Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
Mount Saos rises above 1,600 metres, the highest point in the Aegean, and the water coming off it is what people actually come for.
The vathres
The island’s signature is its vathres: rock pools in granite gorges, filled by waterfalls, cold and deep and clear. Streams run down from Saos through worn stone channels, and at intervals they drop into pools you can swim in.
Fonias, on the north coast, is the best known: a marked walk up a river bed to a series of falls, the first about forty minutes in.
The walking is real walking, on wet rock in a gorge, and the higher pools take commitment. The river also floods fast in rain. We describe the ground rather than certify it; what is true is that this is mountain terrain and not a managed attraction.
The Sanctuary of the Great Gods
On the north coast are the remains of one of the ancient world’s important mystery cults, open to initiates of any origin or status, which was unusual. The sanctuary buildings are ruined but legible, in a wooded valley.
This is where the Winged Victory of Samothrace was found in the nineteenth century. It has been in the Louvre ever since; a cast stands on the site.
The rest of it
- Chora, inland under a castle ruin, invisible from the sea.
- Therma, the north-coast village and base for Fonias, with hot springs.
- Pachia Ammos, the one proper sandy beach, on the south coast at the end of a rough road.
- Kamariotissa, the port.
Getting there and how long
Ferry from Alexandroupoli only, on the north-east mainland, in about two hours. No airport, and no other route.
Four nights. Samothraki is a commitment to reach and rewards being unhurried.
Last checked August 2026. Ferry frequency is weather-dependent - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
What are the vathres on Samothraki?
Rock pools in granite gorges fed by waterfalls off Mount Saos. Fonias on the north coast is the best known, reached by a marked walk up a river bed.
How do you get to Samothraki?
By ferry from Alexandroupoli on the north-east mainland, in about two hours. There is no airport and no other route.
What is the Sanctuary of the Great Gods?
The site of an ancient mystery cult on the north coast, open to initiates regardless of origin or status. The Winged Victory of Samothrace was found there.
Is Samothraki good for beaches?
Not really. Pachia Ammos on the south coast is the one proper sandy beach. The island’s water is in its gorges rather than on its shore.
How high is Mount Saos?
Over 1,600 metres, which makes it the highest peak in the Aegean.
Next
Read Thassos, Limnos, or Thessaloniki.