Aegean
Samos
Ancient wine, thick forests, and mountains that plunge straight into the sea.
Getting around
Car recommended
Cost
€€€
In peak season
Quiet
Best months
May, Jun, Sep, Oct
From Athens
Flight or ferry
In pictures
Samos
The Turkish coast is so close from Samos — just three kilometres at the narrowest crossing — that you can make out individual trees on the Asian shore. This proximity to Asia Minor runs through the island's entire history: Samos was a major Ionian city-state and the birthplace of Pythagoras and Epicurus. The Eupalinos Tunnel, carved through a mountain in the 6th century BC to supply the ancient city with water, is one of the great engineering achievements of antiquity and still fully explorable today. The Heraion sanctuary — one of the largest temples ever built in ancient Greece — adds further archaeological weight. The interior is unusually green and mountainous, with dense pine forests, rushing streams, and good hiking trails. Local Muscat wine is sweet, aromatic, and worth taking home. The island is harder to include in an island-hopping trip than it deserves to be.
How it scores
- Beaches
- Nightlife
- Food
- Culture
- Nature
- Family
- Accessibility
- Value for money
The catch
Not well connected by ferry to other Aegean islands — tricky to include in an island-hopping itinerary.
Hidden gem
Hike up to Vourliotes village for lunch — Pythagoras' birthplace gets the headlines but the mountain villages have the soul.
Where it sits
Aegean, Greece
Samos — frequently asked
- When is the best time to visit Samos? +
- The best months to visit Samos are May to October. It's calm and uncrowded most of the year, so even peak season is workable.
- How do you get to Samos from Athens? +
- Samos has an airport, so you can fly direct from Athens in under an hour or take the ferry.
- Is Samos good for couples? +
- Samos is a charming pick for couples, especially shoulder season.
- Is Samos good for families with kids? +
- Samos is a great choice for families — calm swims, walkable towns, and short transfers.
- Is Samos expensive? +
- Samos is affordable by Greek-island standards.
- Do you need a car on Samos? +
- You'll want a rental car on Samos — distances are longer and the best beaches are spread out.
- What's the catch with Samos? +
- Not well connected by ferry to other Aegean islands — tricky to include in an island-hopping itinerary.