Kimolos is an excellent island under the shadow of its big “sister”, Milos! But lately, it has gotten quite popular, and many visitors choose this island and spend their time there. And I don’t blame them, as it is beautiful!
Before visiting the island, I believed five days would be enough, as it is pretty small. But, once the day of departure arrived, I thought I could easily have stayed for more. In this post, you will find out:
- When should you visit Kimolos island?
- How to get to Kimolos.
- What to do!
- Best beaches!
- Where to stay in Kimolos
- How to move around in Kimolos
Quickly
- For booking ferry tickets, I always use Ferryscanner! They have done a fantastic job and are very user-friendly. Also, if you are thinking of island hopping, this is the best platform I have seen.
- Kimolos has many restaurants and fish tavernas, and cafes.
- Best Restaraunt: Meltemi
- Best Beach: Prassa beach
- Personally, I book all my hotels in Kimolos and other islands through Booking.com, as nowadays it includes many apartments, just like Airbnb, and it’s easier and more reliable.
When should you visit Kimolos island?
Like most Greek islands, the busiest period is July and August. Personally, I find the weather during these two months quite hot. September – preferably – and June are the best months to visit the island.
I visited the island at the end of May, and I totally enjoyed it. The weather was great, and the people were more relaxed and calm. The only drawback is that some stores may not be open at that time of the year, but it didn’t bother me.
Where is Kimolos Island, and how to get there?
Kimolos lies on the southwest of the island group of Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea near the bigger island of Milos. Kimolos also includes the uninhabited islands of Polyaigos, Agios Efstathios and Agios Georgios.
There is only one way, by ferry – and you can use Ferryscanner for more details.
Mainly, you can reach the island by ferry from Athens (Piraeus port), and the journey can last from 6-10 hours, depending on the ferry selection.
There is another option, and this would be through Milos island.
Milos has an airport, so you can fly there, spend if you want some days on this fantastic island and then on a ferry, you can reach Kimolos. It is very close (15′ by ferry) and often has ferry boats during the day. You can find the timetable here.
Things to do in Kimolos
#Explore the main village, Chorio
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Chorio might be the central focus of your visit to Kimolos, as it is the main village on the island.
It is located on a hill, 1 km from Psathi village, the island’s port. You will find most of the restaurants, cafes and bars in Kimolos.
It has municipal parking, where you can leave your car and get lost on its narrow street!
At Chorio, I liked that it is less polished than other villages in the Cyclades; this shows its natural beauty and energy!
#walk around the Venetian Castle in Chorio
While you stroll around the Chorio, you will definitely pass through the old castle and look at this beautiful and old settlement.
This Medieval Castle was probably created in the 14th or 16th century, with a square shape and two complexes of houses where one, Exo Castle, encloses the other, Mesa Kastro.
There was a narrow perimeter road between them, while the outer wall of the houses of Exo Kastro was, at the same time, the castle’s defensive wall.
The castle used to be the only village on the island, but over the years, it was expanded to the area around the castle, today’s village, after the liberation from the Turks. In Mesa Kastro, you can walk around the ruins and also admire the church of “Genesis tou Christou”, dedicated to the Birth of Christ, built-in 1592!
#Enjoy the sunset on Mavrospilia beach
I have been to many islands in Greece, where they claim that they have the best sunset in Greece.
I am not looking anymore for the best sunset, but the one that will fill me with emotions and feelings!
And one of them is the sunset on Kalamitsi beach. The time that I visited this beach was a little cloudy, and I didn’t enjoy it to the full, but I liked the setting and the peacefulness of the place (note that I visited Kimolos at the end of May, so the visitors were limited.)
If you like sunsets and you visit Kimolos, you can try this beach and let me know your opinion.
#Visit Goupa and Karra
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Very close to Psathi, you will find two quaint small fishing villages with traditional houses and garages for boats with painted doors called sirmata. You can walk from Psathi, but note that you must first ascend a small hill.
The place is really special. You can go around, take photos, sit on the rocks, or dive from there. I did all three of these, and I enjoyed them. Especially the Karra small gulf is really lovely for swimming! Note that there is no shade, so be prepared!
#Enjoy the beaches in Kimolos
Psathi beach
This is the first beach you will see when you arrive at Kimolos, located in the harbour. It might not be special, but many people staying at Psathi prefer it for convenience.
Aliki – Bonatsa and Kalamitsi Beach
These are three beaches relatively next to each other. The first beach is Aliki, which is quite long and in the majority with pebbles. It is not one of the most fabulous beaches but it has clean, crystal water.
But next to Aliki, there is Bonatsa beach, which is sandy with a lovely cafe for drinks and snacks; there, you will find umbrellas and sunbeds. The beach is quite long and spacious, and there is plenty of shade under the trees! The relatively shallow water makes this popular with families with young children.
The last beach is Kalamitsi, beautiful with lovely golden sand. There is also a great tavern on the beach, which is always a nice extra!
Ellinika beach
This is an average, rocky beach that is quite popular as it appears that there is a famous underwater ancient town. To be fair, we tried to locate it, but not with great success!
Mavrospilia beach
I liked this beach as it was very calm and peaceful when we arrived. As I mentioned above, it is also a great spot to watch the sunset. There is a canteen with some umbrellas and sunbeds.
Prassa beach
This is the island’s highlight, as it is probably the best beach in Kimolos. The white sand and the crystal turquoise water make this beach quite unique. I have heard that in July and especially August, the beach is very crowded, and if you want to find a sunbed and an umbrella at the beach bar, you have to prebook it!
Note that there are a few trees where you can find some shadows, but whoever gets first, take them!
Klima beach
This beach is different from my type! It has sand and pebbles and some trees but other than that it’s not something extraordinary! This is just my opinion!
#Hiking in Kimolos
Cyclades islands usually have some excellent hiking routes, and Kimolos isn’t an exemption.
There are many places and beaches you cannot easily access with a small car, like the famous Rick of Skiadi, a rock in a Mushroom formation that is unique and special. Agioklima also is a beach that you visit by boat or on walking.
#taste the delicious food
Eating good food at reasonable prices and excellent quality can be tricky sometimes on the islands. In Kimolos, we found places where the food was really good with local products.
Sardis is an excellent choice, where you will find fish and meat at reasonable prices. We did not find new flavours that we hadn’t tried before, but the all the plates we ate was good and tasty.
Kalamitsi Tavern also is a good choice, and the surrounding is great, as it is located in front of Kalamitsi beach.
Kali Kardia in Chorio was a disappointment, as we have heard nice things about it and that they use the local product and their own meat. The food was good, but the prices were unreasonably high.
Meltemi in Chorio. This restaurant might not be for everyone as you won’t find the usual moussaka and gemista (stuffed tomatoes). The cuisine is a little more complicated, with many twists on usual Greek dishes and some pleasant surprises! I tried Kimolos salad with quinoa and watermelon, which was amazing! Note that it is on the expensive side, but in my opinion, the quality and the taste justify the whole pricing structure! Avgoustis, the owner, is a proper and fantastic host ready to guide you through the menu!
Where to stay in Kimolos
Kimolos has a characteristic that lately many Cyclades islands face. The demand is much greater than the supply, so finding accommodation is not easy.
This year we visited at the end of May, which is off-season, and we found it more effortless than ever a lovely hotel. Therefore, my recommendation for you would be to book several months before!
We have written a dedicated post about the best hotels and apartments in Kimolos, which you will find it here!
How to move around in Kimolos
Kimolos is a small island, and you will discover it quite easily. But, as the main town is on a hill you might need a car or a motobike to move around. If you have any question about Kimolos island or you want to share your experience, just leave a comment below!