Fodor's Expert Review Acropolis of Sami

Little in modern Sami points to the power this area once held. Its exploits during the Trojan War (1260–1180 BC) were once sung of by Homer, and by the 5th century BC it had become an independent state, controling the entire east coast of the island. It only lost its autonomy when the Romans invaded in 188 BC but thereafter flourished for three centuries as a trading link between Greece and Rome, before the twin threats of pirates and earthquakes quickened its demise. What few relics of its heyday remain are found today at the end of a pleasant 2 km walk uphill from the town. Here, past the ruined monastery of St. Fanentes and sloping pine forests, you'll eventually reach the skeleton of the old acropolis (Kyatis), where anonymous clusters of fallen stone only hint at its past. If you don't fancy the walk, you can also drive there.