Kos is the flattest of Greece's large islands and the only one where you can comfortably cycle around all day — cycle paths run right along the coastline, and rental shops are on every corner. The island was made famous by Hippocrates, who was born here and is said to have taught beneath a plane tree that still stands in the main square of the capital today. The ancient Asklepion above the town was once the largest healing sanctuary in the eastern Mediterranean. Much of the coast is sandy and shallow, making Kos one of the best family destinations in the Aegean. The north is windy and popular with surfers, while the south is calmer and has the prettiest beaches. The season runs from May to October, and the island lies just 4 kilometres from Turkey.
The places worth your time in Kos, and what to expect at each
4 km southwest
An ancient healing sanctuary on 3 terraces on the hillside above the town, the largest of its kind in the eastern Mediterranean. It functioned as a spa, a temple and a medical school in the tradition of Hippocrates. From the top terrace you can see across to the Turkish coast.
Tip: The terraces are linked by a steep staircase with no shade — go right when it opens, since the climb is exhausting by midday.
Kos Town
An imposing 15th-century Knights Hospitaller fortress at the entrance to the harbour, built from stones taken from the dismantled ancient city. Ancient columns and inscriptions are still visible built into the walls. A palm-lined avenue separates it from the town across the former moat.
Tip: A footbridge leads to the castle from the Hippocrates plane tree — combine the two into a single stroll, since they're just 50 metres apart.
Kos Town
A harbour town with an ancient agora set right within the modern streets, a Roman odeon, mosaics and a mosque from the Ottoman period. In the square by the castle grows a plane tree under which Hippocrates is said, by tradition, to have taught; the tree is roughly 500 years old.
Tip: The ancient agora is freely accessible with no fence — you walk among the columns on the way from the harbour to the centre without paying an entry fee.
15 km southwest
A mountain village on the slopes of Mount Dikeos, popular for sunset views over the Aegean. Its lanes are full of shops selling herbs and honey, and on a clear day the taverna terraces look out as far as Kalymnos and the Turkish coast.
Tip: Arrive an hour before sunset and park below the village — there are only a few spaces up top, and leaving after dark means a queue of traffic.
40 km southwest
The westernmost part of the island, home to its prettiest beach: a long stretch of sand with the islet of Kastri rising just offshore, topped by a chapel and the remains of a 5th-century early Christian basilica right on the shore.
Tip: In calm seas you can swim out to the islet in a few minutes, but the rocks near the shore are sharp — water shoes are worth bringing.
12 km west
A 10-kilometre sandy beach on the north coast with shallow water and the Alykes salt lagoon behind it, home to nesting flamingos in summer. It's often windy here, which suits surfers and takes the edge off the heat.
Tip: The lagoon behind the beach is a bird reserve — flamingos are usually present from April to June, and bringing binoculars pays off.
12 km southeast
A pebble beach southeast of the town, where a sulphur spring at 40°C emerges from the rock and flows into a stone pool right in the sea. The mixing of hot spring water and seawater creates a natural spa open around the clock.
Tip: Come early in the morning or after dark — during the day the small pool barely fits 20 people and is often full.
25 km southwest
A 14th-century Knights Hospitaller fortress on an empty plateau, with surviving walls, 2 churches and the coats of arms of grand masters over the gate. Inside are the foundations of a vanished settlement. It's freely accessible and sees almost no visitors.
Tip: Entry is free and unguarded, but the terrain is uneven and full of thorny scrub — sturdy shoes are a good idea here.
boat trip
A neighbouring island with the active Stefanos volcanic crater, which you descend into on foot across the floor of the caldera. Sulphur steam vents from the ground, the rocks are hot to the touch, and the whole caldera feels like another planet.
Tip: Wear sturdy shoes into the crater — the floor is covered in sharp sulphur crystals that will burn through sandals.
Photos: Asklepion — Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Neratzia Castle — Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) · Kos Town and the Hippocrates Plane Tree — Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) · Zia — Asurnipal (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Kefalos and Agios Stefanos beach — Nigelpm at English Wikipedia (Public domain) · Tigaki beach — Asurnipal (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Therma and the hot springs — kallerna (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Antimachia Castle — Asurnipal (CC BY-SA 4.0) · The volcanic island of Nisyros — Mike1979 Russia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking
Best for: first-time visitors and sightseeing
A harbour town with an ancient agora, a castle and the best choice of restaurants. Everything is reachable on foot or by bike, plus there's a town beach. The best base if you don't want to be tied to a hotel and want to take boat trips.
Best for: families and shallow beaches
The north coast, 10–15 kilometres from town, with long sandy beaches and unusually shallow water. Ideal for small children. It tends to be windy, which is a pleasant relief from the summer heat but can also mean bigger waves.
Best for: a livelier holiday and lower prices
A resort on the south coast closest to the airport, with the liveliest nightlife on the island and the lowest accommodation prices. The beach is long and sandy. It's half an hour from town by bus, which runs frequently.
Best for: the prettiest beaches and quiet
The western tip of the island, with the most photogenic beach and a calm atmosphere. It's 40 kilometres from town, so without a car you're reliant on the bus. In return you get the fewest crowds and the best sunsets.
Kos has Hippocrates International Airport, around 25 kilometres southwest of the main town, served in season by charter and scheduled flights from many European cities. Transfers are often included with package stays and take 20–40 minutes depending on the resort. A scheduled bus also runs from the airport to the town and to Kardamena. Kos is also reachable by ferry from Bodrum in Turkey, just 4 kilometres away across the strait.
Kos Hippokratis (KGS) · 25 km
Kos is flat, and the nicest way to get around is by bike — cycle paths run from the town along the entire north coast. For longer distances, KTEL buses serve every resort, though frequency drops off the main routes. The island is 45 kilometres long, so a car or scooter is worth it for Kefalos and the mountain villages. In the town itself a car is more of a burden, since parking is limited.
Useful apps: Moovit, Google Maps
Swimming season runs from June to October, with the sea warmest in August and September at 25–26°C. June and September are the best months: warm but not scorching, and the island isn't overcrowded. In July and August temperatures top 31°C and the meltemi wind blows, whipping up waves on the north coast. From November to April most resorts close and only Kos Town keeps going.
Best time
June and September
What to avoid
November to April, when resorts close
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 15° | 15° | 17° | 20° | 24° | 29° | 31° | 31° | 28° | 24° | 20° | 17° |
| Night | 9° | 9° | 10° | 13° | 17° | 21° | 23° | 24° | 21° | 17° | 14° | 11° |
| Rainy days | 13 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 14 |
| Sea | 17° | 16° | 16° | 18° | 20° | 23° | 25° | 26° | 25° | 23° | 21° | 19° |
The cuisine is classically Aegean: fish, vegetables cooked in olive oil, and cheese. Kos has its own cheese, krasotyri, matured in wine pomace, and grows kalathaki tomatoes with protected designation of origin. At tavernas you order several dishes to share at the centre of the table, and dinner starts after 9pm. In the tourist areas you'll get standard gyros and moussaka; for the real local cooking, head to Zia or the inland villages.
Krasotyri
A local hard cheese matured in wine pomace, slightly sweet with a wine-like aroma. You won't find it anywhere else in Greece.
Pitaridia
Homemade pasta in goat broth with boiled kid meat, a traditional festive dish on the island.
Gyros and souvlaki
Spit-roasted meat in pitta with tzatziki and chips, the cheapest and quickest meal on the island.
Kalathaki tomatoes
Small, sweet tomatoes with protected designation of origin, the backbone of every local salad.
Fresh fish
At harbourside tavernas, fish is chosen and priced by weight; check the price per kilo beforehand.
Souma
A fig or grape spirit similar to raki, served chilled as a digestif after a meal.
Greek coffee or frappé
€3–4
Gyros in pitta
€4–5
Dinner at a taverna
€18–28 per person
0.5 l beer
€4–5
Sun lounger and umbrella
€10–15 for 2 loungers
Bike rental per day
€8
Boat trip to Nisyros
from €35
Night at a 4-star hotel
€90–150
Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.
1 day
2 days
3 days
Nisyros
40 km · 1.5 h by boat
A neighbouring island with an active volcanic crater you can descend into on foot. The white village of Nikia on the caldera's rim is one of the prettiest in the Aegean. The best day trip from Kos.
Bodrum, Turkey
20 km · 20 min by ferry
The Turkish coast is visible from Kos, and the ferry crossing takes 20 minutes. The Castle of St Peter, built by the Knights Hospitaller, and the bazaar are well worth a visit. Don't forget your passport.
Kalymnos
25 km · 1 h by boat
Once an island of sponge divers, today one of the best rock-climbing destinations in Europe, with thousands of bolted routes on limestone cliffs. The harbour town of Pothia is colourful and hasn't been remodelled for tourists.
Yes, it's among the best in the Aegean for families. The beaches in the north are sandy with unusually shallow water, and the island is flat enough to cycle around even with children in tow. Tigaki and Marmari are the most suitable resorts.
Not necessarily. The island is flat, and the north coast is easy to get around by bike on marked cycle paths. KTEL buses run to every resort. A car is only really worth it for Kefalos, Zia and Antimachia, which have infrequent connections.
In August and September, when the sea reaches 25–26°C. Comfortable swimming runs from June to early October. In May the sea is around 20°C, which most people still find on the cool side.
Definitely — it's the most rewarding trip from Kos. The descent into the active Stefanos volcanic crater, where sulphur steam vents from the ground and the rocks are hot to the touch, is unlike anywhere else in Greece. Wear sturdy shoes.
Yes, Bodrum is just a 20-minute ferry ride away, with several sailings a day. You'll need a passport; a national ID card isn't enough. Allow extra time for passport control on both sides.
A sulphur spring at 40°C emerges from the rock right on the pebble beach and flows into a stone pool in the sea. The mixing of the hot spring water and seawater creates a natural spa that's free and open around the clock.
In July and August, yes — the meltemi blows in from the north. It whips up waves on the north coast, which suits surfers and takes the edge off the heat, but for calm swimming with young children the south side of the island is the better choice.
3 days is enough for the island itself, if you want to see the town, the Asklepion, Zia and the western beaches. For a week's beach holiday it's an ideal amount of time, leaving room for a trip to Nisyros and possibly Bodrum.
Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.
Check visa requirementsLanguage
Greek
Currency
EUR
Timezone
Europe/Athens
Dial Code
+30
Population
10.4M
Area
131,957 km²
Voltage
230V / 50Hz
Driving Side
Right
