Top Samos Attractions
Vist the Pythagorion the remains of the ancient fortified port, with the ruins of Greek and Roman monuments, can still be seen. A small archaeological museum displays Archaic and Hellenistic funerary stelae (grave stones), marble statues, coins, and ceramics uncovered in the area. On the island’s south coast, the friendly little town of Pythagórion was known as Tigáni until 1955, when it was renamed to honor Pythagoras, who was born here. Built around a sheltered bay, now filled with fishing boats and smart yachts and overlooked by cafés and seafood tavernas, it was once the ancient port of Sámos, a powerful maritime and mercantile state in the sixth century BC.
The Monastry of Panagia Spiliani On a hillside behind the town of Pythagórion stands the quaint white Monastery of Panagia Spiliani (Monastery of the Cave of the Virgin Mary) founded in 1586. From the entrance, 95 steps lead down into a large, cool, and peaceful cave, with a tiny church at the end, which is decorated with religious icons. From the monastery, you have amazing views down onto the town and across the sea towards the Turkish coast.
The Heraion (Temple of Hera) Lying eight kilometers west of Pythagórion is the Heraion, the Temple of Hera, one of the island’s top tourist attractions. The archaeological site around the Heraion includes altars and smaller temples, as well as the ruins of a fifth-century Christian basilica. Finds from the site are exhibited in the archaeological museum in Samos Town.
