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Molyvos (alternatively known as Methymna) is the second largest town on Lesbos - after the capital Mytilene - and a very beautiful one at that. Dominated by a Byzantine fort, the town tumbles down the hill in a series of narrow, winding cobbled streets awash with friendly cats.
Touristy and international it may be, but it's also very tasteful.
There is just one beach at Molyvos which sweeps south of the town in a wide arc for about 2 km ending at a headland. Close to the town this is a narrow (1 sunbed length), stony and generally unattractive beach. For the last few hundred yards, furthest away from the town, however, the beach widens, becomes predominantly sandy and very attractive. This last section is the naturist area. The sea all around the area is calm, crystal clear and ideal for swimming and snorkelling. There is a stunning view of the town from here and olive trees and hillsides behind the beach.
2005/6: Reports from June, September and October 2005 and September and October 2006 say that this beach is still 90% nudist. A correspondent who was there in June 2005 described it as "one of the most comfortable naturist beaches I have been on (no weirdos), with an average of 20 couples a day of mixed nationalities and a very nice and friendly atmosphere." Another bonus is the trees at the back of the beach which give some welcome shade in the fiercest heat of the day. All reports seem to rate this beach highly.
2011 July: the last section of the beach was about 90% nude. A boy from Delphinia hotel offered some cooking and refreshments on the beach.
parasols / Hotel Delfinia
2011 September: these were generally all taken by about 11.30 or 12.00. Plenty of people were slotting themselves in between the parasols, including quite a few young locals who came for an hour or two. So the beach appears to be getting more popular (compare "4-16" in 2007 quoted above).
A friendly hotel employee — let's call him Drinks Guy, until somebody remembers to ask his name — will come to you and take drinks orders. He also picks up litter and puts sunbeds back in place when people fail to leave them where they found them. All in all, pretty civilised.
This can't be profitable for the hotel. In September drinks business was not brisk, and it's likely that most people spend less with the hotel than the €5 per day a pair of sunbeds costs in many other places. It'll be interesting to see what happens if the beach is included in Greece's massive privatisation programme…
Mosaic Guy
In addition to Drinks Guy there's Mosaic Guy. He appears to live on the beach — in a makeshift tent near parasol 9-ish — and builds marvellous mosaics out of stones he finds on the beach. Out of the larger stones he builds miniature dolmens. He is always naked, so once you're past his mosaic you know you're in the naturist area.
In fact textiles are pretty much limited to the first 3-4 parasols (unless they arrive after those are taken, in which case they mix in quite comfortably along the length of the beach). All in all, a splendid beach.
2013 May: Hi, I will make a short remark about Molivos nude-beach. Me and my wife visited the lovely Beach in July and we like to inform that Delphinia now have removed the parasols and sunbeds in the nudist section, so it will be smart to bring your own umbrella, though there is some shade from the trees as well. The Beach is predominantly nude (about 90%) - the nude section begins usually from a yellow iron-gate and stretches all the way to the south end. Nice sand - we visited the Beach every day in one week, did not see any sea-urchins :-). About 30-50 People, mostly couples.
2014: My wife and I visited this beach twice in September and thought it was wonderful. At least 80% totally nude with a few other women just topless. We walked for 300 metres to use the beach showers with no problem. Absolutely no weird types. A few fully clothed people walked up to the naturist end and back but seemed totally relaxed and respectful. No parasols or sunbeds anywhere near.
2017: roger on the forum June/July: First the bad news: Hotel Delfinia have moved their sunbeds and umbrellas closer to the hotel and away from the beach. The good news is that there are still naturists at the end of the beach. Bring your own towel and umbrella.
2022: June - Well known nude beach, recommended by our accommodation. Depending on the wind direction - Eftalou faces mostly North, Molyvos faces mostly West. On the day we visited there were about 10 people at the nudist end of the beach, all nude. When number are low, there are some bushes that provide shade.
August - Still nudism available. Direction: Enter Delfinia Hotel way, keep left track, follow pool sign, then park your car and walk towards to sea. At the beach: Walk left (while facing beach). You can see nudist person around shower, under tree. Some people prefer right side (it's more short path but beach is full stone. Sea shoes needed). Left side is sandy and easy to enter sea.
2024 May/June: I visited this beach a few times. It is now listed as a nudist beach on Google maps. I could easily park the car in the parking lot of Hotel Delphinia and walk past the tennis court to the beach. It is still very quiet and relaxed. When I was there, there were a few couples, a group of women, a few women alone and a few men alone. 95% were naked. I think it is a perfect nudist beach.
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