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Kos

Sunny sunshine, crystal clear water, all-inclusive resorts and unique monuments make the island of Kos an ideal destination if you are visiting Greece for the first time. A mix of attractions and traditions on an island fitted for everyone

Surface
287,2 km²
Airport
International
Port
Kos
Faster connection
Direct flight
Connections
Direct flight
Healthcare
Hospital
Tourist presence
Nightlife under 30
Nightlife over 30
Beaches
Sand
Beach services
Equipped
Beaches for children
Yes
Equipped campsite
Yes
Naturism
Yes
Points of interest
Mosque, Asklepieion, Antimachia Castle, Agios Stefanos, Kastri island, Agora, Roman house, Roman Odeon, Agios Ioannis
Activity
Boat trip Canoe Diving Hiking Kayak Snorkeling Tour Trekking
Holiday type
Family holiday, Romantic trip, Nightlife

Kos is part of the Dodecanese islands and it is one of the most visited islands during summertime. Kos is famous for its nightlife, caribbean-like beaches, water sports and crystal clear water. Even being very touristy it has been able to preserve its traditional culture. A complete and attractive mix to choose from.

Kos can easily be reached thanks to its airport that can be reached with numerous flights from Italy and other countries in the EU. From kos you can visit the other islands of the Dodecanese. If you observe Kos’ position you will quickly notice that in one week you will be able to visit many other islands nearby.

Why choose Kos?

If you are visiting Greece for the first time Kos is an excellent destination. There are many activities to choose from, wonderful beaches, art and much more. Kos is perfect for a family holiday, for couples, for singles … for everyone. Kos is also famous for its long nights, the fabulous sea, magic landscapes, high mountains, green valleys, ellenic remains and a perfect climate for kitesurfing

You will able to walk for miles and miles going through the main town observing the island’s history and monuments (built during the Byzantine, Ottoman and Italian domination). Kos also has plenty of bicycle paths that cover part of the beaches where you will be able to cycle as much as you like. 

Last but not least there are bars, sunbeds, umbrellas and water sports to practice. Kos is a must if you are visiting Greece for the first time and you want get to know one of the best islands!

Families with kids, people that love windsurfing or surfing or people that are looking for crystal clear waters will all enjoy Kos hidden bays. Some beaches are covered in sand while others in pebbles. The northern part of the island receives constant wind and has crystal water and a shallow seabed.

For this reason it is a perfect place for people that love water sports. The southern part of the island has calm waters, dark seabeds and crystal clear waters. it is a perfect beach for families and couples. In the south-western part of the island you will find Kefalos bay, this is more than 12 km long and has the most famous beaches of the island.

The road that you will have to follow to reach it isn't always close to the coast and for this reason for reaching certain beaches you will have to go through some barren roads.

On a rocky part of the island after Kamati you will find Kefalos, another very popular attraction amongst tourists. If you visit the southern part of the island you will instead find rural and natural areas.

Agios Fokas beach

Located 6 km south from the city of Kos this beach is covered in pebbles and despite not being very touristis it is still well equipped with services for tourists.

Agios Theologos beach

Leaving from Kefalos, you will find a barren road surrounded by large rocks. After a while you will find a restaurant with some stairs and from there you will acees the most famous beach. It is quite windy and for this reason it is the ideal place for people that enjoy surfing or wind surfing.

Paradiso beach

Going south from Agios Theologos towards the western coast you will reach a few creeks located on the extreme point of the island. The beach is rather difficult to reach but thanks to this it isn't usually very crowded. there ia slo a small bar where you will have the chance to get something to drink or eat. Always in the same area you will find two famous beaches: Agios Mammas and Agios Ioannis (going towards Kefalos).

Kamari beach

Located near Kefalos, 45 km from the city of Kos, you will find this beautiful beach. The beach is covered in a mix of pebbles and sand and surrounded by crystal clear waters. There are also taverns and services for tourists. Last but not least there is a small port from where the fishermen boats sail to sea every morning.

Kardamena beach

30 km from the city of Kos, it is a popular beach amongst both greek and foreign tourists. Especially good for families as it is rather shallow and has crystal clear waters.

Kefalos beach

Located next to a village from where the beach gets its name this is the perfect place for families thanks to the fine sand and shallow waters. There are also quite a few taverns and restaurants nearby.

Kos city beach

Located in the south-eastern from the island’s port it is often very crowded during high season as it is very close to Kos’ main cities. The beach is partially covered in fine sand and you will have the chance to rent a sunbed and beach umbrellas.

Kritika beach

Located north west from Kos city this beach is often very crowded during the summer. It can be easily reached on foot and nearby you will find bars, restaurants and hotels. This long beach is covered in sand and mainly visited by tourists that are staying in the nearby hotels.

Lambi beach

Located 4 km north-west from Kos city on this beach you will find many bars and taverns nearby. It is often quite a bit crowded, especially during high season, as it is very close to Kos city. It can be easily reached both by bus and by car.

Limionas beach

Located in the northern part of the island at about 5 km from Kefalos, where you will find a sandy bay from where the beach gets its name. The beach isn’t usually very crowded and it is the ideal place if you love snorkeling. From the small port located nearby, there are also many small boats that organize boat trips around the island. From the island you can see the islands of Kalymnos and Telendos.

Marmari beach

Located 15 km from Kos city it is divided from Tingaki beach by the salty swamp of Alyki. The western part of the beach is very wild and natural while the rest of the beach offers many services for the tourists that visit it (you can even rent the equipment for practicing water sports).The water is crystal clear and nearby you will find many bars, taverns and hotels.

Mastihari beach

Located 30 km west from Kos city this beach has caribbean alike sand besides beach umbrellas and sunbeds that can be rented. On this beach you will also have the chance to practice some water sports. It isn’t as famous as other beaches previously mentioned and for this reason it usually isn't very crowded. There are many taverns nearby that serve fresh fish that arrives from the nearby port where you will also find some taxi boats.

Paradise Beach

Located 33 km from Kos city and 7 km from Kefalos, this is Kos’ most famous beach and one of the nicest areas in Kefalos bay. The sand is fine and white, the waters are rather shallow and crystal clear. Perfect for families and people that love water sports like surfing and kite surfing. In fact, here you will be able to rent all the equipment that you need. There are many taverns, bars and restaurants that serve fish nearby. Let’s look at the nearby beaches in detail:

- On the left side of the beach you will find Bubble Beach, called this way because of the bubbles created by the volcanic activity in the area where the tide comes in.

- Agios Stefanos is covered by a mix of sand and pebbles. In front of it you will find the island of Kastri where you will find the monastery of Sant Andonios. Traditionally who can reach it by swimming from this beach can go to the top of the rocks and ring the church’s bell to let everyone know.

- Camel beach (Kamila beach) is the most isolated and smallest beach on this island. It can be reached by following the road that takes to Kefalos.

- Banana beach (Lagada beach) is the quietest and less crowded beach on the island. The waters are crystal clear and rather shallow. It is also very clean and picturesque thanks to the juniper trees that surround the beach.

- Marcos beach (Markos beach) very quiet with bars and taverns nearby.

- Sunny beach (Psilos Gremmos) can be reached on foot from Magic Beach and has many beach umbrellas and sunbeds for tourists to rent.

- Magic Beach (Polèmi beach) is the longest and widest beach on the island and has a tavern nearby.

- Exotic beach (Xerocambos or Kampos beach) located in the western coast is a famous beach amongst tourists.

Psalidi beach

Located 3 km south from Kos city is one of the easiest beach to reach given the closeness the the island’s main city. The beach is covered in a mix of sand and pebbles. It is well equipped with taverns, bars, restaurants and hotels, fot his reason it is often very crowded during the high season.

Loutra Thermal beach

Carrying on 2 km after Agios Fokas you will find this wonderful thermal beach. The waters are heated by an underground thermal spring located in a nearby cave. The beach is covered in dark stones and pebbles and for this reason it isn’t usually very crowded.

Tigkaki beach

Located 12 km west from Kos you will find this long (more than 10 km long) and sandy beach. It is one of the island’s most famous and crowded beaches. Nearby you will find bars, taverns and restaurants. The water is shallow and crystal clear, for this reason it is recommended for families or people that aren’t very good at swimming.

If you like water sports you will also have the chance to rent the necessary equipment for practicing surfing, kite-surfing and other water sports. From this beach you will also be able to admire the Turkish coast of Bodrum and the islands of Pserimos and Kalymnos.

Kos is known for its nightlife, clubs, beaches with fine sand, beautiful sunsets and many centers where to practice different water sports. But there is also a lot more to do and many places to see in Kos. Here are some examples:

Visiting the mosque

Let's start to see what to do in Kos speaking about art. Located in the central part of Eleftherias square in Kos city it is one of those monuments that many people suggest visiting when on Kos. it is very unique and famous but unfortunately a strong earthquake a lot of buildings (including the Minareto that was destroyed during an earthquake in 2017. But it will certainly be repaired in the next years.

Visit to the antique ruins

Besides the many rocks, fresh fish and the chance to visit some hidden and isolated beach visiting Kos you will also have the chance to discover the traditional Greek atmosphere. Visiting the old ruins you will see old columns, churches and other remains that date back to many centuries ago.

For example there is Antimachia, a Venetian castle from, where you can admire the old fortress and the ruins of Asklepieion. In this part of the island you will find many ruins and old monuments to visit, so if you like art we recommend you visit it.

Clubs and places where to go in Kos city

The city of Kos is often crowded with tourists also thanks to the many cafes and taverns that can be found near the port. Even during the night time it is very crowded and the most famous clubs are located near the southern part of the port. The local people tend to prefer the cafes located in Plateia Eleftherias.

What can you visit walking around Kos

Kos is an ideal destination if you like going on long walks or excursions. Following the mountain chain of Dikeos there are different villages to explore.

Boat trip to Kos

When visiting Kos don’t miss the boat trip. There are many destinations to choose from if you like visiting this wonderful landscape. One of the trips will take you to Bodrum, on the Turkish coasts where you will find beautiful beaches and a Turkish atmosphere. You can also take a day trip and visit Pserimos island where you will find beautiful white beaches and crystal clear waters.

Then there is also Gyali that is definitely worth visiting as this island only counts 21 people and many white beaches thanks to the presence of pumice rocks.

Water sports in Kos

If you like water sports Kos is the ideal destination for you. Here you can rent all the necessary equipment to go windsurfing, canoeing, kitesurfing and kayaking in the beach’s crystal clear waters. The centers where to rent all the equipment are spread throughout the different beaches on the island.

Moving around Kos is very easy as there are many vehicles to rent and a good local bus line. You can choose between taking the local bus line or choosing one of the many vehicles offered by the car rentals.

Moving around Kos by bus

Busses reach almost every part of the island, including the airport (busses reach the airport on a daily basis and a trip from there to Kos’ station costs around 3,20 €) and the main beaches. The busses main station is located in Kos city. There are busses that connects kos city to Pyli (the price is around 2 € and the busses run 3 times a day). Here you can find Kos’ bus line timetables.

Moving around Kos by taxi

The island also has many taxis to choose from and going from the Kos city to the airport costs around 30 euros. This may be a good solution to combine with the local bus line in order to reach parts of the island that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach.

Renting a car in Kos

If you would rather rent a car/scooter/quad there are many rentals spread throughout the island (all the main ones are located near Kos’ airport so that you can rent one as soon as you arrive in Kos). Also a few hotels offer a car or scooter rental at reasonable prices. If you arrange beforehand you can also decide if paying cash instead of using a credit card.

Car rental prices range from 25,00 €/day during low season and around 38 €/day during high season. Another solution may be renting a bike, a common option used by both locals and tourists. These can be rented at reasonable prices in different parts of the island (even near Kos’ airport). Luckily Kos city has many cycling paths in excellent conditions.

How to get to Kos. This is easy because the island has its own airport, served by international as well as national flights. To have a good choice of flights and to do so at the best prices, book well ahead. Seats are fairly limited, especially as Kos is used as a stepping stone for reaching other island. Kos Airport is connected by bus to the main town of Kos and to other places on the island.

Flight for Kos

If there are no direct flights to Kos available, there are four flights daily from Athens, taking 55 minutes. There are also other internal flights on the ‘Skybus’ which connects Kos with Rhodes (30 minutes9, Kalymons (20 minutes), Leros (55 minutes) and Astypalea (1 hour 40 minutes) three times a week. Furthermore there is a weekly flight connecting Kos with Crete.

Ferries for Kos

Ferries from Athens (Piraeus) to Kos. The ferry journey is long and lasts around 12 hours and costs € 56,50. There are cabins available and the ferry carries cars. Remember that there are no direct ferries from Italy.

Before booking an accommodation or a hotel in Kos it is important you check beforehand in what part of the island you are planning to stay in. The island isn’t small so you should check in advance where your hotel, apartment or studios is located.

Where to stay in Kos

If you are looking for the vibrant Greek nightlife we suggest you find a hotel or studios in Kos city. The most frequented places for tourists are located south from the shore, near Kritika, while local people prefer to stay in the area of Plateia Eleftherias. If instead you are looking for a place next to a beautiful beach you can rent an apartment or a hotel room in the bay of Kefalos. There are also many hotels near Kos city that are surrounded by wonderful beach.

Apartments in Kos

In the small village of Mastihari you will find sandy beaches, bars and restaurants that make it the ideal place to visit if you are planning a family vacation far away from the vibrant greek nightlife. If you would rather experience the true Greek atmosphere you should probably find an accommodation near the island’s center where you will find a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

Before booking consider checking the routes of the local bus line and how close your accommodation is to a bus stop, especially if you aren’t planning to rent a vehicle.

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