Enjoy an unforgettable culinary and cultural summer experience in Samos, the island of Pythagoras!
Where to go: a tour in the beautiful towns and villages of Samos
Vathy
Vathy is the capital and the central harbour of Samos. It is a lovely town around a bay with breathtaking sea view. Venetian, neoclassical and modern buildings constitute an interesting settlement with many touristic facilities, such as hotels, rooms to let, restaurants, cafes and bars. The coastal promenade and the narrow paved streets inside the town is a must to get familiar with the fascinating aura of Vathy! There, you can have fun, meet new people, eat in a traditional Greek tavern and enjoy your drink in a beautiful scenery. A must is also the Archaeological Museum of Vathy.
Kokkari
Kokkari Samos is a small fishing village with a great atmosphere, which gives you the exact feeling of all the Greek islands during summer. Fishing boats and yachts, taverns at the beachfront and bars with cocktails create the perfect scenery. to relax and enjoy the Greek summer. Vineyards and coves with pine trees and turquoise waters are located around Kokkari, which is a popular tourist resort and offers various facilities.
Kokkari
Karlovasi
Karlovasi is the most beautiful village of Samos. Stone-built mansions in the well-kept Old Town, lush greenery in the fertile surrounding forests, imposing Byzantine churches, waterfalls, neoclassical houses and a Medieval castle are the most important points of interest. In Karlovassi, there are also many ceramic shops, as the town has a long tradition in ceramics. There, you can buy amazing, hand-made souvenirs from Samos.
Karlovasi
Pythagoreion
Pythagoreion has a wonderful beachfront, traditional architecture and great atmosphere with various touristic facilities, hotels, taverns and restaurants. It is the homeland of the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Pythagoras, from whom it took its name. Pythagoreion is also the second port of Samos, from where you can take the boat to Kusadasi, the town of Turkey, which is located very close to Samos and it is definitely worth a visit.
Pythagoreion
Sites and museums
The Tunnel of Eupalinos
The tunnel of Eupalinos is definitely the most important historical site not only in Samos but also in the Aegean Sea. Samos flourished in the 6th century B.C. when Pythagoreion was one of the most powerful cities in the Mediterranean Sea. Samos was very rich, and the homes of its 15,000 residents were decorated with treasures brought back by the sailors of the island from their activities all over the sea. However, Samos had severe lack of fresh water supply. This vital need led Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, to commission Eupalinos, an engineer from Athens, to design infrastructure that would channel water to the town from the spring at the nearby mountain. Eupalinos managed to dig a tunnel through the mountain using measuring tools and complex mathematical calculations. Two teams were digging their way through the mountain, and they managed to meet midway in this tunnel of 1,036 metres length and 1,80 metres width and height, after having extracted 7,000 cubic metres of rock. Herodotus referred to the Tunnel of Eupalinos as a "two-mouthed tunnel". The Tunnel of Eupalinos is considered as one of the biggest and most complex projects in the history of engineering and has given the ingenious engineer a place in history. The tunnel was used as an aqueduct for 1,100 years.
In 2017, the Tunnel of Eupalinos in Samos has opened to the public, and it is definitely worth the visit. After the recent completion of restoration and preservation work, which entailed the security of the tunnel, preserved its stone surfaces, constructed corridors and installed lighting systems, visitors can pass through the ancient passage and admire this infrastructure miracle.
Heraion Sanctuary
Heraion is also an ancient site you should definitely visit. In Herodotus day in the 6th century B.C., Heraion was the biggest temple in Greece, but today the temple is destroyed, and only one column is left. Heraion Sanctuary, which was dedicated to goddess Hera, is believed to be the place where Zeus and Hera had spent their honeymoon. You can also admire the Sacred Road, which in antiquity connected the city of Pythagoreion with the temple. The whole archaeological site is a unique experience of a travel back in time, where you can admire statues and ruins of the glorious past. However, remember to visit it early in the morning because during summer the sun and the heat can be dangerous.
Archaeological Museum in Vathy
The Archaeological Museum in Vathy is a very interesting museum you should visit. It hosts a 5,25-metre-tall kouros statue, but it has also other important findings, such as jewellery, tools and ceramics from the Prehistoric till the Hellenistic times. It is a great opportunity for you to understand better the ancient history of Samos and the flourishing period in the Classical Times.
Museum of National History
The Museum of National History in Mytilinii village is the perfect spot for you and your family where you can learn everything about the flora and fauna of the island. A private, rare collection of minerals, stones and fossils of animals are hosted in this museum and will impress you and your children!
Beaches
The basic characteristics of the beaches in Samos are their crystal-clear and refreshing waters, their thick white sand and the surrounding environment, which is truly amazing. Most of them are organised, and you can choose if you want peace and privacy or fun and highly-advanced touristic facilities.
Tsamadou is among the most wonderful beaches in Samos. It is located near Kokkari, and it is lined up with delicious taverns and cafes to relax. It has soft pebbles and it is organized with sunbeds and umbrellas. This is also the only official nudist beach in Samos.
Potokaki is a long beach in the western side of Vathy and very close to Pythagoreion. The beach gets very crowded in summer as it has been awarded with the Blue Flag and has great touristic facilities. There, you can spend an amazing day by the sea with your family as it has many water-sports centers, beach bars and traditional Greek taverns.
Lemonakia is a secluded bay located north of Vathy. It is partly organized with umbrellas and sunbeds and a beach bar. Its soft sand and crystal-clear emerald sea waters make this beach very popular, especially during July and August. You can go to Lemonakia by public means after Tsamadou Beach, which is situated nearby.
Lemonakia Beach
Psili Ammos lies south of Vathy, and it is a beautiful place, unspoiled and quiet. Cliffs protect the beach from the wind creating a nice atmosphere of isolation and privacy. Along the sandy bay, you can find many sunbeds and umbrellas to relax and sunbathe. Two traditional Greek taverns are located near the beach.
Near the tourist resort of Kokkari, Kokkari beach is a bay with the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea and the natural beauty of Samos. White pebbles and sand create a perfect spot to spend your day at the beach, while you can also do water sports like wind and kitesurf thanks to the constantly blowing wind in the area.
Potami Beach
Off-the-beaten-path
Although Samos is an island with all the touristic facilities you may need, it also has many unspoiled spots, where you can spend private moments away from the crowds, especially if you visit them in the middle season. Samos is a large island, and it is impossible to discover it all in once. I have explored some truly amazing untouched places, which I recommend you, but of course there are many other spots, which are waiting to be explored by you.
In terms of beaches, off-the-beaten-track but at the same time beautiful options are the unexplored beaches of Mikro (=Small) and Megalo (=Big) Seitani, which have impressive emerald waters. If you want something different, you can swim in the Potami district of Karlovasi in the icy rock pools at the waterfalls of the area.
For fresh fish and delicious seafood, the seaside villages of Avlakia and Balos have traditional taverns by the sea in an exotic scenery. To taste local Samiot dishes, such as katimeri, pies, chickpea fritters and cured paspalas pork, the mountainous village of Manolates has great eateries. You can reach this undiscovered village via a lovely route through a plane forest, eat and then drink coffee in the main square with the neoclassical houses and the cozy atmosphere.
Manolates is surrounded by verdant forests and hiking paths, which you should definitely explore on foot if you love trekking. Inside the village, the narrow streets, the small squares and the stone-built houses create a fantastic scenery.
Excursions and Greek Island Hopping
Samos is located very close to
Turkey and specifically to Kusadasi. Daily tours are organised from Pythagoreion port to Kusadasi, where you can admire the ancient site of Ephesus, walk around the beautiful city and enjoy the Turkish market and cuisine.