KOS

  • The island of Kos is the third largest island in the Dodekanese, after Rhodes and Karpathos. It is located south of Kalymnos and the distance from Piraeus is 200 n.miles.
  • The island is the birthplace of Hippocrates, father of medicine. South-East of the city of Kos (capital of the island), one can see the Aesculapium or Asklepeio (4th century BC). Among the ruins there are the Temple of Aesculapius (or Asklepios) , the Stoa of Hippocrates' medical school and the altar.
  • During your city tour, you can rest in the shade of a plane tree which is believed to be the same one that was planted by Hippocrates in the area. This is the place, according to tradition, that Hippocrates used to teach his students .
  • You should also visit the Knights' Castle , the Museum, the Doric Temple of Venus, the Castle and the Roman School of Music.
  • In the whole island there are ancient ruins of different periods such as,Neolithic, Mycenaean and Roman civilization . The most important period for the island in the ancient times was the classical period, during which the island experienced a significant growth , mainly due to the Asklepeio and the famous fabric production well known among the ancient cities.
  • There are beautiful beaches and quiet places all over the island . There are daily flights to and from Athens, Rhodes, Leros and Myconos and frequent boat trips to and from Piraeus, the Cyclades, the northen and southern Aegean islands, the Dodecanese, Crete and Cyprus.
  • Useful telephone numbers for the island:
    Area Code: 0242
    Port Authority: 28507
    Olympic Airways: 28331,22833
    Police: 28668
    Town Hall: 28724
    First Aid: 22300


by Popie Damaskinos
Copyright: Hellenic Electronic Center
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