Fast facts
Settlement altitude 5 m
Settlement land area 0,48 km2
Population 2011: 489, 2001: 237 inhabitants.
Area per person 984 m² per person.
Economy relies mainly on tourism and less on agriculture.
Description
Kampos Marathokampou settlement (Greek: Κάμπος Μαραθοκάμπου = plain of Marathokampos), or just Kampos (= plain) is also known as Votsalakia (Βοτσαλάκια = small pebbles). It’s located at the southwestern part of the island, in the south eastern foothills of Kerkis mountain,
The distances are: from Samos town 50 km, from Karlovasi town 35 Km, from Pythagorio town 30 Km and from Marathokampos village 7 Km.
Administratively consists, the settlement of “Kampos”, which belongs to municipal community of Marathokampos, of Marathokampos municipal unit, of West Samos Municipality, with Karlovasi capital.
At the front of the settlement stretches the homonymous, 2km long, very beautiful beach, (one of the longest in Samos). At the surrounding area there are many more beautiful beaches for all tastes.
It’s one of the most developed touristic areas of Samos island, with many, remarkable, friendly family businesses, apartments to let and some large hotels. The natural beauties, the hiking trails that Kerkis mount offered, the beautiful beaches and the calmness that the area has to offer, attract thousands of visitors every year.
History & name
From 18th c. until the middle of 20th c., Kampos was life-giving cropland for Marathokampos village area, since the only lowland areas that the village area has, it’s “Kampos” and “Valanidia“, the rest is rocky and barren, suitable for livestock and olives trees.
The main crops in “Kampos” were vegetables, legumes, wheat, olives and clover for animal feed. For the needs of the crops, the farmers built small, one-room farmhouses, so-called “kalivia = huts”, which they used as a short-term accommodation, until the completion of their agricultural work and then returned to Marathokampos village, since the pirate raids did not allow permanent staying at the area of Kampos.
From the end of the 19th c., when the danger of pirates had been overcome, then they began to stay in “Kampos” for more days, using the “huts” and as holiday homes, during the summer months. Nevertheless, the permanent residents were few and mostly some breeders.
Since the late 1970s, tourism development has changed the character of the area. The crops were abandoned, the arable lands were replaced by tourist accommodation, the small huts were turned into biger houses, and the area acquired permanent residents. The population data of 2001 and 2011, prove the dynamics of the population growth of the settlement, since within ten years the permanent population increased 106% (237 => 489 inhabitants).
Until the middle of the 20th c., the area was called “Puntes“, which comes from the Spanish word “punta” that’s mean cape. Today the official name of the area is “Kampos” (=plain), from the small plain of the area. In the 1970s the locals used to call it “Votsalakia” (=small pebbles), due to the name of the first tavern in the area, which was a reference point.
topTips
- Choose one of the many beaches in the area for swimming
- Follow hiking route #9 on Kerkis mount, to the monastery of Vaggelistra at 650 m., The chapel of Prophet Elias at 1,150 m., and the top of Kerkis mount at 1,450 m. altitude. Alternatively for your return, you can follow the hiking route #10, from the top of Kerkis mount.
You should know : > Start early in the morning, > Take water with you, > Do not deviate from the trail, > Mark the trails for the return, > Return early in the afternoon.
- Visit Pythagoras cave, following the route northwest for 3.5 km from Kampos (2 km asphalt and 1.5 km dirt road).
- Enjoy the very beautiful route to Kallithea village and enjoy the sunset at Drakei village. It is worth following the dirt route for visiting to Agios Isidoros bay.