DISTANT PLACES
Travel tips by Bremen sehenswert far from the Hanseatic City of Bremen
Kos - The Greek Dodecanese Island
A Travel Guide
Kalymnos, Plati, and Pserimos – A Boat Excursion
Church of Agios Nikolaos with part of the harbor in Pothia on Kalymnos
It is not that there isn't enough to discover on Kos if one chooses to stay on land, but a boat tour offers a different and special kind of appeal for many. In tourist areas such as Kardamena, Mastichari, Marmari, or Tigaki, numerous agencies offer both bus tours within Kos (such as island tours, trips to the Embros Thermal Springs, sunset trips to the mountain village of Zia, or to Paradise Beach) and boat excursions. The selection includes fishing and 3-bay tours with swimming and barbecue, "Sunset Cruises," as well as trips to destinations like the Turkish city of Bodrum, the volcanic island of Nisyros, or the three-island cruise to Kalymnos, Plati, and Pserimos described here.
In the port of Pothia on Kalymmos
Representatives from the tour operators through whom you may have booked your holiday typically include such excursions in their programs during their regular visits to your hotel lobby. Ultimately, however, they also book these through local providers and often charge a premium compared to the agencies on the street, often without providing any additional added value. Therefore, feel free to visit one of the agencies yourself. Being picked up by bus directly at your hotel is generally the standard practice on the day of the excursion; the drivers are usually there at the stated time, and there is often an English-speaking guide on board.
One of the excursion boats in the port of Kos
There are three ferry ports on Kos; from Kardamena in the south, ships to Nisyros depart, and from the town of Kos in the east, it goes across the water to Bodrum. The 3-island cruise usually starts from the north coast of Mastichari because the islands are situated within sight of that coastline. In the event of unfavorable wind conditions, however, the ships are moved to the port of the city of Kos and the tour starts from there.
First the ship sets off, then the passengers relax
It is clear that inspiration was drawn from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film series, as the ships, which hold between 200 and told 250 passengers, bear a striking resemblance to the "Black Pearl," and even the ship names have been chosen accordingly. It makes for a rather charming sight and offers something different. The layout on many decks is also designed for "chilling." In addition to bench seating, there are padded lounge areas where you can settle in comfortably. Here, too, the journey is part of the destination. If you are lucky, you may spot dolphins along the way, at which point the ship will take a break for whale watching.
Houses stretch across the mountain slopes around the port of Pothia
The first stop is the capital of Kalymnos, Pothia, which stretches in a protected bay from the harbor up the steeply rising slopes of the mountainous island - an area also popular with climbers. Just before reaching the pier, you can see aquaculture facilities along the coast where sea breams are farmed. It is a somewhat spectacular sight, and the nets below the water's surface are intended to attract dolphins.
Sponges look very different from each other; these two are small
The itinerary includes a visit to a facility that processes sponges. By the way, natural sponges are the skeletons of animals that live on the seabed. Harvested often under life-threatening conditions, these sponges were for many years an export product that made the island famous and provided a good livelihood for its residents. From a scientific perspective, there are 5,000 different species, but only four have found their way into households as cleaning utensils, as not all sponges are soft. However, damaging environmental impacts in the seas and the invention of synthetic sponges after World War II caused this branch of industry to nearly disappear. Nevertheless, you can still find natural sponges for sale today in many shops on neighboring islands like Symi and Rhodes.
Another naturally occurring marine product that is popular with humans: mussels
This part of the program is by no means mandatory; after a simple meal - which is included in the excursion price - you are welcome to explore the town independently. From the bustling harbor, where a main road runs directly alongside it, you can reach the residential quarters of the town's inhabitants through small lanes. In these areas, things get narrow and winding, and a different way of life is led here than where the tourist flows travel. Out of respect for the residents, no photos are permitted in this area, despite the abundance of beautiful and atmospheric scenes.
Church with a tower in the center of Pothia
The town does not offer many "classic" sights, but in the limited time frame available, you can walk through parts of the arching harbor area with its many boats and ships or visit one of the viewpoints overlooking the bay. During this time, you will almost always have the excursion ship in your sight; when you see it begin to weigh anchor and head off, you’ll know you're running late! :-)
Boats in the port of Pothia
After Kalymnos, the excursion boat drops anchor in a bay on the small, uninhabited island of Plati. Swimming in crystal-clear water is on the agenda. In the sun, the water glows turquoise over an intermittently sandy seabed. Some take the opportunity to snorkel with fins and a mask, while others find hopping into the water just above the surface too tedious and prefer to jump from a height of about five meters from the railing of the upper deck. Those who prefer not to enter the water can watch and perhaps enjoy one of the many cocktails served behind the bar below deck - available for cash or plastic money only.
Swimming in a bay on the uninhabited island of Plati
The final stop is a small cluster of houses with a church and a landing site next to a 170-meter long sandy beach, known as Avlakia, the only settlement on the island of Pserimos. If the wind is unfavorable, the short stop there may be skipped in favor of another swimming stop at an anchor point in a protected bay on another side of the island. On the return journey, you will also get to know the island of Kos from the ship from a completely different and new perspective.
View from the ship of the island of Kos with the Dikeos mountains
Anyone wishing to book one of these recommended boat tours should be aware that the ships can rock considerably depending on the swell and wind conditions. A small trick helps against seasickness: fix your gaze on a steady point on the horizon; this calms your sense of balance.
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Read more about Kos: The table of contents
Map
UNESCO World Heritage Site on Rhodes
A journey through the historic Old Town of Rhodes
Relics from various eras - ranging from antiquity to the period of Italian occupation - can be found almost everywhere on the island. Many have left their mark; in some places, they must be sought out, while in others, they appear in clustered, fascinating density and variety. Yet, nowhere else on the island are these traces as prominent as they are in the city of Rhodes. It is not for nothing that the historic Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.
read more about Rhodes Old Town ...
Symi
An excursion to the Greek Dodecanese island off the Turkish coast
A visit to this sparsely populated rocky island of about 60 square kilometers, with its namesake picturesque harbor town, is part of the standard tour itinerary offered in many locations on the Greek island of Rhodes. From the main island, it takes ships approximately two hours to reach the port of the small island located 23 kilometers north of Rhodes off the Turkish coast, which has belonged to Greece since 1947. As more of the Greek coast recedes into the distance to the port side, the ship draws closer to the Turkish shore; this part of the southern Aegean essentially connects Europe and Western Asia.
read more about Symi ...
The "Green" Island of Corfu
From the sights of the capital, Kerkyra, to the Corfu Trail
The Greeks call not only the city but the island itself Kerkyra. According to legend, it was named after the nymph Gorgyra (also known as Kerkyra), who was brought to the island by the sea god Poseidon. A legend, indeed. In fact, the name appears in a modified form, "Korkyra," on written records as early as 1200 BC. The current name, Corfu, dates back to the Byzantine era. Once an independent island and later the first Roman province of modern Greece, it became part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 395 AD. On a rocky promontory jutting into the sea, the Byzantines built a fortress in the early 6th century and named the city emerging from this core "Koryfo."
read more about Kerkyra ...
Zakynthos
An island defined by the Caretta caretta
When searching for images of the 406 km² island online, one primarily encounters a very common recurring motif that has been captured from a similar angle by various photographers over the years: Navagio Bay on the northwestern coast. It's all junk, right? Well, that is a matter of perspective, and there are plenty of those during the season, whether they have a camera or not. The fact remains, however, that the rusting wreck of the motor vessel "Panagiotis" has become a landmark for Zakynthos.
read more about Zakynthos ...
