Hora (as it is listed on the signs) or Chora (the way it is pronounced and as you see it in many guidebooks) is a village with about 1200 inhabitants in the southeast of Samos. It lies just above the popular holiday resort of Pythagorion. Many people drive through here and pay no further attention to it, and so did we year after year. In Hora lies a fork in the road that will take you to Mytilene and then to the capital, or you go to the west of the island towards Pirgos. Whether you like it or not, if you have a car the village is more or less unavoidable. At first glance Hora doesn't inspire most of the people. You have to watch the traffic because the road narrows and here it is busier than just outside.

Hora was once the capital of the island (1560 - 1834) and there are still a few old houses from the period, but most of the village is still in newly built. In Hora there are a few nice churches and there is an old washing place that people used to wash their clothes with water from the mountains (under the Antonis Tavern at the end of the cobbled street). In the village you can experience everyday life as it is for the Greeks is because there is no souvenir shop in sight and there are no hotels or rooms to rent. There is a good supermarket, a bakery, a butcher and a pharmacy. Along the winding streets that lead up into the village are some potted plants and flowers grow through the stones. Here and there are chickens in front of the door of a house.

It's nice to visit this forgotten village and look around a bit. It is my opinion anyway a must because we found two of the best restaurants that we have been to in the recent decades in the Greek islands (the best being "To Steki" in the village of Alinda on the island of Leros, but the two I will mention below are close runners up, just like the Indian restaurant in the port of Ios) in Hora. In these two amazing restaurants the food is not made for the tourists (because they are scarce, only a few of them discovered these restaurants) but for the Greeks themselves. These people really know how to make food taste delicious and they are again also very nice. Here you really feel like a Greek rather than a tourist and the food is also different because it is not aimed at the tourists. Some dishes are strictly secret, as was one of the dishes in tavern Antonis (something with egg, garlic, vegetables and yogurt I think - what precisely it was I do not know, but that is why it a secret, ahah). Well...what I am trying to tell you: you should just go, all two!

For those who think they can rent something in Hora, you will be disappointed: there are no accommodations for rent. We were there some days but that was only because we stayed in the apartment of a friend after we left another apartment where we intended to stay. That was in late May and the swimmimg pool wass not filled. We didn't expect that and so we left. Here in Hora we were in the middle of the village life and we had a lovely terrace looking out over the olive fields, the airport, Pythagorion and the sea.

Antonis Tavern is just after the fork in the road in Chora if you come from Pythagorion and go to Pirgos (third street on the right hand side - see the map on the first photo above left). Antonis is set on a sort of terrace with in the corner two trees, one of which is an olive tree that has grown after someone apparently dropped an olive pit. This tavern is famous, it is praised by the "Guide de Routard" (the French variation of the ANWB guide), and is also mentioned in the Dutch ANWB guidebook. We came here after the advice of local residents who said it was really fantastic. The owner / cook is super sweet (photos top row right with the red shirt) and she cooks the stars from the heaven. There is a menu where you can order from, but you can also just ask them to bring small dishes that are delicious. We have tried many things (unfortunately we have only been here two times so far) and I found everything that was put on our table extremely tasty. There was a leek quiche, a secret egg dish, delicious tzatziki, tasty salads, scrumptious chicken, light green Greek peppers stuffed with feta cheese, fried chickpea balls, grilled hamburgers and even the octopus salad was finger licking delicious (normally I am not a big fan of this). Antonis will take your order and bring you your food. He speaks a little English and is very modest and friendly. Oh, if only I could eat here again tomorrow ...

Our verdict: superb, one of the best tavernes we ever visited - a 10 out of 10

Another topper that you don't want to miss. Restaurant Sinadisi is from (Dutch) Emmie and her husband Jurgos. it is situated at the entrance of the village when coming from Pythagorio - just before the fork in the road - on the right hand side (on the left there is another one but that is not the restaurant that I describe here). Sinadisi, so right hand side, has a sign as if it were a pizzeria, and although I must say that the pizza is really great, there is really much more on the menu. We tried several dishes, such as Mexican chicken (sliced chicken filet in a delicious sauce), Bekri meze (pork in tomato-cheese sauce), an ordinary "flat" pizza, the unbelievable "Pizza Calzone Vesuvio" (a double folded hot stuffed pizza - really a must), delicious saganaki (feta cheese flambéed in liquor, the best we've ever eaten!) and a great tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber dip) and tuna salad. All with a nice bottle of wine, an entertaining evening with fun and excellent service. Again, a few tourists but mostly the Greeks themselves and that gives a very nice atmosphere. For me, the two restaurants on this two of the highlights of our holiday. Tip, tip, tip, if ever Michelin comes by they would put a star on their wall!

Our verdict: superb like the Antonis, and also one of the best tavernes we ever visited - a 10 out of 10