Samos is an island in the North Aegean Sea, located close to the Turkish mainland. It lies south of Chios and north of Patmos and the Dodecanese.

The island is the birthplace of the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, as well as the astronomer Aristarchus of Samos (who was the first to propose that the Earth revolved around the sun).

How to get to Samos

The island can be reached via ferry from Turkey (Kusadasi). The trip takes two hours and the ferries are available only during the summer season (from the second week of May).

Ferries from the other Greek islands and Athens (Piraeus) are also available. The journey from Piraeus takes 9 hours.

>>Read more about:
>>Ferries in Greece
>>Ferries from Mykonos to Samos

The island is served by an airport which receives daily flights from Athens and other major Greek cities and islands. During the summer season, several low-cost carries offer flights into Samos, including AirBerlin, Transavia, Jetairfly and Smartwings.

Read more about:
>>Flights to Greece
>>Flights within Greece

Weather

Samos has a warm Mediterranean climate, just like the other islands in the North-Eastern Aegean. Mild winds and little rainfall during the summer make the island an excellent vacation choice. The average air temperature during summer reaches a high of 27C in July.

Tourist season in Samos begins in May.

>>more information about Weather in Greece

What to do

Samos is home to Pythagoreion and the Heraion of Samos, a UNESCO World Heritage. Pythagoreion is an ancient port, with Greek and Roman monuments, which includes the Eupalinian aqueduct (or The Tunnel of Eupalinos). It is located just a 10-15 min walk from the town of Pythagoreion.

Heraion of Samos (Temple of Hera) is located 6 km from the ancient city. Today only one column is left standing. Many construction phases are known, the first dating to the 8th century BC. In the 570-550 BC a much larger temple was built but it was destroyed about a decade later presumably by an earthquake. After that, an even large temple was built to the west of the old site. Unfortunately it was never finished. During the Byzantine era, the Heraion served as a quarry.

Beaches

The island offers a lot of beaches to explore, so swimming and sunbathing are popular activities. Until May the water is cold but then it is possible to swim.

Gagkou Beach is the closest beach to the town of Samos. It is located about 15 min walk from the ferry port. Please note that it is a pebbles beach but it is possible to rent sun loungers. A variety of bars and cafes provide the food and drinks for the sunbathers.

Photo credits:
Samos / Vathy
Samos, Balos Beach