Kos, Dodecanese: Island Guide, Beaches & Hotels
Kos is the third-largest island of the Dodecanese in Greece, 45 kilometres long and about 8 kilometres wide, with sandy beaches, an international airport and the ancient Asklepieion. It lies off the Turkish coast, north-west of Rhodes and south-east of Samos, and its many ferry links make it a good base for island-hopping, its flat north good for cycling and its bars and beaches popular with younger visitors.
- Sea
- Aegean ยท Dodecanese
- Length
- ~45 km
- Width
- ~8 km
- Rank
- 3rd in Dodecanese
The island of Kos
Kos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea and the third-largest of the Dodecanese, with both fertile plains and barren mountains and the best water supply of any island in the group. It has an international airport that receives many charter flights, and tourism is its main source of income. The island is closely tied to Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine" born here, and to Asklepios, the god of healing: the tree of Hippocrates stands in the capital, a Hippocratic museum is dedicated to him, and Roman remains lie in and around Kos Town. Larger settlements include Kos Town, Kefalos, Kardamena, Tigaki, Antimachia, Mastihari and Marmari, with the mountain village of Zia among the smaller ones. Kos is a lively, busy island that can feel packed in high season, so it rewards travellers who seek out its quieter corners.
Kos Town
Kos Town lies on the north-east coast, looking across to the Turkish mainland, and is the tourist and cultural centre of the island. A 14th-century castle built in 1315 by the Knights of St John of Rhodes stands by the port, and an old marketplace, the agora, sits in the centre. Much of the town was rebuilt in an Italian style after the 1933 earthquake, with wide boulevards, ruin-topped hills and a largely pedestrian centre. The coastline from Lambi through Kos Town to Agios Fokas is a hotel strip backed by good sand beaches, and the flat north of the island is popular for cycling.
Villages & beaches of Kos
Kardamena is one of the island's major resorts, a mostly modern place of hotels, tavernas and discos with a crowded beach and an excursion harbour; 3 kilometres west lies Tropical or Natural Beach, the island's only official nudist beach. Mastihari, the largest village on the north coast, has a good sand beach and is quieter, while Tigaki offers a very large beach popular with windsurfers. The best beaches lie near Kefalos, the ancient capital 45 kilometres from Kos Town, where the coast is quieter and more unspoilt: Kamari has the largest beach, and Magic (Polemi), Sunny (Psilos Gremos), Markos, Paradise and Camel beaches string along the road from the airport, several keeping room for naturists. For the full list see the Kos beaches guide.
History & the Asklepieion
Kos was first settled by the Karians and taken by the Dorians in the 11th century BC, later joining the Delian League; Kos Town was founded in 366 BC. In antiquity the island was famous for its Asklepieion, one of the greatest sanctuaries in Greece, set on a hillside 4 kilometres west of Kos Town and dedicated to Asklepios, god of healing. It was the leading medical sanctuary of the Greek world and a masterpiece of Hellenistic architecture. Hippocrates (460–357 BC), the "Father of Medicine", was born on Kos and ran his school here. Though an important centre, Kos was never large enough to stand alone and relied for protection on Egypt, Rome and Rhodes.
Getting to Kos
Kos has an international airport with regular summer flights from several countries, served by carriers such as Aegean Airlines. By sea it has good links with Piraeus on the mainland and with many islands of the Dodecanese and beyond, including Leros, Patmos, Kalymnos, Nissiros and Rhodes, with boats leaving from Kos Town, Kardamena, Mastihari and Kamari. In high season it is worth booking a superfast-ferry ticket ahead.
Where to stay on Kos
Most hotels line the coast around Kos Town, Kardamena, Tigaki and Kefalos. See the full choice of hotels, apartments and studios on the Kos hotels page.