Where to stay in Kos
Seven bases on a flat island, the hotels worth booking in each, and how far a rented bike will take you from every one.
The best hotels in Kos, Greece, are spread along a narrow island 45 km long, and apart from one ridge in the east it is flat. That flatness decides more about where to stay on Kos than any hotel does: from the right base you can ride a bike to the beach, the ruins and dinner, and from the wrong one you need a car every day.
The short answer, by the kind of trip
- A first visit
- Kos Town
- By bike from here: Everything. Lambi beach in 10 minutes, Tigaki in 45, on a flat seafront cycle path.
- Families with small children
- Tigaki or Marmari
- By bike from here: Shallow sand at the door, and Kos Town is a flat 45-minute ride along the coast.
- Nightlife
- Kardamena
- By bike from here: The bars and the beach on foot. Anything further is a climb or the main road.
- Couples, adults only
- Lambi or Psalidi
- By bike from here: Kos Town's restaurants in 10 to 15 minutes, home by bike after dinner.
- Island-hopping to Kalymnos
- Mastichari
- By bike from here: The ferry ramp on foot, the airport in 25 minutes. Kos Town is a bus away.
- Quiet, and the best sand
- Kefalos and Kamari
- By bike from here: Very little. Kefalos sits on a headland and every road out of it climbs. Hire a car.
The best areas to stay in Kos, and the hotels in each
Seven areas, from Kos Town at the north-eastern tip to Kefalos at the far south-west. Each has hotels at every level and a beach you can walk to, except the town itself. The line under each name gives the drive from the airport and what a bike gets you there. Our map of Kos shows where each one sits, and the Kos airport guide covers the bus and taxi to each of them.
For a first visit, and for going without a car
Kos Town
Airport 30 min · Everything within a flat bike ride
Kos Town is the only base on the island where you can do everything on foot or on a bike. The harbor, the Castle of Neratzia, the Ancient Agora and the plane tree of Hippocrates sit within a few minutes of each other, the ferries to Bodrum and the other Dodecanese islands leave from the quay, and the evenings run from harbor-front tavernas to the bars of Bar Street. Its weak point is the sand: the town beaches are narrow, so most people ride ten minutes out to Lambi or Psalidi for the day. Stay near the seafront at the eastern end if you want sea views and quiet nights, and a street or two inland if you want the lowest prices.
Photo: Hotels.comLuxuryAlbergo Gelsomino
Seafront, by the harborA restored Italian-era hotel on the seafront road, a few minutes on foot from the plane tree and the castle. The address in town if you want a building with some history rather than a resort.
- Seafront
- Historic building
- Walk to the harbor
Photo: Expedia GroupMid-rangeKos Aktis Art Hotel
Seafront, Vasileos Georgiou319 reviews
9.4/10
on Hotels.com319 reviews on Hotels.com
A design hotel directly on the waterfront road, looking across the water towards the Turkish coast. Quiet for the center, and the cycle path passes the door.
- Seafront
- Design hotel
- Cycle path outside
Photo: Hotels.comMid-rangeBlue Lagoon City Hotel
Town centerA modern hotel in the town grid, five minutes on foot from the ferry quay. Practical if you are catching an early boat to Bodrum or Kalymnos.
- Near the port
- Modern
- Central
Photo: Expedia GroupMid-rangePeridis Family Resort
Eastern edge of town186 reviews
9.0/10
on Hotels.com186 reviews on Hotels.com
A family resort with pools on the eastern side of town, near the marina. The resort format without giving up the walk into the center for dinner.
- Family resort
- Pools
- Walk to town
Photo: Expedia GroupValueTriton Hotel
Harbor front133 reviews
8.8/10
on Hotels.com133 reviews on Hotels.com
A straightforward hotel at the harbor end of the seafront, four minutes from the plane tree. You are paying for the location, which is the right thing to pay for here.
- Harbor
- Central
- Good value
Photo: Expedia GroupValueKos Bay Hotel
A street back from the marina170 reviews
6.0/10
on Hotels.com170 reviews on Hotels.com
The budget end of town: simple rooms a street back from the water, near the marina. Fine for a bed between days on the bike.
- Budget
- Near the marina
- Simple rooms
For the beach, ten minutes from town
Lambi
Airport 30 min · Kos Town 10 min by bike
Lambi is Kos Town's beach suburb: a long strip of sand and shingle running north-west from the harbor, lined with hotels, and joined to the center by the seafront cycle path. It solves the one problem with staying in town, which is the beach, and it keeps everything else: you ride or walk in for dinner in ten minutes and back the same way. It is also where the island's adults-only boutique hotels have clustered, which makes it the easy answer for couples.
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryAqua Blu Boutique Hotel & Spa - Adults Only
On Lambi beach367 reviews
9.6/10
on Hotels.com367 reviews on Hotels.com
Adults only, with the sand right below the terrace and a spa. Dinner in Kos Town is ten minutes away by bike along the seafront.
- Adults only
- On the beach
- Spa
Photo: Hotels.comLuxuryLango Design Hotel & Spa - Adults Only
Lambi, near the beachA design hotel for adults, a few steps from the sand and a five minute drive from the port. Pick it for a quiet week that still ends in town every evening.
- Adults only
- Design hotel
- Spa
Photo: Expedia GroupMid-rangeDiamond Boutique Hotel
Lambi, near the beach72 reviews
9.4/10
on Hotels.com72 reviews on Hotels.com
Small and near the beach, about a quarter of an hour on foot from the harbor. The boutique option at a four star price.
- Boutique
- Near the beach
- Walk to town
Photo: Expedia GroupMid-rangeAtlantis Hotel
On Lambi beach147 reviews
7.8/10
on Hotels.com147 reviews on Hotels.com
All inclusive on the sand, and the rare one within walking distance of a real town. Eat in when it suits you and out when it does not.
- All inclusive
- On the beach
- Pool
Photo: Hotels.comValueCosta Angela
On Lambi beachA simple beach hotel with the sand outside and free parking. The cheapest way to wake up on the beach this close to town.
- On the beach
- Budget
- Parking
For five star resorts, still close to town
Psalidi and Agios Fokas
Airport 35 min · Kos Town 15 to 30 min by bike
East of town, the coast road runs past Psalidi and on to Agios Fokas, and this is where Kos keeps most of its big five star resorts. The beach is pebble and shingle rather than sand, the water is clear, and the Turkish coast fills the horizon. What makes it work is the cycle path: Kos Town is fifteen minutes away on flat ground, so a resort here does not mean eating in the resort every night. At the far end of the road is Therma, where volcanic hot water pools on the beach.
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryMichelangelo Resort and Spa
Agios Fokas, on the water320 reviews
8.8/10
on Hotels.com320 reviews on Hotels.com
A five star directly on the water at Agios Fokas. It is quiet out here, and the hot spring at Therma is a short drive further along the road.
- Waterfront
- Spa
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryDimitra Beach Hotel & Suites
Agios Fokas150 reviews
8.6/10
on Hotels.com150 reviews on Hotels.com
A large five star on the beach road, with suites and pools. A good fit for families who want a resort and the town within reach.
- Beach road
- Suites
- Pools
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryMitsis Ramira
Psalidi, by the sea216 reviews
9.0/10
on Hotels.com216 reviews on Hotels.com
All inclusive from the Mitsis group, by the sea at Psalidi. The closest of the big all-inclusive resorts to Kos Town.
- All inclusive
- By the sea
- Close to town
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryKipriotis Panorama Hotel & Suites by Anayia All Inclusive Resorts
Psalidi114 reviews
7.8/10
on Hotels.com114 reviews on Hotels.com
The upmarket part of the Kipriotis complex, which also holds the island's convention center. Good facilities, less of a beach hotel than its neighbors.
- Suites
- Large complex
Photo: Expedia GroupMid-rangeKipriotis Village Resort by Anayia All Inclusive Resorts
Psalidi, on the beach212 reviews
7.0/10
on Hotels.com212 reviews on Hotels.com
A very large all-inclusive resort on the beach, built for families. Choose it for the pools and the program, not for intimacy.
- All inclusive
- On the beach
- Family
For families, and the flattest cycling on the island
Tigaki and Marmari
Airport 25 min · Kos Town 45 min to 1 h by bike
The north coast is where families go, and for a good reason: long sandy beaches that stay shallow a long way out, with the islands of Pserimos and Kalymnos across the water. Tigaki is the livelier of the two, with a small strip of shops and tavernas, and the Alykes salt lake behind the beach. Marmari, five kilometers west, is quieter and has the dunes. Both are joined to Kos Town by a flat coast road that fills with rented bikes all summer. The beaches face the meltemi, the northerly summer wind, so expect waves and a breeze in July and August, which is great for kitesurfers and less so for toddlers.
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryAstir Odysseus Kos Resort & Spa
Tigaki195 reviews
9.2/10
on Hotels.com195 reviews on Hotels.com
Five stars by the sea, a short walk from the main Tigaki beach, with the salt lake behind it. Tigaki's most comfortable hotel.
- By the sea
- Spa
Photo: Hotels.comMid-rangeCooks Club Tigaki
Tigaki, near the beachA younger, design-led hotel near the beach and the salt lake. The pick for couples who like Tigaki's flat lanes but not a family resort.
- Design hotel
- Near the beach
- Couples
Photo: Expedia GroupMid-rangeWhite Olive Marine Aquapark - All Inclusive
Tigaki, on the beach64 reviews
8.0/10
on Hotels.com64 reviews on Hotels.com
All inclusive on the beach with its own waterpark, which is the whole argument for families with children of school age.
- All inclusive
- Waterpark
- On the beach
Photo: Hotels.comLuxuryOKU Hotel Kos
Marmari, on the beachThe most expensive hotel on this page, and a design resort that looks nothing like the rest of the north coast. On the beach, pared back and quiet.
- Design resort
- On the beach
- Quiet
Photo: Hotels.comLuxuryD Andrea Lagoon All Suites - Adults only
MarmariAll suites, adults only, a short drive from Marmari beach. The quiet end of an already quiet coast.
- Adults only
- Suites
- Quiet
Photo: Expedia GroupMid-rangeCaravia Beach Hotel & Bungalows - All Inclusive
Marmari, on the beach65 reviews
9.0/10
on Hotels.com65 reviews on Hotels.com
Bungalows spread out along the sand at Marmari, all inclusive. Low-rise, green and easy with children.
- All inclusive
- Bungalows
- On the beach
For Kalymnos, and a quieter village
Mastichari
Airport 10 min · Kalymnos ferry on foot
Mastichari is a working fishing village with a long sandy beach, ten minutes from the airport, and the point where the short ferry crossing to Kalymnos leaves. That makes it the natural base for anyone planning to see a second island, and a good one for couples who want tavernas on the harbor and early nights. The beach takes the meltemi head on, so it is cooler and emptier than the south coast in August. The trade-off is distance: Kos Town is 24 km away, which is a bus ride rather than a bike ride.
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryKouros Palace Active Lifestyle Hotel
Mastichari, on the beach4 reviews
9.6/10
on Hotels.com4 reviews on Hotels.com
A five star on the beach a couple of minutes' drive outside the village. Resort facilities with the Kalymnos ferry close by.
- On the beach
- Near the ferry
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryGaia Palace
Between Mastichari and Marmari11 reviews
8.8/10
on Hotels.com11 reviews on Hotels.com
A large five star near the beach on the coast east of the village. Suits families who want a big pool complex and a short airport transfer.
- Near the beach
- Pools
Photo: Hotels.comMid-rangeSmy Princess of Kos
Mastichari, on the beachOn the beach and within reach of the village on foot. The balanced choice for Mastichari: a proper hotel without the resort price.
- On the beach
- Walk to the village
- Mid-range
Photo: Expedia GroupValueEurovillage Achilleas Hotel
½Mastichari, on the beach84 reviews
7.4/10
on Hotels.com84 reviews on Hotels.com
A simple hotel on the beach, a short walk from the harbor. The budget base for day trips to Kalymnos.
- On the beach
- Budget
- Walk to the ferry
For nightlife, and the shortest transfer
Kardamena
Airport 12 min · Uphill out of the village
Kardamena is the island's party resort and its biggest package destination, twelve minutes from the runway. The village itself is compact: a harbor, a long sandy beach that shelves gently, and streets of bars and clubs that run late from June to August. The big all-inclusive resorts are outside it, along the coast on either side, often a taxi ride from the center, so check which you are booking. The day boats to the volcano on Nisyros leave from the harbor. Everything flat is on the front. The road out of the village climbs in every direction.
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryMitsis Norida
Kardamena coast, on the beach269 reviews
8.8/10
on Hotels.com269 reviews on Hotels.com
A five star all-inclusive on its own stretch of beach, well away from the bars. Pick it for a week that never leaves the resort.
- All inclusive
- On the beach
- Away from the bars
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryMitsis Selection Blue Domes
Kardamena coast342 reviews
8.8/10
on Hotels.com342 reviews on Hotels.com
A big all-inclusive resort by the sea, about ten minutes' drive from the harbor. Built for families who plan to stay put.
- All inclusive
- Spa
- Family
Photo: Hotels.comLuxuryAtlantica Carda Beach
Kardamena coast, on the beachOne of the newer five stars on the south coast, directly on the beach. The price reflects it.
- On the beach
- Newer build
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryAtlantica Belvedere Resort - Adults Only
Gourniati, west of Kardamena148 reviews
9.0/10
on Hotels.com148 reviews on Hotels.com
On the beach west of the village, a short walk from Paschalis beach. Quieter than central Kardamena and still close to the airport.
- On the beach
- Quiet side
Photo: Hotels.comValueRio Hotel
Kardamena village51 reviews
9.2/10
on Hotels.com51 reviews on Hotels.com
A simple hotel in the village, ten minutes on foot from the harbor. Book it if the nights are the point and the room is for sleeping.
- In the village
- Budget
- Walk to the bars
For the best sand, if you will drive
Kefalos and Kamari
Airport 25 min · Hilly, take a car
Kefalos is the far south-western end of Kos: a village up on a headland, Kamari bay below it, and the best beaches on the island strung along the coast to the east, from Agios Stefanos to Camel Beach and Paradise. It is 43 km from Kos Town and it feels it, which is exactly why people choose it. It is also the one area of the island where a bike will not do. Kefalos sits high above the bay, and every road out climbs. Book a car with the room.
Photo: Expedia GroupLuxuryIkos Aria - All Inclusive
Kefalos bay80 reviews
9.6/10
on Hotels.com80 reviews on Hotels.com
The top of the all-inclusive market on Kos, above Kefalos bay. Several à la carte restaurants are included, which is what the price pays for.
- All inclusive
- Premium
- Kefalos bay
Photo: Hotels.comLuxuryWhite Rock of Kos- Adults Only
Near Agios StefanosAdults only, by the sea, a short drive from Agios Stefanos. The quiet end of the island at its most comfortable.
- Adults only
- By the sea
- Quiet
Photo: Hotels.comMid-rangeKordistos Hotel
Agios Stefanos, on the beachOn the beach at Agios Stefanos, the stretch of sand opposite Kastri islet. A plain hotel in a very good spot.
- On the beach
- Agios Stefanos
- Parking
Photo: Hotels.comValueAlbatross Studios
KamariStudios near Kamari beach with a kitchenette, handy for a long stay. There is a free airport shuttle at set hours.
- Studios
- Near the beach
- Kitchenette
Photo: Expedia GroupValueHermes Hotel
½Kefalos52 reviews
8.4/10
on Hotels.com52 reviews on Hotels.com
One of the cheapest beds on Kos, in Kefalos village, ten minutes on foot from the beach. Basic. With a car, it does the job.
- Budget
- Parking
- Basic
Hotels.com ratings collected in November 2026. Prices and availability on Hotels.com depend on your dates.
How far a bike gets you from each base
Kos has something no other Greek island its size has: cycle lanes, and ground flat enough to use them. A marked path runs along the seafront out of Kos Town in both directions, the coast road to Tigaki and Marmari is level all the way, and bike rental shops are as common as car hire desks. From the right base, a bike can replace a rental car for the whole week. Choose a base below to see what you can reach from it.
Pick the base you are considering
Riding from
The best base on the island for a bike. The seafront path runs flat in both directions, and the sights are all inside the first half hour.
Lambi beach
Seafront cycle path all the way
Flat, 2 km. Seafront cycle path all the way10 min
Psalidi
Same path, heading east
Flat, 4 km. Same path, heading east15 min
Asklepieion
Gentle rise, cycle path most of the way
Climbs, 4 km. Gentle rise, cycle path most of the way20 min
Agios Fokas
Coast road past the Psalidi resorts
Flat, 8 km. Coast road past the Psalidi resorts30 min
Tigaki
The classic first ride on the island
Flat, 12 km. The classic first ride on the island45 min
Therma hot spring
Flat to Agios Fokas, then a steep drop to the sea, and back up
Climbs, 12 km. Flat to Agios Fokas, then a steep drop to the sea, and back up55 min
Marmari
Tigaki road, four kilometers further on
Flat, 16 km. Tigaki road, four kilometers further on1 h
Zia
350 m of climbing, the one hard ride
over 1 hClimbs, 15 km. 350 m of climbing, the one hard ride1 h 30
FlatClimbsMain road, not advisedTimes at 15 km/h on a rental bike, rounded, one way.
Rental shops in Kos Town, Lambi, Tigaki and Marmari rent by the day or the week, with child seats and trailers. Electric bikes are common now, and they are the answer to the one hard ride, up the ridge to Zia. What a bike will not do safely is the main island road from Kos Town to the airport and the south: it is fast, narrow and has almost no shoulder. Ride the coast, and take the bus or a car for the long haul.
Kos Town seafront
Kos Town or Kardamena? The four main bases compared
Most first-time visitors end up choosing between Kos Town and Kardamena, and the other two worth weighing are Mastichari and Kefalos. They are four quite different holidays on one small island.
| Question | Kos Town | Kardamena | Mastichari | Kefalos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The nights | Bar Street and the harbor, lively until late, walkable home | The island's party resort, bars until the small hours in summer | Tavernas on the front, early nights | Very quiet, a few tavernas in Kamari |
| The beach | Narrow town beaches. Lambi and Psalidi are a short ride | Long, sandy, shelves gently, busy | Long, sandy, windy, cooler than the south | The best sand on the island, Agios Stefanos and Camel Beach |
| From the airport | 30 min, or the KTEL coach | 12 min | 10 min | 25 min |
| By bike | Everything: flat seafront paths both ways | Local only, uphill out of the village | Flat lanes nearby, too far from town | Hilly. A car base |
| Boats from here | Bodrum, Kalymnos, Pserimos, the Dodecanese ferries | Day boats to Nisyros, the volcano | Kalymnos in about 20 min | None to speak of. Kastri islet is a swim off Agios Stefanos |
| Best for | First visits, no car, history | Groups, nightlife, all-inclusive | Couples, island-hopping, quiet | Scenery, windsurfing, doing nothing |
If you are unsure, stay in Kos Town or Lambi. It is the only base where the history, the ferries, the restaurants and a beach are all within walking or cycling distance, and a car for a day or two covers the rest of the island. Kardamena suits groups who are there for the nights. Mastichari suits people who want a village and a second island. Kefalos suits people who want to switch off and will drive to do anything else.
The boat from your base
Kos is a hub for the islands around it, and the base you pick decides which boat is on your doorstep. From Kos Town harbor, ferries run to Kalymnos, Nisyros, Rhodes and the rest of the Dodecanese, and to Bodrum in Turkey, about twenty minutes across the strait. From Mastichari, the short crossing to Kalymnos leaves several times a day. From Kardamena, day boats go to Nisyros, where you can walk down into the volcanic crater. The map of the Dodecanese shows how the islands fit together, and our guide to the Dodecanese covers which of them are worth a night rather than a day.
Nisyros, Kalymnos, Pserimos and Bodrum as a day out
The three-island cruise to Kalymnos, Pserimos and Plati is the classic, and it picks up from Kos Town and Mastichari. The Nisyros volcano trip leaves from Kardamena. Book the one that leaves from your side of the island, or the transfer eats half the day.
From Kos
Nisyros volcano and Panagia Spiliani
Boat to Nisyros, a walk into the volcanic crater, Mandraki village and the Panagia Spiliani monastery.
4.4 (3,380 reviews)8 hPickup included
Prices, ratings and reviews from GetYourGuide, checked on November 6, 2026.
Where not to stay in Kos
No part of Kos is a bad place in itself. The mistakes come from booking an area for a holiday it does not suit.
Central Kardamena, if you want to sleep
From June to August the bars in the middle of the village play late, and the noise carries. If you want the south coast without it, book one of the resorts along the beach outside the village.
Kefalos, without a car
The quietest corner of the island is also the most cut off. Kefalos is 43 km from Kos Town, the buses are thin and stop early, and the village sits on a hill above everything.
An all-inclusive far from a village, if you want to explore
Several of the big resorts around Kardamena, Mastichari and Psalidi stand on their own stretch of coast. Fine for a week by the pool, frustrating if you want to walk out to dinner.
Tigaki or Marmari, if you hate wind
The north coast faces the meltemi. In July and August the afternoons are breezy and the sea can be rough, which is great for kitesurfing and less so for small children.
Inland Kos Town, for a beach week
The cheapest rooms in town are a few streets back from the water, and the town beaches are narrow. Fine with a bike for Lambi. A chore without one.
All-inclusive, adults only and boutique hotels in Kos
Kos is a charter island, and that keeps its prices low. In the Hotels.com catalogue, simple hotels in Kos Town, Kardamena and Kefalos start at around €20 to €40 ($25 to $45) a night, well-placed four stars at around €60 to €90 ($70 to $105), and most five stars at around €85 to €145 ($100 to $170). Those are starting rates, off peak: August can double them. At the top, OKU in Marmari and Ikos Aria at Kefalos cost what luxury costs anywhere in Greece.
All-inclusive resorts are concentrated around Kardamena, Psalidi and the north coast, and on Kos they make sense more often than in the Cyclades, because many resorts stand well outside any village. Adults-only hotels have gathered at Lambi, with more at Marmari and near Agios Stefanos. Boutique hotels are rare outside Kos Town and Lambi, and the ones in town, in restored Italian-era buildings on the seafront, are the ones to look at. If you are comparing islands, the same guide for Rhodes covers the bigger neighbor to the south-east.
Questions people ask about staying on Kos
Is it better to stay in Kos Town or Kardamena?
Kos Town for a first visit, for history and for doing without a car: the castle, the ancient sites, the ferries and the restaurants are all within walking distance, and the flat seafront cycle path takes you to the beaches at Lambi and Psalidi. Kardamena if the trip is about nightlife and a beach you can walk to, with the shortest airport transfer on the island. Kardamena's big resorts sit outside the village, and it is 35 minutes by car from Kos Town.
Which town on Kos is considered the nicest?
Kos Town, for most people. It has a medieval castle at the harbor mouth, Roman and Hellenistic ruins in the middle of the streets, the plane tree of Hippocrates and a seafront built by the Italians in the 1920s and 1930s. For a village rather than a town, Zia on the Dikeos ridge is the prettiest place on the island, and Mastichari is the most authentic of the beach villages.
Which resort is best in Kos?
It depends on the trip. Tigaki and Marmari for families, with shallow sandy beaches and flat cycling. Lambi and Psalidi for couples and adults-only hotels close to town. Kardamena for nightlife. Mastichari for a quiet village and the ferry to Kalymnos. Kefalos for the best beaches, if you are happy to drive everywhere.
Where is the best place to stay in Kos for couples?
Lambi, on the northern edge of Kos Town. It has the island's cluster of adults-only boutique hotels on or near the beach, and the town's restaurants are ten minutes away by bike along the seafront. For something quieter, look at the adults-only hotels in Marmari or near Agios Stefanos on the Kefalos coast, and plan on renting a car.
Where is the best place to stay in Kos for families?
Tigaki or Marmari on the north coast. The beaches are sandy and stay shallow a long way out, the lanes behind them are flat enough for children on bikes, and there are all-inclusive resorts with waterparks. The one drawback is the summer wind, which blows onshore on the north coast in July and August and can bring waves.
Where should I stay in Kos for the first time?
Kos Town, or Lambi just outside it. It is the one base where you can see the island's history, eat well, catch a boat and reach a beach without a car. From there you can rent a bike for the north coast and book a car for a day or two to see Zia and Kefalos.
Is Kos or Corfu nicer?
They are different holidays. Corfu is greener and hillier, with a UNESCO-listed old town, a long season and a coast of coves. Kos is flatter, drier and smaller, with long sandy beaches, cheaper hotels, a real cycling network and ferries to Turkey and the other Dodecanese islands. Corfu for scenery and variety, Kos for an easy beach week with a town you can ride to.
Is Kos tacky?
Parts of it, in the way most charter islands are. Kardamena and the bar streets of Kos Town are loud in July and August, and the big all-inclusive resorts could be anywhere. But Kos Town has serious ancient sites and a handsome Italian-era seafront, the hill villages around Zia are quiet and traditional, and Mastichari and Kefalos are still working villages. Where you stay decides which Kos you get.
Is it safe to go on holiday to Kos?
Yes. Kos has low crime and is one of the busiest holiday islands in Greece, with over two million air passengers a year. The island was at the center of the 2015 refugee crisis, and Greece still runs a reception center for asylum seekers on Kos, but it sits inland near Pyli, away from the resorts and the town, and visitors are very unlikely to notice it. The usual care applies to scooters, quad bikes and the main road at night.
Where are the best beaches in Kos?
In the south-west, between Kefalos and Kardamena: Agios Stefanos opposite Kastri islet, Camel Beach and Paradise Beach have the best sand and the clearest water. On the north coast, Tigaki and Marmari are long, sandy and shallow. Near Kos Town, Lambi is sand and shingle, and the coast past Psalidi and Agios Fokas is pebbly, ending at the hot spring beach at Therma.
