INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT SAMOS

Samian cuisine ingeniously combines local traditions with fresh products and influences from the West and East. The local cuisine focuses on dishes with vegetables, seafood and meat in many interesting variations to suit all tastes. Some typical recipes:

• Pancakes, kneaded with care, sprinkled with goat cheese or honey.
• Lamb wrapped in aubergines, braised in the oven, with tomato sauce and red wine.
• Fresh vine leaves wrapped with rice and dill – the well-known “dolmadakia” (or “giaprakia” as known locally), accompanied by yoghurt
• Chickpea balls with fresh tomato or courgette balls with spearmint and cheese.
• The famous Samian “bourekakia” with handmade filo pastry, stuffed with sweet pumpkin “lyra”, feta cheese and cinnamon flavour.
• Barbecued seafood accompanied by wild mountain herbs, olive oil and lemon sauce.
• Octopus in sweet Samian wine sauce and onions.
• Local goat, stuffed with rice and herbs, baked in a wood-fired oven.

The local delicacies form an ideal accompaniment for award-winning Samian wines with fruity flavours of muscat grape. The Samian ouzo, the “souma” and other spirits are the perfect accompaniments for mezes or simply a refreshing aperitif. The local sweet dishes include sweetened fruit, made with care, and a variety of fruits of the Samian land. Kserotigana (known as “diples” or “katimeria”) sprinkled with grated walnuts and local honey. Mustalevria, a pudding made from muscat grape must with cinnamon and sesame.

Muscat wine, Samos designation of origin, is produced from the grape “Small-berry (Mikrorogo) Muscat of Samos” which is cultivated in terraces, up to an altitude of 900 metres. Its distinctive features are the rich aroma and the full, fruity taste. The Samian wine is renowned since antiquity and mythology mentions that the vine was a present from Dionysus to Samos.15th century travellers refer to wine making as the main processing activity of the island at that time. Since the late 19th century, international markets are supplied with Samian wine, while the Catholic Church obtains it for the Eucharist. Dry and sweet wines produced by the Union of Winemaking Cooperatives of Samos are awarded with dozens of gold prizes and hundreds of distinctions.

Samian Olive oil of exceptional quality stands out for its mellow taste, its clarity and texture.

Honey, with unique flavours, textures and rich aromas, thanks to the various aromatic herbs and trees. Pollen, propolis and royal jelly are also produced.

Ouzo is one of the most famous and traditional distillation products of Samos. It stands out for its special flavour and aroma of anise. Souma is another traditional distillate, similar to raki. It is made using grape marc in traditional family distilleries of mountain villages.

Orchids have been cultivated since 1980 in several varieties, and are exported worldwide.

Herbs & essential oils of superior quality are cultivated on the island and used not only for their beneficial properties, but also in cooking.

Since 2019, Samos has the longest hiking routes in Greece with more than 240 km and 19 unique routes for exploration. With a well-designed signposting project, in beautiful and dreamy natural landscapes, the approximately 260 kilometers of hiking trails that stretch across Samos, become a pole of attraction for hikers from all over the world. They give the visitor the opportunity to get to know the rich forests of the island, to enjoy the view from the high peaks, to reach exotic desert beaches, to visit sights, to taste the local products of the island. The hiker has to choose routes with all degrees of difficulty • from simple hikes for the whole family, to demanding mountaineering climbs.

Samos Outdoors website : www.samosoutdoors.com

The Samian coasts with their clear waters and amazing, bustling seabed, will fascinate lovers of scuba-diving and water activities. Mild climate with moderate winds and many nearby, interesting destinations in neighbouring coasts and islands, offer the opportunity for unique sailing experiences. In the northern part of the island in the award-winning for the picturesqueness of Kokkari, is the center of windsurfing of Samos. During the summer months, the weak morning winds that prevail in the area, enable children and beginners to meet and have fun with sports. Early in the afternoon those who know how to raise the adrenaline in the sea, will meet the wave they are looking for!

Samos Windsurfing website : www.samoswindsurfing.gr
Wind and Water website : www.windandwater.gr

Discover the underground mythical beauty of Samos, with more than 12 caves that you can visit during your vacation! The caves are incredibly fascinating, they are basements that take hundreds, maybe thousands of years, to form. The activity requires safety equipment and the use of a guide, although relatively safe, it is imperative to take proper precautions before embarking on a cave trip.

Speleological Association of Samos website : www.samos-caves.gr

In Karlovasi river in a green ravine of Kerkis that opens to the beach. An attraction for nature lovers and hikers who come to explore a wonderful route through plane trees and running waters. The waterfalls have exceptional natural beauty and form two small lakes, ideal for the adventurous who want to swim in their icy waters.

In the village of Ampelos Dense vegetation covers the entire slope and the path leads to a forest with chestnut pines and olives. To our right and left the place is full of cyclamen ivy and wildflowers. The water is heard from the first moment you enter the path and as you approach, it invites you to show you the way… The noise made by the water leads us to a continuous and uphill path. The ropes placed by the people of the village make access easy and safe for everyone, young and old.

The art of shipbuilding flourished in Samos since ancient times, with the seaworthy “Samena” biremes. Samian pine trees “pinus brutia” were in great demand and supplied with wood shipyards throughout Greece and provided the main construction material for local hulls. For many years the islanders lived inland, away from the coast, hiding from pirates and shipbuilding recovered in the 17th century. Shipwrights used to design and build remarkable ships, like “karavoskara”, “martigo” and “latinia”. The development of shipbuilding with modern methods and materials reduced the need for wooden vessels. Today, just a few shipyards are still in operation [tarsanades], mainly building & repairing fishing boats “trechantiria”.

The art of pottery is well-known and developed since antiquity. Beautiful ceramics are made in traditional and contemporary style, in workshops, mainly in the villages of Mavratzaioi, Koumaradaioi and Manolates. A typical vase is the so-called “Fair Cup” which, according to tradition, Pythagoras taught equal treatment. The cup interior is marked with a line limit and if it is filled beyond that, then the entire liquid content is instantly drained.