wakeupstokedUpdate: I came back to Limnos in summer 2019 and the secret is not so well kept anymore 😉 The spot has gotten much more crowded but it still has so much charme!
There is spots that you hear about again and again. When people tell you about them, you just can’t believe they are as good as they describe them, because nobody knows them. Limnos is such a spot. The only reason that this little Greek island is still unknown, is that the spot was only discovered a few years ago and there are no direct flights from Europe, yet (always a stopover in Athens).
But let me tell you this: it’s probably Greece’s or maybe even Europe’s best kept secret when it comes to amazing kitesurf conditions: an uncrowded spot, good winds, beautiful nature and authentic culture. My only advise? Go there now before everyone else!
Pros & Cons at a glance
+ one of Greece’s best kept secrets, still authentic and unspoiled
+ uncrowded spot with Caribbean-like turquoise water
+ lots of space
+ flatwater at the top of the bay, waves at the bottom of the bay, choppy inbetween
+ huge bay, safe for any level from beginner to pro
+ unspoilt Greek landscape and Greek life (almost no tourism)
+ familiar atmosphere at the spot
+ sandy beach, no obstacles or hazards in the water
– you can’t stay directly at the spot, the closest accommodation is the kite-camp with tents
– no direct flights, so you usually have to make a stop over in Athens
– very remote spot (except for 2 restaurants there is nothing around the spot, a car is recommended)
– no nightlife
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General Infos (Wind, Water Temperature and Water Condition)
Best Wind: Mid-June – Mid-September
You will get the most windy days between Mid-June til Mid-September, when it’s blowing around 16 – 24 knots. The season goes from May until October.
In spring and autumn you can expect some real strong wind which might also be a bit gustier in the mornings. Considering the kite sizes I can recommend 7m and 9m kites in the summer months. I didn’t use my 12m kite much but if you want to be on the water any time of the day, take it with you just to be safe.
If the wind is light, it is usually very light. So if you have a 16m-kite/a foil kite/foil board, bring it for those light wind days.
Water Temperature: shorty
If you’re coming in May or October you might need a long wetsuit. In summer you’ll be totally fine with a shorty. Some days I could even go with just a rashguard.
Water Condition: anything from flat water til waves
Limnos is a little paradise when it comes to different conditions. It offers something of everything: flat water upwind, choppy inbetween, wind waves downwind. Plus a huuuge standing area, so perfect for beginners.
Getting to Limnos, Greece
The easiest option is flying directly to Limnos airport (short code LXS) via Athens. There is no direct flight yet. Depending on the connections you might have to spend one night in Athens. There are quite a lot of good airbnb apartments close to the airport, which are easy to get to. Depending on the season those flights can be quite expensive though, so make sure to book ahead.
If you’re on a low budget or a bit more adventurous and want to explore a little bit more of Greece, there are two other options:
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- You can quite often find the cheapest flights to Thessaloniki (short code SKG). I very often found flights for 100 Euros return in autumn. You can stay in Thessaloniki for a night if you want to explore the city. Or take the bus from Thessaloniki to Kavala which runs hourly. It takes around 2.5 hours or 2 hours with the express bus. In Kavala you can take the ferry to Limnos (Mirina), which will take you around 3.5 hours.
- Fly to Kavala (short code KVA) and take the ferry from there.
Getting around Limnos, Greece
I would recommend a rental car if you want to explore the island and be more flexible on no-wind-days. I book my rental cars via Rental Cars or billiger mietwagen (German Site, you can cancel up to 24 hrs before).
Spot details for Keros, Limnos
Green, sandy and untouched nature with Caribbean-like turquoise water. This is probably the fastest way to describe this spot. As I mentioned above already, this spot offers anything from flatwater to (wind) waves, depending on which part of the bay you are kitesurfing in. Perfect for beginners with the huge standing area up to the pro riders who want to freestyle.
Photo Credit: Malena Harig
There are two kitesurf stations which are both good and offer kite storage. Surf Club Keros has a foil board for rental and offers courses for differently abled people (with “tailor-made” equipment and teaching techniques) who want to learn kitesurfing and the atmosphere at the station is super chilled!
The other station, Siroko, has a more laid-back vibe and the atmosphere is very familiar which I loved as well. Both station have up to date Cabrinha equipment for rental and offer storage.
The wind is side-shore (also depending on which part of the bay you are in) and sometimes turns off-shore in the afternoon. The wind is already there in the early morning, so I had quite some good 6am-sessions all by myself.
Where to stay in Limnos
Since the area is a protected reserve area, there is not a lot of housing at the spot, except for those two:
- Surf Club Keros offers accomodation in normal and luxury tents (5 min by bike to the spot or 15 min walking). The food they have there is really good plus the million dollar view from the camp, on top of the hill!
- Keros Blue is a newly built hotel with luxurious double deluxe rooms or small family houses (up to 4 persons).
Apartments are very limited on this island since there is not so much tourism yet. If you want some more luxury and don’t mind staying a bit further away from the spot you can stay at the Kalliopi Luxury Studios, 2 km away from the spot. In case you look early enough, you will find some options on airbnb, but it’s recommendable to get a rental car since most of the apartments are further away.
If you’re on a tight budget and like to go camping, there is a camping space there as well. You will always find some wild campers (although it’s not allowed officially and the police comes by a few times during the season).
Where to eat in Limnos
Surf Club Keros has an amazing restaurant, so either you can get some small snacks at the kite station or you walk up the hill and go for a lunch break in the restaurant. I pretty much lived off Greek salad and Eggplant salad my whole stay there because it was sooo good, but they have a lot more to offer. And, a rarity if you know which coffee options you usually have in small Greek towns, they have amaaaaazing coffee!!! I can totally recommend the Cappuccino Freddo, tastes just like heaven!
If you’re at the spot and want something close by you can go into the “forest” (where you usually drive in if you are coming from town). There is an old Greek couple who cooks some simple and good dishes. The air is refreshing and a bit cooler there – at least compared to the beach.
That’s pretty much the closest options. If you have a rental car, there are some pretty good restaurants with epic views in a short driving distance:
- Try the Greek Gourmet Food in Lichna in that restaurant whose name nobody can spell right. Seriously. This food is insanely good, I’d say it’s the best Greek food I’ve ever had! I’d just recommend to go with a big group of people and try all the starters
- A great place to watch the sunset and have a typical Greek dinner is in Agios Charalampos – come early to watch the full nature spectacle!
No-Wind-Activities
No wind? There are quite a few activities you can do instead of kitesurfing:
- try windsurfing (works with very little wind if you’re just starting)
- go SUP boarding
- go surfing (Surf Club Keros organizes trips to another part of the island)
- go snorkeling, running, mountainbiking (bikes for rent at the Surf Club Keros or the apartment)
- go Yoga session at the beach or at the Surf Club Keros.
- if you need to relax your sore muscles you can also book a massage.
If you have a rental car you can visit a variety of archeological sites and beaches in the Eastern part of Limnos. Surf Club Keros also offers half day trips to some sites, just check their notice board.
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> You liked the spot guide and are ready to book and go for it?
Check out this article to get some great packing hacks on the best way to pack and travel with kite luggage.
> Wondering why I have that much time to travel around and kite?
Trust me, it was a long way to get there, so if you’re interested you can either read the whole story on why I threw my whole life around to kitesurf more or the short version in the about me section 🙂
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