Frommer’s Athens and the Greek Islands, 2nd Edition

Far removed from the Greek mainland and strung out along the coast of Turkey, the far-flung islands of the northern Aegean share mountainous landscapes, enticing architecture, fine beaches, and enough ancient and medieval sites to keep sightseers busy for weeks. The three main islands in the archipelago—Samos, Chios, and Lesbos—each have their distinct, even quirky allure: the ruins of the greatest temple in the Greek world on Samos, the mastic villages on Chios, hot springs and a petrified forest on Lesbos. Best of all, on all these islands it’s also easy to experience a quintessentially Greek way of life—to wander off the beaten path into untrammeled hinterlands where stone village rise above forests, orchards, and olive groves, and to sit down to a simple meal of grilled fish with the sea glimmering just a few steps away. Common to all, too, is a tinge of exoticism from nearby Turkey (easy to visit on day trips) and a generous showing of hospitality.

Greece’s third-largest island—known to most Greeks as Mytilini, also the name of the island capital—is famous as the home of the ancient female lyric poet Sappho. The island’s appeal far surpasses this claim to fame, however. Lesbos is beautiful, etched with deep bays, topped with craggy mountain peaks, and green with pasturelands, orchards, and deep forests of pines and chestnuts. Some 12 million olive trees carpet the rolling hills and mountain slopes, yielding some of Greece’s finest olive oil. The island also entices visitors with healing hot springs, attractive seaside villages, excellent beaches, and even a sophisticated collection of 20th-century art. Most appealing of all, perhaps, is watching islanders go about their daily business in this fairly out-of-the-way corner of Greece.

Arriving Odysseas Elytis airport (www.mjt-airport.gr), located 8km (5 miles) south of Mytilini, handles several flights to and from Athens on Olympic Air (www.olympicair.com) and Aegean Airlines (www.aegeanair.com); service is less frequent in winter. Flight time from Athens is less than an hour, a time-saver compared to the 10-hour overnight trip on the ferry. Seats go quickly during the summer season, so book well in advance. City buses (www.astika-mitilinis.gr) run from the airport to the center of Mytlini, usually timed to meet incoming flights; pay the 2€ fare on the bus. Hertz, Sixt, and other car-rental agencies have outlets at the airport. Blue Star Ferries (www.bluestarferries.com) and Hellenic Seaways (hellenicseaways.gr) operate overnight ferries to and from Athens, calling at Chios as well. The lines usually offer two sailings a day in summer, though in winter service dwindles to several times a week. The port is at the northern end of the Mytilini waterfront and it’s an easy walk from there into the center of town. You can arrange for a rental car agency to meet the boat, handy since it’s likely your hotel will be a distance away on this large island.

Getting Around Island buses (www.ktel-lesvou.gr) operate from the main stop at the center of the Mytilini waterfront. Several buses a day make the 2-hour trip to and from the towns of Molyvos and Petra (fare about 3€ each, purchase tickets on the bus), but service to other towns on the island is less frequent, and often geared to locals with early morning and evening runs only. A rental car is fairly essential for seeing the island. Roads are generally good and well-marked. A wide, well-surfaced highway cuts across the center of the island, from Mytlini to Kaloni, where well-marked routes drop southwest to Skala Eressos and continue west to Sigri. Another well-traveled road connects Kaloni with Petra and Molyvos in the north, while scenic routes follow the coast between Mytilini and Skala Sikiminias, Molyvos, and Petra.

Visitor Information The tourist office in Mytilini (

22530/71347), on the waterfront next to the Bank of Greece, provides info for the entire island, with maps and sightseeing handouts. The office is open in summer only (May–September Monday–Saturday 10am–3pm, July–August also Monday–Saturday 4pm–9pm and Sunday 10am–3pm). Sapph Travel (www.sapphotravel.com,

22530/52140), based in Skala Eressos, arranges travel across the island, including car rentals and accommodation.

Molyvos and Petra have long been popular in summer with package-tour groups, but the crowds are nowhere near as oppressive as they can be on other islands. Both towns are pleasant places to stay, even in high season, and make convenient bases for touring the rest of the island. In addition to running an excellent restaurant (see p. 305), the Women’s Cooperative of Petra (www.lesvos-travel.com) rents rooms and apartments throughout the village and surrounding countryside. You might pay as little as 40€ for a room with shared facilities or 60€ for a studio apartment. Accommodation usually includes a homemade breakfast.

Niki’s Studios Sea-Front

At this little haven just steps from the center of Petra, sparkling studios done up in smart contemporary style have big terraces and open to a large garden. The main attractions are the beach just across the road, sea views from just about anywhere on the property, and nice outdoor spaces, equipped with a hot tub and well suited to hours of lounging and watching the sunset. The very reasonable rates include a large breakfast, making this comfortable seaside spot an especially good value.

Petra. www.nikistudios-petra.com.

22530/46101. 20 units. 35€–65€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Garden; beach, hot tub; Wi-Fi (free).

Olive Press

Waves lap against the stone walls of this converted oil factory on Molyvos’ Delfinia Beach, where handsome contemporary-style seaview rooms surround a swimming pool and flower-filled garden. Rooms show off stone walls and other vintage embellishments, while many of their balconies hang right over the water. A jetty makes it easy to jump right in.

Molyvos. olivepress-hotel.com.

22530/71205. 50 units. 90€–120€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Bar; pool; beach; Wi-Fi (free). Closed Nov–Mar.

Sea Horse Hotel

Luxuries are few and far between at this attractive, stone-fronted landmark on Molyvos Harbor, but the simple tile-floored rooms and their balconies hang right over the quay and provide a ringside seat for the comings and goings below. (Double-pane windows and air-conditioning allow you to shut off the show at night.) To join the action you need only take a seat in the waterside café that’s an extension of the airy lobby.

Molyvos. www.seahorse-hotel.com.

22530/71320. 14 units. 65€–85€ double. Rates include breakfast. Amenities: Café/bar; refrigerators; Wi-Fi (free).

Loriet

A 19th-century estate on the coast just outside Mytilini provides an atmospheric getaway in a character-filled old mansion and a 1970s-era addition. Suites in the mansion are huge and elaborately appointed, beamed attic rooms and cottages are cozy, and the newer hotel rooms and small apartments are pleasantly contemporary. Beautiful gardens, a saltwater pool, and access to a small beach lend a resortlike vibe to this gracious old property.

Varia, 4km (21⁄2 mi) S of Mytilini off road to airport. www.loriet-hotel.com.

22510/43111. 30 units. 40€–90€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Bar; pool; nearby beach; Wi-Fi (free).

Pyrgos of Mytilene

An ornate early 20th-century mansion in the old quarter of Mytilini has been lovingly restored to retain a lot of quirky old-world charm. Some of the large guest rooms are in the eponymous tower, and all are decorated in quaintly old-fashioned Empire style, evoking grander days of travel. Most rooms face the town or nearby sea from balconies, and a lavish buffet breakfast is served in a sunny conservatory or garden in good weather.

Venizelou 49. www.pyrgoshotel.gr.

22510/25069. 12 units. 95€–120€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; garden; Wi-Fi (free).

Theofolis Paradise

Guests looking for a casual getaway might find the stylishly neoclassic rooms here a bit fussy, but draped beds, handcrafted furniture, and polished wood floors are in keeping with the center-of-historic Mytilini ambiance of this 1912 mansion and two adjoining new wings. A rooftop garden includes a small pool where you can do laps next to the tile roofs of the surrounding house. The seafront, markets, and other in-town attractions are just outside the door.

Skra 7. www.theofilosparadise.gr.

22510/43300. 24 units. 85€–120€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Café; rooftop lounge; pool; Wi-Fi (free).

Votsala Hotel

No flat screens (or in-room TVs of any kind), no pool, no air-conditioning, no spa—rather than resort-style luxuries, this retreat on the coast north of Mytilini offers relaxing seaside gardens and such perks as family-style meals on the seaside terrace. Large, homey, breezy rooms are spread through Bauhaus-inspired motel-style wings, and all have balconies and small kitchens. Beautifully tended grounds run down to the sea and a swimming pier, while shops and several simple tavernas are a short walk away along a seaside path. Hosts/owners Yiannis and Daphne and their extended family are on hand to share tips on enjoying the island and lead nature walks that often end with a village-taverna meal. Their hospitality is legendary, welcoming many guests who return to this quiet paradise year after year.

Pyrgi Thermis, 10km (6 mi) N of Mytilini. www.votsalahotel.com.

22510/71231. 45 units. 50€–85€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Bar; café; beach; excursions; Wi-Fi (free). Closed Nov–Mar.

Heliotopos

Host Elini Mantzorou shares her little patch of paradise, where guest bungalows equipped with large double studios and apartments are set amid a garden of exotic flowers and citrus and olive trees, interspersed with lawns and terrace. An endless supply of fruit comes right off the trees, and adding to this Garden of Eden atmosphere, a lake across the road is home to turtles, storks, and other creatures. The simple, comfortable lodgings are well suited to long-term stays; many guests settle in for a week or more to enjoy the beach, a short walk down the road, and nearby Skala Eressou’s laidback lifestyle.

Outskirts of Skala Eressos. www.heliotoposeressos.gr.

6948/510-527. 8 units. 25€–55€ double. Amenities: Garden; kitchens; Wi-Fi (free). Closed Nov–Mar.

Aphrodite Beach

Run by a large Greek-American family, this friendly perch on Vatera Beach is well suited to families, with nicely outfitted rooms as well as big, airy apartments with fully equipped kitchens. A separate kid’s pool, trampoline, playground, and lots of space keep young travelers occupied, while the main draw is the stretch of sand out front. The excellent on-premises taverna makes the most of garden vegetables, locally raised meat, and fresh fish.

Vatera. www.aphroditehotel.gr.

22520/61288. 30 units. 40€–65€ double. Rates include breakfast. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; pools; playground; kitchens; Wi-Fi (free).

Captain’s Table

SEAFOOD/MEDITERRANEAN This fixture on Molyvos Harbor never disappoints. Chef/owner Melinda and husband Theo serve fresh fish and an array of dips, pies, and other mezes (including some memorable smoked fish variations), along with creative pastas and other Mediterranean favorites. A backdrop of the sea reflecting the twinkling lights of the town puts a nice spin on a meal.

Molyvos Harbor.

694/412-1297. Entrees 8€–18€. Daily noon–midnight (no lunch late-Oct–mid-Apr).

Women’s Cooperative Restaurant

GREEK The idea behind this island-famous spot is to boost the income and independence of local women, and to achieve this goal the chefs focus on home-cooked traditional Greek and local dishes. Menus change frequently, but the kitchen usually turns out delicious takes on such staples as moussaka and lamb in wine sauce. In summer you should reserve several days in advance to enjoy a meal in the airy and homey second-floor dining room and adjoining terrace.

In alley off main square, Petra.

22530/41238. Entrees 7€–16€. Daily noon–10pm, shorter hours in winter.

Averoff Restaurant

GREEK This old-fashioned, no-frills favorite on the port is still going strong after several decades; many of the knowing waiters have been there the whole time. Pasta with tripe, roasted lamb, and other dishes are served home-style, ready-cooked and chosen from a case. There are few cozier places to eat or to get a feel for old-time Mytilini.

Pavlou Kountourioti, just off center of waterfront.

22510/22180. Entrees 6€–10€. Daily 10am–10pm.

Kafeneion O Ermis

GREEK Operating since 1800, this ouzeri has been in the hands of 4 generations of a family that arrived from Asia Minor in 1922. They’ve had the good sense to leave alone the Belle Epoque charm—big mirrors, wooden sofas, and gold-framed paintings by local artists. Most patrons come to drink and nibble on the dozens of small plates offered, but the moussaka and other homey main dishes are delicious, too.

Kornarou 2.

22510/26232. Entrees 6€–12€. Daily 9am–midnight (Wed–Thurs & Sun until 1am, Fri–Sat until 2pm).

Cavo d’Oro

SEAFOOD/GREEK An off-the-beaten-track location at the far west end of the island doesn’t hinder the fame of this Sigri landmark, considered by many islanders to serve the best seafood on Lesbos. The signature dish here is lobster spaghetti, but any of the shellfish and fish (smoked, marinated, or grilled) is deliciously fresh, just off the boats along the dock out front. Garden fresh vegetables and many delicious mezes accompany a meal.

Parasol

BAR/GREEK Of the many beachfront bars in Skala Eressos, none sets the easygoing mood quite as effectively as this thatch-roofed patio built on pilings over the sand. The all-day menu offers sandwiches, salads, and other fairly nondescript light fare, but food is not really the point here. Well-made cocktails draw a big afternoon-into-evening crowd, and many regulars come back to spend the morning over a coffee while soaking in the sea view.

Seafront, Skala Eressos.

22530/52050. Dishes 5€–12€. Daily 9am–2am. Shorter hours in winter.

Soulatso

SEAFOOD/GREEK The long stretch of sand out front creates a backdrop for a seaside feast on the terrace or in a simple room. You’ll likely be tempted to try such local favorites as sardeles pastes (fresh sardines, skinned and seasoned), and the house specialty is octopus, hung to dry on lines out front, grilled to tender perfection, and accompanied by local ouzo.

Seafront, Skala Eressos.

22530/52078. Entrees 6€–20€. Daily noon–midnight. Shorter hours in winter.

Akrotiri Fish Restaurant

SEAFOOD/GREEK It’s worth a trip (or several) to Vatera to enjoy what many regulars consider the freshest seafood on the island. Most of what chef Dimitris serves comes right off his own fishing boat, and he accompanies grilled fish and big platters of mussels with many delicious mezes, including fresh crab and shrimp salads. The restaurant is especially busy on weekends, when a meal here is part of a day at the beach.

Agios Fokas, Vatera (inland from the beach).

22520/61465. Entrees 8€–20€. Daily noon–midnight, shorter hours in winter.

A walk along the long paralia (waterfront boulevard) of Lesbos’ main town provides a refreshing foray into workaday island life. Mytilini is an energetic and cosmopolitan little city, full of students from the University of the Aegean, recent refugees from Syria and elsewhere, and a multicultural local population, including many descendants of the refugees who settled here during the 1922–23 population exchanges, when more than a million Greeks were expelled from their Turkish homelands, a sizeable number of them settling on Lesbos.

The old part of town, laid out by Byzantines and Ottoman Turks, sprawls across a hilly promontory between two harbors, an ancient one to the north and the modern port to the south, always busy with ferries sailing to and from Turkey and Athens. A largely Turkish Kastro (fortress) is tucked into fragrant pine forests on a rise at the eastern flank of the promontory. Below the fortress, a boisterous market street, Ermou, bisects the center of town, lined with stalls, little shops, coffee houses, and landmarks that include the Yeni Mosque.

Archaeological Museum

MUSEUM Remains left behind by the many cultures that have thrived on Lesbos include some wonderful bits and bobs, such as capitals from the columns of temples at Klopedi, an 8th-century b.c. sanctuary near the center of the island. Three rooms from a Roman villa are especially engaging, with their glittering mosaic floors. Many of the floor panels depict scenes from plays by Medeander, with actors wearing masks and costumes. Others portray Socrates, the Muses, and lyric poets. These were no doubt meant to reflect the literary tastes of the owner and perhaps set the stage for dramatic readings and performances.

8i Noemvriou 8. odysseus.culture.gr.

22510/40223. Admission 4€. Open Tues–Sun, June–Oct 9am–4pm, Nov–May 8am–3pm.

Theophilos Museum

MUSEUM The painter Theophilos Hatziminhail was born in Varia, an outlying neighborhood of Mytlini, in 1873, and a stone house surrounded by olive groves near his birthplace shows off his primitive and colorful canvases, depicting island life as well as gods, goddesses, and saints. Theophilos was even better known as an eccentric than as a painter—he often walked through the streets of Mytilini dressed as a Greek god or Alexander the Great. In 1919 Lesbos-born art critic and publisher Teriade discovered the ill and impoverished artist, and supported him until he died from food poisoning in 1934, safeguarding his works. Unfortunately, Theophilos painted many of his pieces on the walls of cafes and houses, in exchange for food and lodging, and many of these were long ago destroyed or whitewashed over. The house is in the same parklike grounds as the Teriade Museum (see above), so it’s easy to combine visits to the two.

Varia, 4km (21⁄2 mi) S of Mytilini off road to airport.

22510 41644. Admission 3€. Mon–Fri 8:30am–2:30pm.

Some of the island’s prettiest towns, best beaches, and most striking coastal scenery are in the northeast corner. The Strait of Mytilini separates this part of the island from Turkey and is only a little more than 4km (21⁄2 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Given the island’s triangular shape, travel time from Mytilini to Molyvos and other places on the island’s north end are about the same whether you follow the coast road or head inland, then north from Kaloni.

En route to or from the north coast, you may want to stop off at Mandamados

, a stone village on a high inland plateau, about 35 km (21 miles) north of Mytilini. It’s beloved by islanders for the remarkable icon of the Archangel Michael in the Church of the Taxiarchis. It’s said that during a pirate raid, all but one of the monks here were slaughtered; when this lone survivor emerged from hiding to find the bloody corpses of his dead companions, he responded to the horror by gathering the blood-soaked earth and fashioning in it a face: a relief of the Archangel Michael. This simple icon, its lips worn away by the kisses of pilgrims, can be found at the center of the iconostasis, at the back of the main chapel. Pilgrims leave behind many pairs of tiny tin shoes, to be worn by the archangel as he rushes about the island on nightly rounds to ensure the well-being of the faithful. The church is usually open daily, 10am to 6pm.

Following the Ancients

Roman Mytilini surfaces along the seaside to the north of town, at the foot of the Kastro, where remains of Roman wharves and breakwaters are just offshore from evocatively crumbling warehouses and factories of more recent vintage. On a grassy knoll at the northwestern edge of town is a theater (always open, free admission; signposted off Agias Karakis) that was one of the largest and most admired in all of Ancient Greece—in fact, Pompey used it as a model for the theater complex that he built in Rome in 55 b.c., the very place Caesar was murdered.

The best-preserved ancient monument on Lesbos is a Roman aqueduct in Moria, about 6km (4 miles) north of Mytilini. Though Moria is best known these days as the site of one of Greece’s largest refugee camps, a long 140m (460-foot) swath of the 2nd-century engineering feat still stands just outside the village, with 17 arches, those supported by columns and 3 other arches. The structure transported water from Mount Olympus to Mytilini, a distance of about 26km (16 miles). The site is always open and admission is free.

The chief town on the north coast is lovely Molyvos

, which lies about 60 km (37 miles) northwest of Mytilini, 28km (17 miles) north of Kaloni. Though officially listed by its ancient name, Mithymna, it’s known to many travelers and islanders as Molyvos, from the days of Byzantine rule. (By the time you’ve gotten this far in Greece you’ve probably realized that many places have more than one name.) During the Trojan War, Achilles besieged the town but was unable to penetrate the walls—until a young woman, smitten with the handsome warrior, opened the gates for him (most unchivalrously, he then slaughtered her and took the town). These days, tourists are the invading armies, and the pretty town is fairly irresistible, with lanes full of mansions of stone and pink-pastel stucco capped by red-tile roofs climbing the hillside from a pebbly beach. Balconies and windowsills are decorated with geraniums and roses, and the picturesque harbor is a working port, where fishing boats unload their catch next to cafés well suited to lingering over a coffee for an hour or two. Just inland are shady squares and many quiet nooks and crannies. The influence here is decidedly Ottoman, with marble fountains at street corners and wooden balconies (sachnisia) overhanging the lanes. The 19th-century Komninaki Kralli mansion, behind the church of Aghios Panteleimon, houses an annex of the Athens School of Fine Arts. Most weekdays between 9am and 5pm you can step into the ground floor salons to admire the paneled walls and ceilings, painted with scenes from Constantinople (admission is free).

The Genoese, who were granted Lesbos in 1373, greatly expanded and reinforced the hilltop Castle of Molyvos (odysseus.culture.gr;

22530/71803), built a century earlier by the Venetians. Its sturdy stone walls, gates, and stout towers have all been well preserved, though there’s little to see inside other than the views across the island and up and down the nearby Turkish coast. From these ramparts the wife of a medieval governor saved the town when she put on her husband’s uniform and led a charge against invading Turks—a short-lived victory, unfortunately, as the Ottomans soon returned with a fleet of 150 warships and brought the island under their control for 450 years, until 1912. A stage in the southwest corner of the castle courtyard is often used for theatrical performances in the summer. By car, follow the well-marked road from the eastern edge of town to the castle parking lot. Several streets in town also merge into paths leading up the castle hill, though the climb is steep. The castle is open May through October daily 8am to 8pm, and November through April daily 8:30am to 3pm; admission is 2€.

South down the coast from Molyvos some 7km (4 miles), the most popular asset of Petra

is its long stretch of sandy beach, but behind the forest of sun umbrellas lies a traditional stone village of tile-roofed houses clustered around a massive monolith. At the top of 114 rough-hewn steps cut into the rock face, the little chapel of Glykophilousa Panagia (Our Lady of the Sweet Kiss) was built in the 17th-century to house an icon of the Virgin Mary. One day, so the story goes, a fisherman accidentally dropped this icon from his boat. That night he saw a strange light burning atop the rock. He came ashore, climbed to the top, and found his icon, lit by a candle. He took the icon back to his boat, but the next day it went missing again, only to appear back atop the rock—obviously where the Virgin intended it to be. The church is usually open from 8am to 5pm. One of the many beautiful houses on the streets below is the Vareltzidhena Mansion, onetime home of a wealthy Ottoman merchant, where charming murals in some rooms depict circus bears, sailing ships, and courting couples. Admission is free and the house is open Tuesday through Sunday, 8am to 2:30pm.

East of Molyvos, 4km (21⁄2 miles) along the coast road at Efthalou

, you’ll find a casual thermal establishment (

253071245, daily 10am–5pm) where you may soak in one of the pools inside an Ottoman house or in the sea out front, where springs bubble up amid the rocks. Aside from relaxation, the springs are said to benefit such conditions as arthritis, high blood pressure, neuralgia, and sciatica. To the east expands Golden Beach, a long stretch of sand where you’re likely to find a spot far from the crowds.

A flat and very well-maintained dirt road continues east along the coast to the compact fishing port of Skala Sikiminias

, the northernmost point on the island (it’s 48km/28 miles north of Mytilini, 20km/121⁄2 miles east of Molyvos). Sikiminias seems almost too picturesque to be real, which is no doubt why the village fit so well as the setting for the 1955 novel Mermaid Madonna by Stratis Myrivilis, who was born and raised here. The novel depicts the flood of refugees from Asia Minor in 1922, events that seem especially poignant now, as Skala Sikiminias, with its proximity to Turkey, was the point of arrival for tens of thousands of refugees in the migrant crisis of 2015–16; immigrants continue to arrive on beaches around the village. (Enormous piles of discarded lifejackets have been piled high in the countryside about 5km [3 miles] east of Molyvos, creating an unofficial landmark known as the Lifejacket Graveyard that is a sobering reminder of the enormity of the crisis.) While many elements of the novel were fictitious, it’s pleasant to regard the little church at the end of wharf from the string of pleasant cafes that line the fishing harbor.

Passage to Pergamon

One of the most important cities of the Greek world, Pergamon sits atop a wooded hillside just inland from the Turkish coast. Magnificent artifacts from the site now fill the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, but what remains amid the ruins, especially on its Acropolis, is stunning: sanctuaries to Trajan and Athena, royal palaces, and a library (Marc Antony presented the 200,000 scrolls to Cleopatra as a wedding gift). Many travel agencies on the port in Mytilini offer day tours to Pergamon for about 60€, but you can easily get there on your own, taking a short ferry crossing from Mytilini to Cesme, Turkey, from where you can catch a bus to the site. A visa is not required for a day visit.

The Gulf of Yera to the east and the Gulf of Kaloni to the west etch deeply into the island, surrounding a mountainous southeastern region with water on three sides. Rising high above the rural and often wild countryside is Mount Olympus—one of 19 peaks in Greece with that name. Orchards, olive groves, and pine and chestnut forests climb the slopes toward a craggy summit that reaches 968m (3,200 ft.).

Follow the main east–west road that traverses the island, turning south at Keramia to reach the beautiful mountain village of Agiasos

, about 25km (15 miles) from Mytilini. Agiasos sits on the forested heights of Mount Olympus, its peak towering over the village’s old tile rooftops and winding cobblestone streets. Among the many travelers who find their way here are pilgrims visiting the ornate church of the Panagia Vrefokratousa (Madonna Holding the Infant), which contains an icon of the Virgin Mary supposedly painted by St. Luke the Evangelist and brought to the island from Jerusalem in 803. Allegedly the icon worked a miraculous cure for an 18th-century Turkish administrator of the island, who, just as miraculously, showed his gratitude by excusing the village from taxation. The church is usually open 8am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm. Villagers celebrate the miraculous event on August 15, the Feast of the Virgin, when they parade the icon through the streets. Workshops built into the exterior walls of the church and in the surrounding bazaar sell pottery and handcrafted wooden furniture and utensils, much of which is very well wrought and transcends the usual souvenir offerings. En route to Agiasos, you may also want to stop off at the tiny hamlet of Karini, off the main road 71⁄2 km (41⁄2 miles) north of Agiasos, where you can park in the shade near the taverna and follow a short path to the hollowed-out tree where the folk artist Theophilos (see p. 308) once made his home.

Continue for a half-hour’s drive west to find another remarkable landscape, the valley around Polychnitou, where hot springs bubble and boiling streams flow through richly colored beds of rocks and minerals. Since antiquity, these waters have been channeled into thermal pools and stone bathhouses. Most stand in eerie ruin, but one marked the Polychnitou Thermal Springs still operates (usually daily 9am to 6pm, but hours vary, especially in winter); the cost of a soak is 3€, but be forewarned, these are said to be the hottest mineral springs in Europe, a surefire remedy for sore joints but guaranteed to lull you into a stupor. A little café to one side serves refreshments, and a hedonistic treat is to soak, come out enjoy a beverage and the fresh air, then go in for another soak.

An 8km (5-mile) drive south from Polychnitou will take you to Vatera

, an unbroken fringe of golden sands stretching for 7km (41⁄2) miles, backed in part by simple bars and tavern and some low-key hotels. (You may also reach Vatera directly from Agiasos, on a winding and often unpaved but well-maintained road south through chestnut forests skirting the flanks of Mount Olympus.) In Plomari

, 31km (19 miles) east of Vatera, old houses line the banks of the Sedounta River. Plomari is the ouzo capital of Greece, so it would be a shame to pass through without stopping to sample the local product at one of the many cafes on and around the main square.

The main cross-island road skirts the lush, stream-watered plain around the Gulf of Kaloni, then climbs through pine-scented mountain heights before dropping down into the rugged landscapes of western Lesbos. The towns out here are a bit too far removed to make them convenient touring bases for the island, but you may want to spend a night or two in Skala Eressos

(85km [49 miles] southwest of Mytlini) to enjoy its laidback beach life. Even if the 3km (2-mile) expanse of brown sand backed by tamarisk trees weren’t among the finest on Lesbos, this friendly and attractive seaside town would have many admirers. The association with Sappho (see box p. 312) draws many female visitors to the animated port and fishing village, popular with travelers of all persuasions. (Another Ancient Erossos native was Theophrastus, a student of Plato, successor of Aristotle at the Lyceum in Athens, and a prolific writer on botany, metaphysics, and ethics.) Today’s low-key modern town follows part of the beach, with a clutch of outdoor bars hanging over the sand at one end, and scrub-backed sands stretching to the west. Behind the beach are a stream and spring-fed lake, surrounded by lush, almost tropical greenery and home to turtles and many birds, including storks.

Perched on the hillside 11km (7 miles) inland from Skala Erossos, Medieval Erossos was built during the Middle Ages to provide protection from pirate raids. Surrounding the town is a valley full of farms and orchards, and views extend across the fertile coastal plains below.

About an hour’s drive northwest of Skala Erossos, the east-west highway meets the sea at Sigri

, a windswept little town built around a massive but derelict Turkish castle and a busy fishing harbor. The bleak rocky landscape that surrounds Sigri is nowhere more desolate than it is in the Petrified Forest of Lesbos, a collection of fallen and still-standing tree stumps turned to stone after a volcanic eruption some 20 million years ago. A path winds through the eerie setting, littered with trunks almost 20m (66 feet) and 3m (10 feet) in diameter. The vistas are fascinating, but avoid visiting in the heat of the day, since petrified trees provide no shade. The park is 10km (6 miles) east of Sigri and is open daily 9am to 5pm, from 9:30am on Sunday; admission is 3€. Back in Sigri, the Natural History Museum of the Lesbos Petrified Forest explores this fascinating local geology in depth; it’s open the same hours as the park, admission also 3€. As you walk on the beach in Sigri look for little pieces of petrified wood among the pebbles. Sigri is 88km (53 miles) west of Mytilini.

The Poetry of Desire

Ancient Erssos, of which only scant traces remain near the little harbor of Skala Erossos, was home to the poet Sappho, who was born here around 612 b.c. After her marriage, she ran what was essentially a finishing school for young women. She praised her charges in such verses as “and I yearn, and I desire,” lyrics that have lent the island’s name to desire between women. Today a contemporary sculpture of Sappho playing a lyre stands next to the sea near the harbor—it’s lyrical indeed.

“Craggy Hios,” as Homer dubbed the island—which he knew well, since it was said to have been his native land—reveals one wonder after another. A string of so-called “mastic villages” (named for the aromatic tree resin that is Chios’ chief agricultural product) are some of the finest medieval settlements in all of Greece, complete with towers and stenciled houses. Jasmine-scented lanes in Kambos are lined with honey-colored stone walls enclosing the estates of shipping magnates, and another kind of wealth shows up at Nea Moni, an 11th-century Byzantine monastery set amid majestic mountain scenery and carpeted with extraordinary mosaics. Worldly concerns aside, the island is also beautiful and largely untrammeled. It’s easy to slow down to a leisurely pace and relax amid the black-pebble beaches in the south, white-sand beaches on the west coast, and forested mountain slopes and hidden valleys.

Arriving Chios airport, 5km (3 miles) south of Chios Town, handles several flights a day to and from Athens in summer, on Olympic Air (www.olympicair.com), Aegean Airlines (www.aegeanair.com), and Astra-Airlines (www.astra-airlines.gr); service is less frequent in winter. Flight time from Athens is less than an hour, a time-saver compared to the 10-hour overnight trip on the ferry. Seats go quickly in the summer season, so book well in advance. A taxi to the city center costs about 10€. Blue Star Ferries (www.bluestarferries.com) and Hellenic Seaways (hellenicseaways.gr) operate overnight ferries to and from Athens. Both lines offer two sailings a day in summer, though in winter service dwindles to several times a week.

Getting Around Operating from a station on the waterfront, Green Line buses serve Mesta, Pyrgi, and other towns around the island. Travelshop (www.travel-shop.gr;

22710/81500), on the waterfront at Leoforos Egeou 56, rents cars and is convenient to the port.

Visitor Information The tourist office in Chios Town, near the waterfront at Kanari 18 (www.chios.gr,

22713/51723) is open May to September, weekdays 7am to 2:30pm and 6:30pm to 9:30pm, weekends 10am to 1pm; from October to April it’s only open weekdays 7am to 1pm. Chios Tours, Kokkali 4 (www.chiostours.gr;

22710/29-444) helps with car rentals, accommodation, tours, and other details. To learn about the island’s main product, mastic, you can take mastic-harvesting tours with Mesta-based Masticulture (www.masticulture.com;

22710/76084), which also offers village visits and bike and sea-kayaking trips.

Top choice for a place to stay is Kambos, an outlying district of Chios Town filled with citrus groves. Kambos is well positioned for exploring the rest of the island, and some of its walled estates have been converted to hotels.

Chios Chandras

One of the grandest buildings in Chios Town is also one of the island’s most luxurious places to stay, commanding the southern edge of the harbor with views over the town and out to sea from huge expanses of glass, airy balconies, and a swimming pool terrace. Large guest rooms are pastel-hued and generic yet softly soothing, and offer a lot of comfort at very good value for the prices charged.

Evgenias Chandris 2. www.chioschandrishotel.gr.

22710/44401. 65€–120€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; pool; Wi-Fi (free).

Grecian Castle

A castle it’s not, but this handsome stone complex fashioned out of an old pasta factory is comfortable and filled with character. Traditionally furnished, marble-floored rooms occupy newer neoclassical cottages and have nice balconies for outdoor living. What’s really inspiring here, though, is the large garden and swimming pool, and handsome public spaces fashioned out of the old factory work floor. The sea is across a busy thoroughfare and the town beach is a short walk to the south.

Leoforos Enosseos. www.greciancastle.gr.

22710/44740. 69 units. 65€–90€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; pool; Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Kyma

A neoclassical villa from the 1920s, built for a shipping magnate and onetime headquarters of prime minister Nikolaos Plastiras during the Turko-Greek refugee crisis of 1922, is character-filled, embellished with frescoes and marble staircases, and perched at water’s edge. Sea views fill the large windows, and many rooms have balconies that seem to hang right over the water.

Evgenias Chandri 1. www.hotelkyma.com.

22710/44500. 59 units. 50€–70€ double. Rates include breakfast. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; Wi-Fi (free).

Perleas Mansion

A stone mansion and two outbuildings set amid fragrant citrus orchards in Kambos is memorably charming, filled with antiques and carefully chosen art work. Just as striking are terraces and patios set beneath a canopy of grand trees and filled with birdsong, all adding up to an exceptional country retreat, with the beach a short drive away. Guests are welcome to wander the grounds, still a working orchard.

Vitiadou 8. www.perleas.gr.

22710/32217. 8 units. 100€–150€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Meals on request; gardens; Wi-Fi (free).

Voulamandis House

This modern take on a Kambos estate is comfortably stylish, with stone-walled rooms in a large house and outlying cottages full of architectural details and a pleasant mix of traditional and contemporary furnishings. This being Kambos, the place to be is out of doors in the lemon-scented air, and this working farm offers terraces, balconies, and patios for relaxing. Oranges, mandarins, lemons, olives, and wine from the estate are on offer.

Dimarchoy Kalvokoresi 117. www.chioshotel.gr.

22710/31733. 13 units. 45€–80€ double. Rates include breakfast. Amenities: Garden; terrace; some kitchens; Wi-Fi (free).

Emporios Bay

At the little resort that Giouli and Elias Telli have created behind the seafront in Emborios, bright, handsomely furnished studios and apartments in whitewashed tile-roofed houses surround a large pool and garden. All have kitchens and terraces with views of the sea and mountains. Emborios is a pleasant beach town, and its port, with shops and restaurants, is a short walk down the road; the greatest local asset, the black beach of Mavra Volia, is just around a bend in the road. The mastic villages are near at hand.

Emborios, 30km (19 mi) S of Chios Town. www.emporiosbay.gr.

22710/70180. 30 units. 45€–60€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Bar/café; kitchens; pool; Wi-Fi (free). Closed Oct–Apr.

Medieval Castle

All the atmosphere of medieval Mesta comes to the fore in these comfortably quirky lodgings fashioned out of several old houses. Stone walls, arched ceilings, fireplaces, and many nooks and crannies offset stylish contemporary furnishings, and common spaces include a welcoming terrace in the heart of the village.

Mesta. www.mcsuites.gr.

22710/76345. 20 units. 70€–90€ double. Breakfast costs extra. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; terrace; Wi-Fi (free).

Hotzas

GREEK The oldest tavern in Chios Town is not easy to find, a hefty 20-minute walk from the port, but that’s not a problem—just about any local you ask has enjoyed a meal in the jasmine-scented garden at one time or another. The menu changes daily to utilize the freshest fish, meat, and vegetables, and ranges from classic lamb dishes to many vegetarian choices, washed down with a good selection of ouzo.

Tsivaeri Ouzeri

GREEK You don’t have to look far to find this popular ouzeri, a casual taverna right on the harbor next to the port; a seat on the terrace comes with a view of all the comings and goings. Some of the excellent standards include fried gavros (anchovies) and grilled sardines, served alongside tomato keftedes, deep-fried tomato balls that are a Chios specialty.

O Passas

SEAFOOD/GREEK Langada, a fishing village about 10km (6 miles) north of Chios Town, is where locals head for a seafood dinner. The quay is lined with excellent fish tavernas, and prices are reasonable and the fish is fresh. This old landmark with a large quayside terrace stands out for its excellent service and deft preparations of everything from fried shrimp to several grilled meat platters.

Langada.

22710/74218. Entrees 8€–25€, fish sold by the kilo. Daily 8am–11pm.

Psitopolio Georgios Marina Pannadi

GREEK The cobblestone streets of Mesta are a lively setting for a meal. Tzatziki, fried shrimp, and other meze, served at one of the outdoor tables, are followed by grilled meat platters to round out a memorable experience in the center of this transporting town.

The paralia (waterfront) of Chios’s capital, also known as Chora, is likely to be your first glimpse of the island, and admittedly, the port town has lost a lot of its looks over the years to invasions, earthquakes, and ill-conceived building sprees. But what the little city lacks in beauty it makes up for with bustle and character, especially in the bazaar around Vounakiou, the main square. Its jumble of stalls and small shops reminds visitors how close Asia Minor is—just 9km (51⁄2) miles across the Strait of Chios—as does the nearby minaret of the Medjitie Djami mosque, now the Byzantine Museum (see below).

Byzantine Museum

MUSEUM The timbered porch and courtyard of Medjitie Djami, a former mosque, are littered with Muslim and Jewish tombstones, carved marble lintels from churches around the island, cannons that once defended the island, and other bits and pieces. The collection is scattershot but fascinating to peruse; keep an eye out for the colorful fresco of three girls sleeping, from a cycle on the miracles of St. Nicholas, and Renaissance-era Genoese door lintels depicting St. George slaying the dragon.

Kastro

HISTORIC DISTRICT The Byzantines built this walled seaside castle in the 10th century; Venetian traders enlarged the compound when they were granted the island in the 14th century, and when the Turks took Chios from them in 1566, they added fountains, hamams, and mosques, creating a residential and administrative district now known in Chios as the “old quarter.” Within the Portara Maggiora, the main gate, are the wood and plaster houses of the Ottoman Turks who banished Greeks to precincts outside the Kastro walls. Many of the houses are now derelict, though elaborate doorways and facades suggest their importance. Among the structures that don’t look as if they might soon topple over is the medieval Giustiniani mansion (admission 2€, Tues–Sun 8am–7pm), home of the powerful Genoese family that once oversaw the island under the Venetians. Its salons are now loaded with frescoes of the prophets from the Church of Panagia Krinia, on the Kambos plain south of town. Nearby is the grim little prison where the Turks held Chiots before hanging them during the rebellion of 1822.

Koreas Library/Argenti Museum

MUSEUM Chian aristocrat and local historian Philip Argenti collected embroideries, folk objects, and costumes from around the island throughout much of the 20th century. Among his holdings is a copy of Eugene Delacroix’s despair-filled Scenes from the Massacre at Chios, a painting (the original is in the Louvre in Paris) inspired by the events of 1822, when the Turks savagely squashed the Greek independence movement on Chios by murdering 20,000 men, enslaving 50,000 women and children, and exiling another 20,000. (Only 2,000 Greeks remained on Chios after the attacks.) News of the slaughter, fueled in large part by this painting, did much to muster Western European support for Greek independence. Many rare volumes from wealthy islanders are in the adjoining library, a 135,000-volume collection that’s one of the largest in Greece—testimony to the fortunes made in Chios from shipping.

Korais 2. www.koraeslibrary.gr.

22710/44246. Admission 1.50€. Mon–Thurs 7:30am–3pm, Fri 7:30am–3pm and 5–8pm, Sat 9am–2pm.

Kambos

NEIGHBORHOOD The plain that stretches south along the coast from Chios Town is a patchwork of orange and lemon groves and ornate Turko-Greco style estates. The district has long been the domain of the foreign elite that ruled the island, as well as local aristocracy, many of whom made their fortunes in shipping (the island’s forests provided materials for shipbuilding, and seafaring was one of the few occupations available to many Chiots). High walls of golden stone hem in the narrow lanes, but a peer through wrought-iron gates often reveals lush gardens, pebbled courtyards, splashing fountains, and arched verandas and balconies. Many estates are derelict, and have been since the Turkish massacres of 1822 and an 1888 earthquake that leveled much of the island. Others retain their splendor, however, and a few offer accommodation (see p. 314). One place to savor the architecture is at the Citrus Museum, Argenti 9–11 (www.citrus-chios.gr;

22710/31513; daily 9am–9pm), an attractive old estate with a large café, a shop selling sweets and other citrus products, and a signposted walk around the beautiful estate buildings, arbor, windmill, and orchards, where farm animals provide charming company. It’s almost impossible to find a specific address on the maze of Kambos’ wall-lined narrow lanes, but the estate is well signposted.

6km (31⁄2) mi S of Chios Town off the main north-south road, near the airport.

Nea Moni

MONASTERY One of the great architectural and artistic treasures of Greece, this 11th-century monastery has a spectacular setting in the mountains overlooking Chios Town. As is the case with many monasteries in Greece, the story of Nea Moni begins with the appearance of a mysterious icon. In 1066, three shepherds saw a strange light in the undergrowth and found, surrounded by flames, an icon of the Virgin Mary. The icon announced that Constantine XI would become emperor of Byzantium. When this portent came to pass, Constantine and his wife, the Empress Zoe, built this beautiful monastery to house the icon. The blackened image hangs over the altar of the octagonal katholikon, or principal church, whose square nave has eight niches supporting the dome Within these niches are sequences of extraordinary mosaics, among the finest examples of Byzantine art, with portrayals of the saints, Christ washing the disciples’ feet, and sinners being devoured by fish. The icon is believed to work mysterious cures for the faithful and in recent years was credited with stopping the flames that engulfed the surrounding forests. Sadly, no such intervention spared the monastery from an 1881 earthquake that sent the dome and many beautiful mosaics crashing to the ground. The monastery has now been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the mosaics are slowly being restored to their glory. A chapel on the grounds is filled with skulls, some showing axe marks, of the 600 monks and 3,500 islanders who sought refuge here during the Turkish massacres of 1822—and were slaughtered when Ottoman troops broke through the gates. A round-trip taxi ride from Chios town to Nea Moni costs around 40€, including a half-hour at the monastery.

Nea Moni, about 12km (71⁄2 mi) W of Chios Town. www.neamoni.gr.

2710/79391. Donations welcome. Apr–Oct 8am–1pm and 4pm–sunset; Nov–Mar 4–5:30pm.

Vrontados

NEIGHBORHOOD This seaside suburb makes two extraordinary claims. Before Christopher Columbus journeyed to the New World, he allegedly came ashore to seek advice on routes and navigational tactics from local seafarers (still a large sector of the island population) and, while here, discovered the pleasures of mastic (see box, left). What’s more, Homer is said to have lived here and taught from a boulder conveniently topped with a lecternlike outcropping. The so-called Daskalopetra (Teacher’s Rock) was probably an ancient altar to Cybele, the nature goddess, but with the sea glistening below and birdsong coming from the lemon and olive trees, it would certainly have been a delightful place to listen to the greatest orator of all times.

What is Mastic?

The soil of Chios is especially well suited to mastic, a tree that produces an aromatic and useful resin. Hippocrates prescribed mastic for everything from snake bite to boils. Romans used it to clean their teeth, and Turkish harems chewed mastic to sweeten their breath. Mastic is still made into gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, cosmetics, and a digestion-abetting liqueur. Some medical researchers claim that mastic can also lower blood pressure and boost the immune system.

The Genoese who occupied the island from the 14th to the 16th centuries began establishing 20 or so mastihari (mastic villages) to ensure a steady supply of the pleasantly smoky-tasting little pellets of mastic, the island’s most valuable product (see box, above). Mastic was, in fact, so valuable that Ottoman troops spared these villages when they depopulated the island in 1822. With fortresslike outer walls, arcaded streets, and elaborately patterned exteriors, the remaining mastihari, especially Pyrgi and Mesta, are some of the most intriguing villages in Greece. They are surrounded by welcoming landscapes where, despite fires in recent years, olive groves and mastic orchards rise and fall across rolling hills. This part of the island is also ringed with beaches of black volcanic sands; the best known is Mavra Valia (Black Pebbles), near Embrio about 8km (5 miles) southeast of Pyrgi.

In Mesta

, some 35km (22 miles) southwest of Chios Town, an outermost perimeter of houses creates a solid rampartlike wall, with no doorways or windows, presenting a forbidding aspect to the outside world. Only a few gates lead into the maze of narrow lanes that burrow between and beneath houses. These architectural hurdles were meant to deter pirates, for whom mastic-rich villages were a prime target. Mesta has two churches named for the Archangel Michael. Megas Taxiarchis (Great Archangel), on the main square, is aptly named—not only is this the largest of two, but it is also one of the largest churches in Greece. The sand beach at Apothika is 5km (3 miles) east of Mesta.

Another 10km (6 miles) southeast of Mesta, 25km (15 miles) southwest of Chios Town, the village of Pyrgi

, named after a now-ruined defense tower, is best known for its houses elaborately decorated with xysta. With this technique, a layer of gray-black volcanic sand is coated with white lime, then etched with circles, stars, diamonds, and other elaborate geometric patterns and floral motifs to reveal the dark layer beneath. Another design aesthetic shows up in the 12th-century church of Agli Apostoli on the main square, with its brick-banded exterior and an interior awash with frescoes of biblical scenes, including St. Paul’s visit to Chios in the 1st century a.d.

Chios Mastic Museum

MUSEUM A stunning complex tucked into a hillside above Pyrgi explores mastic cultivation, production, and its importance as a commercial product. Most fascinating are displays showing how residents of the nearby village once harvested the plant and processed the resin under the watchful eyes of their Turkish masters, usually for subsistence wages and under penalty of death for hiding even a tiny scrap of the precious substance. Mastic orchards spread below the museum, and a posted walk guides you through the trees, explaining more about growth and cultivation.

3km (2 mi) S of Pyrgi. www.piop.gr.

22710/72212. Admission 4€. Wed–Mon 10am–6pm (closes 5pm mid-Oct–Feb).

Excellent beaches are among the many natural assets of this northern island, and these have not gone unnoticed. Much of the coast becomes a holiday haven in the summer, but it’s easy to retreat to the verdant, cyprus- and vineyard-clad hillsides, quiet mountain villages, and the remote, rugged northwest. Polycrates, the island’s 6th-century b.c. ruler, left behind a feast for travelers interested in the ancient world, with a temple and other engineering marvels in and around Pythagorio. As an added bonus, the island’s famous wines are sweet and plentiful.

Arriving Samos Aristarchos International Airport (www.smi-airport.gr) is 4km (21⁄2 miles) west of the village of Pythagorion. Aegean (aegeanair.com) and Astra Airlines (www.astra-airlines.gr) operate as many as 4 flights a day in summer between Samos and Athens, with curtailed service in winter. Sky Express (www.skyexpress.gr) has a few flights a week between Samos and Chios and Lesbos, and in summer, flights sponsored by various tour operators fly in and out to and from cities in northern Europe. A public bus operates between the airport and Vathy, with departures about every hour to 1 11⁄2 hours throughout the day; fare is 4€, buy the ticket from the driver.

Samos is connected with Athens by twice-a-day ferry service in summer, and several times a week in winter; the trip takes about 13 hours. A few boats a week sail between Samos and Chios and Lesbos. Ferries also connect Samos with the Cyclades islands of Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Ios, Santorini and Syros (daily service in summer), as well as Patmos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kos, and Rhodes in the Dodecanese. Most boats are operated by Blue Star (www.bluestarferries.com). Good places to check out service and schedules are Ferry Hopper (www.ferryhopper.com) and the Greek Travel Pages (www.gtp.gr). Samos has three ports, at Vathy, Pythagorio, and Karlossi; most boats to Piraeus leave from Vathy, while boats to the Cyclades and Dodecanese use Karlossi and Pythagorio, though this varies.

Getting Around The island has good bus links between villages and beaches, with as many as 13 daily buses a day between Vathy and Kokkari and Pythagorio. If you’re staying in Pythagorio or Kokkari you could probably get by with a rental car if you are willing to confine your touring to main sights and the more popular beaches. For bus schedules, go to www.samosin.gr.

Visitor Information The municipality of Samos offers some information from its office on the Vathy waterfront (visit.samos.gr;

27340/28582). Samina Tours, at Themistokli Sofouli 67 (www.travel-to-samos.com;

22730/87000) is a good source for car rentals, accommodation, and excursions around the island.

Arion Hotel

Samos has many bungalow-style resort hotels, but these whitewashed and pastel-hued bungalows above Lemonákia and Tsamadoú beaches break the mold with rather stunning landscaped grounds and gardens and plenty of room to relax. Guest rooms are pleasantly traditional if uninspired, but all open to balconies and terraces, a few with glimpses of the sea and most with nice outlooks over palm trees and other exotic plantings. A large pool is surrounded by sunny terraces and an outdoor bar, and a shuttle makes regular trips back and forth to nearby beaches.

Kokkari. arion-hotel.com.

22730/92020. 108 units. 65€–130€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; sauna; beach shuttle; Wi-Fi (free). Closed Nov–mid-Apr.

Armonia Bay

You won’t find a more pleasant place on the island to settle in for a few days than this villa on a pine-clad hillside above Tsamadou Beach, just west of Kokkari. While the beach is an easy downhill walk away, the lawns, gardens, and pool can easily tempt you to stay put and take in the sea views. Rooms are soothingly done in pastel colors and contemporary decor, and many open through French doors to airy balconies. Informal yet attentive service from Alex and his family and staff extends to serving relaxed meals in the garden.

Tsamadou Beach. www.armoniahotels.com.

22730/92279. 24 units. 125€–145€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: Bar/restaurant; pool; Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Samos

Vathy isn’t the most relaxing spot on the island, but the capital is a handy base for exploring and a convenient stopover before boarding an early morning ferry. This waterfront landmark is the closest the island comes to having a big-city hotel, with functionally stylish rooms overlooking the harbor from balconies. A rooftop terrace and pool provide an in-town getaway.

Sofouli 11, Vathy. www.samoshotel.gr.

22730/28377. 105 units. 60€–75€ double. Amenities: Bar; pool; Wi-Fi (free).

Proteas Blu Resort

This gated cluster of pink bungalows toppling down a hillside outside Pythagorion is all about seclusion and high-style relaxation. It’s geared to couples, with a chic pool terrace, two semi-private beaches, a spa, and gourmet dining in a choice of glamorous settings. Pastel-hued guest quarters are rather generic and not as luxurious as the setting would suggest, but they’re large and most have sea-facing balconies; a few have private pools.

Pythagorio. www.proteasbluresort.gr.

22730/62200. 112 units. 95€–165€ double. Many rates include buffet breakfast. Amenities: 3 restaurants; 2 pools; 2 bars; spa; yacht hire; Wi-Fi (free). Closed mid-Oct–mid-Apr.

Ammos Plaz

SEAFOOD/GREEK The location, right on the beach in Kokkari, is a standout, and the kitchen turns out what many locals consider to be the best traditional Greek food on the island. The changing menu usually includes savory stews and creamy moussaka, as well as fish reeled in by the family themselves.

West end of beach, Kokkari.

22730/92463. Entrees 7€–16€. Daily noon–11pm. Closed Nov–Mar.

El Greco

GREEK A trip out to the southwestern end of the island should include a meal at this simple family taverna on a side street off the harbor. Grilled meats, gyros, fish, traditional starters, and other fare are served in an indoor-outdoor room that’s a gathering spot from morning until late evening.

Votsalakia–Marathokampo.

22730/37668. Entrees 5€–12€. Daily 10am–11:15pm (shorter hours in winter).

Elia

GREEK/MEDITERRANEAN The Pythagorio waterfront is chockablock with friendly tavernas, none more sophisticated than this waterside terrace where a Swedish chef sends out inspired pastas and other Mediterranean fare. Traditional island dishes include pork cooked in Samian wine.

Pythagorio, waterfront. eliarestaurant-samos.gr.

22730/61436. Entrees 9€–22€. Daily noon–midnight.

Galazio Pigadi

GREEK One of the top spots for lunch during a circuit of the mountain villages above Kokkari is this simple tavern with a wisteria-covered terrace out front. Hearty stews and other traditional meals are accompanied by house wine from the vineyards that climb the surrounding hills.

Vouliotes.

22730/93480. Entrees 7€–11€. Daily noon–11pm. Closed Oct-Mar.

The island capital surrounds a fine natural harbor, much of which is skirted by a lively and colorful paralia (beachfront avenue). Fishing boats are tied up along the wharf, and the old town, Ano Vathi, climbs toward the hilltops in steep lanes that narrow down to paths in many places, overhung with the balconies of old, tile-roofed houses.

Archaeological Museum

MUSEUM Just beyond Vathy’s waterside municipal gardens is one of Greece’s largest archaeological collections. Samos was a major power in the Aegean as early as the 7th century b.c. Early Samarians traded with Egypt and cities on the Black Sea, dug elaborate tunnels, built magnificent temples, and cultivated the wines for which Samos is still known. You will encounter much of this past as you tour the island, and many of the most treasured finds are here in Vathy. From the Heraion (see p. 323), a sanctuary devoted to Hera, wife of Zeus, comes one of six monumental kouroi, statues of naked youths that flanked the roadway leading to the enormous temple. Towering more than 5m (16 ft.) high, the gray-and-white marble kouros is the largest free-standing statue from ancient Greece to survive intact. Other statuary from the Heraion includes the Genolos Group, named for the sculptor who inscribed his name on the base of the pieces. The marbles depict a family—a reclining patriarch, his seated wife, a boy playing the pipes, and three girls poised to sing. The family seems to display devotion and eagerness to pay homage to Hera, but the marbles may also have been a bit of ostentation, flaunting the wealth required to commission such an elaborate offering.

Museum of Samian Wine

MUSEUM Samos is famous for its wines, produced from grapes grown mostly on terraced hillsides in the north of the island. Many are sweet, amber-colored dessert wines yielded from the white muscat grape, though some dry whites and roses are also produced. Very few vineyards have tasting rooms, but you can sample island wines amid the tools, barrels, pumps, and other vintage items displayed at this old winery on the outskirts of Vathy.

Outside Vathy. samoswine.gr.

22730/87511. Admission 2€, tastings extra. May–Oct Mon–Sat 10am–5:30pm.

This lively resort town south across the island from Vathy has some charm, with a lively seafront and cobbled back lanes, though the appeal dims when tour groups pack in during the summer. Many stay at some of the island’s splashiest hotels, on the nearby coast. For anyone interested in history, though, the real draw here is fascinating traces of the ancient town, surviving amid the modern-day clamor. Renamed in 1955 for Pythagoras, the Samos-born 6th-century b.c. mathematician and philosopher, the modern town is built over the ruins of Ancient Samos, famous as the capital of the tyrannical ruler Polycrates (ruled 538–522 b.c.). In Ancient Samos he created one of the most famous and cultured cities in the ancient Aegean, a magnet for poets, artists, musicians, philosophers, and mathematicians. He built a circuit of massive walls—at 6km (33⁄4) miles long, they enclosed the entire city—parts of which still climb the slopes of Mount Kastro. Polycrates also commissioned the engineer Eupalinos to build a massive jetty and seawall, 370m (1,214 feet) in length, around the harbor, where he anchored 40 triremes (warships) and various other craft with which he and his marauders plundered lands across the eastern Aegean. Much of the stone structure is still visible just beneath the waves, creating a pattern that, when viewed from the hillsides above, is shaped like a tigani, frying pan—and Tigani is the local nickname for the town.

The castle that rises above the red-tile roofs of the Old Town is of more recent vintage, erected in 1824 by local lord and revolutionary hero Lykourgou Logotheri to help the townsfolk defend themselves against the Turkish fleet. Under his leadership, Samians and other Greeks routed the Turks just offshore on August 6, 1824 (Transfiguration Day), a victory commemorated in the Church of the Transfiguration, which shares the hilltop with the castle. Notice the sign reading, “Christ saved Samos 6 August 1824.”

The Heraion

ANCIENT SITE A temple has stood near the banks of the Imbrasos River since the 9th century b.c. The goddess Hera, elder sister and wife of Zeus, was allegedly born on the river banks, where she later consummated her relationship with Zeus. By the 6th century b.c. a much larger temple had risen on the site, with a forest of 168 columns surrounding an altar to the goddess. After an earthquake leveled the temple, the ruler Polycrates set out to create the largest temple ever built in Greece. Polycrates was assassinated by the Persians before the massive temple was complete, but even before his death the structure was four times larger than the Parthenon in Athens. A roadway called the Iera Odos (Holy Road) linked the temple to Ancient Samos; some of the statues that once lined the stone avenue are in the Archaeological Museum in Vathy (see p. 322). Of the temple itself, only a single column and the massive foundation survive, the rest of the site having been leveled by earthquakes and scavengers carting off the marble over the centuries. Rival Ionian cities were so impressed that they rebuilt many of their ancient temples in similar style. The well-preserved Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (see box, below) is a direct imitation of the great Samian structure, so if you make the trip across the straits to Turkey, you can get an idea of what Polycrates’ masterwork looked like.

9km (51⁄2 mi) SW of Pythagorio, signposted off the road to Ireon. odysseus.culture.gr.

22730/95277. Admission 6€. Tues–Sun 8am–2:30pm.

Tunnel of Eupalinos (Efpalinio Orgyma)

ANCIENT SITE One of the most impressive engineering accomplishments of the ancient world, this tunnel through Mount Kastro was commissioned by the ruler Polycrates to transport water from mountain streams to Ancient Samos. This supply was especially vital during times of siege, and unlike an aqueduct, the tunnel could not be tampered with. Without the aid of compasses, surveying equipment, or sophisticated mathematics, the great architect Eupalinos designed a channel 1,000m (3,280 ft.) long. He directed two teams made up of hundreds of slaves, wielding picks and chisels, to dig from each side along a remarkably level line, and after nearly 15 years they met within a few meters of each other. The tunnel, which supplied water for more than a thousand years, was rediscovered in 1882. Archeologists were clued into its existence by the Greek historian Herodotus, who lived on Samos in the 5th century b.c. and wrote about a passage “dug through a mountain . . . through which water is conducted and comes by pipes to the city, brought from an abundant spring.” Today’s visitors clamber down a staircase into a narrow, sliverlike passage that after 20m (66 ft.) or so widens into the main tunnel, through which you can walk another 100m (328 ft.) or so into the mountain. Notice the clear-cut water passage and, above it, a narrow walkway from which workers could clear debris and make repairs. A generator supposedly starts up in the event the tunnel lights go out, but you might want to bring your own flashlight just in case. The tunnel experience could induce claustrophobia in even a veteran spelunker, and seeing the straight lines of the shaft and the ancient chisel marks in the stone walls is likely to bring a chill to the spine of even the most blasé observer.

3km (2 mi) NW of Pythagorio, signposted off the main road to Vathy. www.eupalinos-tunnel.gr.

22730/61400. Admission 4€. Tues–Sun 8:45am–2:45pm.

Crossing to Ephesus

One of the great cities of Ancient Greece is not in Greece these days but outside the Turkish port of Kusadasi, a 11⁄2-hour hop from Vathy or Pythagorio. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was modeled on the Heraion in Samos (see p. 323). Today the city’s most famous monument is the Library of Celsus, completed in a.d. 135 when Ephesus was the second-largest city in the Roman Empire, with its grand façade still standing. You can easily visit Ephesus on a day trip from Samos, taking a ferry from Vathy or Pythagorio, or join one of the many organized tours that operate out of these port towns. For a one-day visit you won’t need a visa, just your passport. Samos Travel Services (www.samostravelservices.gr) is one of many companies offering tours of Ephesus, usually costing about 70€, boat travel, bus transfers, and admission included; a port tax of 10€ is usually extra.

The north of the island is wild and steep, with mountains rising abruptly from the water’s edge. Verdant uplands are the setting for picturesque villages, and beaches around Kokkari and Karlovassi are the best on the island.

About 10km (61⁄2 miles) northwest along the coast from Vathy, Kokkari

is one of the island’s most attractive seaside towns, stretching along a sandy beach between two headlands known as the Didymi, the Twins. As popular as Kokkari is these days, the rocky summits seem to close the town off from the modern world. You’ll get a few glimpses of what life here must have been like at one time, when quays were piled high with fishing nets rather than crowded with café tables. A small fleet still sets out from the docks, and fields of kokkari, the small onions from which the village takes its name, stretch toward the hills above the coast. To the west, the tree-lined coast road leads to pebbly beaches at Lemonakia, Tsamadou, Aviakia, and the prettiest of them all, Tsabou.

From Aviakia, about 3km (2 miles) west of Kokkari, a road heads south through orchards and the cool, shady forests that carpet the foothills of the Platanakia

region. The terrain here is the most scenic on Samos, the villages the most picturesque. Vourliotes, about 3km (2 miles) above Aviakia, is a little collection of tile-roofed houses with bright shutters. The vineyards that surround the village yield some of the best wine on the island, which you can sample at any of the tavernas on the main square. The fortified 16th-century monastery of Moni Vronta is on the mountainside about 2km (1 mile) above the village by road or 7km (4 miles) by zigzagging track. The compound is still recovering from a fire that ravaged the surrounding countryside in 2000; among other damages, it toppled the double row of cypresses that once led up to the gate. The spileo (cave) chapel is built into the thickness of the outer wall. Knock on the gate to see if a caretaker or someone else can let you in; the monastery is usually open daylight hours and admission is free.

You can reach Manolates, another mountain village of steep cobblestone lanes, by hiking through a river canyon for about 5km (3 miles) from Vourliotes; by car, backtrack from Vourliotes to Aviakia, follow the coast west for about 2km (1 mile) to Platanakia, then head inland for another 5km (3 miles) up the slopes of Mount Ampelos to Manolates. Village houses are whitewashed and decorated with elaborate floral designs, and the surrounding hills and valleys attract many butterflies and birds. One especially lush, birdsong-filled glen has been designated the Valley of the Nightingales. Ambitious hikers can follow a path from Manolates up the summit of Mount Ampelos, the second-highest peak on Samos at 1,153m (3,783 ft.). Allow at least a half day for the trek to the top and back.

By car, you can visit two more pretty villages in the foothills, Ampelos and Stavrinides. Return to the coast, then turn inland west of Agios Konstantinos for about 4km (21⁄2 mile) to Ampelos; from there it’s another 2km (1 mile) east to Stavrinides. All these villages are watered by springs that bubble up in their squares, said to be the sweetest in Greece.

A Seaside Hike on the Wild West Coast

West of Potami is the most scenic stretch of coast on Samos, a roadless, isolated domain of clamoring goats and the shy, endangered monk seal. A seaside path crosses olive groves and seaside meadows scented with wild herbs to Mikro Seitani, a rockbound cove with a small beach, then the pine-backed sands of Megalo Seitani. From the end of the coastal road that peters out at the southwestern end of Potami, allow about half an hour for the walk to Mikro Seitani and an hour to Megalo Seitani. Bring plenty of water and protect yourself from the sun; a bathing suit is optional at both beaches.

Karlovassi, 25km (15 miles) west of Kokkari, is an old-fashioned town, with some nice early 20th-century architecture; another 2km (1 mile) west is the popular sand-and-pebble beach at Potami. Another place to cool off is the Potami waterfall, in a shady river gorge about a 20-minute hike inland from the beach. The path skirts the 11th-century church of Metamorphosis, with its faded frescoes, then reaches a string of little pools. You can reach the foot of the cascades by climbing dozens of steep, slippery steps or swimming through bone-chillingly cold, spring-fed waters for 100m (330 ft.) or so to the falls.