Kos Island
Again, words are not enough to describe the Kos island! We find it in the Dodecanese Archipelago in the extreme west of Greece, only five nautical miles from the gates of Asia Minor, Turkey.
Often mistreated and considered one of the Greek Islands of Serie B, in reality if you manage to look with the right eyes it is exactly the opposite, from many points of view it is much more beautiful and above all more true than many others. Obviously you need to know where and what to look at, it certainly cannot be denied that Kos is a highly touristic island especially suitable for families with children and that during the summer it is overrun by travelers from all over the world, but if you think about it well the fact of being so requested will also have its own reason.
One is certainly the economic factor, even if in recent years it has been aligning with the other sisters, it remains in fact one of the least expensive in Greece where, however, the quality-service ratio is always high.
Don't expect white houses with blue windows, these are the Cyclades, Kos has the soul of true Greece that you encounter in the Peloponnese rather than on the mainland made of simple but genuine things with the addition of a fabulous sea.
Mythology of Kos
Mythologically speaking, the Kos island is famous for having hosted one of the greatest Greek heroes, the Semi-God Hercules who, by the hand of the envious and hostile Hera (wife of Zeus who never accepted Hercules as an illegitimate son and conceived by a betrayal of her husband) shipwrecked him after a violent storm on the island while returning from the war in Troy. Another ascertained historical fact is that the island of Kos was the favorite refuge of the Giants defeated in the war against the Olympian Gods. Polybote one of the giants particularly hated by the God Poseidon took refuge in Kos and when the God found him he decided to split it into two parts by throwing a piece against the giant and burying him. This part of the island is today known as the volcanic Nisyros island.
60 kilometers long and 12 wide, it offers its visitors 120 kilometers of coastline with beaches of all sizes and coves where you can stop and wait for the sun to go down. Of volcanic origin, Kos has everything from a territorial point of view. A small mountain range with its highest peak Mount Dikeo which hides charming villages and where it is possible to take walks through enchanted woods to reach the top from which the view extends over the whole island and the neighboring emerged lands, crevasses and canyons formed by the violent earthquakes of previous eras, flat and fertile areas where vegetables and fruit are grown, modern towns with all the comforts where, however, the typical Greek simplicity is still strongly present, traditions and customs carried forward over time that have merged with the nearby Asian influences, archaeological sites unique in the world where the weight of the past can be breathed in every corner like a sort of open-air museum. That's what Kos is!
A holiday in Kos is chosen to enjoy a fantastic sea, endless beaches, fun for all ages but also to stay in touch with a luxuriant nature, sometimes drastically wild and sometimes more gentle. There are many structures to stay from simple rooms for rent to apartments, rather than small or large hotels and finally huge resorts where you can pamper yourself and take advantage of any service. Impossible to get bored in Kos, among the things to see and things to do a week will pass like in a flash. For excursions see the following website: www.infotourskos.com
Plan your stay and go around the island perhaps starting from the northern part with its natural spas in the Psalidi area and then continuing with its lively capital Kos Town full of shops for the perfect souvenir, super-equipped beaches, all the historical part such as the ancient plane tree of Hippocrates, the Agora, the Roman house, the Odeon, the temple of Dionysus or the interesting Archaeological Museum. Stop in one of its delightful typical taverns where you can taste the delicacies of Greek and territorial cuisine or have a feast of fish (in Averof Street you are spoiled for choice) and still choose a gourmet restaurant in the center like the Petrine. In the evening you will have a wide choice of places to hang out late or for a colorful cocktail to watch the comings and goings of people who cross it every day.
About four kilometers south of the capital is the important site of the Asklepios, the sanctuary dedicated to the God Asklepios the God of Medicine and yes, so that you know that Kos was the birthplace of Hippocrates, considered the father of scientific medicine, son of Heraclides also a doctor who claimed to be a direct descendant of the God (good blood does not lie.)
After less than ten kilometers (know that in Kos there is only one large road that connects the whole island, the Main Road) you arrive at the Tigaki village, a charming seaside town. Five kilometers of soft white sand bathed by a magnificent turquoise blue sea for a sunny day. Near the Alikes salt lake where pink flamingos stop in winter since Kos is one of the main migratory routes. A cheerful village where you can find everything that offers many excursions such as a beautiful horse ride at sunset.
Next is the picturesque Mastichari village which in recent years is becoming a bit the Bervely Hills of Kos where kitesurfing and windsurfing lovers like to gather due to its position which exposes it more to the winds. A former fishing village where you come to eat excellent fresh fish and from which you leave to reach the neighboring Kalymnos island. Mastichari also boasts kilometers of beach with very white sand and a sea that in contrast with the colors recalls exotic destinations.
Going down towards the center of the island on the west side we find Kardamena the second largest town. A few years ago it was the homeland of the British, especially young people who confused night with day, while now it has become the area where families prefer to come given the wealth of large and well-organized resorts as well as kilometers of immaculate beach. The nightlife is always there, more peaceful and less noisy but which still offers many opportunities for fun. From Kardamena we embark to reach the stupendous Nisyros, a volcanic island still active in the abyss where it is possible to visit the caldera and enjoy the beauty of its villages as well as enchanting beaches.
The southern part of Kos is the area of Kefalos (means brain in Greek). The area where the most particular coves and the most popular beaches are located. From Kos Town to Kefalos it is about sixty kilometers in an hour to get there. Here you will go crazy to choose which beach to put your towel on, there are so many and all with their own beauty that it will be difficult to decide. If you want the more noble ones then choose the Paradise beach, the Magic Beach or the Kamel Beach, if you are a naturist Exotic Beach is the one for you, if you want something more peaceful then go to Voulcania Beach rather than Lagada Beach and if in the end you want the non plus ultra, venture to Cavo Paradiso, never was the name more apt, but be careful, to reach it there is a tortuous and demanding road to take but the final prize will be largely proportional, indeed more.
A rich and beautiful island waiting to be discovered perhaps by entrusting yourself to those who know it well and experience it firsthand, don't be prejudiced and don't listen to those who say it's not like that, probably they simply didn't know how to see it with the right gaze.