Samos Island Guide: Beaches, Food and Where to Stay

22 hours ago

3 min read

Three nights, one ferry, one very small car and a lot of ice cream. That was our Samos at the end of June, and this is my Samos island guide.

I went with a friend this time, but the island is easy for a solo trip too. If you can, go before the schools close in Turkey. After that, Samos gets really, really busy.

Thinking about going to Samos solo? My Solo Travel Simplified guide is a good place to start.

Getting to Samos

From Kuşadası it's a ferry ride to Pythagoreio and you are in Greece. We booked with Meander Travel for both ways, and the boat was the Kuşadası Express. It was smooth from start to finish, and we were really happy with the service.

Kuşadası Express ferry docked in Pythagoreio harbour, Samos — The Kuşadası Express, our ferry to and from Samos.

Where we stayed

We stayed at Sandalis Hotel in Pythagoreio. Maria, the owner, was lovely and welcoming, and the location is great: close to shops and restaurants, but tucked away from the noisy streets. Our room had a balcony with a garden view.

Sleep was the weak spot. The air conditioning made loud, unusual noises and the bed was not comfortable for me. My friend's room had a noisy air conditioner too, but nowhere near as bad as mine, so I may simply have been unlucky with the room. So, if your sleep matters, check the recent reviews before booking.

The balcony, our twin room and the dressing table at Sandalis Hotel.

The car

Rent one. We booked an automatic Hyundai i10 online from Inter Hermes, just across from the harbour, for €96 for two days. Automatics normally cost around €70 a day and the island doesn't have many, so book early.

Parking was easy for us. I left the car at Pythagoreio Beach Public Parking, which is very convenient if you're staying in Pythagoreio.

Woman in a straw hat standing in front of a white Hyundai i10 rental car in Samos — Our little automatic Hyundai i10.

Eating in Pythagoreio

Elia Restaurant: ouzo and fried seafood by the water.
Aphrodite Garden Restaurant: a lovely dinner, with a Geometria Assyrtiko from Lafazanis Winery that I loved.
Garlic Grill House: my gyros stop. We only went because PitaGoras was closed, and it turned into the best plan B of the trip.
Luigi: one of the most popular ice cream spots on the island and usually busy. We got lucky twice and found it completely empty.

Fried seafood at Elia, a Greek salad at Aphrodite Garden, ice cream at Luigi and gyros at Garlic GrillHouse.

Blue Street

If you only have time for one photo stop in Pythagoreio, make it Blue Street. It's a short little street in blue and white, a minute or so from the main street, so it's a quick stop. It was also my sunset spot.

Blue bicycle with flowers against a white wall at Blue Street, Pythagoreio — The blue bike on Blue Street.

Beaches

Tsamadou and Navagos Beach Bar: a 30-minute drive from Pythagoreio. The water is unbelievably clear, a bit cooler on the north side, and the beach is rocky, so bring sea shoes. Parking is limited, so go early. I'm not sure whether a bus runs there, so I'd rent a car. Mine was a book and an iced coffee on a sunbed, my perfect duo.
Noya Beach Bar: the comfiest sunbeds, a beautiful setting and free parking for guests. It fills up in the afternoon, so arrive before noon. The food was delicious, and I decided a frappé on the beach was a very good idea.

Book and iced coffee on a table at Navagos beach, Samos — A book and an iced coffee at Navagos, my perfect duo.

Woman in a polka dot jumpsuit above the turquoise water at Tsamadou beach, Samos — Me & the water at Tsamadou.

Kokkari

Only 5 minutes by car from Tsamadou, Kokkari is a lovely little village that's definitely worth a stop. Wander the small streets, then have a drink with a sea view at Cavos Cafe Bar Bistro.