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Samos - Domatia or small hotel & any other island suggestions?

Posted by (Forest Knolls, CA) on

My husband & I will be in Samos for 6 nights at the beginning of October. We would like to stay in a small, charming inexpensive hotel (up to $ 60 per night for 2 or less) or a domatia. We do not need/want a swimming pool, a/c, multi-storied with any kind of the usual hotel ammenities...We like simple, clean maybe with breakfast included or use of a kitchen. Anyone had a good experience? We would rather know right where to head when we arrive rather than wandering around town looking for a place.

Also, we would like to try another island, quiet with more locals than tourists, hikes, cobblestone streets..
any imput on Oia in Santorini or Faldengandros or Sifnos or any other suggestion?
Is is worth it to trade Samos and a side trip to Ephesus for 6 days in another location?
Any other must see tips? We like to hike, swim, snorkel, bird watch, see ruins, eat in tavernas, drink ouzo, not much for night life except a walk in town after dinner and some local music. We are spending a week on Milos sea kayaking before heading off to another island, perhaps Samos. thanks.

Posted by
2172 posts

We've visited a dozen Greek islands and Samos was not one of our favorites. The trip to Ephesus was amazing but I don't know if that makes Samos worth a visit.

Plus, Samos is quite a distance from Milos. We've found that it's easier to base your itinerary on an island group (i.e. since you're already committed to Milos, visit another Cyclades island or two -- Folegandros or Sifnos or Paros or definitely Santorini, if you've never been there).

Having said that, an island which fits your interests in hiking & birdwatching & non-touristy places, is Lesvos. It's north of Samos and would be even more challenging to get to. But it sounds like your kind of place. If you decide not to fit it into this trip, it would be worth a couple of weeks on its own for a future trip -- we spent 3 wonderful weeks on Lesvos a few years ago.

A great hotel in Lesvos that meets all of your criteria (small, charming, inexpensive, includes delicious breakfast) is the Votsala Hotel north of Mytilene. http://www.votsalahotel.com/ Last time we were there the hotel arranged a day trip for a group of us to Pergamon in Turkey, which is almost as amazing as Ephesus.

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Posted by
144 posts

I booked a small house in Skopelos for some clients for their honeymoon and they absolutely raved about it. The island is not touristy at all, easy to get to from the mainland by ferry or cheap flight and it's very green with lots of foliage and nice beaches too. I believe it was a two bedroom house with a nice deck that had ocean views. Most of the houses are way up on hillsides with a long climb down to the beaches but the views are very nice. The owner met them with a rental car at the dock. They even provided a home cooked Greek meal if they wanted one.

Posted by
3396 posts

In october a lot of islands will have that "closing-down" feeling. You know, when your group is lingering over coffee in a restaurant, and you notice waiters mopping the floor and putting all the other chairs on top of tables and most of the lights are off? OIa will be quiet, Sifnos will be VERY quiet, Folegandros will be deserted.

Samos also will be quiet, tho Vathy is a year-round town... but how do you plan to get there from Milos. I think you will have to fly back to Athens airport and fly to Samos ... or do a complicated ferry thing that ould take nearly 24 hours. There are 2 ferries per week from Milos to Naxos... Sat & Sunday. THe Saturday one leaves at 8 am - arrives Naxos 13:05 (1:05 pm) There is a ferry to Samos that leaves at 10 minutes after midnight Saturday , arrives Vathy 4:45 am. You would have a 5 hour ferry ride, an 11 hour layover in Naxos, and a 5 hour overnite ferry ride to Vathy (samos town). If you took the Sunday one, you'd have to wait a full day on Naxos to get the next midnight ferry to Samos.

Why not just go to Naxos???? It has a large year-round population, has some of the best hiking in the islands -- http://www.cycladen.be/NaxosEng.htm --
Minoan ruins up the wazoo, even a sunken Minoan settlement in the sea you can look for while snorkeling, the best sandy beaches in the Cyclades, wonderful harborside tavernas, some local music after dinner. It's got it all. Here's a slide show of some of naxos' attractions:
http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/552001505EYxVYT

Can't believe you haven't heard of Naxos... the Steves forum won't have much about it, most of these posters are newbies interested in the cliche itinerary or Santorini and Mykonos. Investigate Trip Advisor Greece Forum it has many Old Hands who are experts on more isles than the Honeymoon Duo.

PS: Domatia are so 1980s .. all gone. But at St. George BEach in October I can recommend nice studios w. kitchenettes on the beach for 25 or 30 per night

Posted by
3396 posts

If Naxos interests you, there are several other ways to get from Milos to Naxos in October. Three days a week, there are ferries that take about 4 hours from Milos, arrive in Paros at 21:05 (9:o5 pm). And Nightly at 22:50 (10:50) a blue star ferry leaves Paros for Naxos. Taks 1 hour.

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