Usually when I'm in a new place I can waste days just walking around soaking in the different culture, eating, and sitting at a streetside cafe people watching. But if you really feel like venturing out of our wedding location of Myrties and hopping onto a scooter, or into a cab, here are the suggestions.
Beaches:Hopefully it's warm enough to enjoy these.
Platis Yialos Beach Kalymnos: The beach of Platis Yialos is one of the most beautiful beaches of Kalymnos. It is located nearby the village of Panormos, north of the beaches of Kandouni and Linaria. The fine beach has soft black sand and azure clean waters. An excellent tavern stands on the beach, serving delightful dishes.From Platis Yialos, the visitor will have the chance to admire the most astonishing sunset of Kalymnos.A mini-market and some restaurants are available near the beach. To reach this paradise, one has to take the bus that stops at a short distance of it.
Town Village Kalymnos : I would suggest this just for the feel of a small greek island!
The little town of Pothia (also called Kalymnos) is the capital of the island of Kalymnos and its main port. It is a lovely settlement built amphitheatrically around the port, on the foot and slopes of two hills, and in the verdant valley between the two hills. This traditional and attractive town gathers almost all of the population of Kalymnos and is a real paradise with whitewashed and bright coloured houses with colourful doors, shutters and balconies and atmospheric narrow alleys.
Shops, banks, an open-air cinema, a cultural centre, small bars and picturesque cafes are waiting for the visitor in Pothia. All kind of accommodations are available as well as excellent taverns serving fresh and tasty specialties.
Shops, banks, an open-air cinema, a cultural centre, small bars and picturesque cafes are waiting for the visitor in Pothia. All kind of accommodations are available as well as excellent taverns serving fresh and tasty specialties.
Churches:
There are a bunch of these. It's almost worth getting on a scooter and just making the rounds.
Perched on the top of a hill, this beautiful monastery overlooks the capital of the island, Pothia. One of the lovely chapels of the monastery houses the tomb of Saint Savvas for whom locals believed that he had healing powers. Nuns still reside in the old part of the monastery. The new church of the monastery and its fine bell-tower offer a magnificent panoramic view over the island.Castles:
The Castle of Chrysocheria in Kalymnos: The castle of Chrysocheria lies on top of a hill that overlooks Chorio village, the ancient capital of Kalymnos. It is close to the cave of the Seven
Virgins and was built by the Knights of the Order of St John, who ruled the island from the 14th to the 16th century. The objective of this construction was to fortify the city and protect it from possible conquerors and the invasions of pirates. This castle was inhabited until the 18th century. Today, its interior still hosts the well-preserved church of Panagia Crysochera, which gives its name to the castle. This name means “our Lady with the golden hands”. The church was named after this because of the icon of Virgin Mary, in the interior of the church, which depicts Virgin Mary having hands covered with a golden leaf. A legend also says that a treasure of golden coins was once found under the floor of this church. Furthermore, the church of Panagia Chrysochera also hosts some nice Byzantine frescoes. Apart from this church, we can find some other chapels within the castle, dedicated to other saints. On the west side of Chrysocheria castle, there are some ruined fortification walls and a coat of arms that belonged to a Genoan nobleman called Viniali. There are also the ruins of an ancient temple that used to lie in this area, the temple of the Twins. Telendos:
The islet of Telendos rises across the north western coast of Kalymnos, opposite the village of Myrties. Telendos is separated from the main island by a channel just 700 metres wide. In the ancient times, Telendos was part of Kalymnos, until a massive earthquake in 535 A.D. separated it from the rest of the island. Telendos is rather a barren island. However, its beautiful landscape gives a unique view. Telendos has got very few inhabitants (about 50) and they are all concentrated in a small fishing settlement. Small boats serve the transportation to and from Myrties. They run frequently during the day, carrying passengers for the 10 minutes journey. Telendos does not have any roads, so it is free from traffic and pollution.Telendos has got a tiny port that is usually busy with fishing boats. Alongside the port, you can see a number of taverns and cafes that serve traditional Greek food. The islet has been equipped with the basic amenities for tourists, as there are only a few rooms to let. The beaches of Telendos, Paradise and Hoklakas beaches being the most famous, are small and not organized at all, so they are perfect for peace-lovers and naturists.The archaeological ruins found at Telendos suggested the existence of a well-organized Christian culture in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. The Early Christian Basilica of Agios Vassilios and the Christian burial ground suggest that the islet once accommodated a wealthy and noble society. The traces of ruined houses, churches and cisterns can be still found there. There is the medieval fortress of Saint Constantine situated a little above the port with nice views to the whole island.
Caving:
The Caves of Kalymnos Greece: Kalymnos has a rich collection of caves that are of immense
interest to speleologists and archeologists. Most of them were discovered by oceanographer Anastasios Christomanos and they are located in the south-western part of the island of Kalymnos. They are overhung with massive stalactites and stalagmites and have a lot of humidity inside. Of particular interest is the fact that some of these caves show evidence of worship of Zeus, the presiding deity of the Greek Olympian pantheon.The most prominent of the Kalymnos caves is the cave of Kefala or Trypa, which can be visited by boat. Then, there is the “Cavern of the Nymphs” situated at the foot of mount Flaska on Kalymnos as well as the richly-decorated cave of Skalia, close to the village of Skalia on the north side of the island. The caves of Therma, located at a distance about 1 km from the capital city of Pothia, are famed for their radioactive springs that are believed to possess remarkable curative powers and recommended for many illnesses.Besides these caves, there are also many less known caves that dot the landscape of the island, but most of them have either not been explored or are closed to visitors for fear of getting lost. You can see many caves in the rocky mountains close to the areas of Emporios, Myrties and Skalia.
For those a bit more adventurous there is also scuba diving and hiking. Kalymnos island is famous as The Sponge Diver's Island. Sponge fishery, processing and trading were the main professions on Kalymnos island for hundreds of years now. Kalymnos is actually the last Greek island with active sponge divers. Because of the caves in the sea and the rocky bottom it is also one of the best places for scuba diving and snorkeling. Kalymnos has kilometers of unique coastline reserved for scuba diving. Kalymnos has the first underwater park in Greece and also the first underwater Archaeological park in Greece. I believe the best place to arrange dive trips from would be the Kalymnos Diving Center in the Hotel Elies in Panormos. The following link should provide more information:
For those interesting in hikes around the island, There are no REAL hiking trails but this guy has some good information on his site. He also has some good sightseeing info.
Its happening soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment