Kos Town sits on the north-eastern tip of the island, directly across the narrow strait from the Turkish coast — on a clear day the Turkish town of Bodrum is clearly visible from the harbour. Kos International Airport (KGS) is approximately 26 kilometres to the south-west, a transfer of around 25–30 minutes. The town itself is compact and highly walkable — one of its genuine advantages over the larger resort areas further south.
The ancient ruins scattered throughout and immediately around Kos Town are extraordinary in their accessibility. The Roman agora — a large ancient marketplace — sits in the centre of the modern town, surrounded by fallen columns and mosaic floors that can be walked around freely. The Plane Tree of Hippocrates, reputedly the tree under which the father of medicine taught his students 2,400 years ago, stands in the main square next to a 15th-century Ottoman mosque and a Venetian loggia. The Castle of the Knights of St John dominates the harbour entrance. In Kos Town, history is not in a museum — it is in the street. Eleni considers this the most immediately rewarding combination of ancient ruins and living town of any destination in the GotoBeach Greece portfolio.
The Asklepion — the ancient healing sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius and the birthplace of Hippocrates, 4 kilometres from the town centre — is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Greece and one of the most undervisited relative to its importance. The terraced site, set on a hillside with views across the Aegean to the Turkish coast, is considerably less crowded than comparable sites at Knossos or the Rhodes old town. Eleni recommends it strongly for any guest with an interest in ancient Greek history and medicine — and she notes that it is best visited in the early morning before the heat builds.
The beach in Kos Town runs directly along the northern edge of the town and is sandy, clean and easily accessible from the town centre hotels on foot. It is not the longest beach on the island — Tigaki to the west has a considerably longer stretch — but it is pleasant and convenient, and the combination of beach and town on the doorstep gives Kos Town a completeness that the more isolated beach resorts cannot match.
Eleni’s tip for Kos Town: hire a bicycle on the first full day. The town and its immediate surroundings are perfectly sized for cycling, the roads are flat and the route between the town, the harbour, the agora and the beach takes in more ancient history per kilometre than almost anywhere else in the Greek islands. The Asklepion is reachable by bike through a pleasant Koan countryside of olive trees and farms.
One honest note: Kos Town is livelier than Mastichari or Tigaki and can be noisy on the main nightlife streets in high season. Guests who specifically want a quiet, peaceful beach resort should consider Mastichari or Tigaki instead. Kos Town is the right choice for guests who want the full island experience — history, town atmosphere, beach and good restaurants — in one compact, walkable base.
For all inclusive holidays in Kos Town, cheap Kos holidays from the UK or Kos package holidays — book through GotoBeach with full ATOL protection under licence #11211, low deposits from £30 per person and the honest advice of a team that knows the Greek islands properly.
