SECRETS OF SAMOS WALK

The verdant isle of Samos lies in the clear waters of the Eastern Aegean, just one mile from the coast of Turkey. It is the greenest and most mountainous of the Greek Aegean Islands, with thick pine forests cloaking the hillsides, interspersed with terraces of vineyards and silvery olive groves. Inlets and valleys are dotted with tiny white villages founded thousands of years ago, many of them linked by ancient trails that take you past shrines, waterfalls, monasteries, castles, Byzantine churches and occasional donkeys. This independent walking holiday opens windows into another time, taking you from harbour to harbour around an island where little has been changed over the centuries, and the natural beauty that has captivated visitors for thousands of years is still possible to experience today.

You begin with two nights in Pythagorio (named after Pythagoras) on the south coast, where a crumbling castle above the town guarded the harbour from pirates. After a walk through Myli’s orange groves to the Temple of Hera, we take you to the west coast for a fabulous bay-hopping walk between Drakei and Karlovasi, discovering Byzantine churches and the charming inland hamlets of Leka and Tsourlei. Finally a panoramic walk through vineyards and classic white hill villages leads you down to the pretty harbour of Kokkari for your last three nights - the walks to ruined hill monasteries here give fabulous ocean views. There are swimming opportunities every day, and all of our friendly hotels are less than 50m from the beach. Most dinners are taken in authentic waterfront tavernas , where freshly caught snapper and octopus are served with lemon from local orchards, accompanied by chilled Samian white wines.

For more infomation about this holiday, including hotel descriptions, travel options and full holiday itinerary, please see our new 'further details' section.