About Kos
The Beautiful Island of Kos
Kos, the birthplace of Hippocrates the father of medicine, is the third largest island of the Dodecanese archipelago, after Rhodes and Karpathos, It lays between the islands of Nisyros and Kalymnos and is close to the coast of Asia Minor.
A perfect area for holidays, Kos is the greenest and most fertile island of the group and visitors will find it beautiful and attractive, with quiet nooks, appealing mountainous villages, ancient history and a superb variety of beaches.
Kos Town
The town and capital of Kos is situated to the NE of the island. It is not large but its tree lined streets, the profusion of greenery, the long alleys of palm-trees and the bustling and cosmopolitan town create a strong impression.
With many archaeological sites in and around the town, Kos town is the ideal place to explore, There is a great variety of modern tourist shops, bars, coffee shops and restaurants. The harbour is undeniably picturesque with many excursion boats, yachts, cutters and traditional fishing boats.
The Asklepion
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, whose name is known throughout the world, since he was the founder of the first school of medicine, was born in Kos.
After his death (357 BC), the people of Kos built the famous Asklepeion, in honour of the god Asklepios, which operated as a hospital, admitting thousands of patients from all over the Mediterranean and applying the methods of therapy taught by Hippocrates.
Zia
Zia is located high on the side of the highest mountain on Kos, Mount Dikeos. The appeal of the village is the scenery, which is simply breathtaking, but there is quite a brisk shopping trade with the numerous gift shops around. There is an ample supply of Tavernas too, to cater for the visitors and you can experience a stunning and romantic view of the sunset whilst dining on one of the rooftop restaurants.
Pictured left, sunset from Zia Village.
Sea Trips From The Island
There are many sea trips that can be taken from the island. You could take a day trip to Turkey from Kos Town or to the sponge island of Kalymnos from Mastachari. From Kefalos harbour you can visit the volcanic island of Nisyros, with lots to see. Almost in the centre of Nisyros is the Lakki plateau, where you can find the crater of the extinct volcano, Polybates. It is 260 metres in diameter and 30 metres deep with steps leading down to its centre. The reek of sulphur fills the surrounding air, while the scenery could belong to the moon.
