If you’re looking for a green island in Greece, an island preserved from mass tourism, with pretty beaches, great hiking opportunities, authentic villages and rich archaeological sites, Samos is for you! Easily accessible by plane from Athens, the North Aegean island of Samos boasts many points of interest , including these 10 things to see and do. But you’re wondering how to get there? When to go? Where to stay? How to get around? Where to eat? Here’s our travel guide, practical advice and useful addresses for visiting Samos, the island we’ve loved discovering!
How to get to Samos
There are several ways to get to the North Aegean island of Samos.
By plane
Samos has an international airport (SMI), also called Aristarchus. Located in the south of the island near Pythagoreio, it operates direct flights from Athens in just 1 hour. Internationally, it links the island to several Eastern European countries, as well as England, Belgium and Switzerland. To travel in Greece and abroad, we recommend the greek company Aegean Airlines which is very nice.
By ferry
The island can also be reached by ferry. Samos has 3 ports: Vathy, Karlovasi, Pythagorion. We always use Ferry Hopper, a website that lists all ferry routes from the Greek mainland. Easy to use, it has the added advantage of charging no extra fees. Patience is required, as the crossing from Piraeus takes between 8h30 and 10h. Don’t hesitate to combine your stay on Samos with a visit to the nearby island of Ikaria, another authentic North Aegean island renowned for being one of the blue zone territories with the most centenarians!
When should you visit Samos?
Samos is a fairly quiet, green island. The tourist season generally lasts from mid-May to the end of October. Before the season opens, storefronts are repainted, terraces are hosed down, and tables and chairs are set up outside. In winter and early spring, you’ll still find taverns and cafés open, but the choice is much more limited than in summer, especially in small towns.
For swimming, the sea is at a pleasant temperature from June until the end of October.
The island of Samos is ideal for hiking and boasts several interesting archaeological sites. As far as activities are concerned, it’s possible to visit Samos outside the tourist season without getting bored. We only spent a weekend on the island of Samos, but we had more than enough to keep us busy for several days.
Getting around Samos
By car
If you want to be completely self-sufficient, we recommend that you visit Samos by car. The island’s roads are generally in very good condition and quite wide compared to its neighbor, the island of Ikaria. You’ll find plenty of cars for hire on the RentalCars website. This comparator lists the offers of rental companies on the island, with the possibility of collecting the car from several locations on the island, such as the airport, Pythagoreio or Vathy.
By bus
The island of Samos also has a well-developed bus network linking the various towns, beaches and major archaeological sites. More information is available on the Samos In website and on the Ktel Samos Facebook page, which is regularly updated with timetables.
By cab
You can also take advantage of cab services to visit the island of Samos. We usually use Welcome Pickups, which has the advantage of allowing you to book directly online. On Samos, the service will be provided by a local cab company, Cosmos Travel.
Where to stay in Samos?
On Samos, you’ll find plenty of accommodation to rent: villas, apartments, hotels… you’ll be spoilt for choice!
Here are our recommended landing spots:
- Pythagorio a charming fishing village well worth a visit. It has all amenities and is ideally located for visiting the Temple of Hera.
- Kokkari a picture-postcard village with quayside terraces, harbour and beach
- Agios Konstantinos a seaside village ideally located for exploring the island.
- Vathy is the island’s capital and one of Samos’ main ports.
- Karlovasi the other port on Samos, is a little further away from the island’s points of interest.
During our stay on Samos, we stayed at Christina Apartment in Agios Konstantinos: a small cottage ideal for 4, with a terrace and a pretty garden planted with lemon trees. Nestor and his daughter Christina are charming hosts who even waited on us with a smile, despite our ferry being delayed at 2 a.m.!
Here is a small selection of accommodation found on Booking :
Pythagorio
- Village house in Chora-Pythagorio, a very pretty traditional stone house, 3 bedrooms, cosy decor and a garden planted with trees. Big plus: host Géraldine speaks French!
- Villa Margarita, a beautifully renovated 2-bedroom house with a garden and terrace offering unobstructed sea views.
- Holiday Oasis, 2 one-bedroom houses with pretty terrace and original outdoor whirlpool bathtub
- Doryssa Boutique or Casa Cook Samos, vacations with a Caribbean flair! These hotels offer rooms with direct access to the outdoor swimming pool. Please note that Casa Cook is for adults only.
Kokkari
- Eftopia Studio – Eftopia 2 bedrooms – Eftopia 3 bedrooms: perfect seafront location, cool decor and attentive hosts
- Or this traditional house, also very well located.
Agios Konstantinos and surroundings
- Villa in the former olive oil factory, a stone house with lots of charm and 2 very pretty terraces with lovely sea views.
- Villa Samos, a beautiful renovated stone house with private pool, modern villa of 180 m² near the beach
- Irida Studios, a hotel with simple, renovated rooms, a lovely swimming pool and a quiet beach nearby.
Vathy
- Stone House overlooking the bay, a beautifully decorated duplex apartment in a quiet location yet within walking distance of Vathy’s central square.
- Angel’s Suites and Angel’s Suites 2, two apartments in an attractive, recently renovated house with a balcony overlooking the sea.
- Scorpios Hotel & Suites, a small, family-run hotel with comfortable accommodation, a lovely pool and views over the bay.
- Ino Village Hotel also offers rooms and suites with a beautiful swimming pool.
- Heaven’s Door Samos, a modern apartment with swimming pool and bay view. What’s more, the host speaks French.
In the south towards Psili Ammos
- Chariclea Villa, 50m from Klima beach, two pretty houses with garden and all comforts.
- Sandy Beach Apartment, a soberly decorated 2-bedroom apartment with balcony, close to the sandy beach. Excellent value for money!
Watch out, it smells like experience! Make sure your European phone doesn’t connect to Turkey’s 4G network, or you could end up with a hefty phone bill when you get back from vacation…
Where to eat?
During our stay in Samos, we were able to eat in a few tavernas that we recommend, tested and, of course, approved! Many thanks to Katerina for her taverna recommendations, good addresses given by locals since her family lives in Samos! Here’s a great selection of restaurants and tavernas where you can enjoy a good meal in Samos!
Kokkari
- Meltemi: a tavern on the main beach of Kokkari that lives up to its name, because we were a bit dishevelled by the meltem! We particularly enjoyed the succulent fried squid, tarama, tyrokroketes and giouvetsi with kritharakis. A little extra, the mosaico offered for dessert (chocolate and butter rolls), see on the map.
- Marina: large, authentic tavern with a family atmosphere. Located on the road between Avlaki and Kokkari. Lamb giouvetsi, beef stifado, kleftiko, briam, gigantes, pastitio, moussaka… A wide selection of traditional Greek cuisine at great prices! Google Maps
Pythagoreio
- Taverna Ambrosia: we had lunch at this taverna, ideally located along the harbor. Good, simple food with generous portions. Special mention for giouvetsi (beef with tomato sauce and pasta), bouyourdi and pasticio. Good value for money. See on Google Maps
- Mermizeli: a restaurant at the end of the harbor with a warm decor and cosy atmosphere. Delicious food, a little more expensive than average but well worth it. Here on the map
- Aphrodite Restaurant: Set back from the port, in the streets of Pythagorio, a restaurant offering tasty cuisine, in a pretty garden with a well and a terrace planted with trees. See on map
Iraion
- Vouros Restaurant: One of the best taverns on the island, serving traditional cuisine and freshly caught fish. A superb view of the sea from the terrace. Ideal after a visit to the Temple of Hera or sunbathing on Potokaki beach. See on map
Mykali
- Taverna Kalypso: a very good, reasonably priced local taverna located very close to Mykali beach. Sun loungers and parasols available for guests. See on map
Platanos
- Orizontas: Breathtaking mountain views, excellent food and top-notch service. Try to be there for the sunset! Dishes are rather expensive. Here on the map
Agios Nikolaos
- The Fishermen: A great view from this psarotaverna (seafood tavern). Fresh produce at great prices, family atmosphere. See on map
To round off this selection, the picturesque villages of Manolàtes, Vourliotes and Ambelos also have good tavernas in their squares.
Top 10 things not to miss in Samos
Now you have all the information you need to visit Samos and make the most of your stay on this authentic Greek island! Now all you have to do is book your plane or ferry, choose your accommodation, and you’re off to Samos to discover the must-sees!
Virginie W.
Updated February 6, 2024
