Kos Town holidays are the king of costume changes. By day you'll see ancient sites and chilled beaches, but after dark it's dressed in a glitzy, neon get-up.

Myths and must-sees

Just like its name suggests, Kos Town’s top dog on the Greek island of Kos. It’s a real sightseer’s fave, thanks to the dot-to-dot of throwback attractions that call this place home. The sea-facing Castle of the Knights dates back to the 1300s, and it shares a corner of the town with the ultimate elder statesman – Ancient Agora. This cluster of ruins has been around since the 3rd century BC. Elsewhere, you can see the Plane Tree, where the father of modern medicine – Hippocrates – once taught his fledglings.

Laidback Lambi

It’s not only about sightseeing in these parts, though, and you’ll be dropping the ball if you don’t spend at least a day on Blue Flag Lambi Beach. This rod-straight strip of sand extends north from Kos Town, with ice-cream-coloured parasols and sunloungers sprinkled along the shoreline. It morphs into Zouroudi Beach halfway along, where the setting’s just as picturesque. Scan the horizon from either stretch, and you’ll see the outline of Turkey in the distance.

Market days and neon nights

Make a beeline for the heart of Kos Town, and you’ll end up in the middle of Eleftherias Square. Locals and tourists flood here for chill time at a café or a browse of the market. Lots of the stuff on sale’s in the traditional Greek bracket, but you’ll find a smattering of modern shops muscling in, too. Later on, things take a bass-pumping turn. The nightlife close to the harbour’s ranked as the best on the island, with a couple of streets that are chock-full of neon-lit bars and open-'til-dawn nightclubs.

At a Glance

  • Visit the historic Castle of the Knights
  • Sample the island’s best bar scene
  • Wind down on a Blue Flag beach