KOS

Kos - Κως

Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese and attracts tourists from all over the world every year.

Kos, a place with a rich past, is perfect for everyone, families, groups and even couples, as you can combine it with an excursion to the surrounding islands, such as Kalymnos and Nisyros.

On the island where Hippocrates was born and lived you’ll find ancient sites scattered all over the island, so if you like history, then you’ll love Kos. In Kos town, as well as in smaller villages, you will find many interesting monuments that testify to the island’s long history.

Transportation in Kos

You can reach Kos by ferry from Athens or by plane. I’d suggest booking a flight, as the flight from Athens takes just 50 minutes, while the ferry takes 12 hours to reach the island and many times ferry tickets are more expensive than airplane tickets.

Kos is a big island, so I would definitely recommend renting a car in order to explore it. If no one in your group drives, then there are also the KTEL buses that run frequently to all the villages on the island.

A bus ticket from Kos to the airport and vice versa costs just €3.50 and you always pay the bus driver in cash.

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Food in Kos

Tavern Tsambala

In Kos town, in a street a few meters away from the sea you will find the family tavern Tsambala, which was “born” in 1952 and until today serves dishes with traditional flavors of the island in a warm atmosphere.

The tavern is also known on the island as “Boucalia” and you will understand why as soon as you arrive at the restaurant, as you will find countless bottles that were used to build their picturesque courtyard. 

Our meal started with hot garlic bread and the coolest salad of the summer with watermelon, feta cheese, three kinds of dakakia, balsamic cream, pomegranate balsamic cream and basil oil. The salad is top notch and if you go for it, you should definitely choose it. 

We moved on to the appetizers and chose delicious balls of local goat cheese, which is left in the sun to dry and placed in the wine lees to take on the acidity of the wine. My favorite dish by far, you’ll eat it and remember me!

Next dish is the burekakia with a feta-based cheese farce, which is wrapped in smoked eggplant and then double-battered. Served with yogurt cream, garlic and balsamic vinegar. We also had dolmades – Mom’s recipe – with yogurt and dill oil. The portion is huge, get ready for a lot of (&delicious) food!

Of course there is not Greek meal without souvlaki. That’s why for the main course we chose a portion of chicken souvlaki served with rice and potatoes.

At the end we had a dessert -also a recipe of Mum’s- coconut cake. It’s basically ravani cake with Indian coconut and served with ice cream. All the dishes were delicious, the portions were very good and the prices were quite reasonable, especially for such a touristy island like Kos.

Oromedon

In the village of Zia you will find the Oromedon restaurant, which serves traditional Kos dishes, which are delicious and carefully prepared.

At the same time, it offers you the best view of the island, especially during sunset.

We started our meal with warm bread, olive oil and olives. The first appetizer we tried was the fantastic spanakopita (spinach pie). It’s a mama’s recipe, made by the mother of the owners of the restaurant and is one of the best dishes you can choose.

Then we moved on to my favorite dish, the cheese saganaki with cereal crust and tomato jam. The flavor of the cheese crust combined with the tomato is amazing, try it and you’ll remember me. 

We continued with another appetizer, which was suggested by the waiter and it was fantastic! It was prawns on bread, served with taramas. Without exaggeration they were the best prawns I’ve ever had, well worth a try.

Finally we come to the main part. We had lamb from Zia village braised for 12 hours and served with baked potatoes and peas. The lamb was so soft that you didn’t even need a knife and every bite melted in your mouth. It was a delicious dish.

Of course we also eat dessert. We tried an awesome loukoumi ice cream, handmade by a local guy. But in addition to the ice cream, we also had baklava with vanilla ice cream and ravani. 

Everything was delicious, which combined with the decor of the place and the view made it worth every minute you spend in the restaurant.

Mezzaluna Restaurant 

Located in Kos town, Mezzaluna restaurant has quite an impressive decor, but you can also sit at the tables next to the sea for more romantic vibes.

We tried dreamy mushroom risotto with truffle and Caesar’s pizza. The portions were very large and the dishes were delicious.

Gelateria Carino

You can’t have visit an island without trying ice cream. If you want to try one of the best ice creams on Kos then go to Gelateria Carino. I tried my favourite flavour, stracciatella.

Kos: The must-see attractions on the island

I love Kos

A much-photographed tourist attraction is the “I love Kos” sign, which is located in the harbour and waiting for you for a photo!

Then take a stroll around the harbour with see the countless shops around.

Hippocrates’ tree

A large plane tree where, according to legend, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, taught his students.

According to Wikipedia, the tree is about 500 years old, but it is thought to be descended from the original plane tree which had a history of over 2,000 years!

Ancient Agora

One of the best walks you can take in Kos is to the ancient market. The Ancient Agora of Kos is one of the largest excavations ever done in Greece.

It is located near the port of Kos and was the social center of the island thousands of years ago. Entrance is free if you want to visit it.

Municipal market 

In the centre of Kos town you will find the indoor market, which sells local products and souvenirs. Among other things you can find spoon sweets, sponges, sponge, limbs, loukoumia and sumada.

Lampi Beach 

Lambi beach is located very close to Kos town, so it is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations for swimming on the island. The beach is quite long, so you’ll find plenty of beach bars to choose from.

Of course, there are also places where you can go with your chair and your own umbrella if you don’t want to sit in a beach bar. 

Agios Fokas

Agios Fokas is about 8 kilometres from Kos town and is definitely a quieter option.

In Agios Fokas, no matter how windy it is, there is never a wave on the beach, so it’s the ideal place if you prefer calm waters.

Therma

Near the beach of Agios Fokas you will find Therma. These are thermal springs where the water temperature can reach 40-45 degrees.

You can leave the car on the asphalt road at the top or you can go down further on the dirt road and then walk.

There is a canteen at the top in case you want to buy water, coffee and snacks, as you won’t find anything there when you get to the hot springs.

Zia village

The village of Zia is built on the slopes of Mount Dikaios and is the perfect place on the island to enjoy the sunset. You will find traditional tavernas with authentic local dishes and shops to buy souvenirs.

If the sky is clear, then Zia offers you panoramic views of the neighbouring islands of Kalymnos and Pserimos. 

Kardamena

Kardamena is a seaside settlement with plenty of shops to stroll around, and boats leave from there for excursions to Nisyros.

Κως - Kos

Antimachia Castle 

Ruins of a former military structure built during the Middle Ages. You don’t pay an entrance fee to go there, and from the spot you can enjoy the panoramic view of the island.

Kefalos

The village of Kefalos is located at the southwestern end of Kos, about 42 km from Kos town.

In fact, in ancient times it was called Astypalaia and until 366 BC it was the capital of the island.

Kefalos is divided into two parts, the traditional settlement located at the top of the hill and the coastal part called Kamari, which is the port of the village. 

In the village you will find the traditional island architecture with its narrow alleys, while in Kamari you will find many restaurants and cafes. 

Agios Stefanos Beach

Beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, while around you will find ancient findings overlooking the island. You can easily swim to the islet and visit the chapel that is located there.

See more about my trip in Kos island in my Instagram profile.

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