Car hire Samos

Introduction

The Greek island of Samos is world famous for its sweet muscat wine that is produced there. On Samos you will find many vineyards and of course you should taste this wine at its origin. Through the middle of the island runs a mountain range with its highest peak Mount Kerkis (1434 m). The old historic towns of Pythagorion and Ireon are on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Pythagorion is the birthplace of the great Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras.

Population

Samos has a population of almost 35,000.

Location

Samos is located in the eastern part of the Aegean Sea, just off the coast of Turkey. It is separated from the Turkish mainland by a narrow strait of one and a half kilometers. Samos is approximately 43 kilometers long from west to east and up to 13 kilometers from north to south. The capital, Vathy (also known as Samos) is located in the northeast of the island.

Economy

The pillars of the local economy are agriculture and tourism. The most important agricultural products are grapes (and the muscat, which is made from them), honey, olives (and olive oil), citrus fruits and figs.

Airports

The island's airport is located four kilometers west of Pythagorian, on the south coast of Samos. There are main roads from the airport to the capital and the most popular beaches along the northwest coast (you will be driving across the island, which is a beautiful route).

Public Transport

There is public transportation on the island, but buses run irregular and not on holidays. It is better to rent a car, at least, if you would like to see more than just the beach near your hotel. Furthermore there are ferry connections to other Greek islands and to Piraeus (for Athens).

Traffic and Parking

In busier cities and tourist places it is not allowed to park next to a solid yellow line on the curb. Please note that the streets can be very narrow and steep. On country roads you should be aware of hairpin bends and potholes. You can also encounter herds of sheep or goats.

Hotels

As you would expect from a typical tourist island, there is no lack of hotels and other accommodations on Samos. However, in the high season (May to September) prices are significantly higher than in the rest of the year. We also recommend you to book your hotel well in advance if you would like to visit Samos during these months.

External Sources

For more information about Samos we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Samos
• Official website Samos (Greek)
• Tourist Information Samos