Tommmo

Hi. We have just booked to fly Brisbane-Istanbul arriving Sept 28 and leaving from there 4 weeks later. Having spent some time in Greece and Turkey previously this visit will concentrate on Lesbos to Samos . It seems Lesbos will be warmer in late Sept. so a better place to start from.
Has anyone advice on getting to Lesbos from Istanbul?

gertie3751

Well, I may have done it the unorthodox way...took a bus from Istanbul to Cannakale, visited the Gallipoli battlefields, then another bus to Ayvalik. From there there is a ferry to Mytilini on Lesbos.

clausar

The only way to get to Lesvos from Turkey is, as gertie said, from Ayvalik by boat.

Tommmo

I'm now thinking a cheap flight to Izmir on arrival at Istanbul and then bus to Cesme and across to Chios then a ferry to Lesbos would be a more comfortable possibility perhaps?

gertie3751

Yes, you could do it that way but it seems a long way round. The Turkish buses are quite comfortable, even serve free tea and cakes! There are various options from the otogar in Istanbul. I took a Truva/Troy bus. The ferry trip is only one hour, leaves around 5 in the evening.

Tommmo

It's complicated but it would seem more restful after a 30 hr flight in. Found we can fly to Izmir for $14 on Turkish Air immediately on arrival and in an hour we are there and another hour or so to Cesme and a bed for the night, before the ferry to Chios in the morning. Just re-arranging the order of things a bit. We would go to Lesvos next by ferry....