KOS

A big island, 45kms long by 11kms wide, Kos has some 115kms of coastline – most of which is sandy beach washed by warm clear waters. For the most part it’s a place to kick-back and chill out and simply live like a Greek for a while. That said, the island has history and culture dating back over 5,000 years and was the home of Hippocrates – the father of modern medicine – who had his healing centre, the Asklepion here. You see where he taught and there are Greek and Roman ruins to view.

If you’re not sailing, it’s an easy place to get to. You can fly direct or get the liner down from Athens. Perhaps due to this the main harbour at Kos town, at the north-east corner of the island, has become something of a party place, popular with the young, with bustling clubs and loud music in what is known as ‘Bar Street’. It’s also popular with cyclists.

Elsewhere it’s altogether quieter. Along the north coast you’ll find a choice of moorings with a real Greek ambience in places like Mastihari, Marmari and Tigaki. This is the area to come for authentic fresh fish, ouzo, souvlaki and octopus.

Kos is pretty much at the centre of the Dodecanese. So you have Kalymnos and Leros to the north and Nisiros, Tilos and Rhodes in the south. It’s also an ideal jumping-off point to the amazing town of Bodrum in Turkey.

Our recommendation: If you’re island-hopping cruising in the Dodecanese and looking for a party, you’ll find one in Kos Town. If you want to explore the Dodecanese using the local island ferries it’s a great place to start and end your voyage of exploration.