Nightlife and entertainment in Samos
Samos has a fairly low-key nightlife compared with some of the party islands of the Aegean such as Kos and Rhodes. But the island offers many excellent ouzeris and eateries where you can while away the hours as you quaff a carafe of the famous Samian wine.
The liveliest night scene is to be found in the three main ports of Vathy, Pythagorio and Karlovassi all of which have late night music bars and dance clubs. The pretty resort town of Kokkari on the north coast also offers some buzzing bars on summer nights but don’t expect too much action elsewhere on the island.
The waterfront of the island’s capital Vathy is awash with bars and restaurants but many are mediocre and overpriced so choose carefully. The key to value for money dining is to follow the locals to traditional tavernas such as Ta Koutopola, about 800 metres inland from the southern end of the harbour.
Head up Ioannou Lekati from the bus station and you’ll find it on your left. Basic but good quality Greek fare is served to mainly local diners on a vine-covered terrace. This is a good place to sample some of the famous local wine which spurred the poet Lord Byron to pen the words: “Fill high the bowl with Samian wine.”
The wine is made from the locally grown muscat grapes and aged in oak barrels. Many of the wines are sweet, such as the popular Nectar, but if you prefer something dry try the excellent white Samaina or the dry rose Fokianos.
For a more sophisticated dining experience try La Calma which occupies a romantic setting with a waterfront terrace at the northern end of town near Samos General Hospital.
Later on in the evening there are several music bars and dance spots to choose from in Vathy – look out for posters around town advertising special theme nights. Or take in a Hollywood movie at open-air Cine Olympia near the archaeological museum. Films are shown in their original language with Greek sub-titles.
The tourist resort of Pythagorio on the south coast also has its fair share of good restaurants and music bars but, as in Vathy, most of the waterfront eateries tend to be unexciting and pricey. Exceptions include Remataki at the far eastern end of the quay where the town beach starts. This excellent eatery serves up delicious, reasonably priced and imaginative meals including mouthwatering mezedes.
The nearest cinema is in the village of Mytilini, seven kilometres from Pythagorio on the road to Vathy. New release films are shown in their original language.
Karlovassi in the north east corner of the island has a fairly lively night scene all year round thanks to the presence of students of the University of the Aegean which has its faculty of maths and computer science here.
Kokkari, 27 kilometres south east of Karlovassi, has plenty of late night bars and a few dance spots in the summer months including the popular Cabana Club on the west beach which draws revellers from all over the island.
Some of the package holiday hotels organise their own in-house evening entertainment and many tavernas in the small towns and villages around the island have regular bouzouki sessions to entertain locals and tourists alike
Food and entertainment
You will enjoy fresh fish and seafood at “Glaros” in Heraion. For traditional tastes, visit “Symposio” in Pythagoreio and “Souda” in Vathy. Among the top choices, both for the excellent cuisine and for the amazing natural setting, among dense vegetation and gushing springs, “Koutsi” in Pyrgos.
As we already mentioned, the night life of the island, despite its… non-existent reputation, is intense. You will find numerous bars and clubs, that stay up until the early hours of the morning, in several areas of the island – most of them concentrated in Pythagoreio, Vathi, Kokkari and Karlovassi. Our favourites, the outdoor “Boat” in Pythagoreio, “Popcorn” in Karlovassi and the romantic “Escape” in Vathi.