Car hire Kos

Introduction

Kos is relatively small Greek island off the west coast of Turkey. The capital of the island has the same name. Like many other Greek islands, Kos has benefited from the rise of tourism. Kos City was destroyed during an earthquake in 1933, but some beautiful old buildings were spared, like the Castle of the Hospitallers of Saint John. Furthermore, Kos is the island where Hippocrates was born, the founder of modern medicine. His famous oath is still taken by all physicians in the world.

Population

The island has about 30,000 inhabitants, most of whom live in the capital.

Location

Kos is one of the islands of the Dodekanesos in the south-east of the Aegean Sea. It is situated right off the west coast of Turkey, to the north-west of the larger island of Rhodes. Kos City is situated on the north-eastern tip of the island.

Economy

Tourism is the most important source of income. In addition, there is some fishery and olives, almonds and citrus fruit are grown.

Airports

Kos Island International Airport, also know as Hippocrates Airport, lies near the town of Antimahia, 25 kilometres to the south-west of Kos City. There are daily flights to Athens and Rhodes, but the airport is used above all for chartered flights during the summer.
There is a bus connection to Kos city.

Public transport

There are two bus stations in Kos City, on Kleopatra Street and on Akti Kountouriotou. From the former buses leave to Tigaki and Kefalos via the beaches of Paradise, Agios Stefanos and Kamari. From the latter buses depart for Asklepion, Lampi and Agios Fokas.
In addition there are two small trains in the city. There is a green train with which you can make a city tour, the blue train goes to Asklepion, the medical school of Hippocrates.

From the port there are ferry connections to other islands in the Dodekanesos, and to Piraeus, Mikonos, Syros, Samos and Thessaloniki. During the summer many ferries operate hovercraft boats. There is also a ferry from Kos to Bodrum in Turkey.

Traffic and Parking

Driving on Kos is very pleasant. The main road crosses the entire island and it is in good condition. Keep an eye out for the large number of mopeds that will overtake you left and right. On the smaller roads you may encounter cattle of people, so drive carefully there. If a person coming from the other end flashes their headlight that means they are going to overtake the car in front. They expect you to make room for them!.

In Kos City, you can park at the ferry port, not far from the castle. The city centre is within a 3 minute walking distance. You can also park in the centre (is there is space available), but only for a limited time. Read the instructions carefully!

Hotels

Kos is a tourist island. There is a wide variety of hotels available in all price ranges, apartments, villas and traditional houses. Kos City and other places along the coast (beaches) are pretty touristy and busy. If you want a quieter environment, try finding accommodation in Kefalos, Pyli, Zia of Antimachia. Make sure you book well in advance, especially during the summer.

External Sources

For more information about Kos, we recommend Google, and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Kos
• Official Website Kos