Things To Do in Kos

In Marmari, it’s all about good home-cooking. The freshly-caught fish and shellfish are gold-star winners – try the local speciality saganaki, which is prawns cooked in ouzo and feta cheese. It tastes particularly good with the sea views here. If you fancy a change of scene, though, you’ll find a few eating places up in the back streets serving slow-roasted lamb and chicken dishes.

Dig out your hiking boots for this one. The rocky slopes of Kos’ highest peak are zig-zagged with walking trails thanks to the locals who come here to pick wild herbs. Make it to the top and your reward will be great views of the island. Keen gardeners, meanwhile, will love the wild flowers that grow here. They’re a riot of colour between April and June.

If you’re in Kos Town between July and August, make sure you catch the Hippocrates Festival. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, was born in Kos, and this 2-month-long celebration is thrown every year in his honour. It’s centred on cultural events, such as theatre shows and performances from local musicians, and you can join in with things like sculpturing and street dancing, as well.

For a shopping fix, head to the cobbled streets of Kos Town. You’ve got boutiques for clothes and lots of places for jewellery and leather. If you’re here on a Saturday you can go bargain-hunting at the indoor market on the main square – it’s good for picking up handmade soap and locally-produced honey. And back in Marmari, you’ve got a seafront’s worth of little souvenir shops.

If you’re staying in Kos Town, it’s worth walking 20 minutes west to this kilometre-long stretch. The sand is of the powdery variety and it’s dotted with parasols, sunbeds and the odd restaurant. And the sea is crystal clear and shallow, so it’s great for families and snorkellers.

If you’re all about the views, Psalidi should hit the spot. You can see all the way to Turkey from this shingle and pebble stretch. Pull up a pew at one of the tavernas backing the sand for the best views. There are a few watersports centres hiring out windsurfing gear if you fancy hitting the waves.

On a clear day, you can see all the way over to Turkey from this pebbly beach. There are a few restaurants and bars clustered behind the pebbles, so you can appreciate the views over a meze-fuelled lunch. Meanwhile, the neighbouring pine forests are ideal for shaded afternoon strolls.

Owner Dimitros is a bit of a cocktail king. His mojitos and caipirinhas have kept people coming back to this friendly bar near the Hotel Palladium for the best part of 15 years. And as an accompaniment he also serves up his own speciality cinnamon-sprinkled apples – which beats a sparkler any day.

Ten minutes out of Marmari and you’re in Pyli. This old, abandoned village is good for poking around old ruins and churches, and if you fancy a walk you can take a path all the way up to what’s left of a castle – with top views to boot. Afterwards, you can head back to the new village where it’s all dinky whitewashed houses and little local cafés.

Marmari can be a bit of a breezy spot, which is great for windsurfing. If you’ve never tried it, there’s a school here that does beginner’s lessons for around 35 euros an hour. You can also have a go at snorkelling for sea-horses and barracudas, just some of the marine life you might see round these parts. You can buy a snorkel kit from the beach-front shops.

It’s hardly surprising Kos is home to one of the world’s first ever hospitals – after all, it’s the birthplace of Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine. Named after Asklepios, the Greek god of healing, this ancient temple-come-medical centre was a Mecca for sick pilgrims. And who wouldn’t feel better after clapping eyes on the views from the hillside marble terraces?

For a snapshot of life a generation or two ago, head for the Asfendiou villages. Tucked on the side of Mount Dikeos, this cluster of hamlets is a flashback to times gone by – think whitewashed houses and Byzantine chapels. Each village has its own pull. Zia is famous for its sunsets, Asomatos has an 11th-century church and Agios Dimitrios is completely deserted.

Marmari doesn’t do free shots and foam parties. Instead, what you get here is a fairly laid-back nightlife where you can have a quiet cocktail at the seafront bars. The place hasn’t taken a vow of silence, though – the tavernas like to kick up their heels with a bit of Greek dancing. And if you do want the clubs, Kos Town is just on the doorstep.

Time it right and you can wade over to this little islet from Kefalos Beach. Reason being, Kastri is connected to Kos proper by a sandbank, so at low tide, you can wade out through the water over to it. When you get there, turn 180 degrees on yourself to take in the fantastic view of Kefalos. Plus, there’s a dinky blue-roofed monastery here that’s got ‘photo op’ written all over it.

This pale stretch of sand in Kardamena winds its way along the island’s southeast coast, and is lapped by blue-green waters and framed by rolling hills. There are only a couple of hotels and cafés behind it, so there’s little to disturb you. Look out for turtles padding along the shoreline.

Kos’ busiest beach has everything going on. If you can think of a watersport, you can probably do it here – parasailing, water-skiing, the lot. There’s a whole load of bars and restaurants lining the sand, too. And if you want to slow the tempo a bit, take a boat trip to laid-back Nisyros island.

This south-western sweep in Kefalos has caramel sands and waters so clear, you can look down and see shoals of fish. It’s also the island’s broadest beach, so there’s plenty of space. Better still, the whole place is backed by tavernas serving tasty menus of seafood dishes.

Kardamena Beach is as lively as they come. This 3-kilometre-long golden sweep runs parallel to a palm-studded promenade, which is lined with bars, pubs and restaurants serving everything from Greek meze to fish and chips. It’s by far the best beach in Kos for watersports – you’ll find the likes of jet skis and banana boats for hire down by the shore.

If you’re in Kos Town between July and August, make sure you catch the Hippocrates Festival. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, was born in Kos, and this 2-month-long celebration is thrown every year in his honour. It’s centred on cultural events, such as theatre shows and performances from local musicians, and you can join in with things like sculpturing and street dancing, as well.

This white-sand beach in Kos Town waves a sought-after Blue Flag. It’s overlooked by a beach bar, which is popular with locals and holidaymakers thanks to its friendly atmosphere and lively music. Head here at sundown and you’ll often find live bands setting up for the night.

Mount Dikeos is the tallest peak in Kos, reaching 2,766 feet at its summit. It’ll take you around 2 and a half hours to reach the top of it from the village of Zia, but once you’ve finished the climb, you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views over Kos Town and the countryside below. You can even see the shimmering Aegean Sea in the distance.

Legend has it this island was born after a fight between Poseidon and the giant, Polyvotis. Having angered the gods, Polyvotis fled across the Aegean with the sea god hot on his tail. As the story goes, Poseidon broke off a piece of Kos with his trident and threw it at Polyvotis, pinning him down. In doing so, Nisyros was created. The star sight on the island itself? An enormous volcanic crater.

Why do scores of people bother trekking down to a little shingle beach at the bottom of a steep cliff – especially when there’s a golden sweep nearby? Because there’s a reward at the end, in the form of a natural hot spring. Hot bubbles rise up from fissures in the seabed to create a natural Jacuzzi^® right by the shore. Take your jewellery off, though – the sulphur can tarnish it.

Get a snapshot of the island’s past at this museum in Kos Town. The collections pay tribute to the Roman, Hellenistic and Archaic eras, and include ceramics, classical sculptures and statues of ancient Greek gods. One of the star exhibits is a 4^th century BC marble statue of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, who lived and practised on the island.