General information about the island of Kalymnos
Strengths:
Prices.
Average:
Sea and beaches, points of interest, excursions, connections, crowding, nightlife.
Weaknesses:
Not very suitable for families with children.
- Capital: Pothia
- Population: 16000
- Area: 135 km²
- Port: Pothia
- Airport: yes
- Public transportation: yes
- Car and motorcycle rental: yes
- Campsites: no
Kalymnos (from Greek Κάλυμνος) is an island in the Dodecanese, located between Kos and Leros. It can be reached by sea, for example from the Greek port of Piraeus (183 nautical miles) or from nearby Kos, as well as by air (Kalymnos National Airport).
It has an area of 135 km² and a population of about 16,000 inhabitants.
The island is predominantly made up of bare rocks and has very jagged coasts, rich in fjords and small islets. The highest mountain, Profitis Ilias, is about 700 meters tall.
In the past, the inhabitants made a fortune with the sponge trade, which were collected, always at the risk of embolism, from the depths of the Aegean and Mediterranean along the Italian or African coasts. For this work, they would be away from the island for about 5 months. Now, some divers still search for them around the island, but only the older fishermen can still find them. Throughout Greece, Kalymnos is the only place where the tradition of sponge harvesting is still alive.
The island's terrain is quite fertile, and olives and citrus fruits (excellent mandarins) are cultivated. In addition to agriculture and the processing and sale of sponges, the inhabitants now mainly live off tourism.
The capital of the island is Pothia, where the main port is also located.
The island's road network is limited, but all the main places are still reachable by roads in good condition. You can get around by bus, taxi, renting a car, or even better, a scooter.
