Samos Maps

Samos is an island in the North Aegean Sea, located just 1.2 miles from the Turkish coast. The island covers 184 square miles and has a population of approximately 33,000 residents. Vathy (also called Samos Town), the capital, is built around a deep bay on the northeast coast, featuring neoclassical mansions and a modern waterfront. Karlovassi on the northwest coast serves as the island's second port.

Samos was the birthplace of several notable figures from antiquity, including the mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras (c. 570-495 BCE), the astronomer Aristarchus (c. 310-230 BCE), and the philosopher Epicurus. The ancient sanctuary of Heraion of Samos, dedicated to the goddess Hera, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The sanctuary's ruins include the foundations of several temples, with the main temple being one of the largest in ancient Greece. A single column, partially reconstructed, remains standing.

The island is mountainous, with Mount Kerkis in the west reaching 4,701 feet as the island's highest peak. The Pythagorion on the southeast coast, built on the site of the ancient capital and named after Pythagoras, features the Tunnel of Eupalinos, a 1,030-meter aqueduct tunnel built in the 6th century BCE, considered an engineering marvel of the ancient world and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Samos produces fine wines, particularly sweet Muscat. The economy is based on agriculture, wine production, and tourism.

The Facts:
Region: North Aegean.
Capital: Samos (town).
Towns and villages: Samos, Karlovasi, Marathokampos, Pythagoreio, Vathy.
Population: ~ 33,000.
Area: 184 sq mi (477 sq km).