Stunning Samos … squared

To celebrate twenty-five years of marriage, given our innate passion, we have decided to take this extra trip, a trip for just the two of us, with no children in tow, to one of the many Greek islands (but how many there are! …). We will go to Samos, a patch of land of just under 500 square kilometres, located in the eastern Aegean, no more than a kilometre from the coast of Turkey. We set off at 6:30 from home, on a rather grey morning, and a quarter of an hour later we enter the A14 at Faenza. At Bologna we then follow the A13 and an hour after setting off we leave the city of Ferrara behind. At Padua we then take the A4, which we follow eastwards as far as Venice and its airport, from which we will take off for this new adventure.

At 8:40 we are thus at Parking Go to leave the car in storage and a little later, thanks to the free shuttle of the rest area, we pass through the doors of Marco Polo airport. We check in our suitcases, go through security checks and wait for flight V7 1454 at gate number nine. There are no major delays and at 11:33 the Boeing 717 of the low-cost airline Volotea taxis on the lagoon runway and takes off, immediately turning towards the south-east. We follow the Adriatic coast of Croatia, then cross the Balkan peninsula and venture over the Aegean Sea to land on the island of Samos at 14:32 local time, after moving the clock hands forward one hour.

In a short while they hand us our luggage and immediately afterwards, at the exit, we meet the representative of Sunsea, our tour operator for this trip, but we tell her that we have booked a rental car and therefore will arrange the transfer to the planned accommodation ourselves. At Thrifty, here associated with Hertz, they give us a tiny grey Seat Mii (registration IPM 8803) and with that we set off. The journey is very short. After leaving the airport we cross the town of Pythagorio and on its north-eastern outskirts we arrive at the Aparthotel Electra, which will host us for the entire duration of the holiday. They assign us room number 5 … and there must have been an embarrassment of choice because, given the still somewhat early season, we are the only guests in the establishment.

The room, however, is clean and welcoming, as well as offering an intriguing sea view from its terrace. We settle our luggage, put on our beachwear and then go down to meet the girl from Sunsea again, who gives us a short briefing, without however revealing anything we did not already know, then we set off in search of a nearby beach to spend a few hours there. We go east, along the south-eastern coast of the island, and after a handful of kilometres we arrive first of all at Mykali Beach, where we can immediately savour the splendid colours of the Aegean Sea. Here, however, we do not stop and continue to the very nearby Psili Ammos Beach, apparently one of only two sandy beaches on Samos.

We position ourselves with our towels at the water's edge and immediately run into the water to enjoy our first swim … It is divine: we are very close to the Turkish coast, which almost seems within reach, and the landscape around us is delightful. Only a bit of wind is blowing, which sometimes raises the sand, but it is definitely bearable. We enjoy the peace of the place, which however in high summer must be quite crowded judging by the numerous parking areas present, and we stay until the shadows lengthen and the sun approaches sunset. Then we return to the Electra and later go out for dinner in the centre of Pythagorio, eating good fish by the sea at the Remataki restaurant, about which I had excellent references even from home … and if the day is judged from the morning, I really think it will be a lovely holiday.

Wake-up and breakfast on the sea-view balcony of our room … there could be no better way to start the day. By car we go towards the nearby town of Pythagorio, whose name reveals one of the most famous figures originally from the island … Pythagoras was in fact born in the northern part of Samos between 550 and 570 BC and at that time the present-day Pythagorio was the capital of the island and had about 25,000 inhabitants, against the current 1,600. We go to park near the kastro, where we immediately go to see the main town church, called Metamorfosis tou Sotirou, particularly linked to the liberation of these places from Turkish rule.

Right next to it, on the other hand, are the remains of the Byzantine castle, erected on the site where the island's first settlement arose, as well as the Palace of Polycrates, the tyrant who ruled the island in the 6th century BC, and right below the walls of the fortress stands out the characteristic local cemetery. We then go down to the port, where we had already been last night for dinner, and there we get information about the boat excursion to take in the coming days, then we arrive at the pier east of the town, where the modern monument to Pythagoras is located, ideally depicted in the context of his theorem, and from there we also enjoy a fine glimpse of the town against the backdrop of colourful fishing boats.

Once back in the car, we go, on the very first hills behind Pythagorio, to visit the monastery of Panagia Spiliani, which despite its name never hosted nuns or monks, but preserves a long cave at the bottom of which a characteristic chapel is revealed, of indefinite age, all painted blue. From its terrace one can then observe an intriguing panorama over the city and the nearby coast. A short distance from the monastery is also the so-called Tunnel of Eupalinos, an incredible work of engineering from antiquity, built, indeed, to the design of one Eupalinos, in the 6th century BC. This gallery, a little more than a kilometre long, was made to bring spring water to the city and was executed, for reasons of time, starting from the two ends … so after five years of hard work and with the limited tools of the time, the workers met practically halfway, erring by only a few metres.

On foot and with the help of a protective helmet (which came in useful several times!), we reach exactly that point … step by step, increasingly amazed at how such a feat could have been possible! After this other original experience, we leave Pythagorio westwards along the coastal road and after a handful of kilometres we also arrive at the archaeological site of Heraion, without a shadow of a doubt the most important on the island. The temple of Hera was built and demolished here several times, until the 6th century BC, when Polycrates ordered one of exceptional size to be built, inspired by the colossal Egyptian temples of the time, but it was never completed and of all that project today only an enormous, half column remains, rather disappointing, but nonetheless significant.

We wander for a while among the ancient stones and, by now at noon, we decide to go towards the beach that will host us until evening. Our destination is located a short distance away, along the coast, shortly after the village of Ireon … At the western end of the town, an unpaved road leads in fact to Pappa Beach: a small pebble beach set among the rocks and run by a picturesque tavern overlooking the sea. They assign us our umbrella with two sun loungers, which will be free since we will stop for lunch on site, and we enjoy the place, lapped by a beautiful sea, although today it is a little choppy. We have a nice swim and then have lunch, assisted by a wonderful sea view. We then laze about for the whole afternoon, cheered by a deep sense of peace, which helps make everything even more pleasant.

We leave in the evening, practically as the last guests of the establishment, and once back at the Electra we go out for dinner in the centre of Pythagorio, where we eat good souvlaki and moussaka in the Symposium tavern. In this way we conclude an excellent day wandering around Samos, an island that little by little is beginning to show us its splendid peculiarities.

It seems the weather won't be very kind over the next few days, so we decide to move today's only boat trip of the holiday forward. After breakfast we head to the port in the centre of Pythagorio, where the "vessel" of Captain Andreas awaits us, ready to take us first to the islet of Samiopoula, off the southern coast of Samos, and then to the secluded and (by land) inaccessible Kakorema Beach… Among other things, he's the only operator that goes there and has made it his exclusive. Already before 9:00 on a splendid morning we're on board, because it wasn't possible to book and you were accepted in order of arrival, so at 9:30 sharp we set sail, in the company of about twenty other tourists (few, given the size of the vessel).

Today the sea is a blue sheet and only a light breeze blows: in fact, one couldn't ask for better environmental conditions… So after about forty minutes of navigation, almost opposite Pappa Beach where we were yesterday, the boat makes a sharp turn, almost a U-turn… and we soon understand why, because amid general astonishment we head toward a pod of dolphins, whose dorsal fins are clearly visible in the distance, entertaining us with their presence for a while. Back on course, we sail the Aegean Sea for a good stretch hugging the coast along the rugged profile of this part of the island, and soon we spot the shape of Samiopoula on the horizon. Thus, around 11:00, we disembark on the islet, which at present is practically uninhabited, and we're granted about an hour to go for a swim at its beach before resuming the journey.

In a few minutes we walk across the narrow isthmus of land that divides us from the only sandy bay there, and its sight literally leaves us speechless! … It's a marvellous inlet, with nothing to envy in the best Caribbean beaches, except perhaps the fringe of palms is missing; for the rest it's a veritable swimming pool that invites you to dive in right away, even if the water is a tad cold (as is only natural in June). Right after, on foot, I'd like to reach the first heights behind us, where I noticed a picturesque little church, but first I find the way blocked by an irritable herd of goats, then, having gone around the obstacle, I find myself facing a firmly locked gate, padlock and all… so I give up and go back to that marvel of a beach, to console myself with another idyllic swim in its crystal-clear waters.

An hour, unfortunately, flies by quickly, and soon we find ourselves forced to leave that little paradise to return to the boat. We set sail with our bow pointing toward the southern coast of Samos, almost opposite Samiopoula. Thus we present ourselves before a stark stretch of coastline, characterised by very high cliffs and a total absence of a coastal road. Here, set like a jewel among spectacular rocks, is the splendid Kakorema Beach, a beach of white pebbles bathed by a fabulous sea. We disembark on the left side of the inlet and immediately run to enjoy the place, also taking advantage of the shade and the free sunbeds. We explore every nook, including a small cave you swim through, then we bask in the sun.

At 13:30 Captain Andreas sounds a large conch shell and calls everyone together for lunch, so, under a purpose-built awning, we eat good fresh grilled fish and all the fruit we want, then we go back to lazing a bit by the sea. In no time at all it's 16:00 and reluctantly we have to leave the place, which has satisfied us in every respect. On the way back we sail along the coast again, while a mischievous big cloud, with its cumbersome presence, ruins a bit of the last part of the excursion, but by the time we reach the port of Pythagorio it has already dissolved. We set foot on land when it's not yet 17:30, so certainly not the time to go back to the apartment, so we look for a beach nearby to spend the evening and in the end we go to Psili Ammos, where we had been on the first day. It's close enough and lets us spend a couple of pleasant hours with a fine view of the Turkish coast.

Back at the Electra, for dinner we go to the nearby village of Ireon, which despite its small size boasts a fine row of seafront tavernas. We have dinner at a good price and very well at Akrogiali, then we tour the centre in five minutes and head home, putting an end to an unforgettable day roaming the Aegean.

It really seems that from today the weather changes a bit; meanwhile, when we get up, the sun is still shining brightly. We have breakfast and set off by car toward the northern coast of the island, and more precisely to Vathi, its capital. There isn't much to see in this town, but we park the Mii on the seafront and walk to the centre. That way we come before Agios Spyridonas, the main church of the town, which however has nothing special to offer, nor does the adjacent town hall. Next to the latter, however, is the building housing the local Archaeological Museum, which we set about visiting, especially since we already have the appropriate ticket (combined with the Tunnel of Eupalinos and the Heraion).

Inside are all the main archaeological finds unearthed on the island, among which stand out the so-called Kouros of Samos, a colossal statue almost five metres tall dating back to 700 BC, and the Geneleos Group, a work created in the 6th century BC depicting a family of the time. Both sculptures come from the excavations of the Heraion, and of the latter a copy can also be seen at the archaeological site. Having done the shopping and reclaimed the car, we then venture along the peninsula extending north of the town, and first of all, via a rough dirt track (not even that rough if the Mii managed it), we reach the top of the mountain where the white little church of Profitis Ilias stands. From up there the view of the capital and its coast is truly intriguing and worth the effort of travelling the uncomfortable route.

Afterwards we descend the same way, and once on the coastal road we follow the signs for the little village of Paraskevi, then take another dirt track that in about three kilometres leads us to Livadaki Beach, where we intend to stay at least until mid-afternoon. The small bay, facing west, is enchanting, with the blue of the sea contrasting with the rocks and the Mediterranean scrub, but today it's whipped by a rather annoying wind. We position ourselves for a while under the umbrella provided by the ever-present taverna, hoping the gusts are passing and will die down, but the situation doesn't change, and after taking the necessary photos we take our leave to look for a more sheltered spot.

We try going east along the coast, but the road soon becomes very uneven, so we retrace our steps to Vathi and from there head toward the eastern coast of the island, where the inlet of Mourtia is located, about which I had read mixed reviews… Here too the wind blows, but it's only a light breeze, and although the beach is a thin strip of gravel, the sea has spectacular colours, so in our opinion the place passes with flying colours! We set up our towels a few metres from the water's edge and enjoy several swims, while a few passing clouds also drift away. Later we have lunch, then go back into the pool of water before us… There's a wonderful peace at Mourtia, and it's strange that there isn't even a taverna, but sooner or later someone will set one up, because the bay really deserves to be experienced.

In mid-afternoon, however, we decide to go and see another nearby beach, and after about ten kilometres we reach Kerveli Beach: yet another little pearl of this stretch of coast. Here too the gravel shoreline is lapped by a beautiful, azure, transparent sea, so we make use of two sunbeds provided by the local taverna (which, obviously, exists here) and immediately run into the water to enjoy a nice swim. Then we pleasantly spend the evening, with the view stretching over the Turkish coast opposite us. Back at base, later, we go out for dinner at the Tarsanas taverna, in the centre of Pythagorio, concluding another beautiful day in search of the most beautiful and seductive corners of the island of Samos.

When I get up I hear a strange noise coming from outside, then gradually it becomes more and more familiar, and when I open the window it's clear that it's raining hard, although here and there there's a patch of sun and clear sky. So, pretending nothing's wrong, we get ready, and by the time we leave the Electra it has stopped raining. Confident, we kick off today's programme, which involves exploring the extreme north-west of the island, also encouraged by the fact that the wind today should blow from the south. Amid chiaroscuro of clouds and timid sun, by car we pass through Vathi, then drive practically the entire northern coast of Samos, as far as the town of Karlovassi, which looks a bit more run-down than other centres on the island.

There we stop to do some shopping and then continue a few more kilometres to Potami Beach: a wide and beautiful bay where, for the moment, we don't stop. We keep following the coastal road, which soon becomes a dirt track and increasingly narrow, but we don't get discouraged, because we're looking for the path leading to the remote Mikro Seitani Beach, which shouldn't be very far. We have some trouble finding it and almost give up, when Sabrina notices a little pile of stones with a red arrow (but no sign)… So, by instinct, it really should be the start of the path. So we park the car at the edge of the dirt road and, backpacks on, we set off along the way. After about half an hour of easy walking we emerge first at the sea between vertiginous cliffs, then, to our great amazement, high above the bay, which thanks to a burst of sunshine immediately shows us its magnificent colours.

The beach is practically deserted, there's only a silent group of Greek kids, who probably slept in a tent on the spot, and an ancestral peace reigns, with only the lapping of the (almost calm) sea in the background. We settle a few metres from the water's edge, and once we're set up I spend much of the time with my head up, watching the clouds evolve, waiting for bursts of sunshine. So, when our beloved sun comes out, I take the opportunity to snap photos and take delightful swims. After 13:00 we have lunch with our sandwiches (also because at Mikro Seitani there are no alternatives) and we continue to enjoy the view of the sea before us… then, suddenly, the wind changes, starting to blow, quite fresh too, from the west, and the waves quickly pick up. Now the place, though beautiful, is much less inviting, so we decide to leave it.

We walk back along the whole path we followed in the morning and, having reclaimed our car, we move on to Potami Beach. The beach faces north and is therefore still sheltered from the wind; moreover, the sun has returned to dominate the scene and it's really worth staying there until evening. That way we can savour the splendid view of the bay, all pebbles and bathed by the usual deep blue sea, in which we obviously take a few swims. All of it until around 19:00, when we start heading back to base.

In the evening we return to Pythagorio for dinner, and this time we stop at the taverna Genteki, which offers excellent food, though a bit pricier than average; so, while we're still sitting at the table, a small downpour breaks out that forces us to stay a little longer than planned… But it's only the prelude to what comes next, because right in front of the Electra a real cloudburst erupts, keeping us in the car for a good half hour, and on returning to the room we notice that a lot of water has come in through the window frames, so much so that, before turning in, we have to work hard to dry everything off.

It rained on and off during the night, and when we wake up it's no longer raining, but the sky is gloomy, despite the odd rare patch of clear sky, and the air is far too cool. We have breakfast and set off toward the north of the island, with the sun having largely returned to shine. So, after passing the capital, we go, as yesterday, along the northern coast, and first of all we stop in the village of Kokkari, one of the most touristy and also characterful on Samos. It's Sunday morning and the village lanes are half-deserted. So we enjoy a pleasant stroll along the seafront, in search of the most interesting views, and a quick visit to the beautiful beach, then go back to the car. Continuing along the coastal road westward, shortly after we turn inland to climb up to the village of Vourliotes, one of the most interesting on the island.

The village sits at the foot of a stark massif and quite a few clouds still linger there… in fact it's all in the shade, but at least it isn't raining. We take a stroll through the characteristic centre, as far as the little square, considered the most beautiful on Samos, lined as it is with tavernas and typical buildings in strong colours. But also along the neighbouring streets you can savour interesting glimpses of Greek folk architecture. We leave Vourliotes just as it's starting to rain and descend again to the coast, where instead it isn't raining, though even there the sun no longer shines. We stop to capture the typical little church of Agia Matrona, located a few hundred metres from the coastal road, and further on we climb again toward the mountains to the village of Manolates, considered the most characteristic on the island.

We park near the centre and then go exploring along the lanes, effectively lined with traditional houses, offering appealing views. We spend almost an hour strolling unhurriedly through Manolates, then descend again to sea level because, at this point of the day, we'd like to stop at a beach, even if the weather conditions aren't exactly optimal. The sun, though, peeks a little through the clouds and encourages our choice… We'd like to go to Tsamadou Beach, which is nearby and also one of the best known on all of Samos. Indeed, seen from above it's lovely, with a stunning sea, but it seems too overrun with umbrellas and sunbeds, so a bit compromised. So we head to Tsabou Beach, which we'd seen a little earlier near the locality of Avlakia: this beach, all round stones, is a bit wider and less chaotic, so we think it might suit us.

We grab two sunbeds near some little trees and run to enjoy the place, with the sun finally delighting us with its presence… but not for long. In fact, after a few photos and a nice swim in delightful crystal-clear waves, a big cloud comes down from the mountains behind us to spoil the party. We don't get discouraged and go for lunch at the nearby taverna, hoping the sun will come back afterwards… but the wait is in vain, because when we set foot on the beach again we're accompanied by a few gusts of far-too-fresh wind and a few drops of rain. Growing impatient, around 16:00 we set off in search of a more sheltered and possibly sunnier spot. We end up going to Potami Beach, where we were yesterday afternoon.

There the sun is shining and it's reasonably comfortable, so we spend all our time there, until evening, also ignoring, once again, the presence nearby of the curious Potami Falls, which however don't particularly appeal to us. On the way back to our accommodation we're stopped by the Greek police, busy doing breathalyser tests… so my afternoon beer gives me some concern, but in the end it passes: 0.22 against a limit of 0.25! All's well that ends well, and having reached Pythagorio in the evening we return for dinner to the Remataki restaurant, by far the best in the village among those we tried, in terms of value for money, so much so that it's already decided, we'll be its customers tomorrow evening too.

With the holiday now in its final stretch, we wake up with a few clouds still in the sky, but the worst should be over. Today we'll go to the extreme south-west of the island, the only part we have left to visit. Right after Pythagorio we climb into the mountains to get over the arduous headland, which has no coastal road, facing the islet of Samiopoula, and on the first slopes we stop to visit the Timiou Stavrou monastery, the most frequented religious complex on Samos… but (we only learn this today) on Mondays it's closed to the public. What a shame. We settle for taking a photo through the gate and continue on. About ten kilometres further on, however, we stop at the monastery of Megali Panagias, which is open and we can explore at our leisure, since we're the only tourists inside.

The complex was once the largest on the island and housed over sixty monks; today, instead, it's half-deserted, but still interesting, especially for the fine sixteenth-century frescoes in its church, which however would need extensive restoration. From the religious building we then continue, one bend after another, along the mountain road, and further on we descend toward the sea and the south-western tip of the island, where the sun is shining. After passing the coastal village of Kampos we arrive at the wide beach of Psili Ammos, namesake of the one to the east where we've already been a couple of times. In common with the latter it has a sandy bottom, which however isn't light-coloured, and the result is that it doesn't properly set off the usual splendid crystal-clear water. The sea, however, is very calm and at Psili Ammos we enjoy a good two hours of complete relaxation.

Around 13:00 then, as planned, we leave the beach and continue west along the coast. We pass the locality of Limnionas and from there tackle a road that becomes increasingly narrow, but also lacking asphalt and guardrails. Our goal is to go and have lunch at the taverna "At the end of the world," about which I had excellent references from some diaries read before leaving. The dirt track runs sheer above the cliffs of a stark stretch of coastline, causing some apprehension, but with a bit of patience it's easily drivable, and after three kilometres it leads to this remote establishment, which really does seem… at the end of the world! Apparently we're the only customers, but the owner (Andreas) welcomes us with great kindness. We eat divinely: stuffed courgette flowers, scampi and grilled calamari, with before us the spectacle of a practically unspoilt coastline.

After lunch we also go down to the little beach among the rocks below: a small paradise, where silence reigns supreme and the sea shows off its magnificent colours. In the early afternoon, finally, we climb back up to the taverna and from there retrace the whole dirt track to Limnionas, where we stop, because there's a nice beach, equipped too. We take an umbrella and use the corresponding sunbeds; that way we enjoy yet another corner of seaside bliss that this island can offer, and we drag ourselves until evening at a snail's pace, seasoned with the blue of the sea, the lapping of the waves, a refreshing swim and the warming sun… what more could you ask for! When the shadows get far too long we set off on the way back, also because we have to face the winding mountain route again.

Later, for our last dinner on Samos, we go, as previously stated, to the Remataki restaurant, and there we have excellent dishes by the sea, before returning to the room to pack our suitcases for tomorrow's departure home.

Outside the sun is shining brightly and we set off promptly, because we can still afford a couple of hours at the beach before leaving Samos for good. We go, less than half an hour by car, to the extreme east of the island, first to see the bay of Posidonio (pretty, but too built-up), then to the nearby Klima Beach: a small pebble beach, opposite the Turkish coast, bathed by clear waters, where an idyllic peace reigns. There we spend the last glimpses of beach life on Samos. Shortly after 11:00, though, we have to go: we return to the Electra, treat ourselves to a shower, put away the last things, and officially kick off the journey home. We fill up our Mii (crazy Greek petrol prices: almost 1.80 euros a litre!) and shortly after return it to the car rental with 563 kilometres driven on the island.

At the airport we meet the Sunsea representative, who helps us check in, a bit problematic due to the weight of the suitcases (15 kilos maximum), an issue they hadn't raised on the way out, so, once everything is sorted, we go through the relaxed security checks and wait for flight V7 1455, which will take us back to Italy. At 15:12 the Boeing 717 of the Volotea company takes off, venturing immediately north-east over the Aegean Sea dotted with islands… Then we fly over the Balkans and come out over the Adriatic Sea at the Croatian coast, prelude to landing, at 16:13 Italian time, at Venice Marco Polo airport. Around 17:00 we pick up our car and set off immediately for home along the Mestre ring road. Then the A4 and A13 bring us to pass near Ferrara at 18:00, and having taken the A14 at Bologna we exit at Faenza.

That way, three minutes before 19:00, we happily conclude the journey in front of the gate of our home. It was in some ways a strange trip, taken as a twosome after many (happy) years of marriage, a trip that led us to discover Samos, one of the countless and typical Greek islands, which however from a seaside point of view surprised us beyond measure, perhaps also thanks to the season, premature, which favoured us as regards the tranquillity of the places. Excellent, finally, was the food, and the little villages were full of character. The historical remains were sparse but interesting… but, in the end, Samos passed with flying colours, indeed, squared, as the theorem of its most famous figure goes!