Kos in Greece

Kos belongs to the Dodecanese islands and is located between Kalymnos and Nisyros. It is the third largest island in the Dodecanese (290 km²), only Rhodes and Karpathos are larger. When it comes to the number of inhabitants (33,400), Kos ranks second after Rhodes. The highest mountain Dikeos (843 metres above sea level) is located near the village of Zia.

The beaches Polemi, Sunny, Markos and Langades.

First of all I have to write that Kos is a fantastic island! Unfortunately, many still count Kos as a party island with drunken youth in every street corner. It's high time to wash away the stigma, because Kos has changed a lot in recent years.

It is no great secret that Kos once was a party island, because it have been wild parties here since the happy eighties. And in the beginning of the 21th century it could still be too much of a good thing, at least in my opinion. I particularly noticed it when I visited Kos for the first time in 2003. Then I was grateful that I stayed in the outskirts and that I went to bed early. When I should leave Kos with an early boat, I passed the "Pub Lane" about six in the morning, and the partygoers partied at maximum intensity, despite the early-morning hours.

Today, Kardamena is much calmer than when Kos was a party island.

I have returned to Kos several times since 2003, and I have noticed a change each time. Kos of today is a calmer island, and a different target group travels here. But sure, you can still party hard if you want to, but the party life is not as before. When I was here last time, I did not see a single drunk person. But I do not know how it was at night, because then I slept. :-)

The beaches of Kos are truly like a paradise. This beach is called Paradise beach.

The main reason for Kos' rebirth is that some countries' package-holiday operators focusing on Kos again. From being one of Greece's hottest destinations, Kos' star declined on the tourists' sky in 2005 and many tour operators stopped going there. But many tour operators have focused hard on Kos for some years now. I think that's great, because there's a lot to see and do on Kos.

Especially Kos has been gifted with sandy beaches that few other islands can compete with. For example there is a string of absolutely stunning sandy beaches in the southwest of Kos: Camel, Paradise, Lagadas, Markos, Sunny and Polemi (see picture at the top of the page). But there are many, many more amazing beaches.

Read about the 27 best beaches on Kos here »

There are surprisingly many historical monuments. Almost all sights are located in or just outside Kos Town. You do not even need to search for them, you can just go shopping in town and you'll see them. Outside Kos Town you will find attractions like Asklepion, Hippocrates Garden, Plaka Forest and Paleo Pyli.

In addition, there are a wide range of tavernas and restaurants serving good Greek food. Of course there are exceptions, after all, we are on a big tourist island. If you like shopping, you should bring your big wallet. You will find everything to buy here, from kitschy souvenirs to clothes of the latest fashion. In short, Kos offers almost anything you can imagine. Apart from one thing: if you are looking for the genuine Greece, you should probably go elsewhere. Years of mass tourism have of course left its mark. But you might already know that.

You can read more about Kos via the links at the end of this page.

A very shot summary of the information comes here:

Kos has an airport and receive many charter flights from abroad. Popular package resorts are: Kos Town, Kardamena, Psalidi, Lambi, Tigaki and Marmari. If you are travelling independently it is best to buy a spare seat on a charter flight. Other options are to fly to Samos or Rhodes which has boat connections with Kos.

Kos is dominated by the capital of Kos Town, here is where most things happen and where most tourists stay. Other villages are Platani, Pyli, Antimachia, Kefalos, Kardamena, Mastichari and Zia.

Don't miss the hot springs of Therma near Kos town.

There are, as mentioned, a countless number of nice sandy beaches on Kos. The best are found on the northern and south-western parts of the island. In and around Kos Town there are several beaches, like Agios Fokas and Lambi. But the best beaches are found outside the town, like Tigaki, Marmari, Agios Stefanos, Therma, Limnionas, Kohilari, Helona and Golden Sand, as well as the beaches I mentioned above.

There are lots of interesting attractions on Kos. Not least, it is teeming with historical monuments in Kos Town. The Knights' castle in the port, the Roman agora, Hippocrates' plane tree and the Hassan Pasha mosque are just a few of them.

Hippocrates Garden is the least known attraction of Kos and is very interesting.

The range of hotels and pensions is enormous. Many rooms are pre-booked by package-holiday operators, but there are also accommodations that cater for those travelling independently. Unfortunately, it is difficult to search independently, therefore it is best to book in advance.

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