Samos facts
Samos is in the North Aegean and is probably the only inhabited Greek island that is just 3 km away from the shores of Turkey. In antiquity it was believed to be the birthplace of the goddess Hera hence, the 6th century B.C. temple at the town of Hereon. During the same time the famous mathematician, Pythagoras was born in a village on the southeast coast of the island, which now bears his name, Pythagorio. The island has an area of 478 km2 (184.6 mi2) with Vathi as its capital and a population of 33.814 which makes it the 9th largest amongst the Greek islands. Samos is also well known for its wine exports throughout the world, especially Moschato (Muscat), which is a sweet white wine. It has a balanced combination of luscious green mountains and beaches for relaxation. On the mountains there are many villages amongst them Mytilinii which hosts one of the few Paleontological museums in Greece and Vourliotes which is close to the monastery of Vrontiani, the oldest monastery of the island.
Interesting information about Samos can be found through the Greek Travel Pages (GTP), the municipality of Samos www.samos.gr and Wikipedia.
The island has three ports:
- Vathi, which is situated on the northeastern side of the island.
- Karlovassi, which is situated on the northwestern side of the island.
- Pythagorio, which is situated on the southeastern side of the island.
There are busses regularly that connect the ports with the rest of the island.
Useful info: Samos port authority tel.: +30 22730 27318, Samos Tourist Police: +30 22730 87344Travel times
Ferry from Piraeus to Samos
- Conventional ferries: min. 10 hours – max. 14 hours, depending on the vessel and the route.
Samos ferries schedule announcement
There are four, so called, "ferry schedule seasons":
- Winter ferry season 1st of November until 31 st of March.
- Spring ferry season 1st April - beginning of June.
- Summer ferry season beginning of June - mid September.
- Autumn ferry season rest of September - 31st of October.
Ferry connections and schedules for domestic routes, like to Samos, are usually announced by most shipping companies, a couple of weeks before the beginning of each season.
Athens to Samos ferry schedule frequency during summer
- Morning: 4 times a week 1 conventional ferry
- Afternoon: 3 times a week 1 conventional ferry
Ferry types operating routes to Samos
Conventional car ferries
These vessels can be divided into two categories: the old ones and the modern ones.
The main differences between them are
- their cruising speed
- the quality of accommodation and services provided and
- the prices
They are usually very big vessels, which also carry vehicles. Their advantages compared to the High Speed vessels, like the catamarans, are that they are more seaworthy, offer more "relaxed" accommodation and cabins and the passengers have the possibility to sit outside and enjoy their cruise around the Greek islands.
Ferry connections to & from Samos
- Piraeus (Athens main port) - click here for port information
- East Macedonia & Thrace – Kavala
- Cyclades islands – Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Syros
- Dodekanese – Agathonissi, Arki, Kalymnos, Kos, Leros, Lipsi, Patmos, Rodos, Symi
- North Aegean – Chios, Fourni, Ikaria, Lesvos, Limnos, Samos
Note: Not all above connections operate throughout the year.
Ferry to Samos prices
Prices quoted below concern 2017, for the most popular routes, in economy class and are indicative. Same prices apply v.v. These prices are subject to change without prior notice.
| Samos Ferry Routes | Ferry types | |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional ferry | Hydrofoil/Catamaran* | |
| Piraeus (Athens) - Samos ferries | Approx. 49€/adult | -- |
| Cyclades - Samos ferries | ||
| Syros - Samos ferry | Approx. 44€/adult | -- |
*Note: Hydrofoils/Catamarans usually operate between May and October.
