Ormos Marathokambou (Όρμος Μαραθοκάμπου; ormos means moorage, harbour), locally known simply as Ormos, is one of a string of small seaside villages along the coastal plain in the Gulf of Marathokambos (Κόλπος Μαραθοκάμπου) on the south coast, in the west of Samos.
The fishing village, 45 km southwest of Vathy, 30 km west of the airport (Pythagorio) and 15 km south of Karlovasi, is the harbour of Marathokambos (Μαραθόκαμπος, which means fennel plain) the hillside village, 4 km inland and 250 metres above sea level, on the south slope of Mount Fterias (Φτεριάς, 723 metres).
The hills to the north are part of Mount Kerkis (Κέρκης), the mountain range of which the tallest peak Vigla (Βιγλα), at 1,434 metres, is the highest point on Samos.
Olives are the main agricultural produce in the area, and there is a large olive oil factory to the east of Ormos.
During the summer there are daily boat excursions to Pythagorio and the nearby islet of Samiopoula (see previous page).
Marathokambos was founded by settlers from Chios in the 16th century, and people from the Peloponnese, Crete, Karpathos and Ikaria arrived in the area from the 17th century.
As is usual on Greek islands, communities lived in two villages, one on the coast where sailors and fishermen worked, and a farming settlement further inland and in the hills where there was more protection from attack by pirates.
The houses of Marathokambos can be seen in the above photo, just below the conical peak of Fterias.
Also visible (barely) to the right (northeast) is the electricity-generating windpark on the hillside near the chapel of Agios Pandes. See a photo of another Samian windpark, near Pythagorio, on gallery page 27.
4 km west of Marathokambos, at an altitude of around 350 metres, is the Cave of the Sarantaskaliotissa, also known as the Cave of Pythagoras. |
Agios Nikolaos church,
Ormos Marathokambou. |
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Windfarm at Agios Pandes,
above Ormos Marathokambou. |
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