Samos Old Towns Compared: Vathy and Pythagorio

Samos has two old towns: Vathy, the stone upper town above the capital's harbour, and Pythagorio, built over an ancient port in the south.

Samos has two old towns, on opposite coasts. Vathy, the capital, is the working town on a deep, sheltered bay in the north-east; Pythagorio, in the south-east, stands on an ancient harbour protected as a World Heritage site since 1992.

This page compares them: what each contains, how to reach them and how much time each deserves. Half a day covers the essentials.

The two old towns, side by side

Close together by road, but built around very different things.

Ferry timetables, opening hours and prices change with the season, so confirm them locally.

Vathy (Samos Town)

The capital's old town

Vathy is the capital and largest town on Samos, on a deep, sheltered bay in the north-east. It rises in an amphitheatre behind roughly 1 km of neoclassical waterfront, with the old town in the stone quarter above the port, calmer than the seafront and walkable despite the slope.

The island's administrative seat: regional unit, bishopric, police, port authority, banks
Main ferry hub: Piraeus, Ikaria, Patmos and Chios
30-minute published crossing from Kusadasi, daily 1 April to 31 October
The Kouros of Samos in the archaeological museum
The busiest choice of bars and cafes on a harbour front

Best for: Arriving by ferry, the museum, evenings on the waterfront

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Pythagorio

The ancient town of the south

Pythagorio is a small white harbour town on the south-east coast and the birthplace of Pythagoras, born here around 570 BC. It was called Tigani until 1955, when it was renamed in his honour. Its port, fortifications and Tunnel of Eupalinos have been World Heritage since 1992, with the nearby Heraion.

The bronze statue of Pythagoras at the harbour, facing Turkey
Lykourgos Logothetis castle, a 19th-century fortress on the ancient acropolis
The Tunnel of Eupalinos, a 6th-century BC aqueduct through Mount Kastro
The archaeological site and its small museum
Boat trips to the islet of Kasonisi from the port

Best for: Ancient history, the strait, a smaller white town

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What each old town gives you

Close together, but containing different things.

The upper old town. Vathy's stone quarter above the port is quieter and walkable despite the slope.
The waterfront. Roughly 1 km of neoclassical seafront, with the archaeological museum and the best bars and cafes.
The ancient port. Pythagorio's harbour was already ancient; the port, its fortifications and the Tunnel of Eupalinos are World Heritage since 1992.
The castle and the strait. The Lykourgos Logothetis castle, a 19th-century fortress on the ancient acropolis, above a strait some 1.5 to 1.6 km wide.
The tunnel and the temple. The Tunnel of Eupalinos, a 6th-century BC aqueduct cut through Mount Kastro, is minutes away, with the Heraion close by.

Getting to each old town

The two towns sit on opposite coasts.

By ferry to Vathy. The main hub: Piraeus, Ikaria, Patmos and Chios, 30 minutes from Kusadasi.
By ferry to Pythagorio. The southern port for the Dodecanese and the daily excursions to Kusadasi, from 1 April to 31 October.
By road. 3 km from the airport to Pythagorio, 14 to 15 km to Vathy, roughly 20 minutes on a signposted road.
Further west. Marathokampos is 35 km away, about an hour via Psili Ammos.
On foot. Vathy's upper town is walkable; in Pythagorio the tunnel and the temple need a car.

How to split your time

Both towns stay open all year.

Half a day in Vathy. The waterfront, the museum and the lanes of the upper town fit into half a day.
Half a day in Pythagorio. Half a day covers the town; the tunnel and the Heraion fill the rest.
Choosing a base. Vathy is the administrative seat of eastern Samos and took the name Samos in 1958.
Monasteries near Vathy. Agia Zoni is 4.5 km north-east, Zoodohos Pigi 7.5 km, both easy additions to a Vathy day.

Keep planning

Vathy guide

The capital, its waterfront and its old town

Pythagorio guide

The ancient port, the castle and the tunnel

Samos island map

Where both old towns sit

Not sure how to fit it all in? Plan my trip →

Frequently asked questions

Pick one town rather than both. Vathy gives you the waterfront, the upper town and the Kouros of Samos; Pythagorio the ancient port, castle and tunnel.

Vathy has the busiest harbour front and the main ferry port. Pythagorio is smaller, about 3 km from the airport, closer to the southern sites.

Vathy has the stone upper town and the Kouros of Samos. Pythagorio has the World Heritage ancient port, the Tunnel of Eupalinos and the castle above the strait.