A GUST of wind catches my sail and my board picks up speed, lapping through the crystal clear water as I hold onto the boom as tight as I can.
My balance is tested as I swivel the board around, taking in views of Eressos beach – a stunning 4km stretch – as the afternoon wind picks up to five or six knots. This is perfect for learner windsurfers like me, along with the small lasers and catamarans, which zig-zag around the bay in the Aegean island of Lesbos.
Instructor Ikie hangs back in a safety boat, calling encouraging words in my direction and generally being a calming presence. And after three days of hauling the rig out of the water for what feels like the hundredth time, several tumbles into the sea and a few entanglements in buoys with my beginner board and sail, I feel confident enough to take windsurf equipment out alone to brave the gusty waves – and it feels amazing.
Looking back towards dry land, Mark Warner’s newly opened resort, Aeolian Village, seems almost remote on the rugged shore – with nothing but a beach shack bar nearby (serving the local, ahem, nudist beach) and Lesbos’s undulating hills behind. The bay is otherwise empty until the charming village of Skala Eresou, a 10-minute stroll away – and this unspoilt setting feels like a rare find.
The island – Greece’s third largest – is perhaps best known for its most famous inhabitant, the female poet Sappho from the 6th century BC, whose work was thought to include expressions of love for other women, and the word ‘lesbian’ has its routes in Lesbos (Lesvos in Greek) for that reason. Even in the small village of Skala Eresou, two festivals celebrating queer women are held every year.
In more recent history, its east coast shores – at their shortest distance just 12km from Turkey – became known as a key location for asylum seeker crossings to Europe and several large camps during the height of the refugee crisis in 2015. Greece’s minister of migration, Notis Mitarachi, recently declared life as “back to normal” for residents of Lesbos.
On the southwest side of the island, which boasts 200km of coastline, there’s no evidence of the crisis. Aeolian Village, which opened in May and makes up one of five beach properties for Mark Warner (along with just one ski resort left in Tignes, France, thanks to closures following Brexit).
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The white-washed low rise hotel sits back from the shoreline, giving a real sense of space. At half capacity outside of school holidays, it’s calm and quiet. There’s certainly no morning race to the sun-loungers at the double-level 25-metre pool – perfect for lap swimmers or sunbathers with sunken daybeds dotted in the shallow surrounds, and a separate child-friendly section.
Water sports are a big part of the attraction for many Mark Warner guests – this was after all what the brand first based their summer holidays on. Sailboats, rowing boats, kayaks, windsurfing sails and paddleboards are all lined up on the beach (along with tuition and group sessions tailored to various levels of ability), and, as I can contest, it’s hugely satisfying to return from holiday having learned, or improved, a skill to boast about back home.
There are plenty of other activities on offer for the active-minded though, and while relaxing is of course an option, I love mapping out my days with timetabled activities; think a water sport here, a tennis lesson there, before ending the day with a sunset stretch – all while the kids are cared for in the kids clubs. With 55 per cent repeat guests to the brand as a whole, the model must appeal.
I try my hand at padel – said to be the UK’s fastest growing sport right now – in the hotel’s brand new court. With rules and scoring similar to tennis and walls to bounce the ball off in play like squash, I’m expecting to be bad at it – and I’m not wrong. But the taster sessions by certified padel coach Will are accessible for even the most uncoordinated of players – and great fun.
The small carbon rackets are light and easier to use than a tennis racket, and the court isn’t as big so there’s less running (particularly playing doubles), although using the back and side glass walls to bounce the ball off takes practice and more skill than I’ve got.
The best way to explore what’s outside the resort is on two wheels, and there’s a brand new selection of Scott carbon fork road bikes to suit even serious cyclists. I decide to brave an early morning ‘intermediate’ group cycle and the Lesbos hills are punishing – something keen road cyclists actually like.
Road surfaces are well-kept, there are minimal cars and considerate drivers so, even in the stifling Grecian sun on a day without breeze, these are great conditions for bike enthusiasts. With a mix of climbs and descents with sweeping bends and long shallow ascents, and views out to the sea and surprisingly green landscape (thanks to the rich volcanic soil), it’s a challenging but rewarding ride.
A much easier ‘beginner mountain bike’ session with wildlife enthusiast James, won’t offer the same thigh-burning workout, but at least you won’t be so out of breath to take note of local birds and butterflies.
The beach and surrounding area here is an internationally protected site for ecology and biodiversity, and Lesbos is an important outpost for migrating birds. James estimates 300-400 species of birds can be found here; mostly martins, swifts, swallows, black kites and buzzards, but there are a few species of eagle too. It’s all down to the island’s extreme typography and “interesting airflows” he says, which attract birds of prey.
We pass olive groves and almond trees, swallowtail butterflies landing on thorny plants and rocky outcrops, and hop off our bikes in Skala Eresou – commonly known as Skala, an old Greek word for ‘port’ only ever heard on Lesbos. Here, tavernas and cocktail bars on stilts line the sand, and I open a beer overlooking the sea.
Only a few streets deep, the colourful cafes and boutique clothes shops offer a laid-back bohemian feel, while maintaining Greek identity – with no tourist tat in sight. Locals live here in summer but retreat to a hillside village for winter when shore winds get too gusty – leaving Skala empty and its wooden sticks needing to be rebuilt each year.
At seaside restaurant Aigaio, we tuck into freshly smoked mackerel, deep-fried squid, courgette flowers stuffed with creamy feta and octopus in a red wine sauce – all local, all delicious. “Sometimes in the evenings you can see tuna and dolphins jumping from here,” owner Theodoros says. It’s a family affair – his mum works behind the bar and his brother owns the bar next door, which has a buzzy atmosphere by night.
Before the sun sets, I join a group of kayakers to try and spot dolphins out in the bay, and while our wildlife-seeking efforts are futile (but I’m assured they do appear often), it’s a perfect time of day to be on the water. A golden colour begins to fill the sky and, as we paddle closer to shore, chilled Ibiza-style music pumps from the beach shack bar, Mellow Yellow – where thankfully the clientele, a trendy crowd sipping cocktails and smoothies, are now clothed.
We join them to catch the sun dipping beneath the hillside and with just a splattering of people along this huge stretch of beach, it feels like now might be the time to visit. For somewhere so well-known, Lesbos still has that rare quality of feeling somewhat undiscovered.
How to plan your trip
A seven-night half board holiday costs from £899pp, including flights from London Gatwick, transfers, childcare and most activities.
Visit markwarner.co.uk or call 0845 322 5037.
