Description

Kos offers glorious beauty. Besides its overwhelming golden sandy beaches, the island is also sheered in monuments, miscellany from its magnificent past, making it the perfect holiday destination, not only as a option between other Greek Islands but on a international scale. Kos has so many fascinating places that one will notice, such that the visitor's desires are almost enclosed - charming mountainous villages, exceptional touristy infrastructure, fertile backdrop, profuse ground water and marvellous beaches of various sizes and colours. You will find everything relating to tourist amenities, delights and nightlife. Inspite of the profound development of Kos, you must also explore deserted places around the island and a more habitual way of life. The island has another rather more ordinary claim to renown - it's the home of the Kos lettuce which is a memorable sight on supermarkets the globe over. The island of Kos is truly a place to travel around. A handful of interesting museums, galleries and churches can easily fill a couple of days of sightseeing; the island's best clubs, theaters, beaches and some great restaurants will take care of the evenings.

Shopping

This island offers numerous shops selling wide range of products. Jewelleries, tourist shops, leather products, fur shops, handmade and fine art products, designer clothing, shoe shops and many more can be found in this island. In some of the charming villages tourists will find miniature shops offering fine handmade merchandise such as weavings, ceramics and embroideries, as well as shops selling home specialities such as honey, sweets, herbs, spices and wine.

Restaurants

This town offers a wide variety of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Authentic, traditional Greek specialties and international cuisine are served. The recommended restaurants are Petrino Taverna and Platanos Restaurant.

Night Life

Kos offers vibrant nightlife. One will find everything, from habitual Greek nights and hotel nightspot shows to loud Brit bars and techno music detonation till dawn. The streets are packed with bars, pubs, jazz bars, nightclubs, music bars with dance floors that belt out very loud music. Heaven on Akti Zouroudi is one of biggest mightclub, which is popular among tourists.

Activities

The fascinating Kos enjoys a range of activities like beach volleyball, walks, cycling, eco-tours, excursions, sailing, horse riding, swimming, yachting, boating and so on. This is one reason why travellers from across the world choose to holiday in Kos.

Communications

The international access code for Greece is +30. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). The city code for Athens is 21. There are often surcharges on calls made from hotels and it is generally cheaper to use OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation) offices for local and international calls. Calls can also be made from public card phone booths and cards can be bought from kiosks or OTE offices. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Coverage is exceptional. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts and are cheaper than accessing the Internet from hotels.

Contacts

Greek National Tourism Organisation, Athens: +30 210 870 7000 or www.gnto.gr
Greek Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 939 1300.
Greek Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7229 3850.
Greek Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 238 6271.
Greek Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6273 3011.
Greek Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 430 7351.
Greek Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 676 7254.
Greek Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 473 7775.
United States Embassy, Athens: +30 210 721 2951.
British Embassy, Athens: +30 210 727 2600.
Canadian Embassy, Athens: +30 210 727 3400.
Australian Embassy, Athens: +30 210 870 4000.
South African Embassy, Athens: +30 210 610 6645.
Irish Embassy, Athens: +30 210 723 2771.
New Zealand Consulate-General, Athens (also responsible for Greece): +30 210 692 4136.
Emergencies: 100 (Police); 166 (Ambulance), 171 (Tourist Police).

Currency

EUR

Attractions

During your visit to Kos, you must undoubtedly visit the prehistoric relics of the city that are abundant and extraordinary, the ruins of Asklipios, The Castle of the Knights, The huge tree of Hippocrates, The Neratzia Castle and The archaeological museum. Beaches like Kamari, Xrisi Akti, Polemi, Xerokambos, Lagades, and Paradisos are popular among tourists and are worth visiting to enjoy various water sporting activities. One must also not miss the excursions on a daily basis to the close by Dodecanese island of Nisyros. An island that is worthwhile visiting for its exceptional volcanic hollow space.

Language

Greek

Language Description

Greek is the national language, but English is widely spoken.

Tipping

A service charge is often included in the bill at a restaurant. If not, leave between 10 to 15%. For drinks at cafes, round the bill up to the nearest euro. Taxis expect change as do cloak room attendants and porters.