Samos island holiday tipsSamos is 322 kilometres east of the Athens port of Piraeus and is as little as 1.5 kilometres from the coast of Turkey within the north-eastern Aegean chain of Greek islands. Like so many of the Greek islands, Samos has superb sandy beaches, a picturesque landscape of mountains and plenty of tourist facilities so visitors can have fun. Package holiday groups of tourists descend on the island, mostly from Europe, and the plentiful seaside resorts are always busy. |
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Samos holiday tips Olympic Airways and Air Manos fly daily to Samos, although they use different terminals. Flights depart the western airport at Athens and the trip takes about 45 minutes. The airport of Samos is 17 kilometres south-west of the capital. Buses link daily from the capital town of Samos to Kokari, Avlakia, Agios Konstantinos, Agios Dimitrios, Karlovassi, Mitilinii and Pithagorio, and from Karlovassi to Agioi Theodori, Pirgos, Koumandarei, Hora, Pithagorio, Samos, Marathokamos, Votsalakia, Agia Kiriaki and Drakei. There are daily ferry hydrofoil trips from Vathi and Pythagorio to Kusadasi in Turkey (takes about 25 minutes) and to surrounding islands including Ikaria, Fourni, Agathonisi, Patmos, Lipsi, Leros, Kalimnos and Kos. Ferries to Samos usually leave the port of Piraeus at about 4-5pm and arrive at the island around 7am. In mid-2004, Samos had 145 hotels, a vast majority being two and three star accommodation with affordable rates. There are about a dozen car hire firms on Samos. The cheapest hire car we could find on Samos in mid 2004 was a four seat Subaru Vivio asking US$51 per day, or US$327 over seven days... i.e. hire cars aren't cheap. Samos covers 476 square kilometres and has a 159 kilometre coastline of sandy and pebbly beaches. About 45,000 people call Samos home, most living a predominantly traditional lifestyle. The island has a warm Mediterranean climate with little rainfall during the summer months.
Farms produce olives, wine grapes, oranges and various fruits. Fish, wood and minerals are other island exports. Quality beaches can be found on both the north and south coasts of Samos but they can be very crowded during the peak holiday travel season. If you're willing to venture off the beaten track you can find some holiday privacy on isolated beaches, many with pebbles. Noteworthy beaches include Tsamadou, Saint Constantine, Avlakia, Tsabou, Marathokamos Bay, Lemonakia, Psili Ammos, Votsalakia, Limnionas and Potami. Kokari Beach is very attractive, Potami Beach has pebbles, Tsamadou Beach is usually busy and Hrissi Beach is considered by many locals to be the best on the island. The interior of Samos is mountainous and heavily forested, providing a holiday haven for trekkers, hikers, campers and cyclists. Traditional mountain villages can be found, along with bubbling streams, dramatic ravines and lush valleys, all coated with greenery and seasonal wildflowers. Samos has three ports, making it a regional transport hub, as well as an international airport with several daily flights to and from Athens plus charters from various European countries. The island capital, a town also called Samos, is located in the north-east corner of the island. The town is built like an amphitheatre in a deep bay next to the harbour of Vathi. This bustling port has numerous tourist facilities, waterfront bars, cafes, clubs, discos and restaurants. About 10,000 people live in the town of Samos, which has both old and new architecture. The capital also has a superb archaeological museum housing numerous priceless treasures. The second largest town on the island is Karlovassi with about 6,000 residents. The famous mathematician Pythagorus was born on Samos in 580BC and his namesake town, Pythagorio, is on the south coast of the island. Pythagorio, which has become the island's main resort town, was once part of the island's capital during the time of Polycrates. Pythagorio used to be known as Tigani but was later named after Pythagoras. About 2,500 people live in Pythagorio, which has a picturesque harbour sheltering tavernas, cafes, tourist shops and yachts of all sizes. Samos was also the home of Aesop's fables, the Greek astronomer Aristarchus and the philosopher Epicurus. According to myth, Samos was the birthplace of Hera, the ancient goddess of nature and fertility, and the wife of Zeus. The island has been occupied and/or ruled by the Phoenicians, Persians, Macedonians, Ptolemaic, Romans, Byzantines, Frankish, Venetians, Genoese, Turks and even the Russians. Massive earthquakes rocked the island in 1476 with a huge loss of life and Samos was effectively deserted thereafter. In 1912, the tiny Samian population was reunited with Greece. Samos has several fascinating sites of antiquity including the ruins of the Heraion sanctuary to the west of Pythagorio which was once the largest temple in ancient Greece, four times the size of the Parthenon. Samos has plenty of monasteries including Megali Panagia, Agia Zoni, Vronta, Panagia Spiliani and Zoodohou Pigi. The island is less than half an hour by ferry from the coast of Turkey, very close to the historic Turkish city of Ephesus. Sites worth investigating during your holiday on Samos include:
The landscape of Samos is covered by bushes, ferns, plane trees and osiers. Common trees on the island include pine, cypress, oak and chestnuts. The island has a stunning variety of birdlife. Grand mansions and picturesque chapels are dotted around Samos, which has maintained much of its traditional architecture. Highly regarded local folk arts include pottery and fabrics woven on local looms, as well as the manufacture of rugs and the export of goat wool. Most shops on the island sell local wines and honeys. Surrounding Samos you can find the small islands of Daskalio, Prasonisi, Diapori, Makronisi, Strogilo and Petrokaravo. The Samos climate is moderately warm during winter and cool during summer, despite clouds hardly ever being seen during the summer months. The average maximum temperature in July is 30 degrees Celsius and in January it's 13.7 degrees. It's worth checking current Samos weather conditions. samosnet.gr provides the web's most comprehensive views and analyses of life on Samos. Useful telephone numbers: Medical Police Airport Ports Museums / libraries To book airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, etc. for a holiday in Greece, visit our Travel Shop. |
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