Southwest of Samos island is the Marathokampos Municipality. This collection of villages and line of unspoilt beaches make up the quieter area of the island.

Koumeika village

South of Marathokampos, Koumeika village is situated on the main road between Pirgos and Karlovassi. Koumeika (which means ‘by the sea’ in ancient Greek) is a quaint old village made up of a few terraced houses, a pretty church with a bell tower and a small village square with an old well. Few tourists visit Koumeika and the beach, which can only be reached by foot, remains an unspoilt secret paradise. Dolphins can sometimes be seen around this area playing in the orange glow of the sunset. Close by is Balos beach, with a small dock and Greek tavernas offering traditional food. One can walk from Koumeika village to the ancient Greek temple and carved tombstones.

Limnionas village

The village of Limnionas sits just south of Marathokampos, off the main road. This small and peaceful village represents old and authentic Greece at its best and remains one of the most unspoilt parts of the island of Samos. Here you can find the ‘Tavern at the End of the World’, where there is a secluded private beach nestled among fragrant oregano and camomile groves against a backdrop of the most amazing scenery. The villagers of Limnionas are incredibly welcoming and friendly and there are several family run tavernas offering traditional Greek food, such as Moussaka, Pastizio and Gyros.

Votsalakia village

The village of Kampos (originally Kampos Marathokampos) is situated on the south-west coast of Samos and is home to the longest beach on the island – a vast stretch of white sands and crystalline waters, bordered by the glorious backdrop of mount Kerkis. Votsalakia is a fairly recent settlement, but one of Samos’s more developed villages. Here you will find a considerable number of restaurants and tavernas, bars and cafes. The village also hosts holiday amenities such as minimarkets, car rental facilities and taxi and bus services. Despite being one of the most developed areas in Samos, the village is no less beautiful for it. Surrounded by gentle rolling hills, Votsalakia is a scenic paradise with just a little more going on.

Platanos village

Platanos is small inland village, situated north of Marathokampos. The village sits high on the slopes of mount Kerkis among plane-tree woods and vineyards, at an altitude of more than 500 meters. Established in the early 17th Century by those from the nearby Evoia island, the village showcases the traditional architecture of the island, with a monument of the national resistance during world war II. Many traditional festivities take place here, with live music, traditional food and homemade wine, overlooking endless views over western Samos.

Kastania village

Kastania (sweet Chesnut) village is situated north of Marathokampos, far inland amongst the dense vegtation and foliage on the hillsides of Mount Fterias (part of the Kerkis mountain range). The village is distinctive in its beauty and unique charm. It became a symbol of the Samian Resistance movement during world  war II and is home to the church of Agia Trada (Holy Trinity), the temple thought to be a hermitage built by the blessed ‘Christodoulos the Wonderworker’.

Karlovasi

The village of Karlovasi sits north of the island. This is the second largest village in Samos and home to the School of Sciences of the University of the Aegean, with 1000 active students. Karlovasi has a rich history as the centre for tobacco manufacturing and tannery. Evidence of past glories populate the village, with neoclassical mansions, old tannery factories, the Holy Trinity Chapel and a Venetian castle being but a few of the main attractions of this mystical paradise. The village rises up against plush forests and gardens of therapeutic herbs, olive groves and Muscat grape vineyards.