Kos Island

Greece / isl. Kos

Kos is famous for its tropical beauty, lush vegetation, endless beaches and bimillenial history. The island is the third largest of the Dodecanese islands in the southeast part of the Aegean Sea. It is located very close to the Ionian coast of Asia Minor, in close proximity to the coast of Turkey (just 5 km).

The capital of the island is also called Kos. It is a beautiful small Mediterranean town with a typical architecture among the broad, lush alleys. Due to the large number of archaeological sites around the city, Kos is an ideal place for walking, offering a wide variety of tourist shops, bars, cafes, taverns and restaurants. You will find many excursion boats, yachts and traditional fishing boats in the picturesque harbor. Because of its large size, the island of Kos retains its “tourist” balance. Some places on the island are very popular, while others are more secluded and devoid of mass tourism. Kos is a mixture of Venetian and Ottoman architecture with interesting sights such as the Fortress of the Knights, Ancient Agora, the Roman Odeon and, of course, the famous Asclepeion - ancient healing temple of the god Asclepius. According to some reports, there grows the oldest tree in Europe - the plane tree of Hippocrates where he gave lectures to his students. On the central square of the capital there is the Archaeological Museum with a rich collection of ancient Greek statues. You can find in Kos a large number of viewing platforms, offering magnificent views of the city's buildings and the Turkish coast.

Every visitor to the island of Kos is fascinated by its magnificent long sea coast. There are beautiful beaches within the capital city which can be easily reached on foot or by bus. Lambi is the closest beach to the city. You will find many cafes and coffee shops in the surrounding area. To the east, just 2 km from the city center, you will find ​​Psalidi resort area with a good beach along the road. To the south, there are sandy Agios Fokas and Thermes beaches, where the hot springs mix with sea water and form a natural spa resort in the open air. On the east coast there lies the village of Tigaki - a tourist resort with a beautiful sandy beach. There is another beautiful beach in Marmari.

There are many restaurants on the island which differ in style. Visitors will find traditional Greek tavernas and top-level restaurants with international cuisine. Most restaurants are located in tourist areas of the island, such as Kos, Agios Stefanos, Kardamena, Kefalos, Tigaki, Lambi and Zia. In addition to fresh seafood, be sure to try the traditional dishes: krasotiri goat cheese, stuffed vegetables, wild rabbit with vegetables, traditional Greek honey sweets.