This WHS on the island of Samos is not visited much by our community: it stands at #834 out of 1154, so it’s in the lower 30%. It also has by far the lowest rating of the Greek WHS. Still, Samos sees more than enough tourists as it is a charter flight destination, and it is even easily accessible from the Turkish coast (Kusadasi) on a day trip by boat.

The site has 2 locations, of which the Heraion (the Hera temple just beyond the airport) is the easiest one to distinguish, even from the air when flying in. Pythagoreion is a whole different story. I studied the map hard for what the core zone entails, and I think it is what is covered by a pinkish blob. That would leave out the harbour of Pythagorio and the excavated part of town next to the archaeological museum, and focus on the remains at Kastro hill such as the Tunnel of Eupalinos. Its location indicated on the UNESCO website, smack in the middle of the modern town, must be wrong.

My first day on Samos was a Tuesday when all its archaeological sites and museums are closed. I, therefore, did a pleasant 6km circular walk in the Pythagorio area that I found on the AllTrails app. Along the way I came across many remains of the ancient city, one even more dilapidated and overgrown than the other. I saw the theatre, an old villa, the market, the sports field, and Roman baths. At the port, a creative modern statue can be found of Pythagoras, the mathematician after whom this place was renamed some 2,450 years after his death.

The next day I went hiking again, but this time to the main components of the WHS. I set out from Pythagorio at half past seven to avoid the heat. The first goal was the Temple of Hera, about a 5.5 km walk so I would arrive there nicely around the opening time of half past eight. Just like the day before it was a fine walk on quiet roads. The temple complex lies somewhere among the fields, you can see its one remaining column from afar. The temple was connected to the town of Pythagorio via a Sacred Road, part of which can still be seen at the beginning of the site. A few pedestals of columns are scattered around, but beyond that, there is not much to see. There used to be a series of statues along the Sacred Road, but they have all disappeared into museums. This temple complex was still used in Roman times (and was made suitable for worshipping Roman gods). A mosaic floor with the image of two fishes reminds of that time.

I walked back mostly the same way but turned off slightly past the Pythagorio airport to a footpath uphill. This will take you to the Tunnel of Eupalinos, constructed in the 6th century BC as an aqueduct to provide Pythagorio with a stable water supply. It is recognized as one of the greatest engineering works of Antiquity. Digging started from two sides, a kilometer apart on either side of the mountain, and by geometric calculations, they managed to meet halfway.

A group of max. 20 people are allowed every 20 minutes to explore the first 185 meters of the tunnel. We were given helmets to wear because the ceilings are low and hold sharp rocks. I had read that the first few meters would be very narrow, but that it was not so bad after that. A man who walked in front of me couldn’t handle it already when he saw the tight entrance, so we all had to go back to the starting point as passing was not possible. After that first stretch indeed the tunnel became a lot more spacious. The attendant (not a guide, more someone who had to keep an eye on safety) advised us to keep walking on the right, over an iron grid. The stones on the other side were a bit wet and therefore slippery. Through the iron grid, the trench through which the water used to run was visible meters below us.

I then walked the last mile back to Pythagorio, where I went to the archaeological museum. This wasn't really worth it unless you're a big fan of ceramics or Roman statues. There is also an outdoor area, which shows the excavations that have come from under the modern city. Here too the remains are mostly Roman.

Overall, the sites lack anything that held my interest for more than a few minutes. While this can be attributed to their very old age and the dismantlement after they ceased to be used, more disturbing is that there isn’t even an interpretation of a quality that could make their history come alive. They are quite costly too – visiting the 3 main ones cost me 20 EUR (6 EUR for the temple, 8 EUR for the tunnel, 6 EUR for the museum).

P.S.: For an excellent selection of statues, great and small, from the Heraion, you'll have to go to the Archaeological Museum in Samos Vathy.