Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
terraces, brings you to
Megálo Seïtáni
, the island's finest sand beach, at the mouth of the
intimidating Kakopérato gorge. Bring food, water and something to shade yourself,
though a swimsuit is optional.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
KARLÓVASSI AND THE NORTHWEST COAST
By ferry
Karlóvassi 's dock is an inconvenient 3km from the
centre. Buses to town are infrequent but do often meet boats.
By bus
Most buses call at multiple stops along the seafront
before terminating near the port.
ACCOMMODATION
Erato
Limáni
T
22730 35370.
Attractive smallish hotel
built in Cretan style 150m east of central Limáni, with
compact but spotless roo
ms a
nd a warm welcome.
Breakfast included. May-Oct.
€35
Samaina Port/Samaina Inn
Limáni
T
22730 30850,
W
samainahotels.gr.
Excellent-value place on the
pedestrianized old harbour,
offering rooms with sea-facing
balconies. You can book more luxurious rooms at the
nearby sister hotel
Samaina
Inn
.
Breakfast in
clud
ed at
both. April-Oct.
Samaina Port
€40
,
Samaina Inn
€60
EATING, DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Ì
Hippy's
Potámi beach
T
22730 33796.
Laid-back
beach bar, set behind a sunflower garden, with a distinct
Indian vibe. It does a limited breakfast and meals menu,
plus ample coffee and cocktails. Regular parties and
musical events.
June to early Sept 10am-late.
Iy Platia
Platía 8-Maïoú, Meséo
T
22730 34600.
Busy
with locals at lunchtime thanks to plentiful traditional
mayireftá
and a few grills, all served up speedily though
quality varies.
Daily 11am-midnight.
O Dionysos
Platía 8-Maïoú, Meséo
T
22730 30120.
Offers creative dishes such as asparagus in mushroom
sauce and richly cooked meat dishes. Pleasant indoor and
outdoor seating, plus a wine list aspiring to Athenian
sophistication.
Mon-Sat 11am-1am.
Popcorn
Ríva
W
popcornclub.gr.
With DJed events at
weekends, this enduring student club, located in an old
customs warehouse, has a state-of-the-art sound system
pumping out international and Greek hits.
10pm-late:
June-Sept daily; Oct-May Fri-Sun.
To Kyma
Ríva
T
22730 34017.
Great ouzerí at the
main seafront T-junction, popular with students and
townies alike, where you can feast on inexpensive and
ample seafood and mezédhes.
April-Oct daily
noon-late.
Southwestern beach resorts
The southwestern coast of Sámos boasts some of the island's best beaches, stretching in
an almost unbroken line between Órmos Marathokámbou and Limniónas. These
strands also offer a range of amenities.
The port of Marathókambos,
ÓRMOS MARATHOKÁMBOU
, 18km from Karlóvassi, has
become something of a resort, though with ample character in its backstreets. Otherwise,
the main focus of attention is the pedestrianized quay, home to several
tavernas
and
starting point for excursion boats to the island of Samiopoúla and along the coast.
Two kilometres west of Órmos is
VOTSALÁKIA
(signposted as “Kámbos”), Sámos's
most family-pitched resort, straggling a further 2km behind the island's longest beach.
The presence of Mount Kérkis (see opposite) looming overhead rarely fails to impress
too. Just to the west,
Fournáki
, the collective name for a series of sand-and-pebble
coves
backed by low cliffs, is usually less crowded.
Three kilometres west of Votsalákia, you reach 600m-long
Psilí Ámmos
, not to be
confused with its namesake beach in southeastern Sámos. The sea shelves ridiculously
gently here - 100m out you're still just knee-deep - but that makes it ideal for families
with young children. Access to
Limniónas
, a smaller but superior cove 2km west from
Psilí Ámmos, passes the
Limnionas Bay Village Hotel
. Yachts and
kaïkia
occasionally call
at the protected bay, which offers decent swimming at the east end, away from a rock
shelf in the middle.
ACCOMMODATION, EATING AND DRINKING
SOUTHWESTERN BEACH RESORTS
Evinos
Votsalákia
T
698 55 68 147,
E
elsahiou@gmail
.com.
Standard clean but smallish rooms above a nice
authentic taverna
behind the middle of the beac
h, am
ong
the cheapest at this end of the island. May-Sept.
€25