My mum taught me early on that September is the best time for beach holidays. There are less crowds around even at the most popular destinations. The temperatures are milder, the sun kinder to your skin. The best thing about the velvet season, as she would call it, however, is the sea: often at its warmest after the long, hot summer months.
I hope that this year’s velvet season continues well into October, since my boyfriend and I are heading to Greece next week to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We’ve booked a lovely hotel on the island of Kos and are looking forward to (hopefully!) spending most of our time there swimming, sunbathing and simply chilling by the pool with a great book in hand.
This is not to say that we’re not interested in exploring the island. From what I’ve read, there’s a lot to do both on and off Kos. Here are some of the things we’ve noted down.
Places to visit on Kos
Kos Town
The capital of Kos shares the name of the island and is it’s largest municipality. This is not to say that it’s particularly big – after all, there are only 34 000 inhabitants on the whole island. Despite its small size, Kos Town boasts many places of interest, including a beautiful harbour, a medieval castle, and an ancient agora.
In the footsteps of Hippocrates: Asklepieion
Standing on a hill some 3 km inland from the capital, Asklepieion is an ancient hospital and medical school dating back to 3rd century BC. According to legends, Hippocrates himself held lessons here. While this might not be true, Asklepieion is still the most important archeological site on the island.
Hot Springs at Therme Beach
Kos has a lot of beautiful beaches, but this is the one I’m most excited about. I love jacuzzis, hot tubs and heated pools, so I’m pretty sure I would also enjoy the natural thermal springs of Therme beach. What’s best, the water is said to hold beneficial qualities – what’s not to love?
Day trips from Kos
The Three Island Cruise
In mood for some island-hopping? The popular day cruise departs from Kos Town and visits the neighbouring islands of Pserimos, Kalymnos and Plati. If you’re lucky, you might even spot dolphins on the way (yes please!).
Walk on a Volcano on Nisyros
In case it won’t be warm enough on Kos, there is always the option of turning up the heat with a boat trip to Nisyros. The small island is best known for its volcano – and the fact that you can walk right on its crater.
All of the above sound very exciting – but what I’m most looking forward to is simply soaking up some sunshine before the long, cold winter days. Here’s to hoping the weather will be on our side!
Have you been to Kos? Am I missing a must-see sight or excursion? Tips and suggestions are very much welcome!