Kos - Dodecanese

Kos, within sight of the Turkish coast, has long sandy beaches and mountain villages, ancient ruins and Venetian castles conveniently located and easy of access, an international airport and, thanks to its relative flatness, great cycling opportunites: everything your average tourist to Greece could want. Therefore, the entire island shows signs of the presence of tourism. Villages that once doubtless oozed with genuine charm now market that commodity in various forms in the "Tourist Shops" between the tavernas offering international fare on menus in various languages in the hopes of being able to please everybody. The beaches are beautiful, all right, but hard to see, in season, under the umbrellas. Because Kos is a large island, you can still find lovely scenery and smaller towns, but the atmosphere is surprisingly uniform, and geared to the package visitor. Not that there aren't some very impressive sights.

Kos was the birthplace of Hippocrates (460-375 B.C.), whose oath still represents a doctor's official entry into the practice of medicine. The island became the site of a major shrine to Asclepius, god of healing, after his death, and its ruins are still imposing. So are those of the ancient city in present-day Kos Town. Classicists may have a field day here but it's better to come during the off season. Home of the Hippocrates, the father of medicine, which is a large island full of contrasts. Rich in history, with many ancient ruins, as well as modern, lively towns, Kos is most enjoyable. Apart from the main, busy harbour, you can also visit Kamares, a more secluded cove.

Kos Town

Kos Town is a busy and crowded port where ancient and modern are jumbled together in a great deal of heat and bustle. The major building on the waterfront is the old Castle of the Knights of St. John, where visitors can roam the remains of parapets and survey the yachts from a cannoneer's vantage point.

Immediately behind the castle is the sprawling piece of plant life dubbed Hippocrates' Plane Tree, propped up with metal supports; if it were a pet, it would be put down. There's no way it can date back to Hippocrates' day, but it may be able to claim five or six centuries. It stands at one end of the Agora, a mishmash of buildings and old mosaic floors from different eras, with bits of column drums built into its walls, and a little Byzantine chapel of much more recent vintage. Also here is an informal center for the feeding and care of stray cats. A delightful introduction to Kos' antiquities is the museum off the main square, Platia Eleftherias ("Freedom Square"), where there's a pleasant roofed market and an old Turkish mosque. One enters a room with a Roman mosaic floor in a recreated Roman villa; on the back wall is a stunningly fine mosaic of fish, shimmering with minute tiles.

The "Old Town" is an accumulation of pedestrian streets lined with tourist shops. Roman ruins are scattered around this: a Hellenistic Temple of Dionysus, the Roman Odeon and a marble Amphitheater. On the other side of the harbor, the town degenerates into a mass of bars and night spots, although Kos Town's beach is broad and sandy - and extremely crowded.

Places to visit

Kardemena - This harbor lies on the SE coast of the island. It used to be a small fishing village but now has become a resort area. It provides good shelter from the meltemi, there is a pier to moor on to but at night due to the nightlife it can get a bit noisy. Fuel, water and provisioning are available.

Limin Kos - A fairly busy harbor as there are small boats that go back and forth from Turkey. During the meltemi it offers good shelter but it does tend to swell up. All facilities are available.

Masthari - This is a small fishing village on the NW coast of Kos. There is a new mole and offers good shelter from the meltemi.

Ormos Kamares - This small bay is located on the South end of the island. It offers good shelter from the meltemi and there is a small mole to moor on to. Water is also available at the mole as well as few tavernas.