Mytilinii stands on a hill in a truly beautiful spot. As the name suggests, it was settled by people from the island of Mytilene ( Lesvos ).

This was at the time when Kilits Ali received permission from Sultan Suleyman to populate Samos and allowed the persecuted islanders of Mytilene to find here a safe place to live.

A winter torrent, called Chisios, passes through Mytilinii and flows into the sea in the " Seven - stade " channel. In winter it is swollen and turbulent, but in summer it is reduced to a trickle which is used by the local farmers for irrigation.

The Mesokambos plain ( approximately three kilometres away ) can be visited from Mytilinii by road.

This plain is at least four kilometres long and two kilometres across. The hills which encircle it from north to west are bounded on the east by Psili Ammos. Mesokambos is covered with olive and various other kinds of trees.

Here you can see traces of the massive " Cyclopean " walls and other relics of ancient times, which indicate that at one time the area was well populated.

In the year 1900, Mytilinii had 922 houses and 3,489 inhabitants. It's people are mostly hard - working and prosperous farmers who produce wine, oil, currants and cereals.

An hour on foot to the south - east is the famous Holy Trinity ( Ayia Triada ) Monastery.

The official name of the monastery is the " New - Receiving Fount ", to distinguish it from the monastery on the Vlamari plain, but the local people know it as Holy Trinity.

It was built in 1836, on site one hour on foot from the sea. It is said that this place was once under the sea, in view of the fact that all kinds of seashells keep turning up here. Fragments of marble and tiles are also frequently found, which leads to the conclusion that there was a village here in ancient times.

In 1940, the monastery had 16 monks, but the last remaining three left a few years ago.

At Mytilinii you can take a walk in " virgin " woods, visit the reservoir, which is four kilometres from the village, go to the Holy Trinity Monastery, wander through its narrow alleys, have a coffee or a drink in one of the old - fashioned coffee shops, or enjoy an ouzo, with the necessary titbits, or eat loukoumades ( honey puffs ).

But above all you should not fail to visit the natural history museum, the so - called Palaeontological Museum of Mytilinii.