PETRA

A few kilometers from Molyvos is the village of Petra and something is going on here. While the front of the village appears to be a tourist town of the highest degree (or lowest depending upon how you look at it), the backstreets of the village give the visitor the feeling of the more traditional villages of the island.

Stretched along a long umbrella filled beach lined with cafes and restaurants, the interior of the town of Petra surrounds a rock mountain topped with the church of the Glykfylousa Panagia.

From the church the view of Petra and the surrounding sea and countryside is spectacular extending all the way to the coast of Asia Minor. A beautiful legend concerning the building of the church on this high rock has come down to us: In days of old a storm bought a religious captain to the shores of the area. One morning the captain noticed that the Icon of the Blessed Virgin, which he always had with him, was missing. He looked for it everywhere but to no avail. That evening he saw a strange light shining seemingly suspended between sky and earth. He climbed up the rock and found his icon placed before a lighted lamp. He took it back to his boat but again it disappeared and again he found it on top of the rock. He decided to build a small church there since that was obviously the wish of the Blessed Virgin.

The village itself has hotels, shops, restaurants and bars all very close to the beach and a small main street, too narrow for cars even if they were allowed, that has a variety of traditional shops and tourist shops mixed together.

Remember that August 15th is the festival of the Panagia (Virgin mary) and a great holiday for the village of Petra. The cobbled streets are lined with stalls, Greek flags and great atmosphere. Above Petra is the small village of Petri, known for its view, cool breezes and the excellent traditional tavernas.