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Welcome to Samos in the North Aegean group of Greek Islands. Samos has the distinction of being the Greek island closest to Turkey; only 3kms away across the Mykale Straits. It is also the most most popular, of the North Aegean Islands, with tourists. Most visitors will stay by the coast so, inland, unspoilt villages and wonderful mountain scenery are there to be discovered and enjoyed. The island's, at times, humid climate encourages plant growth so that orchids, cultivated for export, and muscat grapes for wines, flourish. One of Samos' more famous sons was Pythagoras who was born on the island in the 6th century BC but spent most of his adult life in exile in Italy as a result of his political views and opposition to Polycrates who had taken control of Samos. The Sanctuary of Hera, one of the Seven wonders of the Ancient World, was constructed when Polycrates was in power, as was the Evpalinos Tunnel. Samos was subsequently allied with Athens but, during the Peloponnesian Wars was captured by Sparta. Successively, the island was ruled by Romans, Venetians and Genoese until 1453 when it fell to the Turks. Samos Town, or Vathy, with a population of almost 6,000 is the island's capital and popular with the tourists. The archaeological museum should be on anyone's list of places to visit and has many exhibits from the era of Polycrates and a wealth of sculptures and pottery. A convenient base from which to explore the island's historical sites might be Pythagoria which actually stands where the ancient city of Samos once stood. Here you can imagine the mighty Jetty of Samos which was built by Polycrates to protect the city and the fleet. The Evpalinos Tunnel was constructed in 524BC, its purpose being to channel water from the mountains into the city. The Hereon, a sanctuary to Hera and now a World Heritage Site, is not far from Pythagoria. It was already the site of an ancient temple when Polycrates order the construction of the present building which was an incredible four times the size of the Parthenon. Wander round the ruined foundations and wonder at its greatness. As a change from ancient religious and domestic artefacts, visit the paleontology museum and see the skeletons and remains of prehistoric creatures that pre-dated the giraffe and the elephant. The south-west coast of Samos didn't capture the tourists' imagination quite as quickly as the northern coastline but, more recently, the pleasant beaches have been discovered and popularised. The island is easily reached by air from Athens or Thessaloniki. Ferries and the hydrofoil service link with numerous destinations and are frequent. Once on the island there is an adequate bus service and many vehicle rental outlets. |