Pythagorio Samos

holiday report and Samos map

Pythagorio beach Samos

PYTHAGORIO or PYTHAGORION is the main tourist resort on the island of Samos and located on the south-east coast about 12km from Samos Town.
Pythagorio is not particularly large with only about 1,400 permanent residents but numbers swell substantially in the summer. The large marina has berths for 280 boats and this is the main ferry port for travelling to other islands and to mainland Greece.
The town used to be known as Tigani, because of its frying pan shape, but was named after the mathematician Pythagoras who was born here, though he spent only his younger years here.
Pythagorio has been declared as a Unesco Cultural World Heritage Site, if a little late in the day. Modern-day Pythagorio is built on the site of an ancient city but many of the archaeological treasured have long disappeared beneath layers of cement.
There is plenty left to see, from the Byzantine castle and the house-fort of Lykourgos Logothetis with the church of Metamorfosis next door and a 6th century Christian basilica next to that. There are some Roman baths and the agora as well as temples to Aphrodite, Artemis and Demeter and a 4th century amphitheatre.
Pythagorio beach is long, straight and poor - a mix of shingle, stone and scruffy sand with planes flying in overhead. It extends along the coast to Potokaki and Ireon with a watersports centre near the Doryssa hotel complex. There are a couple of small pebble beaches near the harbour.
Tavernas and bars line the horseshoe harbour but you will get better and cheaper meals by exploring the side streets.
Pythagorio is noted for its summer festivals, notably the Feast of the Fishermen in July attracts thousands and in early August there is a festival to mark the 1824 sea battle of Mykal. There is a film festival in September.
There are regular buses to Samos Town and plenty of taxis and car rental firms. Most ferries pull in here, including daily ferries to Piraeus, and Pythagorio is an ideal spot for island hopping the Dodecanese islands. There is also a regular boat to Kushan’ dasi on the coast of Turkey.
The international airport just to the west of Pythagorion has European charter flights from May to October.