This summer, well-heeled tourists from the Turkish coast on the opposite side of the Aegean Sea are arriving in droves to Skala Sikamineas on the northeast coast of Lesbos.

The two excellent fish restaurants on the coast are full, and most of the diners are speaking Turkish.

Families with children from the Turkish city of Izmir, a group from the port city of Ayvalik who arrived on the brand-new catamaran connection and a young couple from Istanbul are among those eating and drinking in this picturesque setting.

Isin and her boyfriend are visiting the island for the first time. "Friends told us a lot of good things about Lesbos, and we decided to come here for a few days," Isin told DW.

The couple arrived by ferry from Dikili and loved the island's beaches and taverns. They're determined to come back next summer.

The crossing from Turkey takes just under an hour, a ticket costs €35 ($40) and in summer there are eight trips a day from Dikili to Mytilene, the island's capital.

On the Greek side of the Aegean, the atmosphere is more relaxed for Turks who like to have a drink, or for Turkish women who want to sunbathe in their bikinis.

"I feel very comfortable here," Isin said as her boyfriend poured a shot of ouzo liqueur.

In July alone, almost 29,000 tourists from Turkey visited Lesbos, and even more........

© Deutsche Welle