Just a quick swim over from Turkey lies an island with a winning roster of natives including the likes of ancient Greek Goddess, Hera, and the great mathematician and philosopher, Pythagoras. Rumor has it, Cleopatra and Marc Antony spent moments of their decadent love affair right on the beaches of Samos as well. Unlike the typical arid, dry climate you typically see on Greek islands, in Samos you’ll find ample greenery, mountain villages, pine forests, and even flamingos. Yes, you heard that right, flamingos migrate to Samos typically in the spring and bath on the shores of the island.

We decided to come to Samos because my partner, Anthony’s grandmother is from Samos and he still has cousins that live there who we made amazing memories with when he met them for the first time. Don’t miss this less traveled gem just off Turkish shores.

Where to Stay

We stayed at Kouros Seasight Hotel because it provided great accommodations for the price. It will cost anywhere between $100-200 per night in the summer to stay there and for the money you will get comfortable beds, a great rain shower, and a nice little terrace. The hotel is also located in Potokaki (Ποτοκάκι), a resort town just a 15-minute walk to the main village, Pythagorio (Πυθαγόρειο) where you’ll find great restaurants, shops, and most of the action on the island. There’s also a nice beach right outside of the hotel. BUT, I must warn you, this area is right near the airport so you will hear the flights taking off throughout the day. The only upside is it’s not happening at night and you are so close to Pythagorio for dinner at night.

If you’d like a more secluded stay, I suggest staying in Kokkari (Κοκκάρι) on the other side of the island. We drove through there one day and it seemed like a lovely village and several locals told us it’s a great place to stay with a nice beach at your disposal. Two beautiful hotels near the beach in Kokkari are Semeli Boutique Hotel and Armonia Bay Hotel.

Things to Do

Samos is a beautiful island that simply must be explored. We don’t love driving in Greece as you always wind up on roads that are narrow and off a cliff so we decided to get a guide. Samos Outdoors was an excellent tour operator on the island with great options for day trips. We got a private guide/driver for one day and he took us wherever we wanted to go on the island and paid around 150 Euro total for Anthony and I. This was a great deal considering we did so much in one day and covered a huge portion of the island. If you have the time, I would even do this for two days and cover the entire island.

Here are a few sights that you simply must see:

(NOTE: the list is in order of when we saw most of these sights and may be a good way to order your itinerary based on the location of each spot)

Temple of Hera

Rumor has it, the Ancient Greek Goddess, Hera, lived in Samos. The Temple of Hera was built for the goddess in ancient times and what’s left of the temple is worth seeing. As I typically experience when visiting Ancient Greek sights, there’s much left to the imagination, but it is quite remarkable how much of these structures are still standing considering they were built in Ancient times. The Temple of Hera seemed to be a massive structure with unique stone carvings and a lingering staggered column formation. You won’t need much time to see this sight as a lot of it is in ruins, but it is very close to Pythagorio so it’s a good place to make your first stop before you venture to other parts of the island. Or you can roam over there when you’re having a lazy beach day at your hotel in Potokaki.

Monastery of Panagia Spiliani (Ιερά Μονή Παναγιάς Σπηλιανής)

Just a short drive from Pythagorio, the Monastery of Panagia Spiliani is an iconic Greek Orthodox Church in Samos with links of caves, and a beautiful view of the southern coast of the island. Anthony’s grandmother told us that she would come here to pray daily when she visited the island and I can see why. There is a beautifully mysterious cave adorned with religious icons and a beautiful historic church within the walls of the monastery. You can spend less than an hour exploring the monastery before you head to your next destination.

Monastery Zoodohos Pigi (Μονή Ζωοδόχου Πηγής)

 A short drive from Panagia Spiliani lies another beautiful monastery on a hill top with breath taking views. This monastery is run by nuns only, no monks, and they were very welcoming. One of the nuns took us into their church and explained its history. She even showed us the epitafio (επιτάφιο), a ceremonial shrine of flowers made for certain religious holiday’s such as the August 15^th Panagia (Παναγία), which was the day we were there. The Panagia is actually a very religious day for the Greek Orthodox as well as a national bank holiday for Greece, so it is a very popular time to be in the islands. It was very special to share this day with the nuns and visit these iconic monasteries.

Check out the Crystal-Clear Waters at Mourtia Beach

Just down the hill from Monastery Zoodohos Pigi is Mourtia Beach, a rock beach with impossibly clear waters and hazy views of Turkey from afar. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, rock beaches are the way to go! The water seems to be more refreshing and always crystal clear. Another unique thing about Mourtia, and Samos in general, is that when you’re in the water looking back at the land your surrounded by green pine trees. This is quintessential Samos and is what sets this island apart from others in Greece. The greenery and ecosystem of this island is quite different from what you’ll find elsewhere. Being in those crystal clear, post card perfect, waters of Greece with the backdrop of tons of greenery and pine trees is something that is so unique to Samos and the best part is you won’t have to fight your way through tourists to appreciate this beauty.

Go to the Mountain Village of Manolates (Μανολατες)

With a population of just 300 people, this remote mountain village is peaceful and charming. We met some of the local villagers there and they showed us how a Pythagoras cup works. Apparently, this cup was designed with Pythagoras’ desire for economic and social equality in mind. Inside of the cup there’s a line that signifies the balance between the two. If you fill the cup past this line, the cup will start pouring out from the bottom. As we walked through this quaint village the views high up in the mountains of Samos were breath taking. There’s also great stores and cafes that you can explore for several hours up there.

Potami Beach and the view from Saint Nicholas Church

Saint Nicholas Church provides an amazing view of Potami Beach, a heart-shaped shoreline which is one of the first images you associate with Samos. The churches near the sea in Samos are actually all named after Saint Nicholas because this particular saint is the Protector of the Sea. Make sure you go to the right church because this view of Potami Beach is not to be missed. After you take in the view, go for a swim at that very beach. Then take a hike to Potami Waterfall. 

Potami Waterfalls

After you soak in the sun and views of Potami Beach, take a short hike through the woods and head to the waterfall. Make sure you bring water shoes and a bathing suit because you will be hiking in waist deep water to get to the waterfall. It takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the waterfall from the trail. When you approach the water, there is a fresh water stream running between the mountains forming a pathway to the waterfall. Here you will walk through waist deep water to get to the waterfall which is well worth the experience. The water is refreshing and we got some great photo ops. There are a few more waterfalls that you can climb up to from this waterfall or via rope if you’re feeling up to it as well.

While you’re at the waterfall, you’ll notice there is a jagged set of wooden stairs going up the mountain. These steps lead to a great view and restaurant, Taverna Achontissa. The stairs are a bit steep but just hold on tight and walk slowly because the view up there is worth the climb. The steps and restaurant were built by a Samian mountain man and he built this 100-foot staircase by himself with his bare hands. I thought this was a tall tale until the man himself came to greet us when we were having lunch in his restaurant. The condition of his hands was proof enough to confirm the story. This was one of our favorite experiences on the island so don’t miss out!

Go to the Wine Museum in Vathi

The Wine Museum is a little underwhelming to be honest, but it costs only 2 euros to enter and you can do self-serve unlimited wine tasting right there. Plus, it’s a good excuse to go see Vathi, the main town in Samos. When you enter there is a large hall with huge barrels in it and also a bunch of bottles of wine for the taking. No one was tending to these bottles so you could just go on in there and try as much of each wine as you want to. So we gave ourselves a tasting, but not an overserving, and walked around the museum. We found a huge wine cellar down stairs and checked out the small displays there but there weeren’t signs explaining anything, nor guides. So, I would say, if you go to the Museum just consider it a 2 euro self-service tasting of local wines. Our cab from our hotel to Vathi was around 25 euro, but we stuck around afterward and walked around a bit.

Where to Eat and Drink

Espirides in Pythagorio

This traditional Greek taverna has all the food and flare you expect for a classic Greek dining experience. Their beef giouvetsi (γιουβέτσι) was absolutely delectable, and they had classic Greek hits playing on the radio to complete the perfect ambiance.

If you are staying near Pythagorio and don’t feel like walking home, you can catch cabs near the port at a taxi stand. The line can sometimes get long but it usually moves pretty quickly.

Despina Café/Restaurant in Manolates

This cute cafe is located in the beautiful mountain village of Manolates. It’s the perfect spot for a lazy lunch. The original water well for the village is located inside of the restaurant and actually flows into a small reservoir right there.

Taverna Acontissa at the Potami Waterfalls

Be sure to bring your sneakers for this meal. The restaurant is located on top of a mountain next to the Potami Waterfalls and you have to walk up pretty treacherous stairs to get up there, but it’s a great place to get lunch after your hike around Potami.

Dionysos Restaurant in Pythagorio

This restaurant had good food with all the Greek staples you would expect and a nice courtyard, open air setting. We went there on the night of the Panagia, a national religious holiday on August 15^th, and they had bouzouki players there all night. It was a perfect way to celebrate.

Maounes (Μαουνες) Bar in Vathi

This is a cute little beach bar in town built into a shipping container. You can eat there but we just had some drinks while we explored Vathi.

Psarotaverna Markos (Ψαροταβέρνα Μάρκος)

We went to this fish taverna for dinner with Anthony’s distant cousins who live in Samos full time and had a beautiful spread. As most Greeks do when they go out in big groups, we ordered basically every item on the menu and shared everything. This restaurant was located on the water and is great for a nice evening of drinking, eating, and catching up.