One Day In Samos, Greece

 

Today I will share with you some of the best places to visit in Samos, Greece. If you’ve never heard of the island before, there is no reason to feel embarrassed.

This small Greek island, located very close to the coast of Turkey, has only recently been explored by mass tourism and I was lucky enough to spend a full day on the island as part of my Greek island-hopping cruise aboard Celestyal Crystal.

The ship actually goes to Kusadasi in Turkey and you have the choice of staying in Samos or spending the day in Turkey. If you choose the former, like I did, you’re up for one of the highlights of the entire cruise.

Samos, whose name means “water”, is a fairly large island and a place where there is something for everyone, in terms of tourist attractions and activities. The island has its fair share of pretty historic towns and villages, small harbours and marinas, fantastic beaches and offers opportunities for outdoor sports. In case you intend to stay longer, check out this article on where to stay in Samos.

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Places To Visit In Samos In One Day

If you want to see what the island is all about, you will need at least a full week. But if like me, you can only spend one day in Samos, you will want to see as many things as you can. So here are my suggestions for places to visit in Samos in one day. If you are really short of time, you should check out this full-day tour of the island, so you don’t miss the highlights.

Stroll Around Kokkari Town

Kokkari is one of tourists’ favourite places to visit in Samos – including myself – and one of the most developed towns on the island. With just over a thousand inhabitants, it is the only town in Samos that had a population growth in the latest census.

Located on a small peninsula, Kokkari’s fishing harbour is one of the best places to walk around and enjoy the town’s quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Most houses around town are white-washed and decorated with bougainvillaeas and other plants, reminding us of the pretty lanes in Mykonos, but far from having the crowds or the hustle and bustle.

On the other side of the peninsula, there is a beautiful and long pebble beach with clear blue waters that will make you think you’re somewhere in the Caribbean.

See Also: Best Things To Do In Santorini

Explore Pythagorion

The island’s former capital, once known as Tigani, is the most popular resort in Samos. Having said that, it feels very relaxed and uncrowded, even when you walk around popular areas like the harbour.  Enjoy a walk around the marina, where you will find many colourful fishing boats, traditional houses and many restaurants serving seafood and the best of Greek cuisine. I recommend stopping for a snack at one of these restaurants, where the friendly owners will greet you like an old friend.

If the town name sounds familiar to you, that’s because the island’s most illustrious son, mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras, was born here – there is a statue of the man himself by the harbour.

If you want to stretch your time in Pythagorion, you can visit the local Archeological Museum or go to the local beach, which is small but very pleasant and with improving infrastructure.

Visit The Monastery of Panagia Spiliani

Up in the mountains not far from Pythagorion, you will find the small Monastery of Panagia Spiliani. When you arrive, you will be greeted by much cooler temperatures than down the coast, some much-deserved shade and will find some small olive groves and orange trees.

You will also have some amazing views of Pythagorion, small ruins and the Turkish coast. But the main attraction at Panagia Spiliani is a small cave church, which gives the name to the monastery (The Cave of the Virgin Mary). In the cave church, you will see the icon of the Virgin of the Caves. Legend says that the icon was once stolen and broke into five pieces when it fell into the sea. After some time, the five pieces were carried by the sea and returned to Samos, where locals restored them and returned them to the monastery.

Swim on Tsamadou Beach

During my stay in Samos, we drove 2 miles from Kokkari, we stopped on top of a hill. Looking down, we had the most incredible views of Tsamadou Beach hidden down below with its sparkling blue waters. Before going to the beach, you can buy some drinks and snacks at the bar to take down with you. Otherwise, you can also order your drinks and they will deliver it with a small lift system that works like a mini cable car.

Tsamadou Beach is quite long and surrounded by lush green mountains, with one end serving as a nude beach, and the other part for those who prefer to keep their privates private. Sun loungers here cost only 4€ per hour, compared to 30€ in Mykonos.

Even though I enjoyed every single place I visited in Samos, I must confess it was hard to leave Tsamadou Beach. The water was that addictive shade of Greek blue with the perfect temperature (around low 20sC, I’d say) and swimming was easy.

Taste The Best Samian Wine

Wine has been produced in Samos since ancient times. In fact, back then, Samos was particularly rich because of its wine production. Up until today, the island is covered with vineyards and you can taste the local wines at the Wine Museum of Samos.

The museum is fairly large and displays traditional wine-making machines, old pictures and there is a room with dozens of giant barrels. The tour culminates with a wine-tasting experience, when you will try several types of local wines, especially Muscat, the sweet wine variety that is most popular among local producers. The wines available for tasting tend to vary, so we tried several types of Muscat, ranging from semi-sweet to sweet and very sweet.

As one would expect, the Wine Museum also has a small shop where you can buy your favourite wine at friendly prices.

The Wine Museum of Samos is open from May to October, from 10am to 5:30pm, Monday to Saturday.