If you are going on a vacation to Greece, pay attention to the Dodecanese Islands. This name is translated from Greek as "twelve islands", but in fact this archipelago consists of thousands of small islands, of which only 26 are inhabited. Rhodes, Karpathos, Kos are considered the largest among them. Here on the last of them I would like to stop and describe in more detail the features of rest on it.
Kos - the birthplace of the great Hippocrates
This island is located in the Aegean. He is considered the birthplace of the great healer. The island is distinguished by lush vegetation, an abundance of orchards, and many flowering shrubs. Thanks to this, Kos was called the Aegean Garden. Few foreigners know about its existence, but due to its environmental friendliness it is popular among tourists who appreciate the pristine beauty of nature. In addition, Kos is rich in historical and natural attractions, which also attracts crowds of curious travelers from around the world. The island has a well-developed infrastructure, there are many fashionable hotels, for example, Zorbas Beach Hotel 4 *, night clubs and discos, restaurants and taverns. Nevertheless, this Greek island rather leaves the impression of a patriarchal and very calm place than a modern and developed resort center.
Resort Description
If you look at Kos from a bird's eye view, then it will seem to you a bright emerald among thousands of turquoise stones. It has virtually no large and noisy cities. Here and there are small resort villages and picturesque villages, between which the territories of fields, gardens, pastures and gardens are neatly outlined. Along the coast are beautiful buildings of hotel complexes, stretching to the golden beaches. Zorbas Beach Hotel 4 *, for example, is a stone's throw from the sea. Its vast territory is separated from the coastal line by road. Hotels with a similar location on the Spit are great. Among these modern buildings, here and there, you can find the magnificent ruins of ancient and medieval buildings: Asklepion (the temple of the healing disease of the god Asclepius), Kefalos, Pili (the ancient fortress city with forts), the Byzantine church, built in the XIV century, Muslim mosques with high towers - minarets, etc. If you carefully consider the photos of the island of Kos, then there is a feeling of a peculiar mix, a mixture of different cultures and styles. Some of the photos are simply fantastic, and therefore, after viewing them, I want to leave everything and go faster to this wonderful island in the Aegean.
How to get to the island?
If you bought a ticket to one of the local hotels, for example, to Zorbas Beach (Greece, Kos.), And from May to October, in the midst of the beach season, then getting to the island will be easier for you, because from both Russian capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg - direct charter flights fly to the island once a week once a week. Flight time - 3.5 hours. In the remaining months, Kos can be reached only through Athens. In this case, the path takes 50 minutes more time. Tourists who travel to the island on holiday packages are met at the airport by travel agency or hotel employees and transported by road to their destination, that is, to the desired hotel. Wherever it is located, be calm, your path will be short, maximum an hour, because the maximum length of the island reaches 45 km and a width of 11 km. For example, the hotel Zorbas Beach Kos 4 * is located just in 20 km from the airport.
Features of rest
Of course, tourists fly to this island for a relaxing and enjoyable beach holiday. And for this there is everything you need. Most of the beaches on Kos are well equipped and offer vacationers a huge range of water activities (yachting, windsurfing, surfing, kitesurfing, diving, etc.). There are also deserted quiet coves and lagoons, untouched by civilization and preserved in its original form. It is very interesting that the beaches on this tiny piece of land are very diverse: with white, golden, black sand, as well as small pebbles, for example, opposite the Zorbas Beach 4 * hotel. By the way, black sand is of volcanic origin. It has healing properties and is useful in the treatment of pathologies of the spine, joints and gynecological diseases. On the coast there are also places where the sea forms real natural whirlpools with boiling water, and in mountainous areas there are mineral sulfur springs. There are many resort towns on Kos: Kefalos, Kamari, Kardamena, Marmari, Mastichari and others. Tigaki beaches are especially popular among Russian tourists, which stretch for as much as 10 kilometers along the northern coast of the island. In its vicinity there are chic four-star hotel complexes, for example, the Zorbas Beach 4 * hotel, as well as a wonderful water attraction - Lido Waterpark.
Is it worth it to relax in Tigaki?
Of course! This is one of the most developed tourist centers on the island, but at the same time it is not too crowded and you can find peace and quiet. Tigaki is only 10 km away from Kos, the capital of the island, and 15 km from the airport. The resort can be reached from the airport by bus, which carries out regular flights to various towns on the coast. You can also rent a car or take a taxi. In any case, the path will take no more than 15 minutes. Tigaki is a relatively young resort that meets modern European standards. Tourists are offered a wide selection of accommodation for every taste, however the most popular are 4 * hotels, for example Zorbas Beach 4 * (Tigaki). On the coast there are many restaurants and taverns, bars and cafes, supermarkets and shops of different price categories, etc. Tigaki beaches are striking in their neatness, but the waters of the Aegean Sea have always been clean and transparent. The turquoise hue of the sea is achieved thanks to the most delicate golden-white sand covering the seabed. Not far from Tigaki, in the Alikes wetlands, you can watch the life of birds, including pink flamingos. In the photo of the island of Kos you can always find images of these incredibly beautiful birds, which give a special charm to this paradise.
Zorbas Beach Hotel, Kos island: description and location
This luxury hotel is located on a vast territory one and a half kilometers from Taganaki. The hotel was built in 2002 and consists of the main building and more than forty two- and three-story bungalows, three swimming pools, restaurants and bars, etc. Exotic plants grow throughout the hotel: palm trees, oleanders, citrus trees, etc. This is quite a large complex, in contrast to the Zorbas Beach mini-hotel (Crete) of the same name on another Greek island, although there is sometimes confusion on tourist sites due to the same name of the hotels and the country in which they are both located.
Number of rooms
The Zorbas Beach 4 * hotel has 42 family (29 sq. M.), 52 combined (35 sq. M.) And 94 standard (24 sq. M.) Comfortable rooms with all amenities. They look either at the pool, or at the sea or mountains. All rooms are furnished with modern furniture and equipped with household (communication) appliances: air conditioning, refrigerator, satellite TV, radio, direct dial telephone, safe, minibar, etc. For younger guests, a cot is available on request in the room. Balconies are equipped with plastic furniture (table and chairs); There is a bathroom with a spacious bath or shower, hairdryer and all the necessary bath accessories. Wet cleaning in the rooms and on the terraces is done daily. Sheets and towels are changed daily.
Infrastructure
From the first glance at the territory of the hotel complex Zorbas Beach 4 * (Kos) it becomes clear, that this is a deluxe hotel. Later you get all the evidence. On the territory of Zorbas Beach (Kos) 4 * there are three adults and two children's pools; Jacuzzi and massage room (for a fee); gym, sauna (for a fee); volleyball, basketball and mini-golf courses; tennis court, table tennis and billiards (for a fee); car parking and car rental (for a fee); shop, currency exchange and souvenir shop; TV club; a restaurant with a terrace, a tavern (for a fee), a pool bar, a snack bar, a lobby, etc. As you can see, there is everything necessary for tourists to relax, and they, in principle, can only leave the hotel for sightseeing purposes.
Service and entertainment
It offers guests - laundry and dry cleaning, bike and car rental. On the territory of the hotel in public places there is free wireless Internet (in rooms it is paid), a business center is provided (copier, scanner, printer, email, etc.), babysitting services (chargeable). In the evenings, colorful shows are held by the pools or in the lobby, and discos, quizzes and competitions in English are organized for children.
Nutrition
A hotel of such a level as Zorbas Beach Kos 4 *, of course, should work on an all inclusive system, as it is. Three times a day, the restaurant serves a buffet, which consists of both local and international dishes. The rest of the day and even half the night, guests can quench their thirst and hunger in the pool and snack bar. The hotel also has an à la carte tavern. It serves Mediterranean cuisine (Greek and Italian).
Beach
Here with this hotel Zorbas Beach 4 * is not at all lucky. The beach, although it is a stone's throw from the hotel, is too narrow, with a maximum of 5 meters, and several sun loungers barely fit on it. During the surf, sun loungers are generally cleaned, as they can be carried away by the wave. If you walk 200 meters to the right, then there you can find a wider sandy beach. Here umbrellas, deck chairs and towels are paid. Tourists vacationing at this hotel prefer to sunbathe by the pool, which is located almost by the sea (across the road), and then go swimming in the sea. There is a paddling pool near this pool, and it is much more convenient for vacationers with children to monitor their kids. In addition, in the pool bar you can refresh yourself and quench your thirst at any time. Umbrellas, sunbeds, towels and inflatable mattresses by the pool, of course, are free.
Excursion program
Zorbas Beach Hotel has a travel agency where you can go to organize sightseeing tours. Some of the guests rent a bicycle and gradually explore the surrounding areas, while others use a rented car to explore even the most remote corners of the island. However, it is much more interesting to go on an excursion organized by professionals. At the appointed time, a comfortable bus takes everyone from the hotel and other nearby hotels and takes you to the most interesting sights on the island. Usually the tour starts from the city of Kos, the capital of the island. Here is a giant plane tree, which, according to legend, was planted by the famous ancient Greek scientist and physician Hippocrates. In the city you can also see the Turkish mosque, the Italian palace of justice, the fortress of the Knights of the Ioannites, the ancient agora, odeon, gymnasium and the ruins of other ancient buildings. Then the tour will go to the temple of the healing god Asclepius. After that, tourists visit the villages in which guests are treated according to the rules of Greek hospitality, for example, in the village of Antimahia.
Another interesting route for excursions is a trip to fishing places. From the hotel, tourists are transported by bus to the port of Kamari in the Kefalos area, from where they transfer to a boat and go fishing in the open sea. Then the boat approaches one of the wonderful beaches of Kos. Here, tourists can enjoy lunch or dinner with fish and other seafood, while drinks are served with local wines and uzuki (anise vodka).
Farewell to the island of Kos
But it is customary to spend a farewell evening on the island on Mount Dikesos, in a restaurant serving Greek cuisine. In addition to dinner, a concert with songs and dances, in which everyone can take part, is prepared from delicious national dishes for tourists. This is how beautiful the island says goodbye to its guests, who after such a reception, of course, will once again want to return to this charming piece of land in the middle of the magnificent Aegean Sea.
Reviews and ratings of tourists
At tourist portals you can always find information about a particular hotel. Sometimes after reading the reviews you begin to doubt the correctness of the choice of hotel. Of course, it is much more advisable to learn about the existing shortcomings in advance, before buying a tour package, and only then make your choice. However, you must also consider that reviews are subjective. Something that someone did not like may appeal to you, and vice versa. Nevertheless, having studied several reviews in the blocks, you can choose the right number or save on something. Here, for example, many tourists advise choosing a room not on the first floor of Zorbas Beach, but on the second or third, since ants and bugs run into the rooms on the first floors of the bungalow. Agree, very useful advice, especially for those who are panicky afraid of insects. But in general, we can please you: reviews of former guests about this Greek hotel are more than positive. Guests are satisfied with both the level of service and the infrastructure. Great accolades are given to the restaurant and tavern. Tourists thank skilled chefs for delicious, and most importantly, a variety of dishes. But the beach of the hotel is often criticized by vacationers. No, do not think that it is dirty or poorly equipped. Everything is in order here, it is clean and well maintained, but very small and not very comfortable for relaxing, especially during the surf. But to compensate for this shortcoming, the hotel administration right next to the sea arranged a large pool with a paddling pool. Around him are loungers and umbrellas. From the reviews you can understand that in the Zorbas Beach hotel everything is done in order to please the guest, and little attention is paid to young vacationers here, and this, of course, is worth a lot.