Samos is one of the most visited of the northeastern Aegean islands - yet it still retains its beauty and traditional Greek atmosphere. The island is also one of the greenest and most colourful in the region. The limestone bedrock contributes to the diversity of vegetation and so it is still full of flowers - the local herbs are rich in aromatic and medicinal compounds, with over 1100 species once growing here.

The conditions here are ideal for recreation - spring starts relatively early and summers are long and sunny. The island has a large number of beaches. These are mostly sandy in the south and mostly pebbly in the north. The most beautiful ones are Mourtia, Tsamadou, Lemonakia, Kokkari, Potami, Limnionas, Chrissi Amos, Psyli Amos, Potokaki, Mykali, Tsambou, Balos... Each one is unique, so it would be a shame to stay in one place for the whole stay. We recommend renting a motorbike or car and exploring the beauty of the island individually. And there is much to discover - there is evidence that the island was inhabited in the prehistoric period, about 4 thousand years BC. The island reached its heyday in the 6th century BC during the reign of Polycrates, when many magnificent buildings were built, some of which have been preserved to this day. The most important building was the harbour with its extraordinary temple of the goddess Hera with its walls, which were built in Doric and Ionic style and which still amaze with their grandeur. On the island there is also the Eupalion Canal (1350 m long), one of the technical wonders of antiquity. A tunnel was dug on two sides of the mountain and, thanks to perfect mathematical calculations, the two roads joined almost in the middle. Originally it served as a water supply to the capital, later also as a secret passage in cases of siege. Now it is one of the other valuable monuments you can see for yourself. Samos has a number of other sights, and we recommend a visit to the paleontological, Byzantine and archaeological museums, as well as the old amphitheatre on the slope of Mount Kasti. The museum in the town of Pythagorion is also interesting.

There are over 20 remarkable monasteries on the island, mostly built in the 16th century.The agricultural produce and grapes are excellent here, and are cultivated by many locals living in villages at the foot of the mountains. The terraced vineyards produce one of the best sweet Muscat wines in the world, Samos nectar, and another excellent dry wine, Samena, while the sweet Samos vin doux is also very popular. It is surely no coincidence that the Vatican has chosen wine from Samos as its mass wine.The island was the birthplace of the famous mathematician Pythagoras, and as a reminder of his summer holiday in 2011, you can bring back the ceramic cup he invented, which works on the principle of connected vessels, with the help of which they tried to regulate wine consumption in the past. If you prefer sightseeing tours, Samos can offer you a wide range of interesting optional excursions not only around the island. Thanks to its proximity to the Turkish mainland, a trip to historic Ephesus, for example, is definitely worth considering.

Samos is one of the most visited of the northeastern Aegean islands - yet it still retains its beauty and traditional Greek atmosphere. The island is also one of the greenest and most colourful islands in the region. The limestone bedrock of the island contributes to the diversity of vegetation and the island is still full of flowers. As a result, agricultural products and vines thrive here, and are nowadays cultivated by most of the locals who live in small villages at the foot of the mountains. The terraced vineyards produce one of the best sweet Muscat wines in the world, SAMOS NECTAR, and another excellent dry wine, SAMINA. It is surely no coincidence that the Vatican has chosen wine from Samos as its mass wine.

The island was the birthplace of the famous mathematician Pythagoras, and as a reminder of him, you can bring a ceramic cup he invented, which works on the principle of connected vessels, with which they tried to regulate the consumption of wine in the past, as a memento of your summer holiday or a gift to your loved ones.

Samos offers its visitors a wide range of activities and interesting places to visit during their stay on the island. The island offers ideal conditions for recreation - the climate is excellent, spring starts relatively early and summers are long and sunny. There are a large number of beaches on the island. These are mostly sandy in the south and mostly pebbly in the north. It is difficult to choose the most beautiful of the many beaches, but let's name a few: Mourtia, Tsamadou, Lemonakia, Kokkari, Potami, Limnionas, Chrissi Amos, Potokaki, Mykali, Tsambou and Balos.

But if you prefer sightseeing tours, Samos can offer you a wide range of interesting excursions, including the Turkish city of Ephesus. However, there is no shortage of historical monuments on the island either - there is evidence that the island was inhabited as early as the prehistoric period, around 4 thousand years BC. The island reached its heyday in the 6th century BC during the reign of Polycrates, when many magnificent buildings were built, some of which have been preserved to this day. The most important building was the harbour with its extraordinary temple of the goddess Hera with its walls, which were built in Doric and Ionic style and which still amaze with their grandeur. On the island there is also the Eupalion Canal (1350 m long), one of the technical wonders of antiquity, and the old amphitheatre on the slope of Mount KASTI. Samos has many other sights, and we recommend a visit to the paleontological, Byzantine and archaeological museums. The museum in the town of Pythagorion is also interesting. There are over 20 remarkable monasteries on the island, mostly built in the 16th century.

Basic information:

• Greek name: SÁMOS (Σάμος)
• Capital: Samos
• Island area: 475 km2
• Length of coastline: approx. 159 km
• Population: over 34 000
• The highest peak: Kerkis – 1434 m n. m.
• Patron of the island: Pythagoras

RESORTS IN SAMOS

VOTSALAKIA/KAMPOS

This small tourist resort in the southwest of the island lies beneath the highest mountain of Oros Kerkis. Here is a long beach where tourists can find undisturbed privacy even in high season. Along the main road and over the sea there is a bakery and several restaurants, tavernas, cafes, grocery and souvenir shops. There is also an ATM and a bus stop. An ideal place for a relaxing family holiday or for long walks in the surrounding area or inland, where you will encounter wild nature, sea coves and characterful villages with a local unique atmosphere.

Distance from the airport: approx. 45 km. Distance from the administrative centre: approx. 50 km. Rating of the resort: suitable for all generations.

KOKKARI

On the north coast, approximately ten kilometres to Samos town, is the charming resort of Kokkari, described by many as the prettiest and cosiest on the island. The local pebble beach is about 2.5 kilometres long and practically all of it is lined with small hotels, tavernas and restaurants. Behind them is the main road, but it is only used by residents and visitors - a bypass road has been built around Kokkari. There are also a number of shops, bars, discos, rental shops, snack stalls and the like. The local streets are narrow, even very narrow in places, so a good part of them are one-way. The beach is very pleasant, but if you want to try other beaches, you can walk about three kilometres to Lemonakia or Tsamadou, where one part is reserved for nudists. From the resort it is very easy to get to the main town by regular bus, or to the resort of Karlovasi to the west, with its many shops. We recommend renting a motorbike or car for at least one day and heading into the mountains just beyond Kokkari. The hillside villages of Vourliotes or Manolates will enchant you.

Distance from the airport: approx. 22 km. Distance from the administrative centre: approx. 10 km. Rating of the resort: suitable for all generations.

MYKALI

A very peaceful area, boasting a wide and long beach with pebbles and clear sea and opportunities for water sports. Suitable for individual walks in the surrounding countryside. We also recommend a visit to the administrative centre of the island, where there are plenty of shopping and entertainment options. History lovers may be tempted by a visit to the local archaeological and, in the village of Mytilini, palaeontological museums (admission to each is approx. 3€/person). The main hall of the archaeological museum even had to be enlarged to accommodate some of the most sensational finds from the Héraion, such as the 4.8m high marble archaic colossal figure of a jinoch (kouros), whose torso was found in a vineyard adjacent to the sacred precinct.

Distance from the airport: about 8 km. Distance from the administrative centre: approx. 8 km. Rating of the resort: suitable for all generations.

POSSIDONIO

Do you want a quiet atmosphere without noisy tourists? You do not need a lot of bars and discos to enjoy your holiday, but instead prefer peace, a pleasant atmosphere and fascinating natural scenery? Then you will love this small resort surrounded by forests in a charming bay with a few hotels and restaurants. Many owners of luxury yachts often moor here. From the pebble beach you enter the sea, which is a stunning blue-green colour, and in the evening you can sit in one of the tavernas and listen to Greek music and the sound of the waves. As Possidonio is off the main roads, we recommend renting a motorbike or car for at least a few days and taking individual trips around the island.

Distance from the airport: about 18 km. Distance from the administrative centre: approx. 10 km. Rating of the resort: suitable for all generations.

PYTHAGORION

In the port and very lively town, the most famous and most popular on the island, there is probably nothing that a tourist is looking for during his vacation. There are plenty of daytime and nighttime entertainment options, a wide selection of souvenirs and restaurants, taverns and cafes. On the local sand and shingle beach there are opportunities for water sports. The picturesque fishing harbour is a dominant feature, where simple boats of local fishermen and luxury foreign yachts are moored. Above the town, named after the famous native mathematician and physicist Pythagoras, is the ruin of a 19th century castle built to defend against the Turks.

Another attraction is the Efpalineio Orygma tunnel, only a few dozen meters are accessible, there is a rather narrow entrance but a pleasant coolness. At one time this work was considered the eighth wonder of the world. During your stay, we recommend visiting one of the most beautiful local beaches, Psili Ammos, with its fine sand and a nice view of the romantic islet opposite. It is about 10 km away from the town. To the west of the resort is the sand and shingle beach of Potokaki.

Distance from the airport: approx. 2km. Distance from the administrative centre: approx. 14km. Rating of the resort: suitable for all generations.

TOWN OF SAMOS

The island's capital is built in steps over the bay of Vathi. It was formed by the merger of the old village of Vathi and the new town of Samos. The attractive coastal promenade is dotted with restaurants, tavernas, pastry shops and cafes. The town centre has a plethora of shops and boutiques, as well as an archaeological museum, the town hall, a second-century church and a central park. Of particular interest is the museum, which consists of two buildings - the original part dating from 1912 and the modern construction from 1987, with rare sculptures from Egypt, Persia, Cyprus and Samos. The statue of Koura is almost 5.50 m high. Admission is about 3€/person, open daily except Mondays. At one end of the coastal road there is a harbour and at the other end tourists are attracted to visit the wine museum, where there is a very interesting exhibition with the possibility of tasting delicious local Muscat wine. The local wine is not only popular with the locals, but is ordered from as far away as the Vatican as their mass wine.

Distance from the airport: about 13 km. Rating of the resort: suitable for all generations.