Holidays in Samos GREECE - Discover the island ...
For a summer break on a dreamy Greek island, you can't beat holidays in Samos. Known as 'The Green Aegean Island' Samos shimmers like an emerald delicately set amidst the thousands of sapphires and diamonds of the sea. And this rare gem is all yours when you come on your holidays to Samos. A great place to start is the island's capital, Samos town. It's lively and caters well for the many visitors it attracts. Along with nearby Kokkari, also in the northeast of the island, you'll find a range of beaches from shingle and calm seas to pebbly with great prevailing winds for surfers. Or head towards the southeast when you travel to Samos. Near the old fishing villages of Pythagorion and Ireon there are golden sand and shingle beaches. For a great daytrip out, visit one of the sites that bring you up close and personal with the island's rich and varied past. The Temple of Hera and the Efpalino tunnel are awesome. Just a 1.5km skip across the Mycale Straits to
Turkey, you can easily flee the island for a daytrip to the Roman city of Ephesus near Kusadasi. With its iconic library and amphitheatre it's sure to be on you 'to do' list. Or island hop to nearby Fourni and Patmos. Whether you've been planning this trip for months or you've just found one of our bargain holidays to Samos, you'll be dazzled by this Aegean beauty.
Information about Samos beaches
With a sunny climate most of the year and good roads to facilitate exploring, Samos lends itself to holiday making in spring and fall as well as summer. The closest decent beach to Vathi is
Gagou, 2 kilometers north of the pier. But the best beaches on Samos are found along the north coast, the most beautiful and rugged part of the island. The busy seaside resort of
Kokkari, 10 kilometers west of Vathi, has several beaches in rock coves as well as the crowded stretch of sand running parallel to the town's main road; to find the smaller cove beaches, head seaward from the main square. Just west of Kokkari is
Tsamadou, a short walk down from the coast road, which offers sufficient seclusion for nudism at one end. Continue west past Karlovassi to find
Potami, an excellent long pebble-and-sand beach with road access. The two best beaches on Samos island, *
Micro Seitani and *
Megalo Seitani, are accessible only on foot or by boat; boat excursions depart daily from the pier in Karlovassi. To get here on foot, continue past the parking lot for the beach at Potami on a dirt road, the walking time to the first beach is 45 minutes. After about 5 minutes of uphill walking, the road splits--turn right, continuing to follow the coast. After another 5 minutes of walking, there are three obvious paths turning off to the right in close succession. Take the third, marked by a cairn, and follow the well-worn path another half hour to Micro Seitani, a glorious pebble-and-cobble beach in a rocky cove. On the far side of the beach a ladder scales the cliff, leading to the continuation of the trail which will take you after an additional 30 minutes of walking to Megalo Seitani, as incredible a stretch of sea sand as any in the Aegean. At the far end of Megalo Seitani are a few houses and a taverna; the near end, at the outlet of a magnificent cliff-walled gorge, is completely undeveloped. In
Pithagorio, the local beach stretches from Logotheti Castle at the west side of town several kilometers to
Potokaki and the airport. Expect this beach to be packed throughout the summer. Excursion boats depart daily in the summer for
Psili Ammos, 5 kilometers to the east. Boat excursions leave daily from Pithagorio for
Samiopoula, an island off the south coast with two good beaches. On the south coast of Samos, the most popular beaches are on
Marathokambos Bay , its rock-and-pebble beach is long and narrow, with windsurfing an option. A couple of kilometers further west of Ormos Marathokambos is
Votsalakia, a somewhat nicer beach.
Samos sites and attractions - Samos highlights ...
Among the naturally and historical gifted N.E.
Aegean islands, which are spread along the Turkish coastline demarcating the eastern borders of Greece, the exquisite island of Samos predominates. As soon as you shall enter the port of Samos or Vathi, which is also the capital of Samos, it is definite that you will be truly impressed by the unique icon. Regarded as one of the most beautiful insular towns of
Greece, as it is built amphitheatrically on the cove of an extended gulf, in front of verdurous hills, Samos or Vathi comprises of elegant neoclassical buildings and imposing mansions as well as churches and monasteries. During your stay at the capital, do not forget to visit the amazing picture gallery where you will admire exquisite portraits, historical heirlooms, the constitution of Samos etc. Moreover, the municipal library as well as the archaeological and the ecclesiastic - Byzantine museums, are definitely worth a visit. Finally, a walk around the picturesque old town between the narrow uphill alleys and the scenic houses will be an interesting experience. Wandering around the island of Samos, all over the gifted landscape, you will find and admire extremely interesting natural and historical sightseeing. At the settlement Vourliotes, the Byzantine church of Agios Ioannis, the monastery of Panagia Vrontiani, the ancient graves, the castle of Lazaros, the remains of the castle of Loulouda and the fountain of Pnakas, an amazing natural site at a ravine with sycamore trees, are waiting for you. Also, at the settlement Karlovassi, you should visit the ruins of the Byzantine castle, the various churches and monasteries, the imperial mansion, the shipyard, the tanneries, the ceramics workshops, the school of Mathematics, the building Hatzigiannio (which is the library of the school of Mathematics) and finally the incredible natural site with the waterfalls, the river, the two lakes and the lush verdure.
Additionally, at the settlement Marathokambos, do not miss visiting the cave of Pythagoras, the cave with the church of Saradaskaliotissa, the cave Kakoperato with the stalagmites and the stalactites, and of course the various churches and monasteries of the region. Moreover, when you visit the settlement of Pythagorio, it is indispensable to admire the relics of the walls of the ancient town, the tower of Logothetis, the roman spa, the mains, the ancient theater, the sacred sanctuary Ireo, the archaeological and cultural museums and the artificial lakes Glyfades. Furthermore, the cave Trypiovrachos with the stalagmites and the stalactites at the settlement of Pyrgos is another must. Samos has been blessed by nature, a fact that is reflected on the stunning beaches that are scattered all over the magical island. As soon as you shall feel the urge for a swim, visit the pebble beaches Gagos and Roditsa as well as the sandy beaches Psili Ammos, Kerveli, Klima and Possidonio, close to the capital of the island. In addition, the coasts of Agios Konstantinos, Kambos, Avlakia and Tsambos are also special. If you find yourself at Karlovassi, the beaches Potami, Limani and Ormos are ideal, while the hydro-biotopes Mikro Seitani and Megalo Seitani are also excellent. Moreover, the regions Kokkari, Tsamadou, Lemonakia, Votsalakia and Limnionas have beautiful bays. Finally, the 6 km long beach of Pythagorio, the beach of Potokaki and the beach of Karbovolos, are also worth visiting.
If you are interested in cosmopolitan lifestyle and much frequented resorts during your stay on the island of Samos, we advise you to visit Samos or Vathi, which is the capital of the island, the famous resort Karlovassi that throbs with tourism and of course the popular settlement Pythagorio, where you will find everything, as far as your entertainment is concerned. On the other hand, if you long for peaceful vacations, the mountainous traditional village Pyrgos, the scenic settlement Chora and the picturesque village Marathokambos, are ideal for
relaxing and quiet holidays.
Samos activities - Things to do ...
# Walking & Hiking in Samos: The Greek Mountaineering and Hiking Club of Samos (GMHCS) was founded in May 2002. Since that summer the club is successfully arranging excursions to Samos serving naturalist purposes, such as hiking and mountaineering. Samos has only a few but very well-organized climbing fields thanks to the GMHCS. The best climbing field in Samos is a little outside of Karlovasi near Potami. On the other side of the island, near the village Drakaioi there is a very interesting slope with a capacity of two or even three ropes. Near the village Marathokambos, on the southwestern side of the island, you can find the slopes of Mt. Kerkes which is the highest of the island. This is the location of the oldest track called "the Pythagorean theorem". Additionally, the beach Tsampou near Kokari is of great mountaineering interest.
# Climbing: This is raw rock climbing in Greece! Samos offers wonderful holidays with a captivating landscape and countless beaches between big mountains peaks. With 9 months of sun and a pleasant mountain breeze Samos Island creates a paradise for climbers. You will find climbing areas with different styles of climbing, perfect routes on natural lines, amazing sea cliffs and many routes in alpine walls. The island currently has 14 areas with about 125 routes. We are scouting multiple sectors for future areas. Builders of new sport climbing and alpine routes are welcomed and encouraged to help in the development of the islands climbing growth.
# Boating and Sailing: Samos is an island that can make sailing a real pleasure because of its favorable winds and its natural beauty. Sailing ships can be rent from SamosSail in Pythagorion. There are 4 sailing ships available: two of 42.2 ft size, one of 45.2 ft and one of 49 ft. There is also the possibility of hiring a skipper in case one doesn't have the essential sailing license. In case that one of the sailing ships isn't rented during the tourist-season, daily trips to Agathonisi or other beaches of Samos can be arranged.
# Watersports: The watersports center is located in the western utmost of the beach Kokkari and has an extent of 3000 m2. The centre provides courses of windsurfing for beginners and advanced learners. The courses are, depending on the case, of 3 or 6 hour duration. The visitors can also rent kayak, mountain bikes and mechanically-driven boats. The location of the center is ideal for windsurfing because of the etesian wind, that prevails in the region during the summer months (June, July and August), in combination with the thermic winds allow slalom, formula and wave surfing. During this time, the waves can be up to 3m .
Getting out in Samos: Nightlife, Clubs, Cafes & Restaurants
Samos has a fairly low-key nightlife compared with some of the party
islands of the Aegean such as Kos and Mykonos. But the island offers many
excellent ouzeris and eateries where you can while away the hours as you quaff
a carafe of the famous Samian wine. The liveliest night scene is to be found
in the three main ports of Vathy, Pythagorio and Karlovassi all of which have
late night music bars and dance clubs. The pretty resort town of Kokkari on
the north coast also offers some buzzing bars on summer nights but don't
expect too much action elsewhere on the island.
The waterfront of the island's capital Vathy is awash with bars and
restaurants but many are mediocre and overpriced so choose carefully. The key
to value for money dining is to follow the locals to traditional tavernas such
as Ta Koutopola, about 800 metres inland from the southern end of Samos harbour.
Head up Ioannou Lekati from the bus station and you'll find it on your left.
Basic but good quality Greek fare is served to mainly local diners on a
vine-covered terrace. This is a good place to sample some of the famous local
wine which spurred the poet Lord Byron to pen the words: "Fill high the bowl
with Samian wine. The wine is made from the locally grown muscat grapes and aged in oak
barrels. Many of the wines are sweet, such as the popular Nectar, but if you
prefer something dry try the excellent white Samaina or the dry rose Fokianos.
For a more sophisticated dining experience try La Calma which occupies a
romantic setting with a waterfront terrace at the northern end of town near
Samos General Hospital.
Later on in the evening there are several music bars and dance spots to
choose from in Vathy - look out for posters around town advertising special
theme nights. Or take in a Hollywood movie at open-air Cine Olympia near the
archaeological museum. Films are shown in their original language with Greek
sub-titles. The tourist resort of Pythagorio on the south coast also has its fair share
of good restaurants and music bars but, as in Vathy, most of the waterfront
eateries tend to be unexciting and pricey. Exceptions include Remataki at the
far eastern end of the quay where the town beach starts. This excellent eatery
serves up delicious, reasonably priced and imaginative meals including
mouthwatering mezedes. The nearest cinema is in the village of Mytilini, seven kilometres from
Pythagorio on the road to Vathy. New release films are shown in their original
language. Karlovassi in the north east corner of the island has a fairly lively night
scene all year round thanks to the presence of students of the University of
the Aegean which has its faculty of maths and computer science here. Kokkari, 27 kilometres south east of Karlovassi, has plenty of late night
bars and a few dance spots in the summer months including the popular Cabana
Club on the west beach which draws revellers from all over Samos. Some of the package holiday hotels organise their own in-house evening
entertainment and many tavernas in the small towns and villages around the
island have regular bouzouki sessions to entertain locals and tourists alike.
Climate and weather in Samos GREECE
Samos climate is mild, healthy and pleasant, cool during the summer and warm in the wintertime. Temperature variations throughout the year, as well as during the day are very limited and minimum temperatures very rarely fall under the freezing point. The absolutely maximum and absolutely minimum temperatures ever recorded at Samos Meteorological Station were 38,2ο C and -4,3 ο C respectively. Because of the many and high mountains, there is a lot of rainfall in Samos. The average rainfall is 918,4 mm and the month with the most of it is December when 23 % of the rainfall is recorded. The most rainy season is of course winter, with 60,1 % of total rainfall, while summer is almost completely dry with a mere 4,1 % of total rainfall. The rest of the rain falls in early spring and in late fall. From mid April and onwards until mid October the rainfalls are rare and many times hazardous for agriculture, especially in springtime. North wind is the prevailing wind in Samos and during summer it blows almost constantly cooling the island. South winds, that carry most of the rain, blow mainly during the winter period along with the rest of the winds.
As the Northern winds or "meltemia" as the local call them, blow during the summer, they climb on the northern slops of Samos island, slow and steadily, leaving their moisture on them. When they pass the mountains, dry and furious, they pour down to the Southern side and that 's why this side is dryer that the Northern one and more affected by the winds, thus giving the atmosphere, many times, a crystal clarity. Sunshine on Samos is one of the longest in
Greece, since, for a semester and possibly more, during the summer period, there is hardly a cloud in the sky. All of the above scientific figures are referring to the position of the Samos Meteorological station and are to be considered as indications. But the shape, the different altitudes, the orientation and many other elements contribute to the formation of many different microclimates, from the drier to the coolest ones and within these microclimates develops a major variety of ecosystems.
Getting to Samos - flights & ferries - Getting arround the island ...
You can travel to the island of Samos (Karlovassi or Vathi) from the port of Piraeus as well as from the port of Rafina by ferry or high-speed boat, while from
Athens you can also travel by airplane. Samos is easily reached by ferry from Pireaus. The trip is about 8 to 14 hours (depending which boat) and ferries usually stop at both Karlovassi and Vathi. There are less frequent connections to Chios, Lesvos, and the islands of the Dodecanesos which you can reach on frequent highspeeds in the summer months. There are daily boats to Kusadasi, Turkey where you can visit the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, one of the world's most incredible archaeological sites. Samos is an official entry/exit harbour and as such possesses Customs and Health authorities, as well as Passport Control and Exchange Services. Samos has a very good bus system but the best way to see the island is by car or moped. There are also excursion boats to some of the remote beaches and there is a boat that sails around the whole island.
If you have chosen to visit Samos via airplane, you should know that (departing from Athens) it will take you forty-five (45) minutes to get to the island and it will cost you approx. eighty (80) euros. The types of airplanes that fly to Samos are usually Olympic Airways’
ATR 72-202 & 42-320. You can also fly to Samos from Thessaloniki, Chios, Mitelene, Lemnos and other airports across the country. Each summer there are also many Flying Dolphin and other small ships that connect Samos with ports around the Aegean. Starting on the 25th of March and till the 28th of October there are many charter flights connecting Samos with various European (mainly) countries. These flights are organized by major Greek or Foreign tourist agencies and transfer the bulk of the summer tourists to Samos island.
Quick facts - Samos overview
Samos sits at the southern end of the
Aegean sea to the east of the
Greek mainland and so close to the Turkish coastline it could almost be thought of as part of the
Dodecanese group. A large, long mountainous island it was once one of
Greece's wealthiest and boasted many architectural wonders of the ancient world. Unfortunately many of the former wonders have fallen foul of cement mixers and hotel developers. In the more popular resorts like Pythagorion and Kokkari, ready-mix has permanently paved the island's glorious past. In other resorts the rough Greek edges have been polished smooth and, like sedate Bournemouths of the Aegean, they appear more holiday village than Greek village - mere meek holiday retreats for the middle-aged. But it's not all bad. Samos has been spared the worst excesses of mass tourism and has something for everyone, from big beach hotels to rustic hill villages, miles of sand, towering mountains, stunning scenery, attractive coves and lush forests. It is a big island though and roads through the mountains long, winding and tiring, so many visitors choose their resort and stay there. Most hotel dwellers are found in the south and east while the more adventurous will head west and north.
Nature was kind to the 184 square miles of Samos with its dramatic and highly indented coastline attractively perforated by long sand beaches and small shingle coves. Inland there are abundant water springs and two magnificent mountain ranges encircled by green and gentle rolling hills. So attractive is it in places it's hard to believe it hasn't been deliberately planted, pruned and preened by some unseen hand. Samos was once home to some spectacular sights including a 7km marble paved road lined with 2,000 statues and a temple magnificent enough to rival the Parthenon, but bulldozers and hotel builders have left relatively little behind to enjoy. In some resorts few rough edge has been left unpolished in sometimes misguided series of civic 'improvements' and modern accommodation. Much of the island heritage has been buried or prettified, and rarely enhanced
