Kos is one of the closest islands to Turkey, accessible from Bodrum or Turgutreis by ferry. Although its history has passed through earthquakes and different administrations, it was an island route where we could find the peace we were looking for in a Greek island, cool off on beautiful beaches and eat good food. Let’s take a look at these food and beverage stops together. We round up our favorite taverns and places in different parts of the island.
In this list you can find some of our favorite good restaurants and places that are unique to the neighborhood:
Restaurants:
Breakfast/Cafe:
Bar:
Things on our list that we could not try on this trip:
🐟 Hunt for good seafood in one of the tavernas near the port. Barbouni, Nick the Fisherman or Yorgo are the favorites.
🏰 Enjoy the harbor and the view from the top of Neratzia Castle.
🍁 See the plane tree under which Hippocrates taught his students and Gazi Hasan Pasha Mosque.
🦦 Take a dip in the sea and cool off among the ruins in Agios Stefanos.
🏡 Visit the 100-year-old Ktima Marangos – The Traditional House of Kefalos.
🏛Visit Casa Romana and Roman Odeon.
🍷 Tasting at Ampeli Wineyard.
🍹 Sip 🍸 against the sea at Casa Rossa in Kardamaina.
🏯 In Antimachia, visit the windmill, the castle and the chapels inside.
🌅 Soak up the sun in one of the tavernas in Zia.
We did not go to Kalymnos, Nisyros or Leros on this route, so next time! 🤞
We are in Kos, one of the Dodecanese islands, second only to Rhodes and Karpathos in order of size. Kos is an island of about 37,000 inhabitants. Let’s talk a little bit about what we saw in the center and what can be done, especially for those who are thinking of coming for a day trip;
As we said in our story, Kos (especially the center) is not very beautiful or photogenic compared to other islands, which is why we received so many messages. One of the biggest reasons for this is that in 1933 there was a huge earthquake that shook the island. Afterwards, the Italians played a decisive role in the reconstruction of the island. Some of the buildings that survived that period were also damaged in the 2017 earthquake, including mosques, which are still damaged.
🏛The main buildings and must-sees in the historic center of Kos:
🍽 We will talk about the food and drink recommendations in the center in detail, but let’s list our favorites here:
Lambi Beach is preferable for swimming close to the center, while you can find quieter establishments as you move away from the harbor. 🏛
A little out of the center: Asklipieio, Castle of Marathonomachon
One of the places you can visit a little away from the center is the Ottoman-era village of Platani. Today, the Turkish population living on the island is around 2,000. We didn’t make it, but if you go to Platani, Serif Restaurant 1960 should be on your list as a highly recommended restaurant to eat at.
There is a vineyard 8.5 km from the center, towards the northern coast of the island. If you are looking for a tavern where you can taste local wines, Ampeli Wineyard is recommended.
Our first stop on the island is Kefalos! We said ‘Kos is not a photographic island’, but Kefalos, one of our favorite areas of the island, is catching up with its impressive beaches and sunsets.
Located in the westernmost part of the island and 43km from the center, this settlement is shaped like a peninsula. At the point where the peninsula begins is one of our favorite beaches, Agios Stefanos. You can swim in the sea through the ruins of an ancient basilica. Directly opposite, within swimming distance, is our view of the island of Kastri and the sweet chapel on it. The beach is predominantly sand with small stones and is very pleasant to swim on.
In Kefalos we climb some hills by car, there are ruins like the ancient theater in the vicinity but not in very good condition. After visiting the viewpoints, Agios Mammas and the Chapel of Saint John the Baptist, we reach Agios Theologos. You can swim here and enjoy the sunset at the restaurant famous for its sunset. We have breakfast here and then continue on our way.
Our third stop in the area was Limnionas beach and the restaurant of the same name. It is pleasant, if a little more crowded, for swimming here. We had a lunch break at the restaurant with some squid, scallops and Greek salad. Flavors and service are successful.
In the center of Kefalos you can find most of the things you might need. It is also a good choice for accommodation. If you want to see a 100-year-old traditional Kefalos house on the way before you leave Kefalos and start exploring the rest of the island, Ktima Marangos – Traditional House of Kefalos can be visited for just €1. You can also have lunch in the courtyard of this house, which is protected with all the furniture inside.
For an authentic experience in the Greek Islands, one of the addresses you should look to are the characteristic mountain villages.
We had followed similar routes to discover Greek culture in the islands we had visited before, exploring the village of Avgonyma in Chios, the villages of Ampelos and Manolates in Samos, and Archangelos in Rhodes. The most popular mountain village for Kos is also Zia. With only 200 inhabitants, the village is popular for its impressive sunset views. One of the important points of the island in terms of tourism. In Kos, an island with limited nature and hiking routes, you can visit the Natural Park of Zia in the village of Zia.
The summit of Dikeos, the mountain where the village is located, is a place of worship dedicated to Zeus. In ancient times, sculptors from Kos used to come here to quarry marble, and the mountain was then called Oromedon. It is also the name of the tavern we visited in this village; There are many tavernas in Zia where you can experience traditional cuisine while watching the sunset. We chose Oromedon, which has one of the most beautiful terraces; Since it is a popular place, it is difficult to find a place for sunset hours, reservations are made online. If you can’t find a place, the terrace of Olympia, which we read in different sources, also looked quite impressive.
A classic taverna menu is served at Oromedon. We try Wild Boar and goat meat with turmeric-lemon sauce, as the dishes cooked over a wood fire for a long time are recommended. Main courses average between €10-16. For dessert, we close the day with Oromedon ice creams with tahini sauce. There is also a good wine and cocktail menu. I will add the menu link to the instagram stories. We chose this place with the recommendation of @egeninkarsikiyisi, whom we trusted a lot about Greece and we were not wrong again.
As it is a small village, it doesn’t take much time to explore it all. If you want to relax and have a drink after wandering around until dinner time, you can choose Olive’s Garden.
You can also reach the village of Zia by bus from the center of Kos, but it is difficult to keep time. Therefore, it is useful to rent a car on this route.
We are in Kardamaina, known for its long sandy beaches on the southern coast of the island. Before reaching here, we visited the village of Antimachia and we do not forget to visit the 14th century castle of Antimachia. The castle and the monasteries inside can be visited free of charge.
Kardamaina is a quieter settlement than the center, with plenty of hotels. Nisyros, a volcanic island just south of Kos, is accessible by sea from here.
Just before arriving at the harbor we see various temple ruins around, but unfortunately they are not open to visitors and there is no information.
One of the best things about vacationing in Greece is that you can swim wherever you want. Along the beach you can see people setting up with their chairs and umbrellas, people parking their caravans and cooling off, and businesses with free sun loungers.
We rest in @casarossa.kos, right near the ruins we saw. A cocktail and a sea break.
There are businesses along the coast. Malibu Beach Bar is one of them, it is full of families with children because it has a pool inside 🙂
At the end of the beach is a huge resort, Mitsis Resort & Spa. We unknowingly reach the beach of this hotel in order to try the pizzeria located on the beach side of the hotel. The interesting thing is that nobody asks where are we going. After eating a slice of pizza, we learn that the whole beach belongs to the hotel and they have an all-inclusive service. An unusual situation in Greece is that hotels close the entire beach.
Before leaving Kardamena we try Pelagos Restaurant, one of the restaurants on the beach that was highly recommended to us. We tasted the seafood pasta and fresh fish of the day and left this restaurant happy.
Formerly known as Halicarnassus, once the capital of the region, the Tomb of Mausolus, one of the world’s 7 harks, is here. The artifacts that have survived from that glorious period can still be found in unexpected places, albeit in small numbers. The theater, which has survived to the present day, hosts concerts and watches Bodrum from the hill.
Bodrum is not just about this center, there are settlements & experiences with completely different characters all over the peninsula.
It is often compared to the famous French seaside town of Tropez. It has a similar fate to St. Tropez, which was transformed from a quiet fishing village by Brigitte Bardot’s movie; Rediscovered by celebrities in the 60s and subsequently by local and foreign tourists, Bodrum is no longer a quiet seaside town;
It may seem absurd to compare Bodrum, with its cultural richness and splendor, to a small Greek Island. But there is clearly a big difference in terms of tourism. Every year tourists from all over the world come to the Greek islands.
Prices are compared every year. In Greece, more or less, you see a slight difference between the places you go to. They are generally friendly and sympathetic; No one is afraid that they will treat me badly because I spend little money here.
On the contrary, we have been talking about Turkey for years. In a 2008 article, Vedat Milör mentions that foreign tourists coming to Turkey do not leave the ‘all-inclusive’ vacation sites for fear of being ripped off. So are domestic tourists now.
A bigger problem is planning, cities are growing so unplanned that we now face unavoidable problems. Artificial environments & experiences are created with plants that are tried to be grown where they should not be. At a time when resources are so limited, we are witnessing the slaughter of forests right next to us. In coastal cities that grow so unplanned, traffic, lack of water and ‘a blow to tourism’ are inevitable.
The result, yes they are not on a comparable scale. But in general, the Greek Islands are more preferable with their calmness, peaceful establishments, self-created entertainment elements and people who don’t give up their rights with the Towel Movement.
You can check our Bodrum guide here.
