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If
gently-shelving sandy beaches, a stunning mountain backdrop and a delightfully
low-key atmosphere are high on your list of holiday priorities, you should look
no further than the island’s south-western corner. It is here that some of Samos’ best beaches can be found, pitched
against the imposing hulk of Mount Kerkis, the island’s tallest peak and the
second highest in the Aegean.
On
many Greek islands, it is the better beaches that have attracted most of the
development, but luckily this corner of Samos is at the opposite end from the
airport and thus remains pleasantly unspoilt. The island’s longest beach, Votsalakia, runs for approximately two
kilometres and is made up of a mixture of sand and shingle. The village bordering this beach has grown
into a medium-size resort in recent years, but retains a laid-back atmosphere
suited to families and couples, and a sense of rural Greek life can still be
observed simply by strolling up one of the small back streets that lead off the
one main street. Spread out along the
beach, there is a decent array of shops, cafés and tavernas, and there are even
a couple of small music bars that stay open fairly late in high season. Other facilities include two cash-points and
an internet café, and the village has a bus service, although somewhat
infrequent, to Samos Town. Just to the west of Votsalakia lie some of the
island’s best beaches, including the powdery fine sands of Psili Amos, also
referred to as Chrissi Amos, a popular place to visit for the day.
Those
searching for the perfect combination of a good beach, a small, sleepy village
and a comfortable place to stay, should continue another couple of kilometres
to the wonderfully scenic bay of Limnionas. The sand here is a little coarser than at Psili Amos and is interspersed
with some rocks, but it shelves gently into the sea. With a handful of small apartment buildings, half-a-dozen
welcoming tavernas and two little mini-markets, Limnionas is sufficiently
self-contained for car hire not to be essential, although we would recommend
hiring a car for at least part of your stay in order to explore the rugged
beauty of the island’s western tip, the forested slopes of Mount Kerkis and the
hidden coves of the west coast.
Those who prefer to discover the countryside on foot will
find excellent terrain close by, perhaps climbing up to the old monastery of
Evangelistrias, still inhabited by an order of nuns, or all the way to the peak
of Mount Kerkis for the truly fit! Naturally, the views from the summit are truly breathtaking, but the
less energetic may feel just as elated simply resting on the beach at Limnionas
and gazing out to sea.
A few kilometres to the east of Votsalakia, the village of
Ormos is home to the small port serving this corner of the island. Its
promenade, lined with half a dozen tavernas, is the focal point of village life
in the evenings whilst in the daytime visitors and locals linger here over a
coffee and watch the fisherman mend
their nets. There is a small bakery and a handful of shops in additon to a good
beach just to the east of the harbour so all the essentials in life are on hand
without leaving the village
Just
a few kilometres further east Balos is the quintessential sleepy Greek seaside
hamlet, offering all the ingredients of a truly relaxing break, without any of
the superfluous trimmings of large-scale tourism. The road leading into Balos simply peters out a few hundred yards
beyond the village square, so there is no traffic passing through here, and the
ambience is utterly laid-back. The long
shingle beach extending southwards from the village never becomes overly
crowded, and there are some rock caves at the far end providing both shade and
a degree of privacy.
With
six tavernas in the village, some of which set out their tables right on the
edge of the sea in the shade of the wispy tamarisk trees, a hire car is not
strictly a necessity here for those who simply come in search of rest and
relaxation. It should however be borne in mind that there is no longer a shop
in the village, although fresh bread and pastries can be bought from the
visiting bread van, which usually calls between 9 and 10 o’clock every morning,
and a greengrocer also sells fresh fruit and vegetables from the back of his
van a couple of times a week. Taxis can be called down to Balos but those who
wish to self-cater a little more or explore further afield will need their own
transport. In the height of
the summer, the lure of the beach may be hard to resist, but in early and late
season many guests delight in exploring the surrounding hills on foot. The steep walk up to the small, traditional
village of Koumeika, just a couple of kilometres from Balos, is certainly to be
recommended for the more energetic, not only for the lovely views along the
way, but also for the opportunity to enjoy a drink or two in one of the
authentic kafenions on the picturesque village square, which is shaded by a
120-year old plane tree.
Those
who choose to hire a car for part of their stay can delve deeper into the
interior, perhaps visiting the traditional pottery villages of Koumaradi and
Mavratzi, the latter specialising in the Pythagorean cup, designed to spill its
contents into the drinkers lap if it is over-filled.
By car, you can also reach the larger but still laid-back
coastal villages of Ormos and Votsalakia in 10-15 minutes for a wider choice of
shops, or cross over to the north coast to the island’s second town Karlovassi,
whose provincial Greek charm remains completely unadulterated.
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