Kos Greece is among the top choices for island getaways in the Dodecanese chain. The third largest Dodecanese island, Kos has all the classic characteristics you’re looking for in the Greek islands. Sun, sand, ruins and beautiful architecture can all be found on the island. Those on a Kos vacation will find a well-developed tourist industry offering ease in transportation as well as a wide selection of Kos hotels to fit any budget. Finding a beach on Kos to fit your tastes is made easy by the fact that the island has some of the best beaches in Greece. Kos Greece is the birthplace of Hippocrates, who is the father of modern medicine and the namesake of the Hippocratic Oath.

Kos Town is the primary city in Kos and flights to the island land at the nearby Kos airport located approximately 16 miles away in Antimahia. Kos airport receives and offers flights to Athens and Rhodes and various charter flights out of European cities service the island as well. Kos can also be reached by way of the numerous Greek ferries navigating the Aegean Sea. Daily ferry routes connect Kos to Rhodes and Athens, as well as the other Dodecanese islands. During your Kos vacation, you can also find ferries to Kos with links to Mykonos and Thessaloniki. In the summer, there is a daily ferry that carries passengers from Kos to nearby Bodrum, Turkey. Various Greece vacation packages offer ways to book a Kos vacation where all the details are taken care of. All you have to worry about is which beach on Kos you want to visit first and what places of interest you want to visit while sightseeing on Kos.

Sightseeing on Kos usually involves visiting some of the historic sights left by past cultures and civilizations. The history of Kos is similar to that of other Greek islands like Rhodes and Crete with evidence of civilizations dating back to the Bronze Age. There is evidence of Minoan influence on the island, and traces to civilizations like the Carians and the Dorians. Kos would fall under Persian influence and tyrant rulers from 500-478 BC during the Persian Wars, only to soon fall to the Athenians. Hippocrates was born in Kos in 460 BC, during the Athenian era, and he eventually founded a school of medicine on the island.

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Following empires in succession included the Macedonian Empire, the Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Empire. Eventually in 1204 AD, the Venetians took control of Kos until 1315, selling it to the Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes. The most outstanding monument of the Knights can be found at the fortress they built at the Kos Town harbor. When the Turks threatened to invade, the Knights abandoned the island in 1522 and it fell under control of the Ottoman Empire for the next 400 years. In 1912, Italian forces ousted the Turks and held the island until Germans seized control in 1943. After suffering under German Rule, Kos was liberated by the United Kingdom in 1945 and turned over to Greece in 1947. The various different civilizations and empires all left pieces of themselves behind. Sightseeing on Kos at various archaeological sites gives visitors the chance to see monuments and relics of cultures gone by.

Kos Holidays offer travelers the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful beach on Kos one day, and view ruins that date back thousands of years the next. Spend a relaxing day at a secluded spot on the island, then head out at night to one of the island’s clubs or bars for a taste of Greek island nightlife. Shopping in Kos is a fun diversion while on your Kos vacation and Kos Town being the main hub offers many different shops selling everything from art and jewelry to books and shoes. At the island’s resorts, various gift shops and tourist shops sell souvenirs and items you might need during your Kos vacation. Visiting some of the mountain villages and towns outside of Kos Town can turn up a lot of original products made by locals. Often you can find embroidered and ceramic goods in the villages, as well as local products from the island’s agricultural turnouts. If you are in Kos during the July and August festival of Hippocrateia be sure to catch some of the festivities associated with it.