Kos wonderful holiday island!

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Welcome to Kos

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Kos is the island of Hippocrates, who was born here in the year 460bc. Everyone must have heard of the oath of Hippocrates that every physician, even today, has to make.

However, most of the people are going to Kos for the sun, beach, sea and very wonderful weather.

Kos is a real holiday island; almost the entire island is adjusted to tourism. There are a few villages where there is less tourism, such as Kefelas, Pyli, Zia and Antimachia. Don’t be disappointed because there is enough to see. The real party animals do sleep on the many beaches! Those who want to see more of the island are released from these tourists. The party animals can go out in Kos-city till late night in the so called ‘bar street’. Here you find a lot of trendy café’s, disco’s and so on. For those who want to take it more leisurely, stroll along through the old city. Sit down at the sidewalk café’s here or at the harbour, watch the people going by, or taste the most delicious cocktails.

Where you want to spend your holiday is your decision but one clue, Kardamena is a village where almost only English people are coming.

Beneath a tour around the island via several photos. You can click on them for an enlargement

Lets start at Kos-city; it is the place where there is a lot to see and to do. Kos-city is really full of energy, during the day you can stroll along the old city, along the many excavations and not to forget the museum. In the evening you can have a lovely meal in many restaurants. For or after that event you can go shopping in the souvenir shops or just have a look around.

Wonderful dinner……..the tavern Agora is highly recommended, you can find it just behind the market hall at the plaza with large plane trees. Don’t take the front tables (they belong to another tavern), but those behind. Friendly service and everything is delicious!

	Harbour of Kos-city, here are all the boats lying that arrange the excursions to the other islands. Book a trip here or at a booking office; it is about 10-20 € cheaper then with the hostess.	Old Venetian building, just in front of the palm lane. It is now the police station and tourist centre.	In Kos there are many Mosques with minarets like this one. The reason is the Turkish domination, that took 390 years. This mosque is at the central plaza close to the market hall and the museum
Palm lane to the centre and along the harbour. The bridge on the photo leads to the castle.				This wonderful overgrown entrance gate, leads to the famous bar street and excavations, like there are many in Kos-city.
	Old buildings like this mosque are many in Kos-city. This mosque is situated before the plane of Hippocrates. The story tells, that he teached his students here. This means that this plane is more then 1000 years of age!	This is the gymnasium. Here were several bathes and you can still see the athletic track. Also there is a building from the 3d century b.c. The nymfaeum, a well building, is well preserved. You can only have a look inside through a barred window. However, it is worth it.	Museum in Kos-city; here you find everything that is digged up in the neighbourhood. From Hippocrates until wonderful mosaics. You can find it at the plaza close to the market hall.	Church in the centre, just take a look. It is full with icons and the feeling that you find in all churches in Greece. Even for unreligious people like me, it is very interesting.
Shopping alley in the old city. This is a collection of souvenir shops, jewellers and several taverns with sidewalk café’s.

	And where else do we go? The beach! We don’t like crowded beaches, where you lay close to your neighbour. We found a beach in the part of Lambi. From the centre, 2 to 3 km. Go from the fountain with the dolphins into the Canaristreet (everyone knows it), and at the end you find the beach with a tavern. It is nice and quiet and you can walk into the sea almost 100 meter. So very safe for children.

Below the village of Platani. It is situated at only 3 km from Kos-city. Platani is an original Turkish village and it shows in the very fine cooking in the taverns. We were here earlier and from a regular visitor of this site we heard that the food is excellent. When we had dinner here, we asked for the speciality of the house and I can really say that it was fantastic. We got the most delicious food for about 20 €. Highly recommended! The name of this restaurant is Asklipios and it is left on the photo.

Close to Platini lies Asklipion. It was original a health resort, so patients were coming here. The Asklipion consists of three terraces where originally were three temples. After several earthquakes, there is not much left, but you buy a booklet with a description and you get a good impression of how things were in old times. Add the wonderful view over Kos-city and the Turkish coast and you can spend here several hours. Take something to drink with you, because there is no tavern here. The cat on the photo below was sitting close to the office window and waiting for its meal.

Even so nice are the spa’s on Kos, you find them 1km after Aghios Fokas and it is close to Kos-city. These spa’s are healing wells and consists sulfur water; very good for arthritis and other rheumatism disorders. Be careful when you step in the water, it is considerably hot.

Above the village of Zia. This still original village in the inland of Kos is high on the agenda of many tourists.

Don’t be put off by all the shops, only for tourists. Walk through the village; it is very authentic and worth visiting.

A few kilometres further on the road you find Pyli, a thriving village with 2000 inhabitants. At this plaza there are several good taverns. Another interesting place to go are the Dutch Ria and Remko. These people have a gallery where you can buy ceramics, etchings and bijous.

You can find these 400 year old well ‘The waterspitters of the well of life’ close to this plaza in Pyli.

	On the main road from Kos-city after 13 km. is the turn to Pyli. Here at the left side with an artificial lake

	The beach!! No, this is the salt lake to Tingaki, it is not used anymore, it is a nature reserve now. Tourists do like Tingaki for its beautiful long beach and many taverns. Tingaki is situated centrally, so it is easy to make tours from here around the island.

Fortunately, you still see this kind of traffic on Kos and I don’t mean the scooter.

As we go from Kos-city to the airport, we find just before Antimachia, an old castle. Turn to the left and follow this sandy road 3 km. Now you are in the middle of the island, and as you can see, the view is very nice. Only the outer walls of the castle are left. On the territory are two chapels and they are still under restoration. There is a tavern for a light meal and a drink.

In Antimachia you find a still working windmill. You can have a look inside with no charges, but a small gift is appreciated. When you arrive here and you see busses with tourists; just wait for a while until peace is back again. The owner of the mill will receive you very friendly with sweets. They get photos from every country with his wife and their visitors on it and she loves to show you. Opposite the mill is the house of Antimachia; here you will see the life during the fifties.

From Antimachia you can turn of to Kardamena, where most of all English people are coming. Turn to Mastichari, touristic but not too massive; nice beach and many taverns. It is a nice village if you like the commotion. There is a harbour, so you can visit the other islands from here.

If you drive from Kefalos, you find several beaches and taverns. This side of the island is hardly visited by tourists and that is a pity for them. There is a totally different nature and it is wonderfully quiet.

After Kefalos take the road to Ag. Theologus. This is the end off the island and you can't go futher. There is a tavern and several inlets where you can sunbathe. Below a photo taken from the tavern.

This was a tour around the island. If you have questions, you can always send me an e-mail.

Another option is to visit Turkey. We went there on Tuesday, because there is a market then, but it is also on Saturdays. Remember it will be very busy on these days. When we were there, it appeared that half of Kos was there too, but it is worthy. It you buy something, try to lower the price, otherwise you pay too much. Changing money is possible with your pin card at a money machine close to the market.

Another place we went is Kalymnos, the sponge island. We were here only a few hours, but we will go back some other time. When you arrive here, bring a visit to the sponge factory. It is situated at the harbour and behind. You can have a good sponge for about 12 €. Because we had little time here, I asked what there was to see. So we arrived at a nun’s monastery and the view was excellent. We were not allowed to enter the monastery, but below you will get an impression. Take a walk through the allies; this is Greece. Quiet and beautiful.

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