Few corners of the Aegean pack as much history into a short drive as the south coast of Samos. The harbour town of Pythagorio sits on the site of the ancient city of Samos, and a few kilometres west lies the Heraion, the great sanctuary of the goddess Hera. Together they form the archaeological landscape of the Heraion and Pythagoreion of Samos. This guide walks through what you will see at each place and how to shape a relaxed self-drive day around them.
What the Pythagoreion and the Heraion actually are
According to the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, the road leading from the city of Samos, present-day Pythagoreion, to the sanctuary was already an important feature of the landscape by the beginning of the 6th century B.C. at the latest. In other words, the modern town and the sanctuary were always linked: one was the living city, the other its religious heart.
The centrepiece of the sanctuary is the temple of Hera, an Ionic dipteral temple built during the tyranny of Polycrates (538-522 B.C.). The Ministry notes that Herodotus considered it the largest temple in Greece. It measured 108.63 x 55.16 metres and had a total of 155 columns of four different sizes and types. Today only one column still stands, preserved to about half its original height, while the foundations survive up to the base of the walls and the stylobate. Since no roof tiles were found, archaeologists suggest the roof was never completed.
The Great Altar and the Sacred Road
Facing the temple stood the Great Altar. The Ministry describes seven successive phases, the earliest a small rubble structure from the Late Bronze Age. It took its monumental form around 560 B.C., with an estimated size of 36.50 x 16.50 metres, and was enclosed on three sides by a wall 5-7 metres high, decorated inside with a frieze of fighting animals and sphinxes. In Roman imperial times (1st-2nd centuries A.D.) it was rebuilt in marble.
The Sacred Road is the thread that ties your day together. It was lined with closely spaced votive monuments, including colossal marble kouroi and the Geneleos Group, a replica of which now stands at its north end. The massive stone paving uncovered in parts as far as the Pythagoreion dates to about A.D. 200. Excavations in 1980 brought to light a colossal kouros that is now exhibited in the Samos Museum, which makes a good addition to the route if time allows.
Planning the route from Pythagorio
The simplest plan is to base yourself in Pythagorio, explore the harbour town in the cool of the morning, then drive west to the Heraion before the midday heat. Think of the drive as following, roughly, the line of the ancient procession: you leave the old city and head for the sanctuary, just as worshippers once did on foot.
- Morning: stroll around Pythagorio and its harbour, the site of the ancient city.
- Late morning: drive to the Heraion and spend time at the temple foundations, the standing column and the Great Altar.
- Afternoon: return to town, or extend the day with a visit to the Samos Museum to see the colossal kouros.
Before you set off, it is worth checking opening hours with the official site information, as these can change by season.
Arranging your hire car
Having your own wheels lets you set the pace and avoid rushing the archaeological sites. On Time Rent a Car, a local company established on Samos in 2018, lists pick-up points at Samos International Airport, Vathy Port (Turkish Line) and Malagari Port (Domestic Line), and also delivers to your hotel or Airbnb on request. Its website specifically mentions serving visitors to historical Pythagorion, so arranging car hire in Samos for Pythagorio is straightforward. The company states that its rentals include CDW insurance, unlimited mileage, a free child seat and a free second driver, which suits families and couples sharing the driving.
Rules of the road to know
The RAC advises that visitors must be aged 18 or over and hold a full, valid driving licence to drive in Greece. Licences issued in EU and EEA countries are accepted, and international driving permits are recognised but not required.
The European Union’s Your Europe portal confirms that seat belts and child restraint systems are mandatory. Fines are significant: an unbelted driver risks €350, 5 penalty points and a 30-day licence withdrawal, while an unbelted passenger risks €150. Running a red light can cost €700, 9 penalty points and 60 days without a licence for a first offence. At a yellow light you must stop unless you are too close to do so safely, with a possible €30 fine. In any emergency, the RAC reminds drivers that 112 works anywhere in Europe, with operators able to answer in English.
Making the most of the day
Bring water, sun protection and comfortable shoes, as the sanctuary is open ground with little shade. Read a little about Polycrates and the temple before arriving, because with a single column standing, imagination does much of the work. A self-drive day lets you linger where the stones speak to you and travel the same short distance that once joined a powerful city to one of the greatest temples of the Greek world.
Sources
- Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, Ministry of Culture and Sports. http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh352.jsp?obj_id=2366
- Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, Road rules and safety – Greece – Your Europe. https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/driving-abroad/road-rules-and-safety/greece/index_en.htm
- RAC, Driving in Greece: Costs, fines, checklist, rules. https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/country/greece/
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