THE ISLAND OF SAMOS IN A FEW WORDS
The capital of the island is Samos or Kato Vathi, with 9000 inhabitants. Other important settlements are Ano Vathi, Pythagoreio, Chora, Marathokambos and Kokkari. The mountainous villages such as Vourliotes and Manolates also stand out. Samos is a mildly developed island, with places of absolute tranquility, but also highly touristic places. The people of Samos are hospitable and participate in various activity groups.
Winds divide the island of Samos into three climatic zones, the northern and greener part which is influenced by the winds coming from the sea and is wet and cool, the southern part where the winds come down from the mountains are dry and fast (downwinds) that dry and heat the environment and the mountainous areas where lower temperatures and high humidity prevail.
Due to its special geomorphology (maximum altitude 1443 m. Mount Kerketeus) and its microclimate, it is characterized by dense vegetation and has a huge biodiversity. Dense forests of pines, olives, vines and fruit trees cover almost its entire area from the heights of the mountains to the coasts, making it a popular destination for lovers of mountaineering and outdoor activities. Therefore, the island of Samos hosts a huge number of rare species of flora and fauna that attract researchers and ecotourism enthusiasts to the island {chameleons, the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus), wild boar and ferrets}.
The island of Samos, apart from its natural beauty, is known for its archaeologically important attractions, but also for the personalities it “provided” in Greek history. It is the birthplace of the great ancient mathematician Pythagoras, the astronomer and mathematician Aristarchus, the philosopher Epicurus. Among the attractions of Samos, it is worth mentioning the Eupalineo trench and Heraion, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
As far as local products are concerned, wine is the best known product of the island. The multi-awarded Samos Denomination of Origin Moscato wines are produced from the “White Moscato Samos” grape variety. At the Wine Museum of the Unified Winemaking Agricultural Cooperative of Samos (EOSS Samos) there are tours and wine tasting tests. A traditional drink of Samos is souma or tsikoudia, an aromatic raki, produced from grapevines. Ouzo is also produced on the island. Additional products of Samos include olive oil, honey and herbs.
Finally, in the Pottery Workshops of the island, the “Pythagoras Cup” or “Fair Cup” is made, which is typical of Samos.
Finally, there are many things to do when you arrive on the island of Samos. By air, during the summer season (mid-April to mid-October), via charter flights or outside the tourist season, with a direct flight to Athens and from there, with a short one-hour flight to the island of Samos. In addition, by coastal ferry, with the regular ships of the line, from Piraeus to Karlovasi or Samos (the island has two tourist ports), an excellent option that provides the opportunity to see the neighboring islands along the route. Finally, it is possible to fly to one of the many islands that surround Samos and then return to it, with the catamaran whose final destination is the port of Pythagoreion, on the south side of the island.
