OUR KOS HOLIDAY
We were after a October Half-Term sunny destination that appealed to our multi-generational family and offered something for everyone… beaches, historical sites and beautiful scenery.

Would Kos meet all our expectations?
We flew early morning from Bristol to the Greek island of Kos, a popular Dodecanese Island in the SE Aegean.  Our multi-generational family
comprising of 2 lively boys of 7 and 8, their parents and grandmother. The flight to Kos International Airport was only 4 hours, and not a problem for the very excited youngest members of our group. As the plane descended, we saw Greek Islands and, from the left hand side of the plane, Turkey. We then had a short half hour transfer to our hotel Grand Blue near Kardamena and were able to settle into our apartments straight away and indulge in a much needed buffet lunch, one of the positives of going all inclusive.

Grand Blue Hotel
The accommodation is set in a picturesque, hilly location descending to the coastline. You can easily book a complimentary small buggy to drive you to dining areas, pools etc, by simply ringing reception, with the buggy usually arriving within minutes. We found this very useful, especially when moving tired children and suitcases.
The hotel offers 3 restaurants, though we tended to use the buffet options for convenience on our holiday. There was an excellent choice of food available, and the flavours used in the cooking were particularly noteworthy. Basically, there was something available for all palates. Our special favourites were the Greek cuisine evenings.

There were 3 swimming pools on site, and 2 kid’s pools so you could take your pick, and a children’s club. (If your children are after a water park, there is Aquatica attached to a hotel only a 5 minute drive away, but there is a fee to enter for non-residents). The entertainment around our hotel was great too. The hotel is classed as 5 star, but in reality I would think of it as a good 3 star, and then you won’t be disappointed.

The hotel was situated on the East coast, on the outskirts of the village of Kardamena, which was great to walk to in the evenings. In years gone by, this was known as the party area, but it has improved its image and is a place where you see locals living and an array of shops, bars and restaurants. It was only a 20 minute stroll along the pavement flanking the shallow beach of sand and shingle, alongside a relatively quiet road. We particularly enjoyed having cocktails at Adam’s bar, while watching a spectacular sunset. From Kardamena you could take various boat trips, including one to see the volcanic island of Nisyros with its active Stefanos crater.

We decided to hire a car throughout our holiday, so we could explore the island fully at our own pace. Driving was easy here, and the roads were relatively quiet.

On our first day we set off to Plaka forest, home to dozens of peacocks roaming freely, including an albino peacock.  The children loved hunting for the beautiful feathers amongst the undergrowth. From here we drove to the picturesque and small traditional fishing village of Limnionas, the most
North Westerly point of the island. The sea was too rough to swim and it was rather windy, but perfect for a paddle. We then had a superb fish themed lunch at the only restaurant in the village which has stunning views on its outdoor terrace.

One of our day trips in the hire car was to the island’s lively capital Kos town, which has a lovely mix of shops, eateries and archaeological sites. It is situated in the NE of the island, and while there we met up with family members who were visiting for a day while cruising the Med. We strolled alongside the harbour and new marina, then headed to Eleftherias (Liberty) Square and saw the city walls, mosque and archaeological museum which has a statue of Hippocrates, the famous healer born on Kos. We also saw the ‘Plane Tree of Hippocrates,’ too young to be the tree which legend says Hippocrates taught under, but nonetheless still epic at nearly 2000 years old. Be sure to explore the Venetian Castle of Neratzia dating from 14th century and built by the Knights of the Order of St John. The views are great too!

Just north of town is an Asclepius or healing shrine, dating from 4th century BC. If you are after a spot of retail therapy, check out the Market Hall. There are no meats sold in it, but it has super fruits, nuts, olives and Greek products and souvenirs for sale.

 

From Kos Town, it is also easy to take a boat trip to Bodrum in Turkey for the day, but don’t forget your passport! It’s a relatively short crossing of between 30 to 45 minutes but the queues to get on can be much longer than this. Although we noticed prices have increased quite a bit
in Turkey, it was still lovely to stroll along the streets, sample delicious Turkish delight, have lunch in a delightful bakery and generally soak up the sights and sounds of a different culture. The children in our group loved hearing the call of the Iman and watching people prepare for prayer. A word of warning though… beware of ‘cheap’ trips across to Turkey which include guided tours. They often go to carpet dealers and shopping venues where the
promoter pockets big commissions.

Another day we headed to the mountain village of Zia, which is renowned for its sunsets.  From here you can hike up Mount Dikeous, the highest point on the island, which is 843m high. It takes 4 to 5 hours to walk up and down it, and we recommend setting off early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day. Take plenty of water and sun protection as the climb isn’t easy! Zia village is a honey pot location, but beautiful nonetheless, with an array of
cafes, shops, eateries and alleys to explore. Grab a cooling drink and sit on an elevated terrace and relax.

After Zia we scrambled up to Old Pyli, close to the mountain village of Pyli. Here there are ruins of a Byzantine castle and panoramic views, although the way up is a bit precarious in places.

Our favourite beach for swimming was near Kefalos. St Stephen’s beach has ruins and mosaics you can discover, directly adjacent to the beach. The small island of Kastri opposite is uninhabited but has a small church on it where it is possible to get married. It can be
reached by boat or you can swim if you are at an advanced level.

We had a few windy days in Kos when it wasn’t sunbathing weather. On one of these days, we headed to the impressive fortifications of Antimachia Castle, which was started by Venetians in the 13th century and completed by the Knights of St John the following century. Inside the fortifications there are two small churches and impressive views but be careful as some of the site is quite precarious in places.

To sum up, our holiday to Kos ticked all the right boxes & I'd recommend it for both couples & families.

Fancy your own holiday to Kos?

Kos Destination Guide