General Information & Reviews
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Reviews
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Irvin furrow 14 Jun 2024Kos? Never again!I’ve been to Kos several times but never again. I made a hotel reservation for my family if 5 in an executive suite at Platanista hotel. What a dump. Upon check in the rate went from 500 euro a night to 900. This was a special trip so I agreed. Then the A/C failed at 3 pm in a very hot day mid June 2024. No new room offered till midnight, too late for exhausted kids who had already found a way to sleep in the heat. Tried to go to the prepaid dinner but was rejected because I hadn’t pack trousers. Asked for refund for the unavailable dinner but that was refused. Manager asks me “why am I making a big deal”. He apparently sees no issue with charging but not delivering. My car rental was 200 euro for 1.5 days.
Just not a place I will ever return to. -
lauris4747 26 Dec 2016Great Island to exploreI would recommend to stay in Kefalos side of island as it is less crowded, and there are more wild things to explore. The island itself is big in size and lots to explore if you don't follow what the official guides advice to visit. Locals also will not say some interesting things about island. I recommend to rent a bike and go exploring, getting lost to see most interesting things as boat/shipwrecks, WWII tanks etc.
Here is one of videos I made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMqONXwkP3U
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rmnsonia 07 May 2012Best for my familyWe will leave this island in 2 days and I must say it gave us more than we expected! My husband and I and our 2 boys agreed to come back later this summer. It was not enough. The beaches, warm evenings, amazing food and nice places to visit.
The most I am happy for my kids, they will not remember only the hotel's pool this time. Accidentaly we found an amazing souvenir for them, an illustrated story about Kos Island, literature + real places and facts, wow. I never saw such a personalised souvenir. Defintely the one who wrote it loves this place.
Go in the icecream corner, I dont know its name but they have the best ice cream in the Town, it has many 3D figurines outside. I saw the souvenir book also inside the Agora building-facing the museum. At one of the cashiers. A must have!
Enjoy your holidays everyone! -
berayd 12 Mar 2012Nice holiday experienceIt was three years ago, late July, when we visited Kos. I clearly remember that day was so hot, we were so tired from the trip, we could barely move. We stayed in Kos Town, a nice apartment in the new town, close to the port. In the beaches and the clubs of Kos, we met some really nice people. In the taverns, we ate the best food. We mostly used the bus, but we also rented a car for two days to go where no bus goes. If you rent in advance and not in the agency, you will find better prices. Roads were good but narrow, as you go to the centre of the island you get beautiful views to the sea.
From most places in Kos I truly loved Zia. This is a small mountainous village with breathtaking view to the sea. I definitely recommend eating at Oromedon in Zia, a traditional tavern with wonderful setting and gorgeous sunset view. The beaches were great, I mostly enjoyed Kefalos and Paradise. Both have very clean water. Kardamena was also a nice place, but mostly for the nights. The beach was very busy. In general, Kos was lovely, much better than I thought. At the town center, you will find plenty of local shops and bars.
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marylo77 07 Nov 2011With plenty of attractionsWe stayed in Lambi for more than a week. I was so happy that we visited this place, it was absolutely fantastic, quiet and relaxed. We found the most beautiful beaches including Kefalos, the water was just amazing, very cold and crystalline, you could see the seabed very clearly. It is not so far away from Lambi, we drove about 20 minutes but I really enjoyed this place it was serene with a few loungers and wild rock formations on either sides. There is a nice cafe as well. The main beach of Lambi was crowded with pebbles all the staff in the cafe just opposite the beach.
There are many things to do in Kos. The town is worth many visits, a walk to the ancient agora, the castle ruins and the tree of Hippocrates. The funny thing was that the day we visited the castle, it was very, very hot and I could barely walk but it was a great experience, indeed. You will also see plenty of Roman sites and some beautiful taverns to eat. We also made a trip to Bodrum, boats depart daily from Town and in about 45 minutes you are in Turkey. We did some great shopping and the food was tasty.
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nap2win 24 Feb 2011Apartment in Kos TownWe stayed at the Ambavris appartments last may 2010 just outside kos town our 3rd time there ! George and the family are really brilliant hosts! The small complex is basic but very clean, nice bar and pool and set in lovely countryside. The family do a Greek night every week really good food and the whole family entertain you with Greek dancing! Pool bar is open till the last man standing! So great to come back after a meal out in Kos Town and relax with a night cap or 2 ! we're going back on may 18th 2011 can't wait ! would recomend the ambavris appartments to familys with or without children, allways a welcome whoever you are !
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george87 08 Feb 2011Super destination for familiesLast summer had the pleasure to visit Kos, one of the most favorite destinations in Greece. The island was so crowded in the middle of August, that we were lucky to find a taxi to get us to the hotel. We stayed in Mastihari, a lovely beach where the atmosphere is more calm and relaxing. We loved it. While our stroll around the beach, we would pass small shops and had delicious meals. We also rented a car for three days and toured the island. The most favorite beach we visited was Lambi. The cold water was very refreshing but still cold!!! Another popular beach of Kos is Paradise, full of deckchairs, many water sports and the right place for families with children. Kefalos beach and Thermes were nice and easy to reach. Kos has plenty of ancient monuments to see, especially in Kos Town. If you go by car in the town, have patience with parking seats and be prepared to squize the car wherever you can.
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ljilaserb 22 Jun 2010Wonderful diverse landscapeI found Kos to be a fascinating town of archeological sites, a bustling harbor, minarets, a knight's castle, and a diverse landscape of fine beaches, coastal plains and majestic mountains. Although a bit touristy, the place was well worth a visit and particularly so if you can travel to the interior, which is yet to catch up with mass tourism. We didn't visit the town beaches. Personally, I am not too fond of "beach chairs and umbrellas". I prefer the remote beaches even if the facilities are a bit primitive. I poured over tourist guides and picked out a few beaches that are way off the tourist radar.
After a few days of touring the calm beaches, we travelled to the Dikeos mountain range on the southeast coast of Kos. The area is covered in pine trees and the villages there are far removed from the effects of package tourism. We could see that the people there still retained their traditional ways of life and agriculture was their main activity. We visited the ruins of the medieval village of Pyli near the village of Asfendiou. The picturesque villages were dotted with whitewashed houses and gardens and historical churches. We ate spit-roasted goat, a traditional Sunday dish in one of the tavernas there. It was amazing, especially with the locally produced Raki. The Greek mezedes served up at Kos taverns were good, too. We also picked up some thyme honey, spices, wine and olive oil from a small shop in the village. Turned out to be the purest and best stuff I have ever had. If you have the time (unfortunately we didn't), you must take a trip to Bodrum in Turkey on the hydrofoil.
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ugosbisa 07 Mar 2010A place to liveI've been several time in Kos. First one was in 2003: I went there with my mother who had lived in Kos until 1950 with her family then moved to Italy and never went back to her roots. It was a great emotion for all of us because she visited again her house, met family friends and thing like those. My grandad had the main farm of the island and so quite all Kos families had at least on relative who had worked for him. And everybody remebered him with love and gratitude even if he was italian and not Greek. He saved a lot of people from the Nazi madness.
Last summer we decided to buy a small house in Kos town, in the Agios Nektarios area and I hope to spend there the rest of my life as I'll finish with my job. And maybe to buy there a bar or a small restaurant, who knows. But I can say that, from the first time I visited the island, it entered in my soul.
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barbon 02 Mar 2010Avoid all included packagesSeaside villages, amazing beaches, huge castle in the port and picturesque landscapes. These were my impressions from this big island of the Dodecanese. Kos Town is very beautiful but it is always busy, so we prefered the calm resorts on the south. Mastihari was our base and from there we made excursions all over Kos.
The temple of Asklepios was surely the most impressive site and as a doctor I felt happy to be there and honor the "father of medicine". The atmopshere was very relaxing in Kos, even in mid-summer. There were surely packed places but there were also many calm places to go. We found them as driving around and these were the most special monents of our trip.
People are nice in Kos, but not as friendly as in other islands (like Naxos or Milos). Probably the big tourism has affected and made them more stressful. Do not go for all included packages. Prefer the small taverns and the beaches. Hotels are good for the night, in the day get around and see the island.
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agelikoni 23 Nov 2009Make your holidays specialA long 10-hour trip will get you to Kos. The trip is nice but after the first 4-5 hours, it was getting tiring. We didn't have a cabin and as it was night, we couldn't even see the islands passing by. I advice you to take the day ferry, the trip will be more enjoyable.
Kosis the island of contrasts. As it is so big, it has places for evey choice. If you want to party, get drunk and have fun with masses of tourists, then Kos town and Kardamena is what you are looking for. Be prepared for drunk and uncontrollable tourists though. Many people have made complaints about this area, but as I know, nothing has changed.
If you are not looking for that kind of holidays, just go north, visit the small villages and the long beaches. You can even ask the locals for more quiet and less crowdy places. Asking people around, we found Pyli, a beautiful traditional village in the fields.
Choose a hotel by the beach and rent a car for three or four days to make trips around the island. Antimachia is a nice village and it has a great castle. From Kardamena, take the boaot to Nisyros to see the volcano and from Kos Town take the boat to Kalymnos. Both these islands are so worth visiting and it will make your holidays special.
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cop2tor 03 Sep 2009Gaia Gardens HotelMy family and I spent three of the most glorious weeks at the Gaia Gardens Hotel on Kos. The staff are heavenly. The accommdations wonderful! The food divine. The island of Kos is a paradise for sun worshippers. The locals are friendly and anxious to help. The cruises offered are fun and reasonably priced. This is my 3rd time on Kos and my first at Gaia Gardens. I will return!! If you want the perfect vacation, KOS IS THE ANSWER!!!!
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tomebogd 25 Aug 2009Enjoy the laidback atmosphereWe stayed in Mastichari Beach in Kos for two weeks last July. It was my first time on the island and I saw with surprise that there were both organized and non-organized areas in Kos. We rented a scooter for four days to see the island and spent the rest of the days in Mastichari to relax and swim. I love this laid-back atmosphere in all Greek islands and this is usually what we do: we swim and sleep a lot and enjoy the warm sun. We miss this attitude back home, where the sun is rare to see in winter. Mastichari is a nice beach, partly organized and sometimes crowded. It has some clubs to rent windsurfing equipment and nice taverns aside. Plenty of hotels in the area and mini markets. The rest of the island is nice and easy to cross by scooter. Kardamena has lovely bars and Kos generally has interesting historical sites to see. The Castles of Kos and Antimachia and the ancient site of Asklepius are enjoybale excursions. Do not miss them. All around the island, you will find beautiful beaches to swim.
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edward56 26 Jul 2009I missed some greeneryWe came to enjoy the sun and beaches and got what we came for. Beautiful nature. Kos were a nice place to stay with children. We stayed in Tigaki and the beach was wonderful. We also went to Lipsi and Patmos and the boat system from Koswas functional and easy to use. We would have wished for more conection with the islands of the Cyclades, but it had excellent connection to Dodecanese. We would also like to go to Rhodes for one day or two but we had no time in the end.
All beaches on Kos are wonderful. We had discovered a small cove close to our hotel and usually went there. We didn't do any watersports because our children were very young, but there are many in the beaches, especially in the south. The only bad place was Kardamena, lots of bars and uncontrolled British tourists. You should have policemen on patrols to control these tourists and get penalties, otherwise the situation will not get improved.
Bus services is good in Kos, although we rented a car for three days to go where the bus doesn't go and see monuments and small villages. I wished the island was a little more green, I missed some greenery. I don't know if it is because of the landscape or if you should plant some trees.
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jessla 16 Jun 2009More traditional than I imaginedI have visited many Greek islands before and have never been dissappointed. Kos seemed attractive due to its history and its beaches. In fact, it is far quieter and more traditional than I had imagined. There is an impression that it will be overrun by tourists, but truly there are many quiet places surviving still, especially in thr northern side (Marmari, Mastichari, Lambi). Antimachia was also very traditional and I liked its Castle. This is the village the closest to the airport. If you want good beaches, try the northern side. Drive along it and you will discover many lovely and clean coves. Do not trust the GPS for directions, ask the locals, you will save time and money of gas. The ancient site of Asklepieon was very dissappointing for such an important historical place, mainly due to the lack of infomation available. This is a common feature in many archaeological sites actually. The problem is that they don't have adequate information and that they close early. You should fix that.
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ceriw 22 Apr 2009Busy taverns have bad foodUnfortunately the offered food was mainly low quality. The harbour area in KOS is overloaded with tourist and also with restaurants. So the restaurants mainly make quick and low quality food. The "fresh" seafood was made from frozen product and had no taste. To get some really nice taverns, try those in small and remote beaches. Prefer any other month except from August and July, because things are too crowded and stressy that time.
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ilknur 10 Feb 2009Try some cyclingKos island is small but beautiful and clean. I live very close to Kos, in Turkey, in a town called Bodrum. Me and my family usually visit Kos every summer. We stay in Hotel Astron, where staff is very kind. We all Turkish families have good impressions about Greek hospitality. Using bicycle around the island is very exciting. My son has many good impressions from cycling in Kos. You will see nice landscapes and the fresh sea breeze will come against your face. Just beware of the cars, as some people run a lot.
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peletn 12 Dec 2008Idyllic islandA friend had told us about the island and since 1999 we go there every year. The island is gorgeous and has everything you can ask for. Our best area is Kefalos, especially its beaches are magnificent. The food was also great, typical Greek food of high quality products. We found nice restaurants by the sea, but unfortunately most of them were without clients. We agree the sorrow of their owners. We think that many of these taverns will be closed next year. Maybe hotels with "all included" are the reason. Small business will be destroyed and that's a pity. The only bad thing is the airport: chaos, overcrowded, this year it took us 1 and 1/2 hour to check in.
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tessydat 15 Nov 2008Excellent beachesKos is a beautiful island with excellent beaches. That's the top of the island. On the other side, there might be some things to spoil your vacations. For example, we were 1 hour delayed at the airport of Kos to check out. It was a mess there, too overcrowded and many people yelling. Also, I noticed that in some taverns the price between the menu list and the actual bill was slightly different. Be careful of that! Otherwise, the island is really nice. Rent a car to see all of the villages, the beaches and the sights. Best beaches Thermes and Paradise. Avoid Kardamena area, the British tourists have spoiled the picturesque atmosphere.
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bandm.osborne1 22 Sep 2008Kos hospitalityWe have recently returned from two very enjoyable weeks at Yiannis Apartments in Mastihari. We booked on the internet with Daphne who runs the Mastihari Uncovered website which contains a wealth of information for the independent traveller. It is well worth looking at! The apartments were well-equipped by Greek standards, spacious and very clean. Daphne, who has lived in Mastihari for the past 15 years, was on hand for any help, advice or recommendations at no cost whatsoever. If you want a really Greek resort mingling with lots of locals, a beautiful beach, an excellent bus service to other parts of the island, friendly tavernas serving good, reasonably-priced food, no discos or loud music blaring out then Mastihari could well be for you.
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tonyainsworth 07 Mar 2008The island of dreamsI have been to Kos many times and I enjoy because of the local people, they all seem so nice and helpful.
I always stay in Kos Town at The Captains Hotel and my local restaurant is The Caravan Restaurant in Amerikis Street. An enjoyable day out can be had visiting the Islands of Pserimos, Kalymnos & Platti on board the sailing boat KATERINA with George and his family. I am looking forward to my next visit in May. -
henrix52 12 Feb 2008Looking for some good musicI have been to Kos several times but never found any good places to chill out and listen to good music..until last year. In Tigaki (15 min. by bus from Kos town) there is a small bar called the Red House Rock'n'Blues Bar,english owned.
Mostly people in their 40's and 50's go there. They play a lot of old rock stuff and blues,- and it's not to loud. Every night there is live music. People on holiday join the owner at some really good jams. I belive it has become a spot for musicians from all over Europe. Happy that I found it ! Try it out and check the web site:www.redhouse-bar.com
Henrik Wiers Oslo Norway -
padriac36 14 Jul 2007Got married in KosI think Kos is a beautiful island not to busy but not too quiet, just the ideal holiday resort. As for the restaurants, the greek food is excellent and especailly love the greek salad
I would recommend Kefalos as a nice relaxing holiday resort and the hotel we stayed at was so warm and friendly, so much so I got married in Kos last year and the hotel staff could not have done any more for me and my new wife they were great.
I wouldnt change anything, I think it is lovely just the way it is, not too commercialized, except Kos town, that is the most liveliest. -
Chris_D 15 May 2007Friendly and welcoming IslandHello I'm British 48 years old, and until now, I've visited up to 10 countries. The last one I've been to was Greece, on the island of Kos. I arrived on the island by plane with the Excel Airways. The trip was good with some delays. Outward delay only, it was needed to coincide with landing slots at Kos
The reasons I visited Kos, is that I have friends in Mastihari village.
In my opinion Kos has something for everyone. It is generally friendly and welcoming. We very much enjoy the ambience and laid back atmosphere of Mastihari village. We visited Kos first in 2003, when we discovered Mastihari. We have traveled extensively throughout the island and like the way it caters for most tastes - some resorts specialize in night life, others are beach centric. It is still possible to find glimpses of "genuine" Greek life.
Our favorite beach was Mastihari because theres always space. We also enjoyed a lot Pyli village because the mountains are picturesque.
Also the best activity was seeing the Asklepio and Hippocrates.
We think that the Antimachea Local Authority could make arrangements to clear beaches of debris and seaweed regularly throughout the season.
A tip Id give to future visitors, is that Mastihari is for a laid back holiday. No loud discos or nightlife. No tattoo parlors. For people that enjoy civilized, genteel pastimes - reading, eating, talking and learning the language.
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kzar99 28 Mar 2007Definitely would like to come backNationality: Norwegian
Age: 53
Countries visited: 10-15
The Trip: I arrived on the island by plane with the Ving and (plane-company My Travel). The trip was very good with no delays
Reasons for going to Kos: Discovered on the Internet, we liked what we found on the internet about the island and recommended by friends - not really recommended from colleges from my job, but they had been there.
More: This was an autumn-holiday, and it was not so many alternatives to choose from.
Any Idea about Kos before arriving: It seemed to be a nice and beautiful little island. Perfect for us. Not to much traffic.
Was there anything about the island of Kos:
We can absolutely say that Kos is an island we like to return to
Recommendations for future visitors:
One of the things that you must do is rent a car so you can see the island at your own pace. -
Helen_May 14 Mar 2007The locals are very friendlyNationality: British
Age: 51
Countries visited: 5-10
The Trip: I arrived on the island by plane with the Thompson fly. The trip was good with delays. Unfortunately landed in a very bad storm
Reasons for going to Kos: Visited Kos twice before, and I really enjoyed the Great beaches, lots of sunshine, very friendly local people and fantastic food.
Favorite things about the island of Kos:
- Best Beaches: Paradise, Kamara Bay - Kefalos
- Best villages: Pyli and the mountains are picturesque
- Best Activity: Cycling, wind surfing & walking
- Best Bar/Pub/Club: All good Friendly people
Negative opinion about the island of Kos
There seemed to be more litter around in the resort since my visit last year, although I appreciate this may be due to tourism. I feel the Island could benefit from a more frequent bus service from Kefalos into Kos town
Recommendations:
Kefalos is a charming, laid-back resort which has many tavernas, restaurants & bars to choose from - although the resort is not as lively as other parts of Kos. It has it's own village, which overlooks the bay. The best part of the beach in Kefalos is near the wind surfing (by the ruins), where the beach is sandy with shallow waters - great for swimming. The locals in Kefalos are lovely - very friendly & helpful. I noticed that there are lots of people who visit this part of the island many times. Kos town is best for shopping. -
L_Wallace 06 Nov 2006Take the road less traveledNationality: American
Age: 36
Countries visited: 1-5
The Trip: I arrived on the island by Plane with Olympic Airlines. The trip was very good with no delays.
Reasons for going to Kos: Discovered on the Internet and I have always been interested in Greece
Idea before arriving: I researched the area on the internet. There are many beautiful islands in Greece and many interesting cities on the mainland. I was interested in a small island because I was traveling alone with my young daughter. I wanted to feel safe. I wanted to see the landscape and the archeological sites, but I knew that my 11 year old daughter would enjoy water activities. Kos had the best of both worlds and we were extremely happy with our choice!
Negative opinion about the island:
Wonderful island, I loved it!! Everyone was friendly and we felt very safe!
Recommendations for future visitors
Rent a 4-wheeler or dune buggy to see the entire island, don't be afraid to take the road less traveled. it's a small island, you'll make it back to where you need to be eventually, and you will see many interesting and beautiful things along the way!!
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catsakeris 03 Aug 2006Friendly and helpful local people
Nationality: American
Countries visited: >1-5
The trip: I got to the island by plane with Olympic. Though Olympic cancelled our original flight without warning; rescheduling was chaotic.
Reasons for going to Kos: My Grandmother is from Kos; my other 3 grandparents are from Lesvos. We visited both islands to learn more about their homelands.
Expectations and opinions: From our online searches, we were able to imagine some of the physical features on Kos; however, we could not have imagined the friendly and helpful people we met during our visit. It was wonderful to experience real Greek hospitality.
- Island/area: 10/10
- Landscapes: 10/10
- Tree Covered: 8/10
- Beaches & waters: 8/10
- Cleanliness: 8/10
- Villages: 10/10
- Main Town: 8/10
- Food/ restaurants: 10/10
- Nightlife: 8/10
- Local people: 10/10
- Accommodation: 10/10
- Activities: 10/10
- Prices: 8/10
- Public Transportations: 8/10.
- Authenticity 8/10
- Peace & quiet 8/10
- Weather 9/10
Best Villages: Zia
Best Activity: Meeting local people, sightseeing
Best restaurant: Mike?s Taverna
Recommendations: Take a boat excursion to another island or Turkey while you stay on Kos. I regret that we didn't include a trip to Turkey in our plans this time.
Rate of the overall quality/organization/services of this island/area in comparison with other countries: 9/10.
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laurraine 13 Oct 2005Great place for adults and childrenNationality: British
Age: 41
The trip: I arrived on Kos Island by air. The trip was good.
Reasons for going to Kos: From the brochures. The island sounded a nice place to visit.
Idea before arriving: That it would be very beautiful.
Expectations and opinions: It met my expectations in every way. It is a very beautiful island and there is plenty to occupy both adults and children. The people are very friendly too.
Favorite thing about Kos: The weather. I enjoyed beeing under the sun all day and eating and drinking out.
Negative opinion: No negative opinion.
Recommendations: Just enjoy the island, its food , its friendly people and the good nightlife.
I would love to go to Kos Island again. Or maybe on other destination of Greece. -
totem62 03 Oct 2005Green and touristyI went to Kos last summer, in August and I found it very green and very touristy.
It had a lot of very beautiful sandy beaches but most of them were crowded; but we rented a car and found some small bays which were calmer and quite peaceful.
The very positive point about Kos is its greenness which, combined to the azure of the sea, its creating a wonderful scenery.
But I think that next year I will choose a less touristy island of Greece such as Astypalaia or Karpathos. -
gouveia 25 Sep 2005Hidden beautyMaybe, like me, you will first find that Kos is not very attractive and lacks of authenticity in comparaison to other islands of the Dodecanese.
But if you are patient and curious you will soon discover that it is an island full of attractive and lovely spots. The verdant landscapes, the picturesque mountain villages, the wonderful beaches of various sizes and colours and the quite nooks will charm you.
We stayed a few days at the capital which is very lively and has a beautiful (pedestrian) historic centre with medieval architecture. The town is full of cafes, bars and night-clubs and becomes a hot spot at nights. Then we rented a room at the attractive Asfendiou and we took refreshing swims in the wonderful crystalline waters and sunbathed on soft golden sand. It was relaxing and revivifying?exactly what I needed.
Loved Greece -
dnorris 20 Aug 2005Nightlife- Bar StreetFor nightlife in Kos town head to Heart Rock in bar street. In my opinion this is far & away the best bar in Kos. The service is quick, the staff hot, the music pumpin & the atmosphere is electric! The best night of my holiday/year.
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babs 27 Jul 2005Kos: The greenest island of the DodecaneseThe thing I liked about Kos is its greenery.
I already went to Patmos, to Kalymnos and to Rhodes and I found that Kos is the greenest island of the group (the Dodecanese).
At first sight I didn?t really liked the island because its port and some parts of it have to many bars, cafes and huge hotel complexes, but after a while I discovered the charm of Kos and it beauty.
I found some appealing villages and a lot of very attractive beaches. Because it is quite popular the best period to visit Kos is in June or in September. And from there you can visit other islands from the Dodecanese. Have a good time.