Kos Cafes

The island offers several very nice and atmospheric cafés. They are the traditional meeting places for many of the locals which use them as their base for doing ‘people watching’.

Café Aenaos
Aenaos is located right under the Defterdar Mosque and is a great place to enjoy a cup of fresh brewed coffee. This superb location makes it a great place for people watching.

Rendez Vous Coffee Bar
Delicious coffee, sporting events on TV and computers with internet access are all to be found in this coffee house which has been around since 1990.
Address: Tigaki
Internet: www.rendezvouskos.com

The Marina Café
Nice and relaxing café at the harbour which gives you the chance to watch the boats as you enjoy your drink or coffee.
Address: The marina, Kos


Strand Café
The Strand café is located on the busiest beach in Kos Town and is a great place to meet up during the day or before a night out. The Strand Café is especially popular amongst Scandinavian people.
Address: Tingaki beach

Kos Do and See

The Ancient Agora

The ruins of the Shrine of Aphrodite and Temple of Hercules are to be found on this 3rd century BC site near the Castle in Kos.

The Castle Of Knights

The 14th century castle withstood the Ottomans’ attack for a very long time and it was only destroyed by an earthquake in 1495. It was later restored by the Grand Masters d’Aubuisson and d’Amboise. Address: Leof Finikon


The Western Excavation Site

Two wooden shelters standing at the west end of Kos town protect the 3rd century mosaics of the ‘House of Europa’. The best preserved mosaic depicts Europa’s abduction by the Greek god of Zeus in the guise of a bull.

Asklipieion

The most important ancient site on the island is built on a hill-top from where you can enjoy the view of Kos town and Turkey. It consisted of a religious sanctuary to Asclepius, a healing centre and a school of medicine where students were lectured by Hippocrates himself.
Address: Platini

KOS

This Kos travel guide includes all you need to know. Restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels, events, and much more. Read the guide below or download and print to take on your journey.

Kos is one of the most popular islands in the Dodecanese. The island has a well-establish tourist industry which benefits the visitors to the island as it is very organized. The locals are generally friendly people and they have realized just how important tourism is for the island. Kos offers plenty of action in the summer, but goes rather quite in the wintertime.

The City
Kos has a large selection of wonderful beaches which are mainly to be found on the south coast. The swimming possibilities are many and it is a great place for snorkelling or diving as the possibilities are endless. The island has some stunningly beautiful mountain villages which can easily be visited either by car, bus or bicycle. It is also home for some of the world’s most interesting ancient sites and they are worth a visit as many of the structures still standing were built somewhere between 3rd – 4th century BC. It is an absolutely amazing experience. Naturally, most of the activities on the island are based around the water, and Kos is a great place for windsurfing, jet-skiing or even sailing in your own yacht. There are several day tripper boats which can take you to other nearby islands as well as to Turkey if you so wish.

Athens Essential Information

Airport
Eleftherios Venizelos is at Spata, 33 kilometres (20 miles) southeast of Athens. A taxi in to the city costs €20-30 depending on arrival time and the number of suitcases. The airport bus to Syntagma takes just under an hour and costs €3.20. The Metro goes to the centre and costs €8. The Metro journey to Syntagma takes 27 minutes, and the journey to Piraeus takes 60 minutes.
Phone: +30 210 353 00 00

Internet: http://www.aia.gr/

Public Transport
The new Metro stations are well worth seeing, and are kept spotlessly clean. There is a tram from the centre to Glyfada. Buses and trolley buses run until midnight. The airport bus ticket is valid on other public transport services for 24 hours. There are various travel cards on sale at ticket offices. Ferries out to the islands leave from the harbour in Pireus or from Rafina. Boat timetables at

http://www.gtp.gr/

Taxi
There are lots of taxis, but here it is normal to share a taxi, so don’t be surprised if the driver picks up additional passengers along the road who are going in the same direction. The drivers have taximeters and fixed prices.

Post
Stamps can be bought in most tobacconists and kiosks selling postcards.

Pharmacy
Doctor on duty, pharmacy 1434

Dentist
Doctor on duty, pharmacy 1434

Telephone
Country code: +30 for Greece, Area code: 210 for Athens

Electricity
230 volts

Athens Hotels

The standard of hotels has markedly improved thanks to the Olympics – and was certainly needed. The prices shown are for the high season; prices are lower in the low and intermediate seasons.

Grand Bretagne
This famous old classic has been fully renovated and restored to its former glory. This is where people on State visits and other celebrities stay when they are in town. Even so, you can visit the bar and restaurant GB Corner without burning a hole in your wallet.
Address: Constitution Square

Phone: +30 210 333 00 00

Internet: http://www.grandebretagne.gr/

Hotel Achilleas
Great location near Kolokotroni and the Ermou shopping street for this little hotel with a striking entrance and designer lobby. The rooms don’t all live up to the standard of the entrance, but are definitely okay.
Address: Lekka 21, Syntagma

Phone: +30 210 323 31 97

Internet: http://www.achilleashotel.gr/

Cecil
Newly renovated, but has retained its pre-war charm with high ceilings and period furnishings. Near the market hall, and within walking distance of the restaurant scene in Psyrri. A value for money alternative.
Address: Athinas 39, Psyrri

Phone: +30 210 321 70 79

Internet: http://www.cecil.gr/

Adonis
Central quiet location, surrounded by pedestrian precincts, and near Syntagma. From the terrace on the roof, a view of the Acropolis and the rest of the city. Simple and functional with shower, central heating and TV. AC costs extra.
Address: 3 Kodroy & Voulis St

Phone: +30 210 324 97 37

Internet: http://www.hotel-adonis.gr/

Phaedra
Small simple medium class hotel near the Lysicrates monument, with everything that Plaka has to offer.
Address: Lisicratous/Cherefontos 16, Plaka

Phone: +30 210 323 84 61

Athens Shopping

The best shopping streets are Voukourestiou, Patriarhou Ioakim, Skoufa, Tsakalof, Kanari and the side streets around Kolonaki. There are many designer clothes, expensive boutiques and jewellers. Try for example Emporiko Centro, an exclusive galleria of several floors with gold, ties, clocks and watches, glasses and a Gucci boutique. In this area is also Old Athens, a shoe and handbag shop with a 1960s flavour, when ladies wore gloves and pearl necklaces à la Jackie O and Maria Callas. The shop owner was a fashion editor before setting up on his own, putting Greek handmade accessories on the map. Ermou has become the main street for shoes, and on Mitropoleos, from Syntagma down to Monastiraki, you can also buy handbags and shoes. Here too is the covered market hall which occupies a whole block, with the fish market in the middle. All around are butchers and spice shops, and around the market are several simple but good places to eat. Like onion soup in the Paris markets, here you eat patsa or tripe soup to ease the effects of ouzo.

Athens Bar and Nightlife

Athens is not really a city of fine bars – for that you should visit some of the international hotels. On the other hand, there are lots of combined bars/cafés that serve both. Often combined with some food, as it is the Greek custom to eat a little snack to go with drinks. In the summer, much of the night life moves out to Glyfada and Vouliagmenis along the coast.

Grand Bretagne
This bar in the classic old hotel has a genuine turn-of-the-century, well-to-do feel, and has had a facelift, making it one of the top meeting places in Athens.
Address: Constitution Square

De Lux
Lies just below the new Acropolis Museum, and is popular with the media crowd. Also serves food.
Address: Falirou 15, Makroyanni

City
The place to mingle under the trees in this pleasantly shady little side street, where one bar merges into the next. Bar Mousa and the fine Azul restaurant are wall to wall.
Address: 220 College Street

Psyrri, Gazi, Rouf
The area beyond Monastiraki has livened up with many restaurants, bars and clubs going on well into the night. Look out for Astron, Taki 3 or Bee,
Address: Miaouli & Themidos

Exarchia
The area around the Technical University has got rock clubs such as An, Solomon 13 and Rodon, Marni 24.