Overview

The region of Marathokampos occupies the southwestern end of Samos island and the south side of mount Kerkis.

You reach the area from the regional road that connects Karlovassi and Pythagoreion. You turn off at the Marathokampos intersection and you are there after 6 km (4 miles), of driving through olive groves and pine forests. The center of Marathokampos is Campos village, built some way off the coast, with traditional houses and beautiful gardens.

The beaches of Marathokampos are crystal clear and the weather, almost throughout the year, is mild, since the huge Kerkis protects the area from the gusting northerly Aegean winds. The natural beauty and the nice weather have contributed toward Marathokampos becoming a popular vacation spot in the last few years, and the tourist infrastructure of the area growing rapidly.

Marathokampos is the largest administrative region of Samos, by area, mainly because it includes a large part of mount Kerkis. Kerkis is the tallest mountain of northern Aegean, with a peak that reaches 1,445 m (app. 4,500 feet). On the side of the mountain, at an altitude of 350 m (1,050 feet), one of the top sightseeing attractions of Samos: the Cave of Pythagoras, of Pythagorean Theorem fame.

According to legend, Pythagoras fled to the cave to escape persecution when Polycrates, the ruler of Samos accused him of corrupting the young people of the island. Another version of the story has Pythagoras using the cave just as a hideaway for contemplation. The cave is about 3 km from Campos.

A bit further up, at an altitude of 700 m (2,100 feet) is the chapel of Virgin Mary of the 40 Stairs (Sarantaskaliotissa), which, appropriately, is named after the number of stairs you havce to climb in order to reach it.

Marathokampos features at least 4 wonderful sandy beaches, including the best of the them, Psili Amos, or Fine Sand, about 2 km from Campos. In general, the beaches of Marathokampos are sandy, clean and crystal clear.

Campos is the center of the region. It hosts many rooms-to-rent, hotels, restaurants, taverns and bars and cafes. Vathy, a pretty island town, may be the capital of Samos, but Marathokampos is a wonderful corner of the island, that is ideal for quality vacation, with good food, clean beaches, a lot of peace and quiet, and reasonable prices.