Samos Facts and Figures: Location, Size, Key Data

By the Samos-Island.com editorial team · Last verified 20 September 2026 · How we work

Short answer

Samos is a Greek island in the North Aegean, about 1.6 km from the Turkish coast across the Mycale Strait. It covers roughly 477 square kilometres, had 32,642 residents in the 2021 census, and is served by one airport (SMI) and three ferry ports: Vathy, Karlovasi and Pythagoreio. Its currency is the euro.

This page collects the basic facts about Samos in one place. Figures come from the sources listed at the bottom, and values that vary are given as prudent ranges or pointed to the official source.

Everything was last verified on 2026-09-20. Timetables, prices and rules change, so treat this as a reference and confirm time-sensitive points before you travel.

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What are the key facts about Samos?

Samos at a glance
Item	Fact	Note
Location	Eastern Aegean Sea, off the coast of Turkey	Between Chios to the north and Patmos and the Dodecanese to the south
Region	North Aegean region, Samos regional unit	Since 2019 there are two municipalities, East Samos and West Samos
Distance to Turkey	About 1.6 km at the narrowest point (Mycale Strait)	Kusadasi is the nearest Turkish town with a passenger ferry link
Area	About 477 km2	Wikipedia gives 477.4 km2
Population	32,642 (2021 census)	The capital, Vathy, has roughly 6,000 residents
Highest point	Mount Kerkis, 1,434 m	See the Mount Kerkis guide
Main towns	Vathy (capital), Karlovasi, Pythagoreio	Marathokampos and Kokkari are the other well-known settlements
Airport	Samos International Airport (SMI), south-east coast near Pythagoreio	The island's only airport
Ferry ports	Vathy, Karlovasi, Pythagoreio	See Getting there
World Heritage	Pythagoreion and Heraion, inscribed by UNESCO in 1992	One listing with two component locations
Currency	Euro	Cards are common in towns, so carry some cash for villages
Time zone	Eastern European Time, UTC+2 (UTC+3 in summer)	Same as Athens
Languages	Greek; English is widely spoken in tourist businesses	Less consistent in mountain villages
Electricity and emergencies	230 V, plug types C and F; emergency number 112	112 works across the EU

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, Visit Greece and the site's own destination pages. Verified 2026-09-20.

How do you get to Samos, in numbers?

Durations below are indicative. They depend on the operator, the vessel, the season and the stops, so check the current timetable.

Routes to Samos with indicative durations
Route	Indicative time	Season and notes
Athens to Samos by air	About 50 to 55 minutes	Domestic flights, the usual option outside summer
Northern Europe to Samos by air	Roughly 3 to 4 hours	Direct flights are mostly seasonal and change from year to year
Piraeus (Athens) to Samos by ferry	Roughly 9 to 14 hours on conventional services	Faster services run less often, mostly in summer
Samos to Kusadasi (Turkey) by passenger ferry	Around 1 to 1.5 hours	Seasonal, mainly April to October; bring your passport
Samos to Ikaria, Patmos and Chios by ferry	Varies by route	More choice in summer, so confirm before building a route
Airport to Pythagoreio by road	About 10 minutes	Approximate, in normal traffic
Airport to Vathy by road	About 20 to 30 minutes	Approximate
Airport to Kokkari by road	About 30 to 40 minutes	Approximate
Airport to Karlovasi or Marathokampos by road	About 45 to 60 minutes	Mountain roads are slower than the map suggests

Full getting-there guide

When is the season on Samos?

Seasons on Samos by month
Months	Season	What to expect
July and August	Peak	Hottest and busiest, highest prices, most flights and ferries
June and September	High	Warm sea, fewer crowds, lower prices than peak
May and October	Shoulder	Good value, sea still swimmable, some rain at either end
April	Spring	Mild and green, wildflowers on trails, cool sea
November to March	Low	Mild but quiet; many hotels, tavernas and tour operators close

Summer winds (the meltemi) can disrupt Aegean ferries. Month-by-month detail is on [Best time to visit](/best-time-to-visit).

What are the key places on Samos?

Key places and what they are
Place	What it is	Guide
Pythagoreio	UNESCO-listed harbour town on the south-east coast, birthplace of Pythagoras	Pythagoreio
Heraion of Samos	Ancient sanctuary of Hera by the sea, part of the UNESCO listing	Heraion
Eupalinos Tunnel	6th-century BC aqueduct tunnel dug through Mount Kastro	Eupalinos Tunnel
Vathy (Samos Town)	Island capital, main port and archaeological museum	Vathy
Kokkari	Fishing village on the north coast with tavernas and two Blue Flag beaches nearby	Kokkari
Tsamadou and Lemonakia	Blue Flag pebble coves near Kokkari	Beaches
Karlovasi	Second town and ferry port on the north-west coast	Karlovasi
Potami Waterfalls	Shaded gorge walk to two waterfalls	Potami
Manolates and Ambelos	Stone mountain villages above the pine forest	Manolates
Mount Kerkis	Highest peak on the island	Kerkis
Marathokampos and Votsalakia	Quiet west coast with the longest sandy beach	Votsalakia
Kasonisi Islet	Turquoise coves off the south coast	Kasonisi

What should you check before you go?

Entry rules: Greece is in the Schengen area. Check your nationality with official government sources.
Border systems: the EU is phasing in new border systems, so read the official EU travel pages.
Health cover: EHIC or GHIC where they apply, plus travel insurance.
Flights and ferries: confirm current timetables for your dates.
Rental car cover: check that insurance covers mountain and unpaved roads.
Opening times: small sites and tavernas may close in the low season.

Frequently asked questions

Samos is a Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, in the North Aegean region, about 1.6 km from the Turkish coast at the narrowest point.

About 477 square kilometres, with 32,642 residents at the 2021 census. Mount Kerkis, at 1,434 m, is the highest point.

Samos International Airport (SMI), on the south-east coast near Pythagoreio. It is the island's only airport. See [Getting there](/getting-there).

The euro, and Eastern European Time (UTC+2, or UTC+3 in summer), the same as Athens.

Part of it is. Pythagoreion and the Heraion were inscribed by UNESCO in 1992, as one listing with two locations. See [Pythagoreio](/destinations/pythagoreio).

June and September combine warm sea with fewer crowds and lower prices than July and August. Details are on [Best time to visit](/best-time-to-visit).