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Kos Town has a nice mix of ancient, medieval, and modern sites to keep someone busy for a day. There are churches, Ottoman mosques, and more.
Harbor
An obvious place to start is the harbor, especially if arriving by boat on a day trip from the Turkish resort of Bodrum. The Castle of Neratzia is the largest structure on the harbor.
There’s a nice wide tree-lined walkway around the harbor and plenty of yachts and colorful fishing boats to admire. You’ll even find a statue of Kos’ most famous son, Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine who learned his trade at the nearby Asclepeion.
Medieval Structures
Along with the castle on the harbor, there are a couple medieval structures located in the city. Near the ancient Agora, it’s easy to spot the Phoros Gate, where merchants paid taxes to sell their goods inside the walled city, and a small tower.
The Knightly Residence is a small stone structure that is the only secular building remaining from the period of the Knights of St. John. It was built in 1514 and was the residence of the Governor of Kos, Francesco Sans. The Ottomans used it as a café, and it’s now an archaeological research library.
Government Palace
South of the Castle of Neratzia is the majestic Government Palace (Palazzo del Governo), built in 1927 by the Italians. It now functions as the city hall of Kos along with the police headquarters and main courthouse.
Eleftherias Square
The old town of Kos is dominated by Eleftherias Square. This is a wide open square and a great place to sit for a coffee or lunch and people watch. The building on the square with the clock tower was built in 1935 by the Italians as the Fascist House (Casa del Fascio), the headquarters of the National Fascist Party. The Archaeological Museum, an Ottoman mosque, and an old Italian-built market are also on the square.
The surrounding streets are full of beautiful whitewashed buildings and souvenir shops.
Modern Kos
The modern part of Kos Town isn’t too special. It’s mostly residential buildings and stores.
