Samos Travel Guide

Traveling to Samos

You can get to Samos by boat or by plane. The most common route is by plane, because boats can take over 9 hours from Athens. Samos International Airport "Aristarchos" is the airport on Samos Island. It receives flights from Athens, Thessaloniki, Chios, Lemnos, Mytilene and Rhodes. Once you get there, Samos is a great jumping-off point to other islands near Turkey. The port of Samos is also connected with Syros, Mykonos, Ikaria, Fourni, and Chios.

Samos Beaches

Samos’s beaches of Kokkari, Lemonakia, Mikali, and Tsamadou are some of the most popular beaches on the island. These beaches are known for their pristine waters. Aside from the popular spots, Samos has a lot of private bays to choose from.

Kokkari Beach

Kokkari Beach is a pebbly beach that is long and organized. It is located north of the village and gets busy in summer. In this area, there are many tavernas, cafes, and coffee shops on the shore. Kokkari is usually windy, and there are watersport rentals and paddleboards available for exploring the area.

Mykali

Mykali is found east of Psili Ammos and is the largest unorganized. It is not hard to find seclusion, and the water is clear and wave-free because of the cold currents coming through the straits. You can practically see Turkey from this point, because the eastern side of the island is so close.

Megalo Seitani

Unlike Kokkari and Mykali, Megalo Seitani (translating to “large Seitani”) is known for its fine sand and greenery around the beach. Many nature-lovers come here who like seclusion. There are no organized beach chairs here, and it is accessible only by a half-hour walk down a dirt trail. We still highly recommend the trip, though, because of the pristine waters. There is also a Mikro Seitani (small Seitani), but it is known for its nudists. If you’re traveling with family, rest assured that Mikro Seitani is 2 kilometers from Megalo Seitani.

Famous People From Samos

Samos was the home to Aesop and the math genius Pythagoras. Some famous philosophers like Epicurus and Melissus were also from Samos. Going further back, a myth says that the goddess Hera was from the island of Samos. The Ionic Dipteral Temple of Hera, the Great Altar, and the Sacred Road are two of the monuments that you should not miss.

The Archaeological Museum of Pythagorian Houses

This museum features 3000 items that were excavated from the ancient town of Samos and from around the island, dating from the 5th millennium BC until the 7th century AD.

Cave of Pythagoras

This is where the mathematician Pythagoras was hiding when Polycrates, the ruler of the island, was chasing him. It is on the east of Mount Kerkis and is the highest mountain in the Aegean. It is only three kilometers from Votsalakia beach, but it is quite hard to access. There are, in fact, two caves. Pythagoras lived in one, and the other was for teaching. In the cave that Pythagoras used as a home, there is a spring you can visit where Pythagoras used to drink fresh water.