Experience the best of Samos

Samos lies in the eastern Aegean, separated from the Turkish coast by a strait barely two kilometres wide. Pythagoras was born here, and the harbour town of Pythagoreio on the south-east coast carries his name. Its seafront is lined with cafés and fishing boats, and an ancient breakwater from the sixth century BC still shelters the port. Nearby, the Heraion, a vast sanctuary of the goddess Hera, is a UNESCO site with a single standing column.

The Eupalinos Tunnel, an aqueduct dug through a hill in the sixth century BC by crews working from both ends, is open to walkers for a stretch. Vathy, the capital, curls round a deep bay with an archaeological museum holding a colossal kouros statue. Inland, Mount Kerkis rises over 1,400 metres, with forests, waterfalls near Karlovasi and trails to quiet beaches. Ferries link Samos to Patmos, Ikaria and the Turkish coast.

Samos is famous for its sweet muscat wine, made from grapes grown on terraced mountain slopes, and for honey, olive oil and thyme-scented herbs. Tables carry grilled fish, stuffed vine leaves, lamb and cheese pies. Summers are hot and dry, cooled by the meltemi wind, and spring brings wildflowers across the hills.