A journey to Samos, the green island of Greece

07.16.2011 - Saturday - Departure and arrival at dawn from Milan Malpensa to Samos to 10.30. Landing with one wing aerobatic plane that seems to touch a single remaining column of the Temple of Hera ... and bedding plane touched the ground once! ! However, apart from that, we arrive at your destination: the beach of Djerba Edenvillage Mikali, 13 km from Samos. Small, 98 rooms in all, with white buildings gathered around the bar and the pool and in part directly on the beach, very simple, basic but well-integrated into local reality. After a brief tour of reconnaissance, we are given the rooms, recently renovated, comfortable and spacious, the first impression is positive and is also confirmed by the dining room, self-service with good food, choice of meat and fish, vegetables and even Italian chef for the pasta.
Let's go to beach: pebbles with plants right on the beach that offer shade and a perfect crystal clear sea, only a little 'cold, but it will be only the first few days because then the water gets hot, or perhaps we who are accustomed to. The temperature is ideal, dry heat ventilated, clear sky, cloudless blue.
In the evening the entertainment staff presents the program of the week and hiking, we decided to go to Ephesus in Turkey on Tuesday next, after spending the first few days of relaxation at sea.
The guys are friendly and nice animation, busy themselves to set up the shows with the few means available.
There are requirements to spend two weeks pleasant and relaxing, interspersed with some excursions to discover the island.

 

7/19/2011 Tuesday Excursion to Ephesus, organized by Edenviaggi. We depart by boat from the port of Samos, near the Turkish coast is priro, opposite to the beaches of the island, and after two hours of smooth sailing we arrive in Kusadasi in Turkey. Large cruise ships are moored in the American port, ready to download hundreds of people for the trip to Ephesus which is about 30 minutes from the port. We go by bus while the guide we welcomed Turkish in Turkey. We arrive at the archaeological site around noon ... with a warm great but then you realize that it was worth it.
Ephesus was an important city in Asia Minor when Athens was still very influential, and even founded Rome. His great fortune was the port, with the sacred way that led directly to the sea, was the seat of an important philosophical school where he taught Heraclitus. The first settlement dates back to 2000 years before Christ, but the real development came after the 'eleventh century, when the Greeks came from the Peloponnese. Most of the buildings we admire today in excavations dating from the Roman period when the city had 200,000 inhabitants.
Entering through the door you are in the agora of Magnesia higher political center of the city with the old town hall, the Basilica, the Temple of Domitian and the Odeon. Then we go down the path of the Curetes, with important buildings such as the Fountain of Trajan and Hadrian's Temple, as well as public baths and brothels, typical place of port cities, where, not surprisingly, say the statuette was found the phallus of the god Priapus disproportionate. Unfortunately, some are closed for restoration patrician houses where there are remains of mosaics and frescoes. We finally arrive at the spectacular Library of Celsus, with perfectly preserved facade of columns, but were lost during the invasion of the Goths, all the rolls of papyrus preserved. The view from the library down the street is spectacular, despite the flood of people. Then we arrive at the great theater that held 25,000 people and to 'Arcadian, 600 meters long the path that led directly to the port. This concludes our visit, it would have been better to have a little 'over time, some points deserve some more explanation on the part of our guide but must respect the time of the organized trips and takes us to lunch in a restaurant typical.
In the afternoon visit to a carpet factory ... and then return to Kusadasi for a walk before returning to the boat for the return. Kusadasi is a typical Turkish village converted to tourism, mosques alternating with local and Western-style shops of all kinds. We do not particularly like, especially for the amount of apartment buildings constructed right on the beach. Even water does not seem clear and beautiful as that of Samos. We return with a rough sea, far more than the morning, although satisfied with the feeling of missing something there, to visit the place in haste. This unfortunately is always the problem of organized tours, but in this case because it was almost inevitable for us to reach the scene would have been more complicated.

07/22/2011 - rent a car for a few days and leave for the capital of the island Samos. The city lies on a wide bay, but the old part of town, Vathi, is perched on a hill overlooking the sea, very characteristic, has retained its original appearance with narrow streets and whitewashed houses. The port is well equipped for tourism, with bars, restaurants and hotels along the sea. At the heart of the square Pythagorio port area. Not far away are the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archaeological Museum of Aghios Spriridonis we visit. Here are preserved relics and statues found in the temple of Hera, including a nude male taller than 5 meters, which appears to be the largest statue of Greece.
We continue along the sea to the Bay of Gangou with fine white sand, then to the Monastery of Aghia Zonis with frescoes inside but unfortunately it is closed for renovation. We stop for lunch in a typical tavern Kamara. We continue east and then always come to the Bay Mourtia and along a scenic route offers superb views over the sea and the opposite Turkish coast, we come to the beaches of Poseidon and Klima. The coast here is green with maquis that reaches the sea. The beaches are quiet, with trees growing on the water, a few bars, houses for rent, all very well preserved, small fishing villages that have maintained their characteristics.
Return to the hotel we do it on a dirt road overlooking the sea and reach the beach Psili Amos, sandy.
In the evening we go to Pythagorio, a tourist resort with bars and restaurants on the harbor and the famous statue of Pythagoras. Undoubtedly tourist town but also manages to maintain its own identity, with fishermen's cottages that survive between a bar and the other, little noise, restaurants with tables on the beach.
The first day around the island gave us beautiful scenery, lots of green in contrast to other Greek islands much more barren and above the impression that tourism has not affected the identity 'of the place.

23/07/2011 In the afternoon we visit Kokkari, quaint village in a bay protected by two rocky headlands, hence we call to Avlakia, a small fishing village and then up the hill to the village of Vourliotes, in the countryside, with great view island and the coast. The country is well preserved with cobbled streets and inns. Not far you can reach the Monastery of Vronda 1566, under renovation, but we can go and visit the church and courtyard. Returning to the beach we stop for a quick bath Lemonakia, beautiful bay equipped with shower and sunbeds.

07/24/2011 In the afternoon we depart for the White Convent Spiliani located on a hill with great views of Pythagorio. In next to the monastery, hidden hardly known, c 'is inside a cave and a church built in the rock. Not far from the convent is the aqueduct built by Eupalinus in the sixth century BC, a masterpiece of ancient engineering water. Served for the supply of water during sieges and conveyed water from a source who was at an altitude of 1047 meters on the hillside. The tunnel is viable for about 50 meters, coming from a very narrow and dark passage, then the path widens and is also lit.
We come then to the Temple of Hera, near the airport, also dating from the sixth century BC temple of the original 105 meters long and 52 wide, is a single column of height reduced to half that of origin. Within the site you can walk the Sacred Way, passing next to the early Christian basilica and you realize the greatness of the work, even just by looking at the column bases.
We come then to the Castle of Pythagorio Logothete, built in 1824 by the people of Samos during the war of independence from the domain turkish, occupies the site of the ancient acropolis.
In the evening, after dinner, we return to Kokkari also illuminated at night is always very nice.

25.07.2011 Again a full day dedicated to the discovery of the island. Passing by Hora, a pretty village in the Middle Ages was the capital of the island, we come to the Monastery of Timios Stavros and then we go to Mavratzei, a small village of potters. You buy the cup of justice, a typical artifact of the island. This is a glass ceramic with an 'internal cavity and a and a line should not exceed otherwise the cup with the liquid is completely emptied automatically. They say it was a discovery of Pythagoras to teach his followers to justice and the right fit. We come then to the monastery of Megali Panagia the largest island, with frescoes inside the church. We then arrive at Pyrgos and Marathocampos Kambos and the long beach. From here we ascend to Karlovassi, the second largest city of the island, situated at the foot of the mountain, famous for its wine and the grape-gatherers and farmers' cooperative.