St Paul’s Jetty in Samothraki, Greece

According to the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, Apostle Paul, at the start of his tour of Europe, spent his first night on the island of  Samothraki (also called Samothrace), around 49 or 51 AD. This was the first ever time St Paul set foot in Europe.

He is said to have  started from Troas after a vision he saw that called him to preach  in Greece and Europe. Paul spent just a single night on Samothraki, came into contact with the residents, told them about Christianity and left the following day for Neapolis, now known as Kavala. The Orthodox Christians on the island have long been proud of this link to St Paul.

In the northern part of the island, where it is believed that he stayed, the “Shrine of Apostle Paul” was built in 2007 ,  to commemorate this event, It is about  7 km. from the port of Kamariotissa  on the road  to Therma Loutra, just outside the archaeological site of the much later  14th century Genoese defensive towers at Paleopoli.

However according to locals,  a structure  remains on  the coastline which, it is claimed, was actually  involved  in the visit.

It is usually accepted that Paul approached Samothraki from the north of the island and locals insist that a stone built jetty that stretches out to sea from the beach nearest the shrine is the actual jetty that his boat tied up to. The truth of this is uncertain. The location would fit for this being associated  with the Sactuary of the Great Gods, and thus being in existence at the time of Paul’s visit, but equally it could be associated  with the Genoese defensive system. The lack of any information  boards at the site or official publication seems to indicate that the official  position is that the St Paul link is just a myth, but it makes a great story.

The intriguing little jetty runs out to sea from a steeply shelving pebble beach and forms a really comfortable entry point for snorkelling. Drop off the end of the jetty with a snorkel (it extends for some distance from the visible end, below water level) and it will be clear that the structure is indeed a very ancient one. Whether or not it is actually the same jetty that Paul used is not so clear but the locals are convinced it is so.

Even without the historic/religious connection it is well worth having a look. The marine life  attracted by the protection provided by the jetty is great and you have a great chance of seeing dolphins just off the beach.