Kos is the third biggest from the Dodecanese island complex at the Aegean Sea. It is one of the most touristic-developed islands of the Aegean. And that is no wonder since it is an island of impressive landscape combining two mountains, long sandy beaches and rich in ancient antiquities.

Kos is famous as the Birthplace of Hippocrates, the father of medicine! This island has a rich history to tell as it has been developed under a number of different conquerors such as the Romans, the Byzantines and the Ottoman Empire.

Getting There By plane: You can get a connecting flight to Kos from Athens, Thessaloniki and Rhodes all year long. During the summer period you will find many direct international charter flights from main European cities.

By boat: You can get a ferry from port of Piraeus in Athens, Thessaloniki or from other islands of the Dodecanese, daily during the summer season and 3-4 times/week the rest of the year.

Getting around

On the island you will find a sufficient local Bus Service (KTEL) for the most touristic areas. There are a number of taxis but they are a bit costly. You can rent a car, scooter or bicycle if you would like to move around at your own pace. Keep in mind that Kos is one of the few cities in Greece that has a developed a sophisticated bike path, so renting a bicycle at point to try it out is a must!

Where to Stay Kos has a very rich touristic industry offering a lot of options as far as accommodation goes. You have essentially two options when deciding to book you stay. The first option is to stay in the main city which is buzzing with life, shops, restaurants bars and cafes, and go to different beaches for swimming from there. The other option is to stay in one of the seaside towns where the beach will be at your feet and visit the main town at night. However you decide to plan your stay in Kos there are plenty of options.

Beaches

You will find that Kos has a large number of beaches, most of which have hotel facilities near them. Akti Miaouli is a beautiful organized sandy beach near the port of the main City of Kos with umbrellas, sunbed, water sports facilities as well as music bars near there. Lampi is about 4km northwest of the city and is ideal for those who would like to go swimming with comfort but without the fuss. It is family friendly with clean shallow waters and also has a number of hotels nearby. North of Akti Miaouli you will find the beach Averof which is also fully organized with umbrellas, sunbeds, restaurants, shops and hotels. Another interesting part of the coast where you can go swimming is Psalidi which is a complex of many smaller pebbled beaches next to each other. This place is very popular amongst surfers!

Towards the south you will find Agios Fokas, a fully organized beach that is known for the deeps blue waters and the romantic sunset views! Another beach worth mentioning is Thermes which is surrounded by steep rocks and covered with a mixture of sand and pebble. The secret of this beach is that the water there derives from a mountain spring and therefore it is warm and beneficiary to the health. A number of beaches that are fully organised are Tigaki, Marmari, Mastihari, Kardamena, Paradisos and Kamari. A number of more quiet beaches waiting for you to explore are Limionas, Agios Theologos and Agios Stefanos.

Highlights

The most famous site on the island is the Asclepion, the place where doctors serving Hippocrates treated their patients. Patients that visited Asclepion used to pray to Asclepius, the good of Medicine, while they followed a treatment plan including special diet and work out. The main city of Kos on the other hand can be characterized as an open museum and one of the most charming archeological areas is the of the west part. You will find an entrance to this part of the city opposite the Roman Conservatory.

Walking through this part of the city you will feel like taking a trip back in time, ancient ruins amongst the wild plantation including 2nd century AD insulae with impressive mosaic decorations, the 2nd century AD poles of Xistos where athletes used to work out and the cobbled stones of the 3rd century AD. Last but not least do not miss the Castle of the Knights that was being built from 1436 till 1514 and offered dominance of the sea passages. On the interior of the castle you will see many preserved elements that reflect its rich history.