Car rental Samos - Downtown, Greece

Enjoy History in Samos Downtown

The Samos Downtown area of the island of Samos is one of the best places on the island to explore. Located just a few miles off the southwestern coast of Samos, the area is home to a large number of ancient ruins, including the Temple of Artemis and the ruins of the city of Orestia. There is even an entire archaeological museum in the center of the downtown area. In fact, it is the only part of Samos that is not officially a historical site.

Samos is an ancient Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea, separating from Turkey by the narrow mile-long Mycale Strait. It is the birth place of mathematician and philosopher Epicurus and the birthplace of Pythagoras. The southern part of Samos, known as the Peloponnesian coast, is also home to the ruins of the ancient port city of Pythagorion. It is believed that Pythagoras lived there as well, although the exact facts are not clear. Among the most famous ruins of Samos is the Temple of Artemis, an ancient sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Artemis that stands on top of a hill overlooking the port.

There is some controversy about whether or not the legendary hero and teacher of Alexander the Great actually lived in Samos. Legend has it that he had a donkey named Megalope brought to him by his tutor, the oracle Oropus. After arriving at the oracle's house, the donkey was attacked by a lion, which killed Megalope. The oracle then transformed Megalope into a bull, making her a sacred animal of Samos. Legend has it that when the bull showed up at Alexander's camp, he found Megalope tied to the mast of a ship, which caused him to realize that she had the same magic that he did.

Legend also says that Alexander, being very superstitious, asked the Oracle of Oropus to give him the secret of life and death, but was not willing to hear the answer. The Oracle then told him to climb a ladder and leap from the ship into the sea to see if the starry sky above him gave him the answer that he wanted. On the way up the ladder, the Oracle was killed by a serpent and Alexander fell to his death. Alexander was believed to be the first recorded person to die while crossing the sky.

Today, there are museums to walk through the ruined temples, the ruins of ancient city walls, and the temples of many other Greek deities on the city's outskirts. There is also the National Archaeological Museum, where you can see the artifacts from the city's past and have a tour of the archaeological site. It features an interactive reconstruction of an ancient city, including the Temple of Artemis. There is also an aquarium with several types of fish, turtles and other animals, as well as a variety of marine life that you may not normally see in an aquarium.

There are many activities to do around Samos for those interested in history and culture, including walking along the coastline, hiking and canoeing along the Gulf of Nicosia, and strolling along the beach. On your way back down, you can take in some of the natural scenery of the area by visiting the Samos Golf Club. Once you are finished, sample some Samoese cuisine to satisfy your taste buds, or visit one of the many bars and clubs on the island.