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Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Kos
Κως
Give Kos 3–4 nights: one day for Kos Town's ruins and castle, one for the Asklipieio, one beach day, one for a Bodrum or Nisyros hop.
Kos is the Dodecanese's second-busiest island after Rhodes: flat, cycle-friendly, with a compact town of Greek and Roman ruins, a Knights' castle over the harbour, and long sandy beaches at Tigaki, Mastichari and Kefalos. It suits mixed groups — history in the morning, beach in the afternoon — and it is the easiest Greek island to combine with Turkey, since Bodrum is a 25-minute catamaran away. It is not a quiet island in July and August.
- Country
- Greece
- Local name
- Κως
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–early Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, crowds, peak prices)
- Stay
- 3–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–75 excl. bed · Mid €80–140 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Tourist police 1571 · Coast guard 108
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pita gyros | €2.50–4 |
| Taverna main (moussaka, grilled fish) | €8–16 |
| Coffee (freddo espresso, cappuccino) | €2.50–4.50 |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | €3–5 / €1–2 |
| Scooter rental, one day | €14–25 |
| Taxi from the airport, minimum charge | €15+ |
| Asklipieio or museum entry | €4–8 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KGS · Kos International Airport (Kos Island, Ippokratis)
- About 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Kos Town near Antimachia; KTEL bus to Kos Town via Mastichari, or taxi (airport taxis carry a minimum charge of at least €15).About 16 mi (25 km) southwest of Kos Town near Antimachia; KTEL bus to Kos Town via Mastichari, or taxi (airport taxis carry a minimum charge of at least €15).
Typical fares
- Kos Town → Tigaki, KTEL bus
- about €3, 20–25 min
- Kos Town → airport, KTEL bus
- about €3–4, 30–40 min
- Kos → Bodrum catamaran, foot passenger
- about €23 one way, 25 min
- Mastichari → Kalymnos ferry
- about €6–8, 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
KTEL Kos buses run from Kos Town to the airport, Mastichari, Tigaki, Kardamena and Kefalos on a limited timetable — check the current schedule before you plan a day. Scooters and cars rent widely (scooter from about €14/day in low season, 2026 estimate); roads are mostly asphalted and Kefalos is about 40 minutes from Kos Town by car. Taxis wait at the airport and in Kos Town; short airport hops carry a minimum charge of at least €15. Ferries from Mastichari to Kalymnos run several times a day, and Kardamena–Nisyros ferries run in high season.
See and do
Known for
- Asklipieio (sanctuary of Asklepios)
- Hippocrates and the Tree of Hippocrates
- Neratzia castle and the Avenue of the Palms
- Beaches at Tigaki, Mastichari and Kefalos
- Bodrum day trips by catamaran
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bodrum, Turkey | Catamaran from Kos harbour, foot passengers only | About 25 min crossing plus port formalities |
| Nisyros | Ferry from Kardamena in high season | About 1 h crossing |
| Kalymnos | Ferry from Mastichari, roughly every two hours | About 30 min crossing |
| Kefalos and Cape Krikelos | KTEL bus or rental car from Kos Town | About 40 min by car |
Sleep
- Kos Town (centre and Lambi)
- Walk to the ruins, castle, harbour and ferry quay; Lambi has the nearest beach strip, about 1 km (0.6 mi) north.Walk to the ruins, castle, harbour and ferry quay; Lambi has the nearest beach strip, about 0.6 mi (1 km) north.
- Tigaki
- Sandy beach and shallow water, about 11 km (6.8 mi) west of town; family hotels and tavernas, quieter at night.Sandy beach and shallow water, about 6.8 mi (11 km) west of town; family hotels and tavernas, quieter at night.
- Mastichari
- Northwest village with a sandy beach and the main ferry link to Kalymnos; good for wind and kite conditions.
- Kardamena
- South coast resort by the airport, with the summer ferry to Nisyros; bar-heavy nightlife.
- Kefalos and Kamari
- Quiet southwest end, 40 min by car from Kos Town; several bays and the road to Cape Krikelos.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Γεια σαςYAH sas |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώef-kha-ree-STO |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton lo-gha-ria-SMO, pa-ra-ka-LO |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κάνει;PO-so KA-nee |
| Can I pay by card? | Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα;bo-RO na plee-RO-so me KAR-ta |
| Where is the beach? | Πού είναι η παραλία;poo EE-ne ee pa-ra-LEE-a |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- Neratzia castle has been closed to visitors since the 2017 earthquake — check before you walk up.
- July–August heat and crowds: book beds and ferries ahead, and start sightseeing before 11:00.
- Scooter and ATV rental: check the insurance and wear a helmet; island roads have gravel shoulders.
- Bodrum catamarans land at different points — one operator uses the cruise terminal several km south of the marina, so allow transfer time.
- The Bodrum car ferry has not been running in recent seasons — check before planning to take a vehicle.
Kos is a low-risk island; the real issues are scooter accidents, summer heat and rip currents on windy beach days. Swim near other people, keep valuables out of sight on the beach, and use 112 for anything urgent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kos yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Asklipieio (sanctuary of Asklepios)
- Hippocrates and the Tree of Hippocrates
- Neratzia castle and the Avenue of the Palms
- Beaches at Tigaki, Mastichari and Kefalos
- Bodrum day trips by catamaran
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kos municipality (official): kos.gov.gr
- Kos International Airport (KGS): www.kgs-airport.gr/en/
- Wikivoyage: Kos, revision 5288942 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5288942
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
KosΚως
Σε αυτή τη διεύθυνση, παρακαλώ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies on Kos; the US, UK, Canadian, Australian and Irish missions are in Athens. Consular help for the Dodecanese is handled from Athens or Rhodes — check before you travel.
Ferry and bus times change with the season; confirm the day before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kos). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.