With a stunning natural landscape rich in contrasts, remarkable monuments that transport you through time, countless beaches with azure waters and unique gastronomy, Samos is a place where everyone can discover something that will captivate them.
«Whoever gets drunk on Samian wine forgets which is the I and which the You...» So wrote an old rebetiko musician from the interwar years, and so it is, for those who have lived it up close, Samos.
Samos is the island where legend and beauty reign. The island of the father of mathematics Pythagoras, the astronomer Aristarchus, the philosopher Epicurus. It is the home of Hera and the place that welcomed Herodotus and Aesop. A significant commercial center in the Aegean in antiquity and a great naval power, it came into contact with major civilizations of the Mediterranean.
It is no coincidence that the great historian Herodotus ranked it first among Greek and barbarian cities. A center of Ionian civilization, it experienced days of indescribable grandeur. And that grandeur never abandoned it. Even today, its proximity to the Asia Minor coasts makes it a connecting link between two cultures whose particularities are no obstacle to coexistence, cooperation and friendship among peoples.
Mythical birthplace of Hera, Samos hosts in the seaside settlement of Heraion the largest temple in Greece, according to Herodotus, dedicated exclusively to the goddess, protector of marriage and women. Of its 155 gigantic columns, only one stands today, at roughly half its original height, indicative of the scale of this place of religious worship, which bears remains from at least three earlier temples.
Trails through nature and history
Samos is a place of exuberant vegetation. Everything around you in the pristine natural landscape is made of color and light. And every step is a revelation. Whether you find yourself on its imposing mountain masses, such as Kerkis and Ambelos - with alpine winter temperatures and unceasing rains - or in caves, gorges and ravines, Samos’s environment recalls the Greek mainland in miniature.
Hike Mount Kerkis, from the Votsalakia of Marathokampos to its summit, Vigla, at 1400 meters elevation. More than 1400 species of rare plants, many of them endemic, and dozens of species of birds of prey will accompany your steps.
Wander through the settlements along old cobbled streets to see up close the Tower of Sarakinis, a magnificent 16th-century edifice, a true fortress of its time. Visit the monasteries of Zoodochos Pigi of Ailiotissa, Agia Zoni with its important library, and Timios Stavros with its impressive throne. Climb to Panagia Sarandaskaliotissa, built at the entrance to Pythagoras cave. When the tyrant Polycrates decided to eliminate him, the great philosopher found refuge there.
Samos’s terrain is a challenge for those who choose mountain biking for their explorations. Every summer, you see more and more cyclists, fully equipped for their small adventures. Local cyclists meet at the architecturally original chapel of Agios Ioannis, above Potami, the pebbly beach (of Potami), and ride toward Karlovasi, Agios Konstantinos and Kokkari.
Wildlife birdwatchers set up their watch near the habitat of Aliki or Lake Glyfada to photograph herons, Dalmatian pelicans and pink flamingos that rest there before continuing their migratory journey. When the flamingos take to the sky at dusk, their colors blend with the red of the sunset in a visual feast that etches itself forever into the traveler’s memories.
And when the heat blankets the island, those in the know set out early for the Karlovasi waterfalls. The taller of the two is five meters high, and to see it you must climb the 60 wooden steps to the clearing with the panoramic view.
In Pythagoreio, built atop the ruins of the ancient city of Samos, lies what many call the eighth wonder of antiquity. And engineers agree. In 550 BC the architect Eupalinos undertook to construct a tunnel 1036 meters long by order of the tyrant Polycrates, to join the two sides of the mountain and bring water to what was then the capital of Samos. This innovative aqueduct had to be invisible to enemies so they could not destroy it, condemning the Samians to water shortage.
Eupalinos was such a remarkable engineer that, using mathematical calculations alone, he began digging this double-entrance tunnel from both sides of the mountain at the same time! A decade later, the two crews met in the middle of the rocky mass without any deviation! Indeed, to motivate his slave - workers, Eupalinos had made a promise that he kept: once the project was completed, he granted them their freedom. The work of an authentic engineering genius...
A place with many faces
Samos’s rugged character is not exhausted by great monuments and historical tales. Nor by mountains and hiking trails. Above all, Samos is a modern island. An island with pristine, organized beaches, such as Tsamadou and Lemonakia, the Votsalakia of Marathokampos, Chrysi Ammos (which more than lives up to its name) and Psili Ammos, where in the mornings locals say you can hear Turkey’s roosters. And if you’re the sporty type, at Livadaki beach and at Potokaki in Pythagoreio, beach volleyball tournaments are organized every year. For tranquility and unspoiled communion with nature, Tsabou, Kerveli and Seitania are first choices.
Samos is a place with many faces. It is cosmopolitan if you stay in Vathy, Kokkari or Pythagoreio. It is solitary if you prefer Marathokampos, Kerveli or Mykali. It is a night owl that loves revelry, yet serene too, ideal for calm, reflection and rest.
And for your palate’s pleasure, the best chance to sample every expression of Samian Muscat is the wine festival held in the first ten days of August in Vathy. Here, you buy only the glass and fill it as many times as you want - or as many as you can handle.
Samian wine has a history of its own. The Vatican once maintained its own winery on the island and today, the privilege of producing sacramental wine for Holy Communion has been granted by the Catholic Church. Muscat of Samos holds a special place in the French wine market, one of the most demanding in the world, and has been awarded and recognized internationally, and its rich, fruity aroma keeps winning more and more devotees.
Here, you’ll cheat on Muscat only with the local ouzo or the souma, made from the same grape as the famed wine. No one leaves Samos without taking along a bottle of virgin olive oil and a jar of pine honey or thyme honey.
This is Samos. Every bend in the road is a revelation. Fertile, welcoming land that knows how to follow nature’s rhythms, yet also how to fulfill people’s desire for genuine entertainment. Especially in August, with the «Young Artists» music festival held at the ancient theater of Pythagoreio, or the «Heraia – Pythagoreia» festival, a cultural event that combines ancient Greek tradition with contemporary artistic expression. The festival includes, concerts, theatrical performances, film screenings, scientific talks and other events from spring through autumn, and with a focal point in August, the re-enactment of the ancient Heraia celebration that took place in Samos 2400 years ago. The three-day rock festival IREON MUSIC FESTIVAL held at Heraion in early August. And of course, the feast of the Transfiguration of the Saviour in Pythagoreio, 5 & 6 August, where locals and visitors enjoy at the harbor the spectacular fireworks display and the re-enactment of the Naval Battle of Samos.
