Ela Nostos

GETTING THERE:
since this group of islands are the furtherest from Athens, we opted to fly with Aegean Air (55min flight).

GETTING AROUND:
Kos is quite a big island, so the options available for our own transport were these weird buggy cars, and ¿bicycles? – quads are not as common. Given this, the price was quite a bit streper than normal – €90 on a ‘discount’ (from €120) needing about €15 of petrol. I do think this is a bit expensive so I would suggest looking at a bus schedule for the furthest destinations.

STAYING THERE:
while scrolling on AirBnB, we found a ‘unique stay’ – a historic windmill in Lambi that had been converted to accommodation. From the airport, this part of town is on the opposite side of the island, but closest to the port. Our taxi cost €40 from the airport, I’m mentioning this because I would factor in where you’re arriving/leaving and the transport cost into the price. note: I will also say that we had only booked 2 of the 5 nights and opted to leave Kos early, instead of book to stay longer. This is a personal preference but I imagine that it’s a great destination for families, surfers, and those wanting to chill at their resorts for most of their stay.

But here are some of my favourite spots from our time in Kos:

Asklepion of Kos

Considered the most significant archaeological site on the island, the ancient healing center got its name from Asklepios, son of Apollo and protector of health and medicine.

Ancient Agora

The remains of the ancient town includes its streets, sanctuaries, a stadium, gymnasium etc.

Tree of Hippocrates

The story goes that it was under this tree (or in that spot) that the founder of medicine, Hippocrates, would teach his students the secrets of healing.

Tigaki Beach

Tigaki and Marmaris are also nice beach hopping spots. The following beach, Troulos, is great for windsurfers/kitesurfers (not shown below).

Paradise Beach

From all the beaches we visited, this one was my favourite (and reminded me of a shorter Fig Tree Bay in Cyrpus). The long white sand beach has plenty of beds/umbrellas, and is a bit more sheltered from the wind than the other stops we made. There are a few bars and plenty free parking too.

Kastri Island

Unfortunately, this was the one place I didn’t get to visit on this trip, but really wanted to. Opposite Agios Stefanos beach, is a small island with a church. From what I was told, the views are stunning and waters are awesome to swim in.

Zia

My favourite part of the stay was visiting Zia for sunset. The inland town is nestled amongst the trees in the mounatins, and overlooks the coastal region and horizon. While you’re here you can walk through the nature reserave or the cobbled streets with stores. Either way, we found a bar called ‘O ПАΛΙОΣ NEPOMYΛΟΣ THΣ ZIAΣ’ – the cocktails were quite affordable and the views were unreal!

Oromedon

If you are able to stay in Zia for dinner, this restaurant was the best foodie experience in Kos. We were lucky enough to find the last two available seats on the terrace by the bar that overlooks the views (apparently / ordinarily need to book). From what we tried, I’d recommend the greek salad, beetroot salad, tzatziki, dolmades, and maybe try one of their local meat dishes.

Thermal Springs

The hot springs are located by Agios Fokas and are a nice alternative while beach hopping.

Symi

When we had booked for a trip to Kos, I had looked up every island around it and became adamant to visit Symi. This tiny Greek island is unlike its Dodecanese neighbours – the colourful geometric houses and that quieter atmosphere are a great way to spend a day/night when hopping between Kos or Rhodes (imo). In our case, we booked a day trip to Symi and Panormitis Monastery.