Kos Travel Guide: Sights, Beaches, Buses and Bodrum Day Trips

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Kos is a long, mostly flat Dodecanese island a short boat ride from Bodrum. Most of what there is to see sits in or near Kos Town: the Knights’ castle at the harbour mouth, the Plane Tree of Hippocrates, the Ancient Agora, Casa Romana and, 3.4 km out of town, the Asklepion. The best sandy beaches are on the north coast and in Kefalos Bay, and a day trip to Turkey is one of the easiest you can make from any Greek island.

Short answer

• Base: Kos Town for a short stay or a car-free holiday; Tigaki or Marmari for wide sandy beaches; Kefalos only if you hire a car. See where to stay in Kos.
• Top sights: the Asklepion, Casa Romana, the Ancient Agora and Plane Tree of Hippocrates in town, and the hill village of Zia for sunset.
• Getting around: bike or city bus in and around town, KTEL island buses to the resorts and the airport, a hire car for Zia, Antimachia and Kefalos.
• How long: one day covers Kos Town and the Asklepion; plan three to four days to add the north-coast beaches, Zia and Kefalos.
• Day trip to Turkey: boats from Kos Town harbour reach Bodrum in about 30 minutes on the fastest service. Bring your passport and read our Kos to Bodrum day trip guide.
• Clock change: Greece goes back to winter time on 25 October 2026. From then on, Turkey is one hour ahead of Kos.

Where to stay

Kos Town is the practical choice for ferry arrivals: the harbour, old town and both bus stations are within walking distance. Lambi suits a beach stay close to town, Psalidi has large resorts along the coast road, and Tigaki and Marmari, 10 to 15 km west, are the family beach resorts. Kefalos is about 40 km from the harbour and only makes sense with a car and a longer stay. Our where to stay in Kos guide compares the areas and lists more hotels.

Getting there

By air

Kos airport (KGS) is run by Fraport Greece and sits near the village of Antimachia in the middle of the island, not next to Kos Town. As of October 2026, easyJet’s route page lists Kos from Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Gatwick and Manchester, and Jet2 added extra Saturday flights from Leeds Bradford between 4 July and 26 September 2026. British Airways, Ryanair UK, TUI Airways and Wizz Air are on the airport’s airline list, but we did not check their UK departure airports. All the UK routes we could date are summer routes. Our flights guide has the details.

From the airport, KTEL buses run to Kos Town, Mastichari, Kardamena and Kefalos. According to the airport, the stop is about 50 m from the terminal and you buy your ticket from the driver.

By ferry from Turkey

Ferries from Bodrum arrive in Kos Town harbour, right beside Neratzia Castle, and the old town is a 5 to 10 minute walk. Crossing times range from about 20 to 45 minutes depending on the boat. As of October 2026, Ferryscanner shows one-way adult fares from Kos to Bodrum of about €25 to €30, with port charges sometimes added at checkout.

Tilos Travel’s 2026 timetable for the Sea Star Kos shows four sailings a day in each direction from 29 May to 24 October, and two a day (Kos 09:30 and 17:00) from 25 October to 1 November. The winter 2026–27 timetable was not yet on the operator’s page in mid-October. Ferryhopper also lists a seasonal Turgutreis to Kos service with Dentur Avrasya. All operators, the port procedure and fares are on our Bodrum to Kos ferry page.

For the neighbouring island of Kalymnos, ANEM Ferries and others sail from Mastichari on the north coast; the crossing takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

Getting around

Kos Town and Lambi are flat and easy on foot or by bike. Beyond them you need a bus, a car or a taxi.

KTEL island buses: KTEL Kos runs the island network from its bus station at Kleopatras 7, behind the old town and about a 10-minute walk from the harbour. The Kos municipality lists daily services to the airport, Tigaki, Marmari, Kefalos, Mastichari, Kardamena, Antimachia and Pyli. KTEL announced a timetable change from 29 June 2026; check ktel-kos.gr for current times, especially as the winter schedule approaches.

City buses: the municipal buses serve Kos Town, Psalidi, Agios Fokas, Lambi and Platani (on the way to the Asklepion). Their office is at Akti Kountouriotou 27 on the seafront, and routes and stops are on mobility.kos.gr.

Bikes: cycling is the local way to get around town. The municipality reports more than 10 miles (about 16 km) of coastal cycle paths and was certified as a “Bike Friendly Destination” in April 2022. Hire shops are all over Kos Town.

Taxis: in Kos Town they work from the seafront road Akti Kountouriotou, and they also pull up at the ferry dock.

Car hire: rental offices across the island hire cars, scooters, bikes and buggies. You cannot bring a car over on the Bodrum boats; see taking a car to the Greek islands if you are driving in Turkey.

Car hire

Car hire: Kos

DiscoverCars compares offers from several rental companies in one search. Check the pick-up point, deposit and insurance terms before you book.

Compare car hire pricesOpens DiscoverCars

Things to see

Kos Town

Neratzia Castle: the Knights of St John built the harbour fortress between 1436 and 1514, according to the municipality, partly with stones taken from the ancient city. Whether you can go inside is unclear as of October 2026: the municipal page says both that it is closed for renovation and that it is partly open. You can see it from outside and from the stone bridge off Platanos Square.

Plane Tree of Hippocrates: the huge plane tree on Platanos Square has a trunk about 12 m round. Tradition says Hippocrates taught under it; the municipality notes that the present tree is at most about 500 years old, possibly grown from the original. The Loggia Mosque stands opposite, dated by the inscription on its fountain to 1786.

Ancient Agora: directly behind the harbour, founded in the 4th century BC and around 300 m long, with remains of temples of Aphrodite and Heracles and two re-erected columns. Most of it was excavated by Italian archaeologists after the 1933 earthquake.

Roman Odeon and Casa Romana: the 2nd-century AD Odeon seated around 750 people. Nearby, Casa Romana is a Roman villa from the late 2nd or early 3rd century AD with 36 rooms, three courtyards and mosaic floors, restored in 1940.

Eleftherias Square: here the Archaeological Museum, built in 1935–37 during the Italian period, shows mosaics and sculpture from the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. Next to it, the 18th-century Defterdar Mosque lost its minaret in the 2017 earthquake; after restoration by the Greek Ministry of Culture, it was officially reopened at a ceremony in June 2026, according to the Vakouf of Kos.

The Asklepion

The healing sanctuary linked to Hippocrates lies about 3.4 km south-west of town, near Platani. Its ruins spread over three terraces; the large Doric temple on the top terrace dates from the first half of the 2nd century BC. It was found in 1902 by Rudolf Herzog and Iakovos Zarraftis. You can cycle, drive or take a taxi, and the municipality says there is a free car park.

Beyond Kos Town

• Zia: a village on the slopes of Mount Dikeos, about 15 km south-west of town and known for sunset views. A path climbs from the village to the summit chapel; Greeka advises against attempting it in the dark.
• Antimachia Castle: built by the Knights between 1322 and 1346 on a plateau near Antimachia. According to Greeka, an Ottoman army besieged it for 23 days in 1457 without taking it.
• Kefalos and Agios Stefanos: on the south-western tip, about 42 km from town. The ruins of two 5th and 6th-century basilicas stand above Agios Stefanos beach, facing the islet of Kastri.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026, the official sources say the following.

For the Asklepion we follow hh.gr, the ministry’s ticketing site. The ministry’s museums site gives Tuesday closing and an €8 ticket, but that page is for the Asklepieion’s epigraphical collection, not the site itself; the Municipality of Kos also gives €15. If you can, avoid Tuesdays.

The ministry lists free admission on several dates, including 28 October and the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March. Last admission is 20 minutes before closing.

Beaches

• Kos Town and Lambi: the town beach runs north into Lambi, a long mix of sand and pebbles within cycling distance of the harbour.
• Tigaki: about 11 km from town, Blue Flag, shallow and suitable for children, according to Discover Greece. Also popular for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
• Marmari: about 14 km from town, a roughly 3 km stretch of white sand with shallow water and windsurf hire.
• Therma: at the south-eastern tip past Agios Fokas, about 12 to 13 km from town. The municipality says the spring water emerges at 42 to 50 °C and mixes with the sea in a stone-ringed pool. The path down is steep.
• Paradise: in Kefalos Bay, about 33 to 35 km from town, sandy and shallow, and one of the busiest beaches on the island.
• Agios Stefanos: below the basilica ruins near Kefalos, with the chapel islet of Kastri offshore.

Day trips

Bodrum (Turkey)

Bodrum is the obvious day out. Under Tilos Travel’s 2026 timetable you could leave Kos at 09:30 or 11:30 and come back from Bodrum at 15:45 or 17:45 until 24 October; from 25 October to 1 November, the day-trip option is 09:30 out and 17:30 back from Bodrum. Turkey is outside Schengen, so you go through passport control four times. British citizens need no visa for short stays, according to GOV.UK, and Germany’s Foreign Office says German citizens can enter with a passport or ID card. Our Kos to Bodrum day trip guide covers timings and sights, and the Turkey day trips hub covers entry rules for other nationalities.

From 25 October 2026, check whether your return time is Turkish or Greek time: a 17:30 departure in Bodrum is 16:30 on Kos.

Kalymnos, Pserimos and Plati

The classic boat day from Kos Town harbour visits Kalymnos, the uninhabited islet of Plati and the small beach island of Pserimos, usually boarding around 09:30 to 10:00 and returning around 17:00. See our Kos three islands boat trip guide. If you only want Kalymnos, the ferry from Mastichari is the cheaper independent option.

Organised tours

You do not need a tour for Kos Town or the Asklepion: a bike and the combined ticket cover them. Tours earn their place for boat days, and for Bodrum if you want the boat ticket and the travel paperwork handled in one booking. Booking a boat trip directly at the harbour is also common and can be cheaper.

⏱ 7.5 hoursGetYourGuide

From the Port of Kos: Full Day Boat Cruise to 3 Islands

The blue wooden boat Odyssey from Kos harbour to Kalymnos, Plati and Pserimos, with swim stops, lunch, towels and hotel transfer listed as included.

Check price & availability →

⏱ 7.5 hoursGetYourGuide

Kos Pirate Cruise: 3 Islands, Swimming Stops & Lunch

A big wooden pirate boat to Pserimos, Kalymnos and Plati with a souvlaki or vegetarian lunch on board; aimed at families.

Check price & availability →

⏱ 6 hoursGetYourGuide

From Kos: Independent Day Trip to Bodrum

Return boat ticket with travel paperwork and local taxes handled, but no guide; you meet at the port in Kos Town.

Check price & availability →

When to go

• June to August: warmest sea and the most ferries and boat trips, but Tigaki, Marmari and Paradise are at their busiest.
• May, September and early October: a good balance for sightseeing and swimming. The Asklepion keeps its summer hours until 31 October.
• Late October: ferries to Bodrum drop to two a day from 25 October, the clocks change the same day, and some hotels and boat trips close. One local operator lists the three islands cruise from May to October.
• Winter: from 1 November the Asklepion closes at 15:30 (hh.gr lists it as open daily); the Archaeological Museum, Casa Romana and Neratzia Castle close on Tuesdays. State sites are free on the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March. Last winter the Sea Star Kos mostly left Kos only in the afternoon, so day trips to Bodrum from Kos were limited. We found no dated UK winter flights.

Check month-by-month sailings on the ferry season calendar.

Trip toolkit

Before you go

Hotels in KosHotels, rooms and apartments free on your dates, on Booking.com.Check availability ↗

Where to stay, island by island

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FAQ

How many days do you need on Kos?

One day is enough for Kos Town and the Asklepion. Three to four days lets you add Tigaki or Marmari, Zia at sunset and Kefalos, or a day trip to Bodrum or the three islands.

Do you need a car on Kos?

Not if you stay in Kos Town, Lambi or the north-coast resorts and use bikes and buses. A car helps for Zia, Antimachia, Kefalos and Therma, or to see several of them in one day.

How do you get from Kos airport to Kos Town?

By KTEL bus, taxi or hire car. The airport says the bus stop is about 50 m from the terminal and that you pay the driver. Check times on ktel-kos.gr.

Can you visit Turkey for the day from Kos?

Yes. Boats from Kos Town harbour reach Bodrum in about 30 minutes on the fastest service. You need a passport, or an accepted ID card for some EU citizens, and you should allow an hour at the port on each side.

Is Neratzia Castle open?

As of October 2026 it is unclear. The municipality’s page says both that it is closed for renovation and that it is partly open. You can see it from outside and from the bridge.

What currency is used on Kos?

The euro. In Bodrum you need Turkish lira. See money and mobile data.

Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.

Sources

• Kos Municipality: Getting around (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Cycling in Kos (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Castle of the Knights (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Plane Tree of Hippocrates (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Loggia Mosque (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Ancient Agora (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Roman Odeon (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Casa Romana (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Asklepion (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Kefalos (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Paradise beach (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Municipality: Therma beach (accessed Oct 2026)
• Ministry of Culture archaeological museums: Epigraphical Collection of Asklepieion, hours and tickets (accessed 22 Oct 2026)
• Ministry of Culture archaeological museums: Casa Romana (accessed 22 Oct 2026)
• Hellenic Heritage: Asclepieion, Kos (accessed 22 Oct 2026)
• Hellenic Heritage: Neratzia Castle, Kos (accessed 22 Oct 2026)
• Odigos tou Politi: free-entry days under ΦΕΚ Β’ 1968/29.03.2024 (19 Oct 2026) (accessed 22 Oct 2026)
• Vakouf of Kos: Defterdar Mosque announcements (accessed Oct 2026)
• Greeka: Kos Archaeological Museum (accessed Oct 2026)
• Greeka: Antimachia Castle (accessed Oct 2026)
• Greeka: Zia village (accessed Oct 2026)
• Discover Greece: 12 best beaches in Kos (accessed Oct 2026)
• KTEL Kos (official site) (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos city buses: mobility.kos.gr (accessed Oct 2026)
• Fraport Greece: Kos Airport (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Airport: public bus (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos Airport: location (accessed Oct 2026)
• easyJet: Flights to Kos (accessed Oct 2026)
• Jet2: Greece programme for Summer 26 (2 Feb 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
• Tilos Travel: 2025–2026 Aegean islands sailing plan (Bodrum–Kos) (accessed Oct 2026)
• Ferryscanner: Kos to Bodrum (accessed Oct 2026)
• Ferryhopper: Turgutreis to Kos (accessed Oct 2026)
• ANEM Ferries: Kalymnos–Mastichari (accessed Oct 2026)
• Kos4all: 3 island cruise (accessed Oct 2026)
• Greek City Times: clocks go back on 25 October 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
• timeanddate.com: Time zone in Turkey (accessed Oct 2026)
• GOV.UK: Turkey entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
• Auswärtiges Amt: Türkei, Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (accessed Oct 2026)
• GetYourGuide: From the Port of Kos, Full Day Boat Cruise to 3 Islands (accessed Oct 2026)
• GetYourGuide: Kos Pirate Cruise (accessed Oct 2026)
• GetYourGuide: From Kos, Independent Day Trip to Bodrum (accessed Oct 2026)
• GetYourGuide: From Kos, Bodrum Day Trip by Ferry with Transfer (t628760): no longer available; the product link redirected to the Kos Town listing page (checked 23 Oct 2026)