Kalymnos
Welcome to Kalymnos
Pothia
Rugged Kalymnos is characterized by its dramatic mountains that draw hardy climbers from all over the world. Its western flank is particularly spectacular with skeletal crags towering above dazzling blue waters. Surprisingly for its rocky landscape, it cradles a couple of pretty, fertile valleys with bee boxes and fruit groves.
The enticing, car-free islet of Telendos is immediately offshore, a mere 10 minutes in a water taxi.
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While its sponge-fishing heyday is long past, Kalymnos remains inextricably entwined with the sea, particularly in its capital and main ferry port, Pothia, where statues of Poseidon and a historic diver survey the harbor. In recent years, the island's activities have expanded from climbing alone. Add to this diving, hiking and a host of interesting little museums and cultural experiences, and you begin to see why Kalymnos is now on the Greek islands must-visit list.
Kalymnos' capital, Pothia has a low-slung harbourfront of cream and white facades and backs up the hill in a labyrinth of streets, beneath hulking mountains. If arriving by boat, this is most likely your first taste of the island. Pothia is not a resort, and makes no attempt to be one, despite its proximity to the great outdoors. But for the curious traveller there's an excellent archaeological museum and plenty of sites of cultural interest. Wander by the quayside, peppered with old Italian-style art deco mansions and sea-god statues, past weathered fishermen and ex-divers in kafeneia (coffee houses) and bars, exchanging stories and lyrics while nursing retsinas and ragged lungs.
