Low-cost car rental Kos (Greece) - from 9€/day

Kos, sometimes known as Cos, is a Greek island in the southeastern Aegean Sea that is part of the Dodecanese island series. After Rhodes and Karpathos, Kos is the third largest island in the Dodecanese by area; it has a population of 33,388 people (2011 census), making it the second most populous island in the Dodecanese after Rhodes. The island is 40 by 8 kilometers in size. Kos is an administrative municipality in the Kos regional unit, which is part of the South Aegean region. Kos Town is the island's main town and the municipality's capital.

Parking and traffic advice

On Kos, there are no highways (nor on any other Greek island).

• On roads outside of populous regions, the speed limit is 90 km/h, and in populated and built-up areas, the speed limit is 50 km/h.
• During the weekends and major holidays, many gas stations may be closed.
• It is against the law to use a cell phone while driving.
• For experienced drivers, the legal alcohol limit is 0.05 percent, whereas for novice drivers, it is 0.02 percent.
• Excessive fines and a license suspension can result from exceeding these limits. Exceeding the 0.08 percent limit is a criminal violation punishable by up to two years in jail.
• When driving, you must have proof of insurance and the car's documents with you at all times.
• You must have your passport or ID card with you at all times while driving.

Day-trip suggestions

Beaches. Kos is a fantastic beach resort, with its long and gorgeous coastline attracting the majority of visitors. Lakkos Beach is calm and relaxing, Agios Fokas Beach offers stunning black beaches, and Psilos Gremos Beach, which can only be reached by car, has a genuinely distant and private feel.
Asclepieion. Asklepieion was a medicinal institution where physicians practiced as well as a sanctuary where locals celebrated key festivals and honored Asclepius, an Ancient Greek hero and god of medicine, in the 4th century B.C. The Asclepieion remains are located in the inland section of the island, although they are close enough to the coast to afford excellent views of the sea.
Water sports are very popular. There are several water sports to do if you're seeking for something more thrilling than simply laying on the beach and enjoying the sun. Kos is one of the Mediterranean's hotspots for yachting, so it's a great place to learn to sail (or just admire the beautiful yachts at the harbour). Mastichari Beach is also an excellent place to go surfing, while Marmari Beach is the island's best kitesurfing destination.

Interesting facts about the city

Kos, like the rest of the Greek islands, has a warm Mediterranean climate. The average high temperature in July and August, the warmest months, is 30°C (86°F), while the coldest month, January, is 13°C (56°F). Summers in Kos are exceptionally dry, with almost little rain from June to August; yet, it is quite rainy from November to February.

Kos, like many other Greek cities, has a violent and colorful history. It was once inhabited by ancient Carian tribes before being conquered by the Dorians and Persians; later, it was ruled by Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, and Italians, all of whom left their mark on the island's architecture, customs, and food.

Despite being part of Greece, Kos is very close to mainland Turkey and has a large Turkish population. Even if the proportion of ethnic Turks in Kos has decreased slightly over the last century, there are still roughly 2,000 ethnic Turks on the island today. One of the island's highlights is the Gazi Hassan Pasha Mosque, which is their principal historic site of worship. In Turkish, Kos is known as stanköy.