7-some years of traveling to Greece, and my Greek is still at an elementary level. I can get by with my rehearsed souvlaki orders, and your usual ‘hellos', ‘pleases', ‘thank yous', but don't honk at me and throw at me a malaka if I'm driving really carefully along the unprotected cliffside road.
I won't be able to respond back in the same passionately-Greek, fiery manner.
One thing I do have under my belt over this almost-decade is over 20 Greek islands, and a good chunk of the mainland visited.
I’m not claiming this wayward Parisian is some grand authority on Hellas, but from Ionian gems like Corfu and Paxos, to Saronic darlings Hydra and Aegina, the blue-domed, whitewashed Cycladic cliché of Santorini and Milos, and even properly unheard-of corners like Chios and Symi, I’ve seen enough of Greece to know exactly how to dodge the tourist traps.
Recently I flew to Kos for a one-week beach holiday.
I guess that’s already a pretty offbeat island by American standards, regardless of how overrun it gets with Brits and Germans, but the best part of my Kos trip wasn’t the beaches around Kefalos, the hulking fortress at Antimachia, or the buzzing port capital.
It was smaller, rougher, and infinitely more charming: nearby Kalymnos, which might proooobably end up being my new all-time favorite. Sorry, Folegandros, you've been demoted to the second spot:
Paradise Found On Kalymnos
A scrappy sponge-divers’ island of sheer cliffs, pretty harbors, octopus drying in the sun, and tavernas where the seafood tastes like it was still underwater an hour ago, Kalymnos is basically every Greek-summer fantasy I’ve ever had come true.
It isn’t tiny, nor is it somewhere best experienced as a quick day trip from a larger island. Still, at only 13 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, it feels pleasantly compact, and between the timeless fishing villages and epic hikes, there’s more than enough to fill a long weekend.
That’s exactly how long I stayed myself, and it turned out to be the perfect amount of time to soak up Kalymnos’ Dodecanese charm… and leave wanting just a little more.
The first thing you'll see as you pull up with the ferry from Kos is Pothia, the surprisingly-lively main town.
The Cutest Capital Town
I've checked off a number of Greek island capitals in my day, and I've gotta say Pothia has a real, very lived-in feel compared to counterparts like Fira (in Santorini), Plaka (in Milos), and even Kos Town in neighboring Kos.
Think bobbing boats in the harbor, narrow stone-paved pathways worn smooth by years of scooters and sunburned sandals, and old Venetian-leaning pastel buildings tumbling into the hills. A bit like fellow Dodecanese Symi, but rougher around the edges, less polished, and all the better for it.
Like Symi after it stopped trying to impress and just started being itself.
Have an espresso freddo at the water-facing Cielo Espresso Bar, as you watch the daily hundrum of boats and scooters, admire the colorful houses, arranged amphitheater-style around the harbor, and get yourself a sun-dried octopus with some Kalymnian cottage cheese on the side at Manias Fish Tavern.
Pothia’s cute, but it’s really just the tip of a much larger iceberg, or more accurately, a limestone mountain.
Rock Climbing & Turquoise Bays
The real charm of Kalymnos lies in its wild, unspoiled nature. In fact, it happens to be one of the most world-renowned rock-climbing destinations on the planet, thanks to the sheer limestone cliffs that rise and rip across the island.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend I rock-climbed my way across Kalymnos’ jaw-dropping scenery on the way to some epic mountaintop sunset—I definitely just drove like a normal person instead—but if you’re fit and even mildly allergic to boredom, there are enough towering rock faces here to keep you more than busy for days.
Rock-climbing acknowledged aside, my favorite thing to do when landing on a new Greek island is village-hopping.
That’s where you stumble on the cutest little spots the Santorini masses haven’t managed to flatten yet, the best distilled local character, and homemade ouzo that’ll have you climbing straight up to level five of Olympus without even leaving your chair.
…and let me tell you, Kalymnos has some absolute gems for choria.
Pretty Villages Galore
That's the Greek word for village, by the way. In plural form. See, I know how to flex my Hellenic skills hither and thither.
Kalymnos' villages typically straddle the more-accessible southern coast, and as far as beaching and sun-lounging goes, Masouri definitely takes the cake here.
This is the classic Dodecanese summer you’re picturing: cliff views hanging right above town, slow, sun-drowsy coffee shops and seafood tavernas spilling onto the water, and that water being the most absurdly crystalline blue you’ve ever seen, the kind that makes every other coastline feel like it’s been slightly turned down in saturation.
I’m a rather fidgety person myself, so when I tell you I actually got to sit it down and lie on the beach here for a few hours without feeling an impetus to keep moving, you know it’s that slow-burn, soul-calming, “why am I ever anywhere else” kind of sh…
Oh, right next door you have Myrties!
Just as pretty as it sounds, only a little less developed. The whole coastline here faces Telendos, a rocky outcrop detached from the Kalymnos mainland, and sorry to the rock climbers risking their lives out there, the best sunsets on the island are from here.
The sea turns silver, the cliffs glow orange, and the skies go full-blown burning gold, like the horizon itself is quietly showing off.
I can’t just gloss over the low-key ridiculous food scene, either:
One of the best fresh fish I’ve had in the Greek islands was right here in Myrties, at Fountagio Ouzeri Fish Tavern. You sit down for lunch thinking it’s a quick bite, then suddenly you’ve accidentally eaten your way straight into sunset, still picking at mezze like you’ve got nowhere else to be in life.
Greece Is Extra-Safe This Summer
The best part about Greek island-hopping? It’s probably one of the safest ways to go about living out your Mediterranean boy/girl summer this year: islands are generally well-policed, with low rates of pickpocketing and virtually nonexistent violent crime.
The Traveler Safety Index is really theee benchmark for gauging safety risks while traveling, and while Kalymnos isn’t quite big enough a destination to show up yet—ahem, hellooo editorial team—Santorini does, and it’s about the closest proxy you’ll get for a mid-to-small Greek island when it comes to assessing safety.
Right now, good old Santorini scores an exemplary 90 out of 100 on the Traveler Safety Index, based on recent reports from travelers:
If you're flying to Europe this summer, make sure you double-check the entry rules that apply at your destination on the Entry Requirement Checker.
From mandatory fingerprinting to new travel permits that are about to roll out, there's plenty that's changed since your last visit to the Old Continent some summers ago, and the last thing you want is to pull up to your boarding gate unprepared.
Kalymnos Is A Lot Cheaper Than Most Of Greece
Kalymnos is also a lot cheaper than your average Greek island. From dining out to accommodation, it can cost up to way less than your usual Santorini–Mykonos combo.
A budget room in Pothia or Myrties will set you back by an average $40–$70 a night, while taverna meals usually land around $30 per person for a starter, a main meat or fish-based dish, and a couple of drinks still with that “why is this this good for this price?” feeling you get in the best parts of Greece.
Yep, Kalymnos is definitely up there with Chios, Folegandros, and Kastellorizo for me.
Time allowing, do take the ferry over to Telendos for dinner: more waterfront tavernas, no actual traffic, and that other-worldly, slow-pace vibe.
As you drive south in Kalymnos, the road gets quieter, the landscape turns more barren, and you'll start passing little coves that barely look developed. Stop by Vlychadia if it's calmer water, fewer people, and a slower beach day you're craving.
For the most scenic drive on the island, continue descending towards the narrow green valley that leads to Vathy, and you'll suddenly find yourself in a long protected bay. It feels almost fjord-like, except it's the shimmery turquoise, warm embrace of the Mediterranean, and the main village there is literal Greek heaven.
Cliff-diving spots, shallow swimmable waters, and harbor-side eateries dishing out all our favorite Greek taverna fare.
Top off your dreamy visit to Kalymnos with a late-evening visit to Chorio, the historic settlement before Pothia became dominant.
It has historic houses, stone-paved alleys, sleepy cafés with pappous sitting outside, and castle ruins with panoramic views over the south of the island.
How To Get To Kalymnos This Summer
I’m not gonna lie, Kalymnos isn’t the most accessible of Greek islands for Americans:
If you’re Stateside, getting here will usually mean flying into Athens first, then catching a domestic flight either to Kalymnos Island National Airport (JKL)—seasonal and limited—or, more commonly, routing via Kos, the larger nearby island with a proper international airport.
Kos gets summer flights from all over Europe, and from Kos Town port, the ferry to Kalymnos takes about 30–50 minutes to complete the crossing, with round-trip tickets averaging around $10–$20 depending on the boat and season.
Not exactly a Homeric journey, per se, but I hope you're not exactly put off by overnight layovers or ferry transfers. Trust me, the mild hassle is absolutely worth it.
