Kos Tourism (2024) - Greece > Top Places, Travel Guide

Kos

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Ideal duration: 1 - 2 days

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Top places within Kos

Kefalos

"The Island Of Hippocrates"

Kos Tourism

Located close to the Turkish mainland, Kos island is nestled between the Greek islands of Kalymnos, Nisyros, and Astypalea in the south-east part of the Aegean sea. It is the second most famous island among the tourists travelling to Dodecanese islands, after Rhodes. Kos is known for its 112 Km long coastline with bronzed beaches, lush vegetation and some of the known historical sites.

Along with lively nightlife, Kos is home to some of the most spectacular white sand beaches in Greece. It is a green island and is also popular for its picturesque villages, delicious cuisine and ancient ruins. Yachting, snorkelling, soaking in geothermal springs, windsurfing, kiteboarding and cycling along the long coastline are among the most popular activities on the island. Kos serves as an ideal landing place for gourmet lovers, offering them the best of Greek food. Possa, a sheep's cheese, is popular in Kos and is tasted with locally produced olives and hazelnuts and red cheese from village Pyli is a must-try.

Main villages on Kos island are Kos Town, Kefalos, Kardamena, Antimachia, Tingaki, Marmari, Mastihari, and Pyli.
For enjoying nightlife Kardamena is a good option
To have a calm, refreshing family vacation, Tingaki makes a perfect choice.
All the villages in Kos are close to the coastline and offer spectacular views of sunset by sandy beaches.
Kos is relatively a small island and it is quite easy to get around. It is known as the cycling island as bicycle is a popular means of transport here. There is a 13km long cycling road starting from Faros beach and ending at Psalidi beach.
Though getting around Kos is easy as it is small, renting a car or cycling to nearby areas is recommended as public transport is neither reliable nor frequent.
Paradise beach near Kefalos and Agios Stefanos is recommended for swimming. Kefalos and Mastichari are the best places to try windsurfing while diving to explore several uninhabited islets and old shipwrecks can be done from the Great reef or the Trigger reef in Pserimos, one of the smaller villages in Kos.
Most hotels in Kos are found around beaches such as Tigaki, Lambi and Psalidi, in Kos Town or in Kefalos Village in the south of Kos.
Tavernas are recommended over restaurants for authentic local cuisine.
Restaurants and cafes open from 9:00 AM till 11:30 PM with a short break for siesta.
Most shops open at 9:00 AM till 1:30 PM to reopen at 5:00 PM till 9:00 PM. Timings differ on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Sundays remain closed.
Wine tasting, olive oil making and beekeeping tours are very popular and unique in Kos
Tap water in Kos is not drinkable due to its high level of chlorine.
Regular ferries are available from Kos to nearby islands of Rhodes, Patmos, Kalymnos and Simi.
The woods at Plaka, near Antimacheia, is full of peacocks and other birds. You can carry some seeds to offer them

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Shopping in Kos

Kos is a centre for shopping traditional items as well as modern products. Jewellery, ceramics, paintings, leather goods, local honey, and art works are some of the souvenirs to take home. There are also edibles like cheeze, wine, house wine and ouzo to buy as souvenirs. Kos town has plenty of shops for clothes, jewellery, bakeries and mini markets that sell local as well classical stuff. Public market on Eleftherias Square just outside the archaeological site entrance is pretty popular for shopping as well. Shopping malls and big stores are limited to harbour area. Handmade products and local artworks can be found in the markets of mountain villages like Zia.

Nightlife in Kos

Kos is famous for its interesting and lively nightlife. There are basically two important nightlife destinations in Kos. First one in town, known as Bar street, is full of various kinds of clubs, bars and taverns while the other is in Kardamena. Kos town offers numerous restaurants, bars and taverns along port that open till morning and serve a wide variety of drinks and food. There are also some live music bars, narghile bars and Mexican bars. Agios Stefanos, Tingaki, Lambi, and Psalidi also have some clubs and bars where one can enjoy their drink.

History of Kos

According to Greek mythology, during prehistoric times, Kos was the land of Asclepius, God of healing. During 460 BC, the father of medicine, Hippocrates was born. After his death, a sanctuary was built to honour Asclepius and Hippocrates in 357 BC. It operated as a hospital for people from the Mediterranean. After 394 BC, Kos was ruled by Byzantines and the Romans after the death of Alexander's successors, the Ptolemies. In 1204 AD, Kos came under Venetian rule after which it was ruled by The knights of Saint John, Turks, Italian troops, Germans and Lastly the British. In 1948, Kos got freedom and was included with the rest of Greece.

Suggested Itinerary for Kos

Day 1: Start the morning by visiting the Castle of Neratzia. Head towards Kos old town to witness the Ancient Agora, the Casa Romana, and Roman Odeon. Then drive towards Asklepieion. After spending the afternoon there, hit Tigaki beach for a nice swim and explore water sports.

Day 2: Start the day by heading towards Zia. After exploring this lovely mountainous village, move towards Antimachia and then to Mastichari beach to end the day.

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Kos

Kos Travel Essentials

Top places within Kos

"The Island Of Hippocrates"

Kos Tourism

Must Know Before You Travel to Kos

Things To Do In Kos