The acropolis of ancient Samiko or Samia is at 2 km  distance from the current village of Kato Samiko (turn off at the Ancient Acropolis sign), on the foothills of Mount Lapithas. The site is easily accessible via a bumpy forest path, but the recently constructed wooden steps on the site itself have already partially perished. Samiko was once one of the most important cities of Triphylia, a region that belonged to Elis for a large part of classical antiquity, but eventually managed to break away from it with the support of Sparta. In 244 B.C. however, the city was taken by the Aitolian League led by Polyperchon and returned to the Eleans. Samiko / Samia controlled, by its strategic location,  the narrow coastal strip that is the main connection between the regions Elis and Triphylie / Messenia. The city is probably identical to the Makistos / Makiston mentioned by Herodotus (IV.148) and the Arene mentioned by Homer. The name changes reflect the eventful history of the city, with refugees from the island of Lemnos expelling the original population of Arene and, among other things, found the cities of Lepreon, Makistos and Aipion / Aipyon / Epion (identifiable with the ruins of Platiana). After the capture by the Eleans, the city was called Samos / Samia.
The walls of the acropolis enclose an approximately triangular site, are about 2 meters thick and partly preserved up to a height of 5 m. The wall had 3 gates and was reinforced by rectangular towers. On top of the acropolis, the remains of an elongated building have been found, it probably had a public function, the roof was supported by columns.