Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In summer, a good way to get your bearings is to hop on the city's Tourist Train city tour
(€5, 20 minutes), which runs from 10am to 2pm and 6pm to 10pm, starting from the bus
station on Akti Kountouriotou. You can also take a train to the Asklipieion and back (€5),
departing on the hour from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday, from the bus stop on Akti
Miaouli.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Around Kos
The nearest decent beach to Kos Town is the crowded
Lambi Beach
, 4km to the northw-
est. Further round the coast is a long, pale-sand stretch of beach, divided into
Tingaki
,
10km from Kos Town, and
Marmari Beach
, 14km west and slightly less crowded. Wind-
surfing is popular at all three beaches. In summer there are boats from Marmari to the is-
land of Pserimos.
Vasileos Georgiou in Kos Town leads to the three busy beaches of
Psalidi
, 3km from
Kos Town,
Agios Fokas
(8km) and
Therma Loutra
(12km). The latter has hot mineral
springs that warm the sea.
Asklipieion Ασκληπιείον
The island's most important ancient site is the
Asklipieion
( 22420 28763; adult/student
€4/3; 8am-7.30pm Tue-Sun)
, built on a pine-covered hill 3km southwest of Kos Town,
with lovely views of the town and Turkey. The Asklipieion consisted of a religious sanc-
tuary devoted to Asclepius (the god of healing), a healing centre and a school of medi-
cine, where training followed the teachings of Hippocrates, the daddy of modern medi-
cine. Until AD 554, when an earthquake destroyed the sanatorium, people came from far
and wide for treatment.
The ruins occupy three levels. The
propylaea
(approach to the main gate), Roman-era
public
baths
and remains of guest rooms are on the first level. On the 2nd level is a 4th-
century-BC
altar of Kyparissios Apollo
. West of this is the
first Temple of Asclepius
,
built in the 4th century BC. To the east is the 1st-century-BC
Temple to Apollo
. On the
3rd level are the remains of the once magnificent 2nd-century-BC
Temple of Asclepius
.
The hourly bus 3 and the Kos Town Tourist Train go to the site. It's also a pleasant
cycle or walk.
