Even though we have been here before, we have had a very useful and enjoyable stay on Kos. We expected the Marina to be expensve and planned to go into the old harbour like last time. However it only cost €21 per night with free water and electricity so we stayed here all the time. Excellent value!
Selas in the marina are an official service center for Ocean Safety life-rafts. We had ours done at their very impressive facility by an obviously competent technician - who spent over an hour showing us every detail of the raft and its contents. It wasn't cheap at €300 but we felt it was good value.
We spent a day with a car visiting the sights. The Asclepion is very impressive. Surprisingly well preserved (and a bit tastefully restored). It isn't actually where Hypocrates practiced as he died 30 years before it was constructed but its very atmospheric nevertheless.
We drove the mountain roads to Zia where we had a very interesting and reasonably priced meal at the Olympia Taverna - despite the place being a tourist trap.
After that it was the big surprise of the day - the castle at Paleo Pili. This doesn't seem to be mentioned much in guide books etc but it was amazing. A rocky peak which already had a nascent castle in it has been conjured into an impregnable fortress by the addition of a few walls here and there. Its a bit of a scramble to get up there - but well worth it (and completely free). From the summit there are stunning views of Northern Kos and across to Kalimnos, Pserimos and Turkey.
The last visit was to the huge fortress built by the Knights of St. John. The exterior walls are very well preserved and very large. Unfortunately there appears to be nothing of interest inside - It is completely overgrown and there do not even appear to be much in the way of ruins under the vegetation. A further dampener was put on the day by meeting a starving dog on the road. L desperately wanted to help it but we felt unable to do so as there is no possibility of it coming with us on the boat and the most likely outcome if we had let it in the car would have been to have to abandon it again when we sailed away. L spent ages when we got back to Rosa, trying to get the local dog charity interested but to no avail. Apparently they are overwhelmed by stray and abandoned dogs.
We stayed around relaxing for a couple more days waiting for a strong Northerly to die and will now set off today for Pserimos.
Selas in the marina are an official service center for Ocean Safety life-rafts. We had ours done at their very impressive facility by an obviously competent technician - who spent over an hour showing us every detail of the raft and its contents. It wasn't cheap at €300 but we felt it was good value.
We spent a day with a car visiting the sights. The Asclepion is very impressive. Surprisingly well preserved (and a bit tastefully restored). It isn't actually where Hypocrates practiced as he died 30 years before it was constructed but its very atmospheric nevertheless.
We drove the mountain roads to Zia where we had a very interesting and reasonably priced meal at the Olympia Taverna - despite the place being a tourist trap.
After that it was the big surprise of the day - the castle at Paleo Pili. This doesn't seem to be mentioned much in guide books etc but it was amazing. A rocky peak which already had a nascent castle in it has been conjured into an impregnable fortress by the addition of a few walls here and there. Its a bit of a scramble to get up there - but well worth it (and completely free). From the summit there are stunning views of Northern Kos and across to Kalimnos, Pserimos and Turkey.
The last visit was to the huge fortress built by the Knights of St. John. The exterior walls are very well preserved and very large. Unfortunately there appears to be nothing of interest inside - It is completely overgrown and there do not even appear to be much in the way of ruins under the vegetation. A further dampener was put on the day by meeting a starving dog on the road. L desperately wanted to help it but we felt unable to do so as there is no possibility of it coming with us on the boat and the most likely outcome if we had let it in the car would have been to have to abandon it again when we sailed away. L spent ages when we got back to Rosa, trying to get the local dog charity interested but to no avail. Apparently they are overwhelmed by stray and abandoned dogs.We stayed around relaxing for a couple more days waiting for a strong Northerly to die and will now set off today for Pserimos.
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