Visiting Kos in August

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Well, it has been a while since I have posted anything on the blog, but today I am back to share a travel adventure. See how I spent two weeks visiting Kos in August.

So, the last time I posted anything on the blog was in January this year, during my city break to beautiful Athens. Apologies for the downtime; life has just been busy, and to be honest, I ran out of creative spark a little bit. With that said, I have had a few adventures over the year, so I thought I would share one of them with you now.

You may be well aware that I love Greece and visiting as many places as I can in the wonderful country. We have visited Lesvos, Corfu, Kefalonia, and Parga, to name a few. Today, I am sharing my most recent Greek trip to the beautiful island of Kos and a few trips to the surrounding areas. We spent two weeks visiting Kos in August, and here is what we got up to. Hopefully, it will inspire you to visit this wonderful island.

Check the end of this post for the travel vlog from our time visiting Kos in August. Click the button below to jump straight to the video.

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Kos is an island in the Dodecanese area of Greece and is the third largest island within this group, with the largest being Rhodes. It is an island close to the Turkish coast, with part of this coastline visible from Kos.
Due to the proximity to Turkey, you can usually guarantee fabulous weather when visiting Kos in August. Temperatures can soar into the high 30˚ c’s with hours of sunshine a day. When we visited, we were told it had not rained since May.

View of the police station in Kos Town in the distance, with a castle like tower appearance. View looking up a main road with cars and people walking along the pavement.

Kos has had a variety of influences over the years which is expressed in the architecture around the island. You will see influences from the Ottoman, Venetian and Medieval periods throughout. Not forgetting lots of archaeological sites to explore around the island. One major attraction steeped in Kos history is Hippocrates and the tree in which he sat to teach the art of medicine to his students.

There is lots to see and do when visiting Kos in August, as well as exploring nearby islands. Kos Town holds many gems to try too, with a mass of tavernas, cafes, bars and shops.

I heart Kos light up sign in Kos Town, nearby to the harbour

Visiting Kos in August – Where We Stayed

There are many places and resorts to base yourself in Kos and it very much depends on what you want to get out of your trip.

Psalidi was our choice of destination, staying at the lovely Denise Apartments. Nikos and Effi are the owners of these apartments and make you feel welcome. They have a number of themed nights at the pool bar; as well as many different delicious offerings on the menu for lunch and evening meals.

View of the studio room a Denise Apartments, Psalidi, Kos. Two wooden single beds close together with a large wooden wardrobe in the background

White and ginger cat with green collar sat on marble stairs at Denise Apartment, Psalidi, Kos

Pomegrante tree, with fruit hanging next to an outdoor shower around the pool area of Denise Apartments, Psalidi, Kos

Close up shot of many bicycles lined up at Denise Appartments, Psalidi, Kos. More Bicycles in the distance with plants behind.

View of several large palm trees around the poolside area at Denise Apartments, Psalidi, Kos.

View of sunbeds around the pool area at Denise Apartments, Psalidi Kos. Swimming pool behind the sunbeds.

Now, Psalidi is one of the quieter resorts on the island, located on the east coast of Kos. It is roughly a 40-minute walk to Kos Town, so ideal if you want to be part of the hustle and bustle of the main town, but want to take a step back from it also. A bus service is also in operation taking you up the coast and into the town, however, times of these can vary so you have to time it right. There are a few tavernas and café bars to enjoy within this area, so if you don’t want to venture too far there is still ample choice of places to eat. We did find a few tavernas that had closed and looked abandoned. Although sad that they were not in business anymore, I thought they made for a great photo.

Large white and brown cow under a large tree in a filed in Psalidi, Kos

Abandoned taverna building in slight disrepair with an old white car in front, in Psalidi, Kos

Psalidi has a long coastline of beaches, following along the coast from the town. Some areas are pure beaches without sunbeds, with other areas having sunbeds to try and some snack bars too.
Theofilos Beach was our beach of choice, with sunbeds costing around €7 with a parasol and a free drink. Let me tell you, they make a mean Frappe!

View of the sea, with a pebble beach , looking through leaves from a tree.

Theofilos beach sign with grass and tree area leading to the sea in Psalidi, Kos.

View of outdoor bar area with large green plants, and bar stools on Theofilos beach

View of a plant pot with sunbeds and sea in the background at Theofilos beach, Psalidi, Kos

Old red car at Theofilos beach in Psalidi, Kos. Car bumper appears damaged, with a sun visor covering f=windscreen "Theofilos Beach" written on it

Lizard on a wooden board on the Theofilos beach in Kos

Exploring Kos

Now we didn’t explore many places in Kos, instead choosing to relax on the beach, and around the pool for the main part. However, we did venture into Kos town and the beautiful mountain village of Zia. There is ample choice of excursion on Kos, as well as car hire companies; so you can explore as much and as little as you like. Bicycles are also very popular and a great way of getting around; especially for the journey from Psalidi into Kos town.

Kos Town

Kos Town is the capital of Kos; and as I have stated before; offers a plethora of eating, drinking and shopping options.
Exploring the main town, you can see the various influences from over the years, with beautiful buildings around the town. There are a few archaeological sites to explore; as well as a medieval castle of Neratzia. Unfortunately, we did not get to explore this at the times we visited the town, but it looks very impressive from the outside.
The impressive tree of Hippocrates is worth a visit; however, due to the age of the tree, it is mostly supported by scaffolding. You can still say you have visited an important part of medical history though!

Kos Town is also home to a vibrant harbour, full of many boats and yachts. Many boat trips depart from this harbour, and is usually the place where you can catch a trip over to the neighbouring Bodrum in Turkey. We booked a three-island boat tour from here, which I will share with you later in the post.

Now, if you are planning on visiting Kos in August, be warned it can get very busy in Kos Town; especially around 15^th August (assumption day). There is certainly a vibrancy around the town when it is busy. This might impact the availability of your taverna of choice and the opportunity to fully explore the town, but it is great to be part of liveliness.

View of an old building with an archway to enter in a square in Jos Town.

View of a church and church yard at night in Kos Town.

View of anciet ruins in Kos town, at night. Greek collumns lit up be a light in the foreground

View of a large tree in Kos town, nearby to the entrance of the Neratzia Castle.

Close up shot of the Tree of Hippocrates Trunk, with scaffolding at the forefront. Red-ish colour bark in the middle.

View of the Tree of Hippocrates from a slight distance. Scaffolding can be seen supporting the tree.

Several vintage looking posters and wall plaques adorning the wall of 'Lemon' Cafe bar in Kos Town. Several plants and flowers dotted around the shot

View of Defterder Mosque with the glow of the sun on the building in Kos Town. Trees and plants in the foreground

View of a Taverna Fish House with white and grey steps and many people in the foreground

Zia Village

Another place we explored when visiting Kos in August was the mountain village of Zia. We booked our coach ride to and from the village via Miranda Tours and Gifts; based in Psalidi. It costs less than €20 per person for the transfer there and back from the village.

Zia is the place to visit to see the sunset over a valley in Kos. The view from the village overlooking the valley below is beautiful, made all the more special with the sunset. Zia itself is a beautiful village, with tavernas and many shops selling local produce.

We had our meal in Olympia 2 which has wonderful views overlooking the valley. The food is also pretty nice here as well. Now, it is advised to book in advance as during the peak months, there are many visitors. The availability of tables at this time is very limited for walk-ins, so booking is the best way to go.

Due to the peak of the season, this village can also become very busy. You will see many coaches dropping off tourists on the narrow street. You can make your own way there via hire car, however, parking is limited and the wait to enter the village can be long.

View looking down to a church in the distance from a vantage point in Zia, Kos. Many large green trees fill the image in both the foreground and background, with a large mountainous hill in the background.

View of people eating on a raised balcony with the sun setting in the background, in Zia village, Kos

Hand holding a glass of red wine, with the setting sun captured inside the glass. People sat at tables in the background.

View of various local products lining a shelf in Zia village, Kos.

View looking up a cobbled streetm with shops on either side in the village of Zia, Kos

View of different ceramic products on a shop shelf in Zia, Kos. Small plates and cups line the shelves

Visiting Kos in August – Excursions

As part of our two weeks visiting Kos, we explored other islands nearby. Both were full-day trips, with coach and boat rides required to see them. The first we visited was Nisyros, and the second was a three-island boat trip. I would highly recommend doing both of these trips as they were unique and beautiful in their own way; as well as getting you seeing more of the surrounding area.

Nisyros

Again, we booked this trip through Miranda Tours and Gifts. To reach Nisyros, you depart from the harbour of Kardamena with around a 50-minute boat ride to reach the island.

Nisyros is a small island and is home to the youngest volcano in Greece. As part of the trip, you are able to visit the volcano and explore down into the caldera. It is a sight to behold and impressive to say that you have stepped into an active volcano crater. The volcano was last reportedly active in 1996-1997 and is still monitored for activity now.

View looking down into the volcanic crator in Nisyros. People walking around the crator from a long distance away.

View looking up the crator of the volcano in Nisyros. Many people walking and viewing the volcano within the shot.

Woman (Aimsy's Antics) dressed a white and yelow striped dress with a camera around neck, holding a pineapple print beach bag infront of a cordoned off area within the volcano crator in Nisyros

After visiting the volcano, there is time to visit the main and capital town of Mandraki. What a beautiful Greek seaside town this is. There is a host of tavernas, cafes and shops to explore. The streets are narrow and winding in parts, which lends itself to fabulous photography shots and opportunities. There are also various local goods that you can try, such as cinnamon drink, an almond drink that can be diluted with water, or placed in other drinks. The most delicious though is the tomato sweet, with a many chutney/jam being made out of this sweet fruit. Now, it may sound a little different, but I would highly recommend the tomato ice cream that Nisyros is known for. Trust me when I say, you cannot believe that it is tomato in the ice cream…it is delicious!

Small winmill model on a wall of a taverna at the waterside of Mandraki village in Nisyros. People swimming in the sea in the distance.

Blue and white table and chairs infront of blue window shutters on a white wall in Mandraki, Nisyros

A brown and black striped cat, with eyes closed sat under a blue chair

View of a white and blue house with several potted plants in front of it, and washing hanging down from a drying rack in Mandraki, Nisyros

View looking up a narrow street with different coloured balconies in Mandraki, Nisyros. Motorbikes leant against the wall in the foreground

View of a stone building on the waterfront side in Mandraki, Nisyros. View looking from another building, with wooden balcony partly obscured in the shot

View of a brown doorway and window on a stone building. Plants in post adorne the front of the doorway

View looking up several steps of a narrow street in Mandraki, Niyros. Pstel blue coloured windows, shutters and balcony in the background with wasing hanging down

Three-Island Boat Trip

This trip was one of the highlights of our visiting Kos in August. We were able to experience three other islands around the local area.

Many tour operators and boat trips are offering this three-island tour; however, we chose to go with the highly recommended Katerina Boat Tours. They are a local, family-run boat trip with a smaller boat than some of the excursions. This means the capacity doesn’t reach too high and you can be comfortable on the boat. I think there is a max of 40 passengers. You book directly through them at Kos Town Harbour. Not only do you get to visit three places, but they also provide lunch and a few treats/snacks throughout the day. If you are lucky you may also get to see a pod of dolphins, enjoying the waves. We were lucky enough to see a pod on our travel from Plati to Kalymnos.

View from a boat overlooking Kos harbour. Several boats in the background, with the coastline of Turkey in the distance.

Plati

The first stop is Plati, which is a small islet a short distance from Kos and in between the two other islands of Kalymnos and Pserimos. Here you can enjoy a swim stop in crystal clear waters before having a spot of lunch back on the boat. The waters here are magical and make floating effortless, I am not sure if it has a higher salt content around the island, but it made the swim stop a lot easier.

View from a boat off the coastline of Kos. Large Greek flag painted onto the side of the hillside.

Underground image of fish swimming at the swim stop near Plati islat.

View of Katerina Boat from the sea. Greek flag blowing in the breeze.

Plate of food of salad, rice, chicken souvlaki and crusty bread held up on a boat with the sea and rocks in the background.

Kalymnos

After lunch, the next stop is the beautiful island of Kalymnos, to the harbour town of Vathi. This is the second time we have visited Vathi, after staying at Kalymnos in 2007. There is a small amount of tavernas and café bars, but the most impressive part is the natural sponges of sale. Kalymnos is famous for natural sponges, and there is a plethora for you to buy if you wish.
A sweet snack of Greek doughnuts is offered after getting back onto the boat, and it was delicious. The doughnut is covered in sweet honey and cinnamon…yum!

Shop display of natural sponges in various sizes. Other shell designed products also hanging for sale.

View of boats docked in the harbour of Vathi, Kalymnos. Turqoise blue sea with rocky hill in the background

View of a rowing boat filled with natural sponges and shell designs for sale in Kalymnos

Hand holding up a Greek doughnut on a paper napkin with honey and cinnamon on the top. View from the boat into the surrounding area of Kalymnos in the background

Pserimos

The final island to visit is Pserimos. Pserimos is a small island and you dock in the harbour where there is a beach and beachfront café bars. Golden sands and blue water greet you here, and it is perfect to relax with a cold drink. After Pserimos, the final treat of the day is provided, with a nice big wedge of fresh watermelon.

I heart Pserimos sign on the waterside in Perismos. Boats floating in the sea in the background

Large slice of watermelon held up, overlooking the sea from a boat.

Visiting Kos in August

So there is a round-up and photo dump of our two weeks visiting Kos in August. I would highly recommend visiting Kos and exploring the nearby island. It is a Greek island with a lot of character and so much to see and do. If we were to visit again, I would like to explore more on the island, to see what other charms it has.

Have you ever visited Kos before? What would you like to see and do? Let me know in the comments below!

Visiting Kos in August – Video

Here is the travel vlog of our trip to Athens in November! Don’t forget to like the video if you have enjoyed it, and why not subscribe to my channel to keep up with all of my creative and crafty antics on YouTube?

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