Marmari Holidays

First-gear getaway

Things pootle along at a gentle pace in Marmari. It’s slotted into the north coast of the island of Kos, and dresses itself in classic Greek style. Open space isn’t hard to come by, so family-run tavernas are fanned out along the coastline between whitewashed holiday apartments and cutesy villas.

Caribbean standard

Pop a jar of sand from Marmari Beach beside a Caribbean counterpart, and you’ll struggle to tell the pair apart. The mile-long sandy beach is the same colour as a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, and has a well-earned Blue Flag to its name. Wispy dunes and palm trees are perched parrot-style on the seafront’s shoulder, and the views across the Aegean Sea rope in the islands of Pserimos, Plati and Kalymnos. You’ll see watersports enthusiasts kite-surfing and kayaking their way across the shallows, too.

Capital gains

If you feel like you’ve had your fill of lounging, switch things up by exploring the island. The main drag, Kos Town, is only a short trundle away by car. Its favourite subject’s history, with leftovers that include a Roman amphitheatre and a castle built by the Knights Templar. Pavement cafés and a handsome marina also crop up among the here, there and everywhere ruins.