the castle despite the attempts of the aga to remove it. There is also a museum of discoveries from different eras and you can visit the ancient Cathedral of Agia Paraskevi in Platanos.
The other villages are Pandeli, Xerokambos, Partheni, Alinda, Kamara, Gourna.
A sailing school is located in Lakki and a scuba diving school in Xerokampos.
Next to Xerokampos you will see the ruins of an ancient citadel: the Paleokastro.
Towards Alinda, which is the main seaside resort of the island, you can visit the church of Agios Isidoros, in the Kokkalis region, erected in the middle of the sea and connected by a narrow path to the land. It is also the favorite church of couples for a romantic wedding. It was built on the ruins of an ancient temple or the castle of the Belenis Tower which is opened to the public and where are exhibited discoveries made on the island.
In Partheni, just before the airport you will find the ruins of a temple dedicated to Artemis and Xerokampos, the church of Panagia Kavouradena (Our Lady of the Crabs). Legend has it that a fisherman found a picture of the Virgin and was cured in a moment of a crab bite in his hand. He then dreamed that a woman dressed in black asked her to take the icon back to her place, and the church was then erected on this site. The icon of Panagia tis Kavouradainas which represents the Virgin between the legs of a crab is preserved there.
In a tunnel near Merikia, a few hundred meters to the west of the port of Lakki, is the open-air museum of War, devoted to weapons, uniforms and other objects of the Second World War.
There are many beaches in Leros. The touristiest is Alinda and Agia Kioura is very popular for its blue waters. Beyond that, you will find the beaches of Panagies and Dyo Lisgaria. To the west of the island are the beaches of Gourna, one of the few sandy beaches of the island and, in the same area, you will see Kokali and Drymonas.
On the Lakki side, you can find the beaches of Koulouki and Merikia, and to the south of the island the Xerokampos beach, partly sandy and ideal for diving. To the north of the island is the organized beach of Vromolithos, and the pretty beach of Blefouti about 1 km beyond the airport of Partheni. Finally, the beach of Pandeli which is a pebble beach with clear waters, located about 2 kilometers from Agia Marina. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Leros.