Just Kos

Another Dodecanese island to be explored, and this one is so far east Aegean it's just 2 kilometres off the coast of Turkey.  Why Kos?  Just 'cos, we keep grinning to each other, and just 'cos it's only a quick 40 minute ferry ride from Kalymnos.  Interestingly, the Greek spell it Cos and people from Cos are called Coans.

Kos town is cosmopolitan (get it? last one, promise) and commercialised. It's large and packed with holiday makers, a very popular destination with Brits, it appears.  It's been described as a "Brits Abroard" destination.  Kos's main attractions are its beaches and its rich archaeological history.  We mainly know of Kos as the home of Hippocrates, the father of medicine and we're keen to visit the Sanctuary of Asklepieion,  the ancient site that was a healing centre and medical school, built in the 3rd century BC after Hippocrates death and to continue his teachings.  It's named after Asklepios, son of Apollo and protector of health and medicine.   

We rented a moto-scooter to explore Kos and our first stop was the sanctuary. It is beautifully situated on a green hill of cypress trees, and it is a little bit mind-blowing to walk through the ruins and to think that major contributions to modern medicine began here twenty four centuries ago, and that the Hippocratic Oath that sets out the ethics of medical practice still used today and as I walked around in awe thinking of the links between this ancient place then, and now. 

The Asklepios is three extensive terraced levels, and each level had a different function.  The first level was a healing sanctuary and housed treatment rooms, consultation rooms, a fountain, and later Roman-era healing baths of varying temperatures.  Up a marble staircase and there are the remains of the 4th century BC Temple of Asclepius, and restored columns of the Temple of Apollo.  The next impressive staircase and the third level has the remains of the crowning glory - the largest temple, and along each side were rooms for patients and visitors.  A final marble staircase takes us up the the grove of cypress trees dedicated to Apollo, a performance by the chorus of the thrumming of the summer cicadas, and a panoramic view over the sea to Turkey.  

Wandering around ancient ruins is one of our favourite things to do in Greece, and as we scootered around Kos we were delighted to find the Roman Odeon - a marble amphitheatre built during the Roman occupation of Kos in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD - and incredibly only re-discovered in the 20th century during excavations in the area.

A two night stay in Kos was just fine for us, 'too touristy' for our liking, and now we're waiting for our ferry to take us to our next destination, the Cycladic island of Amorgos.  Small, quiet, less-developed Amorgos ... ahhhhh, sounds perfect.

The first level of the Asklepion of Kos

In an arched niche on the first level 
is the 'little temple of Xenophon' 
referring to a Coan physician from the
1st century AD, Gaius Xenophon

Cypress groves surround the Asklepieion

Love wandering around ancient
Greek excavations

We've hardly seen a cloud during this
past summer - but over the past week
 in Kalmynos and Kos when the clouds
appeared the humidity shot up, it's
the first time we've ever experienced
humidity during a Greek summer. Reliably
the Greek summer is hot and dry. Perfect.

Roman Odeon amphitheatre 4th century AD

Marble stairs and the original stage - amazing

Colourful Kos

A wander through old town

Colourful, tourist-loving Kos

Loved these trees lining the streets of Kos

Had some wonderful food at Patrinko taverna.
Stuffed zucchini flowers and dolmades were the
best ever!

                          * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

(Of course there is another reason we knew of Kos. Only a few years ago it was horrific to read media reports and see vision of the plight of, mostly Syrian, refugees arriving on remote beaches of Kos.  I know the asylum seeker crisis in Europe has most recently shifted to the plight of refugees fleeing Ukraine, and while we saw no refugees in Kos, it's an uncomfortable truth that there remains on Kos and neighbouring islands hundreds, probably thousands, of asylum seekers awaiting settlement.)  

Kalymnos and the sponge divers

What a surprise is Kalymnos!  A small rocky outcrop of an island in the Dodecanese near the coast of Turkey.  The island is small, just over 110 sq kms, so I guess we were expecting quiet, perhaps a bit forgotten in time and not as luxurious as some of its better-known neighbours.  Oh, how wrong we were. Over the past weeks as we've travelled around and met Greek people who have asked us about our summer travel destinations, they are at once enthusiastic about some islands - Tinos and Astypalea, for example, and then, well, less enthusiastic about others, Kalymnos for example.  And now that we have arrived on Kalymnos we're really confused about their reaction. The first thing that we noticed as we disembarked the ferry at the Kalymnos port of Pothia (nearing midnight) was the broad, vibrant port promenade lined with ships from simple to uber luxurious, and a kilometre sweep of brightly lit cafes, tavernas, restaurants and shops still full of people enjoying the warm summer's night.  Even at midnight it is easy to see the difference in architecture now that we're in the Dodecanese - gone are the white washed cube homes, the Kalymnos port is distinctive for it more classic shaped peak-front homes of pastel colours and all shades of ochre.

We've rented a traditional town house in the old neighbourhood of Pothia, just steps from the harbour.  It's immaculately restored.  Between the kitchen, living room and bathroom (on the first level) and the bedroom and terrace (on the top level) sits the original and very elegant iron spiral staircase.  It's beautiful and it is also a visual reminder to limit one's evening liquid intake - negotiating the steep, narrow spiral in the sleepy hours looks a little treacherous!  

The neighbourhood is a collection of alleyways, white painted stairs, hidden courtyards with a mixture of restored and unrestored homes.  Common to all are small overhanging balconies with decorative iron railings, and external spiral staircases of all designs and colours.  It's a busy neighbourhood and it's great to watch from our first floor verandahs the goings on below - daily life, kids playings, the noise of 2-stroke scooters always with a safety 'beep' as they round a corner, dogs barking, greetings called, and conversations that sound as if they're happening right next to us.  Our host, Eleni, left us a note; SOS it said, "it is a busy, traditional neighbourhood, the windows have extra sound protection, so when you want to relax, close all the windows and turn on the air-conditioner!" How right you are, Eleni, with the windows opened it really is as if everyone is living in each other's homes.  Eleni, and then her own children, grew up in this home. Her father died last year at 98 years old and was the captain of one of the last sponge diving vessels before the sponge blight ended the industry in the 1980s.

We rented a car and driving around the island it is obvious to see that Kalymnos has enjoyed great prosperity due mainly to its long history as the sponge diving capital of the Mediterranean.  As we leave Pothia and drive into the interior we pass many large and elaborate homes with commanding seas views.  

The road north follows the continuous sheer cliffs of the mountain range that run like a spine through the the island. In recent years Kalymnos has become a paradise for rock climbers from all over the world.  The barren and rocky limestone mountain ranges apparently are full of escarpments, crags, caves and grottos that climbers love to hang off.  Obviously, we're not here for the climbing, our sport is more leisurely - finding the best cafe with the best sea views and breezes, exploring the fishing villages, the most turquoise water to swim in, an afternoon walk, maybe an archaeological site to explore, or a museum and then the exhausting choice of which taverna to choose for dinner.  

It was a beautiful 4 night stay in picturesque Kalymnos, the friendly welcoming locals, the great seafood, the beautiful landscape, and rich history, we loved it all.  We saw something else that we haven't seen much of this summer - clouds - but don't be fooled by those pretty fluffy white clouds though, the humidity had us dripping!

Kalymnos harbour

Dive right in to Kalymnos!

Nike the winged goddess, Pothia harbour

A restored sponge diver boat in Pothia,
Kalymnos's harbour

Vintage Kalymnos

'skafandro' - the sponge diver's suit was 
introduced around 1865 - previously the
divers were naked.

Kalymnian sponges

While walking around our neighbourhood
we saw this large smooth stone bolted to a
pedestal, it's called a 'skandalopetra' and it's
a flat stone weighing about 15kgs that the 
naked sponge divers would tie to themselves
to enable them to sink quickly to the bottom
of the sea.

coastal views

Mirties

Cafe with a view of the tiny neighbouring
island of Telendos

Under a canopy of flowers and trees we
had the loveliest stop along the coast road.

A welcomed shady and cool terrace

The beautiful Drossia cafe, Mirties

Kantouni Beach

Nojito with view

Kantouni 

At Mamouzelos seafood restaurant this
carpaccio with sea urchin was extraordinary!

'our' street in old town Kalymnos

just part of the beautifully restored 
traditional home we rented, steps
from the harbour.

The pastel and ochres of Kalymnos, in
the Dodecanese. So different to their
white-washed Cyclades neighbours,
but equally lovely.

Astypalea - the butterfly island of the Dodecanese

Astypalea is affectionately know as the Aegean Butterfly due to its unique shape.  Just like a butterfly the two 'wings' of the island are joined by only 100m strip of land.  As we arrive on the Blue Star ferry from Ios via Naxos, the view of Chora, with its row of traditional white and red capped windmills high on the ridge, and the whitewashed houses tumbling all the way down to the port is spectacular.  Sitting atop Chora like a crown is the remains of the 13th century fortified Venetian Querini Castle, built on top of what was the island's ancient acropolis. 

Once again we divided our four night stay with two nights in a lovely beachside studio at Livadi beach, and two nights in Chora overlooking the harbour at Hotel Paradissos - a beautiful white hotel straight out of the 1960s.

Livadi is the most fertile part of Astypalea, down a zigzag of hairpin bends to a sandy beach with crystal clear water.  The area behind the beach has fruit orchards, vineyards and plots of kitchen gardens with their rows of green.  Livadi beach is fringed with tamarisk trees that provide shade over the sand and the tavernas and cafes leading on to the sand.  We had no need to leave Livadi for a couple of days - it has everything, and Mouras studios was spacious and comfortable with lush gardens and a shady terrace for our regular Greek breakfast of yoghurt, peaches, walnuts and honey.

We hadn't been able to rent a car despite trying months prior to our arrival, such is the demand during this extra busy summer.  It didn't matter though, innovative Astypalea has a unique system of electric on-demand ride sharing options;  just download the AstyGo app, fill in a few requirements including international drivers licence, and at your fingertips are: AstyBus the on demand mini-bus service; AstyCar, the by-the-hour car sharing; and AstyBike, e-scooters and e-bikes. Amazing!  Also trundling around the windy roads across the island are a few remnant 1E traditional buses.

We took a boat trip to neighbouring and uninhabited islets of Kounoupia and Koutsomitis.  Kounoupia is unique in that it has a narrow strip of land joining two hills that form a double beach - one beach facing the other!  Swim in one body of turquoise water, turn around, walk 50 paces and swim in the opposite body of turquoise water.  Added to this watery serenity is a rustic taverna built with palm fronds and serving fresh salads, seafood, and cocktails.  Stunning really.

Astypalea isn't all swimming and relaxing though, there's some exercise to be done to.  Hiking up to the top of the Chora to Astypalea's Venetian castle looks a little daunting, however the rocky stone alleys and steps that wind up through Chora do so slowly and meanderingly, and there is many a pretty corner to pause and take a breath and a few photographs.  Once up inside the Castle's walls, there is mostly only ruined remains of the stone houses and two blue-domed churches. there is mostly only ruined remains of the stone houses and two remaining towers. The panoramic view from the top is well worth the hike up....and down!

Astypalea crowned with its
castle atop of Chora

Ios - another Cycladic beauty

Ios, our next idyllic Greek island destination, is situated in the heart of the Aegean Sea between its big sisters Santorini to the south and Mykonos, Paros and Naxos to the north.  

Considering its 'party island' reputation, I'm not sure why we chose to visit Ios.  On previous trips we had only ever sailed into the port on a ferry bound for Santorini, however there must have been something in what we saw from the viewing deck of that ferry that made us ignore what we'd heard and want to experience Ios for ourselves.

What we found during our four night stay on Ios was so much more than just a party island.  Ios has stunning Cycladic landscape and architecture, crystal clear waters, beaches a-plenty, prehistoric archaeological excavations, a unique old town Chora with its maze of tiny cobblestone alleys, arches and whitewashed homes that climb up to the highest point - the sparkling white walls and blue dome of Panagia Gremiotissa. It is at this high point of Chora where seemingly thousands of visitors congregate every evening to watch the sun sink spectacularly into the Aegean.  It was 15 August while we were in Ios, the day that all of Greece celebrates their national holiday and the Assumption of Mary.  The church bells rang throughout that day and we could hear the prayers and songs ring out with locals and visitors celebrating high up in Chora.  At our hotel we were offered celebratory cake and sweet almond biscuits prepared especially for this holiest of feast days. 

Apparently, Ios has a permanent population of just 2,000 residents and over the summer months it swells to 75,000+ living on this tiny rock.  So many nightclubs, discos and bars, many of which don't open until midnight, where young 'uns party and dance to the booming music until the sun rises.  And don't forget the beach clubs with cabanas, swimming pools, bars and of course more music.  I think the reason we found Ios such a lovely destination is that half the visiting population are nocturnal - party from night to dawn then sleep from dawn to dusk.  This leaves the other half of the visiting population to explore the island, during the day, swim at the tranquil beaches, and enjoy the tavernas in a relatively uncrowded way.   Not difficult to guess which half of the population we fall into.

With four nights in Ios we split our stay, two nights in Chora and two overlooking Mylopotus Beach. Both were brilliant locations.  Firstly the gorgeous White Loft was both minimalist modern and classically elegant Cycladic architecture.  White cube studios and inside built-in stone furniture, all soft curves and niches. Polished concrete bathroom, painted stone and wood and all this overlooking the sparkling swimming pool to the dazzling white Chora beyond.  We loved it.  Our second location was the stunning but more traditional Hotel Petradi with its commanding position above Mylopotus Beach and panoramic view overlooking the impossibly blue blue Aegean.

When we could tear ourselves away from our accommodation we rented a car and explored the island, visited Homer's tomb, archaeological ruins, the Odysseus Elytis Theatre, wandered through the alleyways of Chora and took a boat to swim in some of Ios's most spectacular and remote beaches.

What a view from the terrace of our
studio at White Loft, Chora

Traditional life

It was oh so hot and we spent a
good amount of time here.

And here :)

The lovely La Buca restaurant

Stunning by night

From our terrace at Hotel Petradi 
overlooking the Aegean and the 
modern art museum, Jean Marie Dro, 
housed in that stunning white
mansion on the edge of the cliff.

Hotel Petradi

Mylopotus Beach

Taverna Drakos - don't miss it.

Daytime party goers!
PS: we're the only people in Europe
who wear sun shirts while swimming!

Blue blue blue

Magganari magic

A little hike to see Homer's tomb

Almost floating over the Aegean is
the open air Odyessus Elytis
amphitheatre, named after the modern
Greek poet and Nobel prize
winner for Literature. 

A real Cycladic beauty.
Tip:  Don't scale the heights of Chora
with the throngs to watch the sunset,
instead head up the hill behind the windmills,
there you will find an even more spectacular
view, and you'll have it all to yourself.

Mesmerised by the view

Mylopotus beach

We decided that it's the children, their parents
and us oldies partying by day and sleeping all
night, and the 20-somethings who party all
night and sleep all day.  Maybe that's why
Ios doesn't seem as crowded as we expected.