Samos is one of the largest and greenest islands of the eastern Aegean, sitting just off the Turkish coast. This map guide explains how the island is laid out, so you can plan around its size, mountains, coasts and towns. Understanding the layout matters here because Samos is big, with sights, beaches and villages spread … Read more
Limnionas is a small, quiet beach on the far southwest corner of Samos. It lies west of the Votsalakia and Balos resorts, near the end of the coast road. The cove sits under the western flank of Mount Kerkis, the highest mountain on the island. A sand-and-pebble shore, clear water and a tiny fishing harbour … Read more
Marathokampos is a large traditional town in the southwest of Samos, built across a hillside on the flank of Mount Kerkis, the highest mountain in the eastern Aegean. The old town rises in amphitheatrical tiers of stone houses and stepped lanes, with wide views south over the bay and the beaches below. Down on the … Read more
Balos beach lies at the quiet southwest end of Samos, tucked under the steep slopes of Mount Kerkis beyond the resort of Votsalakia. A pebble-and-sand cove with clear, cool water, it sits near the end of the coast road at Marathokampos bay, far from the busier north and east of the island. Drivers reach it … Read more
The Cave of Pythagoras stands on the southern slopes of Mount Kerkis, high above the village of Marathokampos on the southwest coast of Samos. A marked footpath climbs through pine to a pair of rock openings, where the small cave-chapel of Panagia Sarantaskaliotissa sits beside a deeper cavern. Local tradition ties the site to the … Read more
Votsalakia, also called Kampos, is the main beach resort on the southwest coast of Samos. The long strand of sand and pebbles runs beneath Mt Kerkis, the island’s highest mountain, well away from the busier north and east. Shallow, gently shelving water and a low strip of tavernas, rooms and sunbeds make it a calm, … Read more
Karlovasi is the second town of Samos and the main settlement on the island’s northwest coast. It sits about 30 km west of Vathy, spread across three linked districts around a working ferry port. The town rises below the peaks of Mount Kerkis. It mixes a maritime past, a tanning-industry heritage and a modern university … Read more
Mount Kerkis, known in antiquity as Kerketeas, is the highest mountain on Samos at about 1,434 metres. It rises steeply over the southwest of the island, straight from the sea above the beach villages of Votsalakia and Kampos. Bare grey limestone, deep gorges, caves and hidden chapels give the peak a wild character unusual for … Read more