The 1,433-metre limestone mass at the western end of the island is the second-highest peak in the Aegean and the dominant feature of west Samos. From most viewpoints it looks barren and pyramidal; up close it is full of caves, springs, and tiny rock-cut chapels. The summit hike from the village of Marathokampos is a serious day out — six to eight hours up and back, with a final scramble over loose rock — but the view from the top spans Patmos, Ikaria, Fournoi, and the Anatolian coast.
For something gentler, the Convent of Panagia Spiliani on the southern slope, the Evangelistria monastery on the eastern flank, and the Cave of Pythagoras on the way up the south side can each be reached by short walks from a parked car.