Villages
The arrival and departure point on the island is the working port-town of Kamariotissa. Just as neighbouring Alexandropoulis on the Thracian mainland is a nineteenth century town, conjured into existence by the railway line, so, too is Kamariotissa. In the early 1800's the only village of any size on the island was Chora, also known as Samothraki, nestled in a valley at the foot of the Fengari range.
KAMARIOTISSA
Population: 940 (2013)
This is the commercial hub of the island; the island's only banks, petrol station, police station and dentist are located here. There are a couple of small supermarkets. This pleasant working town has a real life of its own apart from tourism.
The coastal strip along the port is lined with tourist shops and small cafe bars and restaurants, much frequented in the off season by day trippers from Alexandroupolis, soldiers from the military bases, and locals.
CHORA
Population 698 (2013)
A 6 km road winds its way across the hills of the fertile western plain, and up the mountainside to the pretty town of Chora, the administrative capital. (Chora is a UNESCO site)
The local fire and forestry service, the Mayor's office and Town Hall, the Medical Centre and Cultural Centre are located in Chora.
Following the storm damage in September 2017, the medical centre was destroyed, and is currently in temporary accommodation in Kamariotissa.
There are many empty tumbledown houses in Chora, as the island now has a much lower population than in previous decades.
KATO and ANO KARIOUTES
Population: 63
These two pretty rural settlements are found on the northern side of the island, tucked in between plane tree forests at the foot of the towering Fengari mountain range, and hedged in on all sides by bubbling streams. The mountain rises steeply here above the narrow plain. There are a number of small guesthouses here.
The entire area of the settlement is located inside the EU Bird Protection Directive zone.
DRONE FLIGHT ABOVE KARIOTES AND PALAEOPOLIS
This short video shows the landscape around Kato Karyoutes, and the archaeological site at Palaeopolis.
It gives a good overview of this part of the island at the height of summer
THERMA (LOUTRA)
Population: 106
Therma is a pretty village, found around 300 metres inland at the end of a broad boulevard that leads up from the little used fishing harbour on the coast. The village has two small general stores, a bakery, and a number of restaurants and bars, which stay open late into the night.
One restaurant (Fengari) stays open all year around, the rest of the bars and guesthouses shutter their doors in mid October.
The lower part of the hillside is dominated by olive groves and maquis type shrub; the village itself is tucked into the edge of a plane tree forest.
During the summer months, right until the first rains of October there is an active impromptu music scene here, where bards and musicians gather on the square outside the Municipal Thermal Baths, and pass the short summer nights serenading one another with guitar and flute; dancing the night away.
PSAROTHERMA
Psarotherma is not a village, but a small collection of thermal pools that lie on the hillside above Loutra village, overlooking the Therma fishing harbour.
The thermal pools have been documented as existing here since the medieval period, but may well have been known in ancient times as well.
The Municipal Thermal Baths have two large, very hot pools (single sex).
These pools can be used for medicinal purposes, or for general relaxation. As they are very hot, it is not possible to immerse for longer than 15 minutes at a time. The water emerges from the ground at boiling point, and needs to be cooled in large cooling ponds before it enters the bathing ponds.
There are also individual private baths on the Municipal Bath building.
Leading up a gravel road to the right of the municipal pools can be found a lower outdoor pool, which is reached by a rough path and some steps. This first pool used to be enclosed in a concrete shed. It would be improved if the low retaining wall on the north side were demolished, so that one could soak in it and look out across the sea.
There is another small suite of three pools higher up the road. Officially these are 'foot baths' - but they are used for full immersion.
The temperature of these upper pools is much lower than that of the Municipal Baths. From the uppermost of the pools, one can sit at night and admire the lights of Alexandroupolis while soaking in the warm water.
There are also two small thermal water fountains near the municipal pool; some people drink small amounts of these waters as a cure; this is not to be recommended, as the Samothrakian thermal waters are slightly radioactive, and contaminants exceed those for drinking water standards.
MAP OF THERMA - LOUTRA VILLAGE AND THERMAL POOLS
ANO MERIA
Population: 57
Further to the east lies the sparse rural inland settlement of Ano Meria. The houses here are mostly farmhouses, scattered about between the copses and fields.
The area has a famous restaurant which is visited by tourists interested in the local traditional gastronomy of the island. This is a convenient stop on the road, after visiting the isolated beach at Kipos.
ALONIA
Population: 291
Alonia lies southwest of Chora, in an elevated position overlooking the Aegean Sea. It is the fourth largest village on the island, and is notable as it is home to the main military camp.
The climate on this side of the island is typically Mediterranean, with olive groves and fruit trees.
XIROPOTAMOS
Population: 29
This village is situated roughly halfway between Chora and Makrilies, near the headwaters of the eponymous river.
The area is surrounded by olive groves. There are many goats on the hills in this area.
MAKRILIES
Population: 12
Makrilies is the first village encountered when taking the coastal road south east from Kamariotissa. It is a small country village surrounded by olive groves, quite close to the sea. There are a number of guest houses in the village and the surrounding countryside.
LAKKOMA
Population: 317
A short distance on from Makrilies lies another village, the third largest on the island, nestled among the groves. The locals here have olive groves and many are goat herders - although, as elsewhere on the island, the goats range freely across the landscape.
Three old oil presses have survived in the area, an example of Samothraki early industrial architecture (1900-1920) which were in operation until 1985.
PROFITIS ILIAS
Population: 189
Halfway up the mountainside above Lakkoma lies the goat breeder's village of Profitis Ilias. The view from here across the Aegean is pleasant. There is a well known restaurant here, and many tourists make a point of visiting this village to see the goats and to ...eat them!
DAFNES
Population: 16
A few hundred metres beyond Lakkoma lies the tiny hamlet of Dafnes. From here the road winds up the hill to the chapel of Panagia Krimiotissa, or leads onward to the island's only accessible (by car) sandy beach - Pachia Ammos. Beyond Pachia Ammos, the mountain falls directly into the sea, and there are no roads leading from here into the interior of the island. There is a vineyard and winery near here, and the island's only dairy.
60 λεπτά Ελλάδα Σαμοθράκη
This video is in Greek, but is worth watching even if you have no Greek. It documents a visit to the island in the depths of winter - the focus here is on the life and culture of the islanders - a hardy breed - at a time of year when there are almost no tourism on the island at all. The main villages are visited, as are a couple of landmark natural sites.
I highly recommend this video.