Limonos Monastery is one of the largest and most active monasteries on Lesbos, founded in 1526 and built up over the following centuries into an imposing complex of churches, cells, and courtyards that gives it the look of a small fortified village. The main church contains some remarkable Byzantine frescoes and icons, and the attached ecclesiastical museum holds a significant collection of religious art, old manuscripts, and local Byzantine artefacts. The library is one of the most interesting repositories of medieval material in the northern Aegean.
The monastery is about 7 km northwest of Skala Kalloni, set among olive groves on a hillside with views over the plain. It remains a working monastery with resident monks; visitors are welcome but should dress modestly (long trousers for men, skirts or trousers below the knee for women, covered shoulders). The drive through the olive-tree landscape is pleasant and the setting is genuinely peaceful. Open daily; small admission fee for the museum.