Why this beautiful Greek island comes with unsolicited health advice
By Caterina Hrysomallis
There are plenty of Greek islands you can visit to unwind, eat well and recalibrate – 227, to be precise. But Kos, tucked away in the far-eastern Dodecanese island group, has one key distinction.
It’s the “island of medicine”, the birthplace of Hippocrates, aka “the father of modern medicine”. Kos’ residents (called Koans) are widely proud of this, many still following Hippocrates’ practices and advice, 2500 years later.
Kos Island – an enduring legacy of health and wellness.Credit: iStock
As a result, a trip to Kos comes with an inevitable focus on health and wellness, though by no means in a trendy way. Locals naturally aim to live healthy and well-balanced lives.
What does that mean for travellers? Potentially receiving unsolicited but always well-intended health advice not necessarily from doctors but by potential descendants of Hippocrates.
There’s an intrinsic way of living to be embraced and as such many takeaways for travellers to integrate into their own lives, upon their return home. In Kos, it’s best to do as the Koans do when it comes to healthy pastimes.
Koans are proud of their link to Hippocrates – the “father of modern medicine”.Credit: iStock
Kos is home to 21 beaches, some soft and sandy, some more pebbled and demanding. Some beaches attract windsurfers from all over Europe while others are better suited for leisurely swims. The common denominator? They’re all crystalline.
If you crave even more warmth than the Mediterranean sun, soak in the oceanic hot springs at Agios Fokas Beach. This one gets the tick of approval from Hippocrates, who recommended thermal bathing to heal various skin diseases and relieve muscular and joint pain.
If you’re more of a cold plunge type, head to the opposite tip of the island and take a swim beside Mount Zini in the town of Kefalos.
Otherwise, there are plenty of other beaches that make for the perfect middle ground, such as Marmari, Agios Stefanos or Tigaki.
Koans are also fiercely loyal to the Mediterranean diet. During mealtime, locals aim to get as many food groups on the table as possible. The Greek island diet is reliant on seafood, greens, grains and goat’s cheese as opposed to mountains of meat, a generalisation based on the Greek-Australian diasporic diet.
Ruins on Kos – an ancient knowledge of wellbeing and health.Credit: iStock
Kos is brimming with local delicacies, such as whole fish with a side of greens, aromatic thyme honey, and “krasotiri”, mild sheep or goat’s cheese cured in red wine.
At some stage, it’s wise to indulge in Koan cuisine with a view. Limnionas Restaurant, Lofaki and Agios Theologos Restaurant are standouts, all graced with sunsets that give Santorini’s an absolute run for its money.
Kos’ secondary tagline is that it’s “the cycling island”. This influence dates back to the Italian occupation of Kos in 1912, when bike-friendly roads were built and used by Italian soldiers to move around. Hopping on a bike is a great way to explore the island’s capital Kos Town, given it’s uncongested and the terrain is flat.
For more of a fitness challenge, there are trickier mountain biking routes peppered around the island. Even cycling or walking up to the hilltop villages is sure to get the heart rate up.
If you’re Greek, you dance. It’s hard to escape that obligation. Which means visitors to Greece also dance. Get your cardio in by learning some traditional steps at a Greek dancing night, which are held at taverns and larger hotels around the island.
Hippocrates had a tough gig. He was the first physician who tried to convince people that diseases were caused by natural causes and not living well, as opposed to direct punishments by the gods.
He was a visionary, laying the foundations for clinical medicine, the doctor-patient relationship and classifying diseases. His legacy lives on through the commonality of medical students globally reciting the Hippocratic Oath (a code of ethics) before becoming a doctor.
Visitors to Kos can visit the ruins of the Asklepieion, Kos’ ancient healing temples, to learn about Hippocrates and his impact. Here, he practised and founded what was considered Greece’s first intellectual school of medicine. Kos welcomes doctors for various medical conventions and to take the Hippocratic Oath at the Asklepieion.
Yes, there are countless things to do. But Kos begs you to relax. Gloriously in the form of siestas, which start from about 2pm. Hippocrates, too, recommended a daily siesta in summer to prevent heat from draining the body.
Ancient Theatre of the Asklepieion.Credit: iStock
People in parts of Greece have siestas to escape the afternoon heat and in pursuit of associated health benefits such as reducing blood pressure and hypertension. (The key is not to oversleep, 30 minutes is the maximum recommended for a siesta.)
The bottom line? Chill. If you’re staying in a village and are out causing a ruckus after 2pm, expect a local to put you to bed.
THE DETAILS
Fly
In the warmer months, Kos’ international airport allows visitors to fly direct from more than 15 European countries. If there’s no direct route available, you’ll need to go via Athens. If you’re already in Greece, you can also fly from Thessaloniki, Rhodes and Crete. Start your search via Aegean Airlines, Greece’s flag carrier. See en.aegeanair.com.
Stay
From budget stays to mega resorts, there’s no shortage of accommodation styles. You’ll find eco-tents at Sails on Kos, in the town of Marmari. Mid-range resort Utopia Blu in Tigaki makes for a great, amenity-filled family stay. But if it’s opulence and romance you’re seeking, there’s the all-inclusive Ikos Aria – as close to Kefalos’ waters as accommodation possibly gets.
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