Myrina Airport Mini Guide
Why do people visit Lemnos?
Lemnos is considered as a perfect destination for those that want to get away from it all and yet not be so isolated it takes most of a holiday to get there. There’s a wide range of activities for people to do as well as having nice sandy beaches protected from the strong winds that often blow in this part of the world. The island is associated with Hephaestus and there are archaeological remains dedicated to his worship dotted around the island. It’s a green island and being fertile it has attracted many conquerors over the centuries who have left their mark there.
How do I get to Lemnos?
The small airport has regular seasonal charter flights from Gatwick and out of season it’s possible to get a scheduled flight from
Athens. Connections to Athens can be made on budget airlines from the UK. From the airport to the resorts is a very quick journey, best made by taxi or hire car to avoid the unreliable and often packed buses. Another way of getting here is by one of the many ferries that depart from Athens, Kavala or
Thessaloniki.
What's the airport like?
The airport is quite modern inside having been built only ten years ago. It’s very small but has a reasonable range of facilities. It only operates domestic flights on a year round basis so is very quiet in the winter. It can get busy when the big charter flights come in but it is rarely chaotic.
What should I expect when I arrive?
There are twelve aircraft stands but you’ll either have to walk to the terminal or take the airside bus to reach it. Once inside it’s a quick trip through passport control and on to collect your luggage. There are no dedicated information points around the airport but it’s small enough to catch the airport staff that walk around waiting to be of assistance. Again, there are no banks or ATMs at the airport so make sure you have enough euros with you when you land.
The car hire desks are against the wall near the exit and will deal quickly with the paperwork if you’ve pre-booked a hire car. This is essential in high season when the range and number of hire cars is limited. The airport is around 12 miles from Myrina and if you’re relying on public transport the taxis are a better bet.
And when going home?
Check in is usually trouble free and you’ll soon be looking around for something to occupy you whilst awaiting your flight. There is a kiosk before security selling drinks, snacks and newspapers and a small cafeteria which offers a range of hot and cold food of an adequate standard but don’t forget this isn’t one of the smart Myrina tavernas so don’t expect haute cuisine. Passing through security there’s a small stall selling drinks and cold pre-packaged snacks and a duty free store with the usual range of items. There are no facilities for Wi-Fi at the airport.
Lemnos is the 8th largest Greek island in
Greece and as such warrants a hire car to see the island properly. It’s generally flat and has thirty recognised sandy beaches so you’ll be spoiled for choice. It’s a very agricultural island with sheep farming the most popular industry. This enables it to produce excellent feta cheese and a local cheese called Melipasto.
You should visit historic Moudros which helped to defend the Dardanelles in the Great War and which was the site of the signing of the armistice between the Allies and the Ottoman forces in 1918.