Samos GoKart Center

On the island of Samos, in the eastern Aegean Sea, the Samos GoKart Center lays out an open-air karting track of three hundred and fifty metres, set near the road linking Pythagoreio to the town of Samos. The karts, made by Sodikart, top out at fifty-five kilometres an hour: the SR5 model for drivers from the age of ten, and the speed-adjustable LR5 for children from seven and one metre twenty tall. Lap timing and lighting let you drive by day as well as in the evening.

The track runs mostly in summer, from mid-June to late September, from five to eleven at night, to the rhythm of the holidays on the island. People come with family or friends for a few heats, and booking is advised for groups of four drivers or more. The format stays that of a simple leisure outing, open even to those who have never held a kart wheel.

Samos, a green and mountainous island right by the Turkish coast, is the homeland of Pythagoras and home to the ancient sanctuary of Hera, the Heraion, listed as world heritage. The small harbour of Pythagoreio, with its lanes and its Tunnel of Eupalinos, is among the prettiest of the Aegean. The Samos GoKart Center adds a sporting activity on land, welcome to vary the fun between beaches and walks in the hinterland. With its Easy Drive technology, the SR5 puts driving within reach of beginners, while the LR5 adjusts to children's size and level, making the track an easy gateway into karting for holidaymakers of every age.