Karlovasi

Karlovasi is a town built by the sea, with 5.740 inhabitants and 32 kilometers away from the capital town of Samos. It is named after two Turkish words (Karli Ovasi), which mean “snowy valley”. In the settlement, which has been showing great development during the last years, you will find the second largest port of the island after Vathi.

Karlovasi is full of beautiful houses, important churches and remarkable monuments. In case you find yourselves there, it is worth visiting the magnificent building of Porfyriada School, as well as the Folklore and History Museum of Karlovasi, where you will admire a rich collection of textiles, furniture and tools used by the Samians in the 19th and 20th century. The Chatzigianni Building and the Princely Palace, which is now used as a library and a room of Mathematics Department of the University of the Aegean, are two remarkable neoclassical buildings of the 20th century. Moreover, the churches of Kimiseos tis Theotokou, Agia Triada, Saint Nicholas, and Saint Matrona, are some of the most important temples of the settlement. Within the small town, you will find many deserted tanning and pottery workshops, which suggest the older occupations of its inhabitants.

Due to the constant increase of the number of visitors, in Karlovasi have been built many hotel accommodations from which you could choose one and enjoy your stay. At the port and the picturesque neighborhoods of the village, you will find various restaurants and traditional taverns providing delicious dishes. You can enjoy your coffee and drinks at the numerous bars and cafes that exist in the area and stay open until the first morning hours.

A little outside Karlovasi, you will find the remarkable monasteries of Prophet Elijah and Saint John, the chapel of Saint Anthony, which lies in a cave and is the oldest chapel on the island, and the church of Metamorphosis Sotiros that dates back in the 11th century. You should also go and see the ruins of the Genoese castle, which stands in a green setting, only three kilometers away from the village.

For swimming, we would suggest that you visit Potami (River), one of the most beautiful beaches of Samos.  Near Potami, in an overgrown location you will find the famous natural Waterfalls of Samos, which form two small lakes full of crystal clear water. Last but not least, you should also visit the enchanting Seitania, two fairy beaches that are included in the European project NATURA 2000 due to the fact that they are refuge of many seals.