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Watching the sunset at Potami beach is a perfect finale to a day of sunbathing, swimming and drinking Mojitos at the local Hippy’s bar. (Olivier Dovelos) The 35-degree heat wave that held Ukrainians captive for several weeks this summer was, naturally, considered extreme. In Greece, the same exact temperature is just the summer average. And that’s precisely the reason why they found a way to deal with it a long time ago.

Every August, Athens, and many other big cities of mainland Greece grow virtually empty and quiet, as the majority of the population boards planes and ferries and escapes to the islands.

Greek islands are many, but if you walk into your closest travel agency in Kyiv and inquire about offers, you’d most likely hear names like Crete, Corfu and Rhodes. But if you want to feel the vibe of Greek summer the way locals do, one of the best places for that is Samos Island.


The island

Samos is located in the northeast part of the Aegean Sea, close to the Turkish coast. The Mycale Strait, separating the island from Asia Minor, is only 1.2 kilometers wide in its narrowest part, offering you a full view of the foreign shore. But this is also the reason why there are more than 10 military compounds located on the island.

With an area of over 450 square kilometers, Samos is the eighth largest Greek island, with a population of 33,000. Its landscape includes plains and lush pine forests a step away from the seashore lined with palm trees. But hills dominate the island. Thin, serpentine roads weave among them, past vineyards and olive groves, occasional villas and abandoned old houses, leading to towns and villages, and a great number of beautiful beaches with crystal clear water.

To get to this beauty from Athens will cost you 120 to 200 euros by plane, while a ferry ride is 40-45 euros. There are plenty of hotels, from small, family-run ones starting at 40 euros for a double room to five-star seaside resorts such as Doryssa, where an average room is 150-200 euros. Shop assistants and waiting staff in most places speak at least some English.

Samos is known as the birthplace of several famous ancient Greeks, including philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras (570-495 BC). This September, the island is expected to turn into a Hollywood filming site for “Pythagoras: The Gates of Light,” with the title role to be played by John Malkovich, and the cast to include Gerard Butler, Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz.


Getting around

When I visited the island, I resided in the capital Samos, locally known as Vathy, the name of the local port. The airport is located 12 kilometers away. Vathy is a long bay, with the city built along the shore. Here, as in the rest of the island, the buildings are characteristically white with orange-tiled roofs, and are very unlike the typical white-and-blue look you can encounter in cities and villages of other Greek islands.

This is due to Samos having once been a part of the Byzantine Empire and later an autonomous principality, joining Greece only in 1912. In the older part of town, houses are clustered close together, separated by narrow roads with hardly any sidewalks and barely enough space for two cars to pass at the same time.

However, you can still take a relaxed walk along the boulevard running along the Vathy quay, or sit on one of the benches facing the sea.

Just 32 kilometers from Vathy lies Karlovassi, the island’s second port town, which resembles a ghost town due to numerous semi-ruined or abandoned factory buildings. But the place is actually very lively . There is an 11th century chapel of Metamorphosis located close to the city, as well as waterfalls in a beautiful forest opposite Potami beach.

Meanwhile, in the coastal fisherman and sailor town of Pythagorio, you can still find ancient walls that protected the town as well as the ruins of Polikratis fortress. This is also the place where one of Samos’ must-see sites is located, the Eupalinian Aqueduct .

Constructed in the 6th century B.C. under the rule of tyrant Polycrates, the one-kilometer aqueduct is named after engineer Eupalinos, who led the digging of the tunnel through Mount Kastrom to supply Samos’ ancient capital with fresh water. The earliest tunnel in history to be dug from both ends, it’s considered a masterpiece of ancient engineering. Other Pythagorio sites include Spiliani cave, with a chapel of Agios Georgios at its entrance, Likurgos castle and a church of Metamorphosis.


The ruins of the Temple of Hera – Hereon of Samos – is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the island’s must-see sites. (Olivier Dovelos)

A short drive from Pythagorio is the town of Hereon, named after goddess Hera, the wife of the principle Greek god, Zeus. Near the city you can see the remains of the temple of Hera – Hereon of Samos.

A motorbike or car is the best way to get around, since public transport is virtually nonexistent on the island. Greeks from the mainland usually bring their own vehicles with them by ferries, while everyone else has numerous local rentals at their disposal.


Daytime Samos

One of the defining elements of relaxed life in Greece is frappe, an iced coffee drink. An entire book, “Frappe Nation” by Vivian Constantinopoulos and Daniel Young, was written about it.


The quay of Vathy – Samos’ capital and main port – with its palm trees, low buildings and the blue sea glistening in the sun, provides a warm welcome to the island. (Olivier Dovelos)

Of course, it’s not only about Frappe – you have a choice of other drinks such as Frozen Espresso, Cappuccino Freddo and sweet milkshake-like coffee cocktails such as Chillino and Freddito. But whatever you choose to drink, it’s all about how you drink it – sipping slowly, with pauses for conversation.

Staying in Vathy, I had only one beach option within walking distance – Gagou. The drinking place I frequented was the Navagos lounge bar at the rocky Tsamadou beach. Here one can choose between crashing on a sun bed near the water, or hanging out at the outdoor bar, equipped with sofas and armchairs, woven sun beds, a hammock and even a double bed.

I liked to hit Platanaki, a small beach in a tranquil bay at the edge of a green hill. For a more party-like atmosphere, there is the long pebble beach Potami in Karlovassi. Here, look for Hippy's bar and order a delicious Mojito. And for a classical sandy beach experience, take a trip to Psili Ammos, seven kilometers from Vathy. The sea here is very shallow.


Nighttime Samos

The traditional night out on the island starts late, around 10 p.m., when the sun is down and the heat is off. Parents with children flood the central square in Vathy, while the surrounding cafes and taverns fill up with visitors.

My favorite place to start is Neon, near the square. Here you can have grilled octopus (my personal favorite) with the most popular Greek alcohol – ouzo (Samos produces three of its own brands), usually drunk on the rocks and with some water.

Other popular drinks include Tsipuro, which is similar to ouzo but less sweet, and Retsina, the Greek wine. Make sure to try Samos’ very own famous sweet wine.

Another good choice for a seafood dinner in Vathy would be Artemis tavern. But the best seafood on the island is to be found at Psili Ammos tavern on the beach of the same name.

Nightlife on Samos is not exactly wild, but each town has a selection of fun clubs. Vathy has four riverfront clubs near the port. Mezza Volta is a music bar. Pupa and Ble (Blue) are traditional Greek discos with Greek pop music played loud. I frequented Escape. Music here ranges from pop to reggae, house, to hip-hop and rock.

Starting late, the Greek party night often lasts until dawn, when you slowly stumble back to your room to sleep it off and get ready for another day of the Samos vacation experience.


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Alexandra Matoshko is a former Kyiv Post editor now living in Athens, Greece. She can be reached at alex.richie@gmail.com.