Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kálymnos
Despite its size and beauty, the island
of
KÁLYMNOS
has long been
overshadowed by Kos. Kálymnos
fought in the Trojan War as a vassal of
its southern neighbour, and to this
day its tourist industry remains
largely dependent on the overspill
- and the airport - of Kos.
In most respects, however,
Kálymnos is very unlike Kos. It's
much more mountainous, consisting
of three high limestone ridges that fan
away from the continuous rugged
cliffs of its west coast, to create two
long sloping valleys that hold most of
its settlements and agricultural land.
The island's capital and largest town,
the busy port of
Póthia
, faces Kos
from the midpoint of its southern
shoreline. Most visitors head instead
for the west coast, where a handful of
small resorts have struggled to survive
the collapse of a short-lived
experiment in mass tourism. The pick of the pack,
Myrtiés
, stands close to some
attractive little beaches. This craggy shoreline has found deserved fame among
climbers
and
hikers
, who keep businesses ticking along in the cooler spring and autumn months.
For a beach holiday, you'd do better to head for the separate islet of
Télendhos
, (a
spectacular sight at sunset), or further north up the coast to
Emboriós
.
The prosperity of Kálymnos traditionally rested on its
sponge industry
(see box,
p.576), but blights have now wiped out almost all of the eastern Mediterranean's
sponges. Only a few boats of the island's thirty-strong fleet remain in use, and most of
the sponges sold behind the harbour are imported from Asia and the Caribbean.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
Glaroníssia
KÁLYMNOS &
TÉLENDHOS
N
Aptíki
Emboriós
Asprokykliá
Paliónissos
Skália
Kalamié
Áyios
Nikolaos
589m
Aryinónda
Télendhos
Dhrasónda
Paradise
Pótha
Armeós
Pezónda
576m
Télendhos
Massoúri
Hokhlakás
Melitsahás
Kyrá Psilí
Myrtiés
609m
654m
Almyrés
Eliés
Prof. Ilías
(679m)
Pánormos
Plátanos
Rína
Linária
Va thýs
Kandoúni
Péra Kástro
Árgos
Hóra
Aktí
Khryssoheriás
Póthia
Vothýni
Vlyhádhia
Bay
0
2
Nerá
kilometres
8
Astypálea
KÁLYMNOS
By air
Kálymnos's small airport, 6km northwest of Póthia,
is served only by Olympic Air flights to and from Athens
(1-2 daily).
By ferry
Ferries from Póthia serve the following islands:
Agathoníssi (5 weekly; 2hr 15min-5hr 30min); Arkioi (4
weekly; 4hr 20min); Astypálea (3 weekly; 2hr 15min-2hr
45min); Kastelórizo (2 weekly; 10hr 15min-13hr); Kos (Kos
Town) (2-5 daily; 30min-1hr); Kos (Mastihari) (6 daily;
20min-1hr); Léros (1-2 daily; 50min-1hr 20min); Lipsi
(2-3 daily; 1hr 20min); Náxos (1 weekly; 6hr 55min);
Níssyros (2 weekly; 2hr 50min); Páros (1 weekly; 8hr 30min);
Pátmos (2-4 daily; 1hr 40min-3hr 25min); Pireás
(5 weekly; 9hr 40min-14hr 10min); Pserimos (3 weekly;
20min); Rhodes (2-4 daily; 2hr 40min-8hr 15min); Sámos
(1-2 daily; 2hr 50min-6hr 50min); Sými (11 weekly; 2hr
10min-6hr 20min); Tílos (2 weekly; 4hr 20min). There are
frequent ferries to Télendhos from Myrtiés (see above).
Travel agents
Sofia Kouremeti (
T
22430 23700) and
Mahias Travel (
T
22430 22909).
Tourist o
ce
The municipal tourist office faces the ferry
jetty in Póthia (Mon-Fri 8am-3pm;
T
22430 50956,
W
kalymnos-isl.gr).
GETTING AROUND
By bus
Buses to the west-coast resorts (6 daily in season;
30min), and also northwest to Emboriós (2 daily; 50min)
and east to Vathýs (4 daily; 30min), run from two terminals
beside the municipal “palace”.
Taxis
Shared taxis, available at Platía Kyprou, cost less
than normal taxis.
By car and scooter
Car rental outlets along Póthia quay
include the recommended Auto Market (
T
22430 51780,
W
kalymnoscars.gr), while for scooters check out Kostas
(
T
22430 50110), very close to the tourist office.
