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Samos Holidays

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Holidays to Samos showcase a less-developed side of Greece. This authentic island offers unspoilt beaches and a wild flower-infused interior.

Greece stripped bare

Samos operates according to a ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’ philosophy. While lots of its Greek Island neighbours have added big hotels and man-made tourist attractions to their offerings over the years, Samos’ landmarks are still its vineyard-coated mountains, traditional villages and inland orchid fields.

The beach scene

Days on Samos tend to revolve around the coast. You could easily spend all your time on the well-serviced beaches in Kokkari and Pythagorion. The stretches of sand here are long, wide and white, and they’re bordered by tavernas and cafés. If you want a bit more room for manoeuvre, it’s worth venturing south to the stretches of sand in Possidonion, Psili Ammos and Kerveli.

Hiking

Walking is a bread-and-butter activity on Samos. During the summer months, the nature trails are spritzed in a wild jasmine perfume. The most challenging trails wind their way around Mount Ampelos and Mount Kerkis, while the paths between Potami and Megalo Seitani serve up great sea views.

The full range of beaches

Samos’ collection of beaches is far from capsule – a combination of powdery and pebbly beaches can be found at all of the island’s compass points. The ones on the north coast tend to be a little cooler than the ones in the south, because they benefit from a refreshing breeze that sometimes blows in from the north.
The big beach

Psili Ammos wins the title of Samos’ best beach by a nose. Even though it’s 7 miles from the resorts of Samos Town and Pythagorion, it still manages to pull in the crowds. Families have a soft spot for this place, because it comes with all the essential facilities. Just be aware – there’s another Psili Ammos Beach on Samos, an hour’s drive from its namesake, on the island’s southwest coast.
The secret beach

The southwest coast is Samos less trodden. Roughly 45 minutes’ drive from Pythagorion, you’ll find Marathokampos Bay and a little seaside village called Balos. This whitewashed hamlet is fronted by a sand and shingle beach, which mass tourism hasn’t turned its attention to yet.

Bargain Buys

Samos may be small, but it’s one of Greece’s heavyweights when it comes to honey production. You can buy jars of local honey from most supermarkets in Samos, like the one on Kanari Street in Samos Town. If you want a more authentic experience, try buying a jar from a local at a roadside stall. You’ll find a few on the road between Pythagorion and Pyrgos.
Mid-Range Buys

You can add a bottle of Samos’ sweet wine to your collection for 10 euros. Buy it from the source during a trip to Karlovassi Winery, which is roughly a half-hour drive from Kokkari, or pick a bottle up from the gift shop in the Wine Museum in Malagari, in Samos Town.
Designer Buys

If you’ve got money to burn, set it alight in one of Samos’ jewellery stores. There are a few boutiques around Apostolos Koumaris in Kokkini that sell one-off hand-made pieces. Look out for designers like Sarina Beza and Efi Poursaitidou. It’s a similar story on Harbour Road in Pythagorian.

Laid-back evenings

Kokkari takes the title of most laid-back village in Samos. The tavernas along the waterfront, near Antipaxou Street, offer up front row seats to the sunset, and they take it in turns to put on Greek nights, with traditional dancing and music. In Pythagorion, meanwhile, some of the best eateries are shared out between the harbour, Aristarxou Street and Pythagoras Street.
Lively evenings

Samos Town is the leader of the pack when it comes to nightlife. The bars near Themistoki Sofouli on Samos waterfront do a good line in cocktails, and there are a couple of live music bars as you head out of the town centre towards Kalami. Pythagorian offers after-dinner action, too. You’ll find a few bars around Lykourgou Logotheti on the waterfront.

Kolokithopita

This filo pastry pie is classic lunchtime fare in Samos. It’s filled with sweet pumpkin, onions, feta cheese and mint. Traditionally, it’s cooked in a coil shape, but to save time, it’s also made by shaping the pastry into triangular parcels.
Feta saganaki

Samians eat saganaki as an appetiser, but it works just as well as a side dish or main course. The meal consists of pan-fried sheep’s milk feta cheese, drizzled in locally-made honey and topped with crunchy sesame seeds.
Garides

Seafood is a speciality on Samos. The tavernas in Kokkari, 10 kilometres from Samos Town, have a particularly good reputation for their catch of the day specials. Grilled garides or shrimps usually top the customers’ wish lists.
Gemista

This is one of Samos’ flagship dishes. It’s made by hollowing out a tomato or pepper and stuffing it with a moist mixture of rice, pine nuts, onions and olive oil. Some restaurants make the dish for meat-eaters by adding minced beef to the mix.
Samos wine

Wine has been produced on Samos since the BC years, and in time the island has become a master of the art. Sweet wines are produced from the Muscat grape and aged in oak barrels, and bottles tend to be brought out after dinner. If you can’t wait until dessert to pop a cork, try the dry white Samaina instead.

Places To Stay In Samos View all places to stay

Kokkari

This easy-going fishing village on the northwest coast of Samos is a cluster of pretty, terracotta-roofed Greek villas that stretch out along a triangle-shaped peninsula. At its apex is a tiny harbour with a row of bars and restaurants that are lapped by the Aegean Sea. And behind the village, the tree-capped peaks of Mount Karvouni make an imposing backdrop.

Samos Town

Samos Town sits on the northeast corner of the Aegean island of Samos. Chic boutiques, a bustling market and friendly bars and tavernas lie along its narrow, colourful streets. It comes fused to the capital, Vathy, making it a rather lively place. Samos Town itself has more of a traditional village feel, though – many of the locals still make their living from the olive groves in the surrounding mountains. As for a beach, there’s a great little one set in a bay.

Pythagorion

On Samos’ southeast coast, Pythagorion is the island’s most popular holiday destination – a picturesque town of whitewashed buildings with terracotta roofs. It was named after the great mathematician who was born here some 2,500 years ago, though, in truth, not much has changed since then. The harbour is still dotted with boats, the beaches are the same shade of pale gold, and the fishermen still supply the town with fresh fish. In fact, the only major difference is the healthy nightlife, which may not have appealed to a teetotaller like Pythagoras.

AT A GLANCE

Explore the ruins of the Temple of Hera
Sip locally made muscat wine in Vourliotes
Tackle the hiking trails around Mount Ampelos

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Weather

TEMPERATURE (°C)RAINFALL (mm)

WHEN TO GO

In summer, temperatures in Samos can rise to 30˚C, but there’s usually a breeze to take the edge off the heat. The island gets slightly more rain than its Aegean neighbours – most of it falls between October and January, but you can expect the odd shower in April and May, too.

Latest Deals

Price per person

Hotel Ino Village, Samos Town 30 May 2019, 7 nights London Gatwick

£ 429
Bed and Breakfast
Lambros Hotel And Apartments, Kokkari 30 May 2019, 7 nights London Gatwick

£ 429
Bed and Breakfast

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Things To Do View all

Manolis Kalomoiris

This festival is held every summer in honour of the famous Greek composer Manolis Kalomoris, who was born on Samos. Celebrations…
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Samos Wine Festival

Samos Town is the epicentre of this festival. For almost a week, wine-tasting events are held by the harbour. A big stage…
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Get active on Lividaki Beach

This beach, near Samos Town, is a mixture of sand, shingle and get up and go. Yes, there are sunloungers on the sand, but…
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Snake your way through Efpalinio Tunnel

Get an earthworm’s perspective on one of the oldest man-made tunnels in the world. Cutting through 1,000 metres of mountain…
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Climb Mount Kerkis

Stretching 1,400 metres into the sky, Mount Kerkis is Samos’ tallest mountain. The trek to the top takes about 3 hours, and…
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Swig a glass of wine on the slopes of Mount Ambelos

The slopes of Mount Ambelos, about a 10-minute drive from Kokkari, are where Samos’ wines are born and bred. The island’s…
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Uncover the myths at the Temple of Hera

According to legend, this crumbled temple, 10 minutes from Pythagorion, is the site where Hera was born. For the goddessof…
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Paddle on Psili Ammos Beach

The name of this beach, 7 miles from Samos Town, translates as ‘fine sand’, and it does exactly what it says on the tin.Unlike…
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Top 4 resorts in Samos

Top 5 hotels in Samos

1

TUI FAMILY LIFE Doryssa Seaside

From £524
2

Samos Bay

From £502
3

Hotel Ino Village

From £429
4

Samaina Inn

From £594
5

Hotel Aeolis

From £475

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Samos Holidays

Greece stripped bare

The beach scene

Hiking

Things to See and Do in Samos

The full range of beaches

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Kolokithopita

Feta saganaki

Garides

Gemista

Samos wine

Places To Stay In Samos View all places to stay »

Kokkari

Samos Town

Pythagorion

AT A GLANCE

Weather

WHEN TO GO

Latest Deals

Things To Do View all »

Top 4 resorts in Samos

Top 5 hotels in Samos

Where we go in Samos Show on a map »

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