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Samos. The island of Pythagoras

Samos, with an area over 470 square kilometers, is the 8th largest island in Greece. It is located in the eastern part of the Aegean Sea and it is 175 nautical miles away from Piraeus and 11 from the nearest island of Ikaria.
Samos is the closest greek islandÂ to the Asia Minor coastline. They are separated by the Strait of Mykalis or Â«eptastadioÂ» in ancient greek

History

The first inhabitants of the island were Pelasgians, Leleges and Kares. According to Herodotus, Homer visited Samos during the period 1130-1120 BC.Â During the ancient times the island was a religious center for the goddess Hera.

The island is the birthplace of the great mathematician Pythagoras, the astronomer Aristarchus who first thought that the Earth orbits around the sun, and the philosopher Epikouros.

The island flourished during the reign of tyrant Polikratis (532-522 BC) and it became a great naval power. This led to war with Athens (440 BC) who sent a fleet led by Pericles himself and managed to conquer Samos starting the long era of decline. This era will end in the years of revolution starting a long period of social life reconstruction.

Tourism

Samos is an island with many tourist attractions, beaches, landscapes and archaeological sites, offering a variety of activities to visitors.
Access to the island is possible via Samos airport with daily connection to Athens and many charter flights from Europe especially during the summer months. There is also a coastal connection through the two ports on the island, Vathi and Karlovasi.

Vathi

The one of the two ports of the island, Vathi is amphitheatrically built with a lively night life with all sorts of bars and restaurants.
For swimming, go to the nearby beaches of Gaggou and Roditses.Â A little further, by car or bus, you can visit the beaches Kerveli, Poseidonio, Galazio and Myrtia.

Karlovasi

Karlovasi is the second port of Samos.Â Its main feature is the university community. For swimming, you can visit the beaches Karlovasi, Potamos and Seitanion. Also worth seeing are the waterfalls in Potamos and the evergreen traditional villages of the region.

Pythagorion

One of the main tourist resorts with thousands of visitors throughout the year. The area includes archeological sites of great historical interest such as the Efpalinio pit, the remains of the city walls and of course Iraio, great religious center for the goddess Hera
For swimming, visit the beaches of Potokaki and and Iraio.

Kokkari

Â A village with great tourist development and infrastructure that attractsÂ large numbers of visitors. For swimming, choose the Kokkari beach, Tsamadou and Lemonakia, all with crystal blue waters. The beaches of Tsamadou and Lemonakia are side by side just outside Kokkari.

Marathokambos

A village built at the feet of Mount Kerketea with traditional stone houses over Marathokambos bay. Do not miss the beautiful beaches of the area, Psili Ammos and Votsalakia.

Visit

The tunnel â€œEfpalineioâ€. Dated to 550 BC this underground reservoir is built in the era of the tyrant Polikratis by mechanical Efpalinos and is considered one of the largest engineering projects of the ancient times.

The system includes a horizontal tunnel, 1,035 meters long, which crosses a hill. What is remarkable is that the opening of the tunnel started simultaneously from both sides of the hill and the two tunnels met one another in the middle with remarkable accuracy.
Iraio. The main worship center of Samos, dedicated to the goddess Hera

The ravine near Potamos, Karlovasi which leads to natural waterfalls. Access to the falls is easy through a well maintained trail.
The mountain Â«VinesÂ», formerly known under the name Â«KarvounisÂ». The mountain covers the central and eastern Samos. The highest peak is Prophet Elias in an altitude of 1153m. The mountain is of great ecological importance, with rich, endemic and rare flora. It belongs to the network of protected areas NATURA 2000 (GR 4120002)