Part of the Dodecanese group , Kos is the second popular island after Rhodes. It is also the third largest in the group.

Kos is the birthplace of Hippocrates, the father of medicine. You can still see here the ruins of the ancient city and the castle. The view for the highest point in the ancient city is magnificent.

How to get to Kos

Kos stands just 4 km from the cost of Bodrum, Turkey to which it’s connected by ferry. During summer (May to October) there’s a ferry leaving for Kos at 9 a.m. (tickets cost €25 per person one way on the slow ferry and €50 per person one way on the hydrofoil).

You can get to Kos by ferry from mainland Greece and other Greek islands. Ferries from Rhodes to Kos take between 2 h and almost 8 h and tickets start at €30 per person one way (fast ferry, airplane type of seat). The ferries from Santorini to Kos take 4 h 15 min and a ticket costs €28.50 per person, one way (economy).

Read more about:
>> Ferries from Thessaloniki to Kos (and return)
>> Ferries from Kos to Kalymnos (and return)

It is also possible to fly from Athens to Kos. The flight time is about 1 hr and the tickets on Aegean Airlines start at €126 one way.

During summer there are direct flights from various European cities into Kos. TUIfly flies from Cologne-Bonn, Basel, Hanover, Stuttgart, Bremen, Nuremberg, Munich, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf.

Weather

The summers are hot and dry while the winters are mild, which means the island enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate. Average temperatures in July and August stay at about 28C during the day and 22C during the night. Rain is practically non-existent during summer.

>>read more about Weather in Greece

What to do

The main port, Kos, is the cultural and tourist center of the island. The whitewashed buildings house hotels, restaurants and several nightclubs; just enough to ensure a lovely night out in town.

One of the highlights of the island is the 14th century fortress located at the entrance of Kos harbor.

Hippocrates is thought to have been born here. In the center of the city there’s the platane of Hippocrates. It is believed that Hippocrates used to teach the art of medicine under this tree. You can also visit the ruins of the asklepieion, a healing temple.

Beaches

Kos is blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches in the Dodecanese islands. Here are some details about several of them:

• Mastichari Beach – 27 km from Kos Town, an exotic beach with white sand and emerald water; windsurfing is possible
• Kardamena Beach – 30 km west of Kos Town, very popular among tourists, very well organized
• Lambi – just 3 km from Kos Town, well organized; it’s possible to rent beds and umbrellas.
• Tigaki – 11 km from Kos Town, crystal and shallow water
• Psalidi – just 3 km from Kos Town, beach bars
• Kamari – 45 km from Kos Town; surrounded by huge cliffs; some parts aren’t organized and are pretty remote
• Marmari Limnaria – 20 km from Kos Town, windsurfing beach

Photo credit

Platane of Hippocrates
Kos Beach