Kalymnos Trip Report

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Kalymnos Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 16 Jun 2018, 09:18

For anyone who wants to read about a different island, here is my (rather long) trip report from my recent holiday on the neighbouring island of Kalymnos

6 June 2018
Flew with TUI from Manchester to Kos. The flight was an hour late leaving Manchester due to delays at check-in – the queues were horrendous, far too many TUI flights departing close to each other for the amount of check in desks IMHO. When we got on board there was a mix up with the seats as somebody was already sitting in the seat that I’d been allocated at check-in. I was moved to an extra leg room seat by the emergency exit and as the flight attendant told me what to do in the event of an emergency I couldn’t help thinking about the poor woman who was sucked out of the window on the flight in America a few months ago! Of course nothing untoward happened and we arrived safely in Kos. My luggage was the last to come off the plane and it was straight onto the mini bus and off to Mastichari to catch the 4pm ferry. We had half an hour before the ferry was due and relaxed at a taverna close to the quay side with a large beer (3eu) and a diet coke (2eu) before departing on the Ilias to Kalymnos. The ferry left on time and 30 minutes later we arrived in Pothia where the Olympic rep and a mini bus were waiting to transport us and 3 other passengers to Norma’s Village. Norma gave us a warm welcome and showed us to room 4 on the ground floor – a spacious studio that sleeps 3 with a modern kitchen area and a large shower with shower curtain and a shower that fixes to the wall – no wet room here. It was a bit disappointing to be on the ground floor as it does restrict the view but the spacious balcony with table and 2 chairs looks out onto the olive groves with the top of the mountain visible above. We had a walk down to Linaria beach which is only a short walk away, before stocking up on provisions at the mini market. Water was 1.9 euros for 6 large bottles, a litre of orange juice 1.80, 1.5 litres of milk 2.10.

After a drink in the bar at Norma’s, we had dinner at Ioannis Athansiou, which overlooks the sea at the end of Linaria beach with views of Kantouni beach in the distance - beautiful setting. For dinner we enjoyed a large Greek salad to share followed by 2 x chicken in cream mushroom sauce. The bill including bread, half a litre of house rose, 2 large beers and a small bottle of water was 40 euros. It was an interesting evening as there were 3 large tables of diners in front of us that suddenly kept bursting into song in different languages - I'm not sure if they were celebrating something or a local choir on a night out but it was entertaining. At 10pm a rock group started playing and we enjoyed listening to the music as we ate our dinner. We had to wait over an hour for our main courses whilst the waiters were serving desserts to the large party of diners but as we’d eaten the substantial Greek salad we were happy listening to the music and enjoying our drinks.

7 June 2018
Woke to a lovely sunny day and after breakfast on the balcony listening to the birds, we went for a walk up to the square and on to the large supermarket on the main road which has an excellent selection of produce. We wandered back down a side road, passing the school where the children were singing outside, before making our way back to Norma’s for the welcome meeting with Anna the Olympic rep who gave us a lot of useful information (well I went to the meeting and OH joined me later at the bar!).

For lunch we went to II Posto in the square where I enjoyed my first Gyros of the holiday and OH had a club sandwich with chips. The bill including 2 large beers and a small water was 15.2 euros. This is an excellent place for people watching and the staff are lovely. They also do a chocolate soufflé with ice-cream that I might be tempted to try one day.

We returned to Norma’s and spent the afternoon relaxing round the pool.

For dinner we went to Nikolas Taverna where we shared starters of Greek salad and chickpea fritters followed by moussaka and meatballs. The moussaka was excellent – if a bit well done on top at one side - and OH enjoyed his meatballs which came with a huge portion of homemade chips. Complimentary dessert of homemade cheesecake followed the meal and the bill including 2 large beers, 2 glasses of white wine and a small water was 35.5 euros. The restaurant was very quiet with only two other tables occupied when we arrived but Nikolas was an excellent host.

8 June 2018
After breakfast we set off along the back road to Kantouni beach. After crossing the beach we made our way past the church and took the rocky path up the cliff to the Monastery of the Holy Cross, arriving at the small monastery 20 minutes later. The monastery gates were unlocked and we admired the view over the valley before having a look round the small church built into the rocks. We made our way back down to the beach and continued along the road towards the square where we took the road signposted Platy Gialos. We walked along this quiet tree lined lane with the fragrant smell of pine in the air until we reached the dark sand and pebble beach at Platy Gialos. After walking along the quiet beach we relaxed with a drink and enjoyed the view and the sound of the waves lapping on the beach from the aptly named Waves restaurant. Suitably refreshed, we took the lane towards Linaria and walked down the steps to the road, arriving at the back of Norma’s 10 minutes later. After lunch of an omelette and club sandwich at Norma’s, we spent a couple of hours relaxing by the pool before walking up to the square where I treated myself to a delicious slice of chocolate cake from the cake shop – 1.5 euros.

For dinner we went to Mamazellas fish restaurant overlooking Linaria beach where we shared a huge Greek salad followed by swordfish for me and chicken in mushroom sauce for OH. The double fillet of sword fish was delicious (and big enough to feed two) and was accompanied by broccoli, rice and chips. I managed to finish the fish but left most of the rice and chips. OH had a large succulent chicken breast with mushrooms in a creamy sauce which he also enjoyed. The total bill including bread, half a litre of house rose and 2 large beers was 44 euros. Beer is expensive here at 5 euros; the wine was a much more reasonable 4.5 euros. It was an excellent meal and the solo waitress worked really hard running between the restaurant and the sea front making sure everybody was served.

9 June 2018
After breakfast we decided to go into Pothia for a wander round and a walk up to the castle. According to the timetable the next bus wasn’t due for an hour so we decided to walk, taking the lane past the school where we watched a mouse nibbling on something in the field. We joined the main road just after the supermarket and arrived in Pothia an hour later. We made our way past the taxi square and through the busy narrow streets and down to the seafront where we stopped for a drink. Suitably refreshed, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll round the busy harbour before making our way back through the town where I bought a warm cheese pie from the bakery for 1.5 euros. We continued walking inland and up the hill to the castle. It was a steep climb in the mid-day heat but well worth it for the views both out to sea and inland to Chora. We walked back down to the main road and caught the bus back to Elies square where we had lunch at Il Posto. I was still full from the cheese pie but enjoyed a dish of Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts whilst OH tucked into a chicken gyros with a large portion of chips. The bill including 2 large beers and a large water was 15.70 euros. A complimentary dessert of a mini chocolate mousse followed the meal.

As we walked back to the room I received a text from our island hopping friends A&C to say they had arrived in Kantouni where they were staying over on their way to Fourni. Whilst they were waiting for their keys they were enjoying a beer in Psiris Taverna so it was only polite for us to join them. I first met A&C in Patmos on a solo island hopping trip to the Dodecanese 17 years ago and by pure coincidence they were on the same flight as us to Santorini 2 years later. We met up with them again on Fourni the following year and have kept in touch ever since. Two hours later, after a good catch up, we left them to unpack and went back to shower and change with an invitation to join them for drinks that evening, followed by dinner at one of the local tavernas.

At 7.30 we met up with A&C for drinks and nibbles on their balcony before going to Nikolas for dinner – where we were the only diners. We shared a starter of courgette fritters followed by beef stifado x 4. There was a big plateful of tasty, crispy fritters and apart from one gristly bit; the stifado, which was accompanied by rice and chips, was very nice – though the stifado could have done with being warmer. The bill including a large bottle of water, a litre of house wine and at least 6 beers (it was hard to keep count!) was 66 euros. Complimentary home-made cheesecake and raki followed the meal.

10 June 2018
After breakfast we set off walking along the road to Myrties, stopping after 20 minutes when the breath-taking view of Myrties, Massouri and Telendos Island came into view. We continued down the hill to Myrties and caught the half hourly ferry boat across to Telendos – 2 euros per person. When we arrived on Telendos we turned right and took the path towards Pothia and Paradise beaches. When we reached Paradise (nudist beach) the path turned inland and climbed steeply up the hillside. After clambering part way up the hillside to admire the view, we decided the path was too steep to continue and retraced our steps back to the harbour, this time walking in the opposite direction. This was a much easier walk with the track climbing gently through the pine trees with the fragrant smell of pine in the air. There were several ruins on the hillside and lovely views over the harbour and towards Kalymnos. After passing some steps leading down to a church and small beach we continued on the wide track up the hillside and returned to the harbour via a paved path, passing the little church which was open. After admiring the interior of the little church with its frescos and icons we returned to the harbour where we stopped for lunch at Rita’s taverna / restaurant. I enjoyed a tuna salad and OH had a Greek salad with a portion of chips. The price including bread, a small water and a large beer was 20 euros.

We left Telendos on the 1430 ferry back to Myrties and walked on to Massouri. The area has changed a lot since I stayed there when I was island hopping 17 years ago and I was glad we’d decided to stay in quieter Panormos. As we had over an hour to wait until the next bus was due we stopped at snack bar Fatolitis where I had a chocolate brownie and small water and OH had 2 large beers. We caught the 1620 bus back to Panormos - 1 euro each.

Initially we were due to meet up with A&C again tonight but due to the ferry schedules they had to move on to Fourni a day earlier than planned so dinner for 4 turned into dinner for 2. After a drink in the bar, where I paid for air conditioning for the last 3 nights (6 euros a night), we walked up to the square and had dinner at Il Posto. We shared starters of tzatziki and crab salad, which were huge portions, and for main we both had the special stuffed chicken in a honey and mustard sauce. The main course arrived when we were only halfway through out starters which rushed things a bit. The chicken was tasty, if a bit on the sweet side for my tastes, and came with chips and rice. The bill including pita bread, half a litre of house white and a large beer came to 39.5 euros. Complimentary mini chocolate mousse followed the meal. It was nice enough but due to its location Il Posto is quite noisy and this and the speedy service meant I didn’t find it a particularly relaxing dining experience – though I do enjoy it there on a lunch time. We returned to our room and the luxury of air conditioning!

11 June 2018
After coffee on the balcony we caught the morning bus to Emborios which arrived at 0920 (there are currently only two buses a day to Emborios – morning and afternoon), passing through Myrties and Massouri before continuing along the quiet coastal road where only one vehicle passed us between Massouri and Emborios. After wandering round the pretty coastal village we decided to go for something to eat at Captain Kostas before walking back - the only alternative was to wait until 4pm for the afternoon bus back. We both ordered a special omelette which came with homemade bread that was still warm from the oven – it was delicious. The bill including a large bottle of water was 12 euros. After we’d eaten we started walking back up the hill and along the road towards Aryinonda. The road on this section was very quiet with only the sound of buzzing insects and the bleating of the goats in the distance mixed in with the tinkling of the goat bells. We passed several goats on the roadside and further on four sheep that were huddled together. As we continued on our journey we could see several rock climbers high above us on the rock face. The flower lined road is quiet and relatively flat so it was fairly easy walking. After walking for an hour and 20 minutes we reached Aryinonda where we stopped for refreshment at a small taverna overlooking the shingle beach. Beer here was only 2.5 euros – the cheapest we have found. Suitably refreshed we continued walking on to Massouri. This section of the walk took us an hour which left us plenty of time to catch the 1420 bus back to Panormos – we’d done enough walking for one day. We got off at the square and stopped at Il Posto where I had a gyros and OH had a club sandwich and chips. Today’s complimentary dessert was a mini crème caramel. We walked back to Norma’s and spent a couple of hours relaxing by the pool. Today’s weather has been hazy and overcast at times but very hot when the sun is out.

There were a lot of clouds and thunder and lightning overhead as we walked towards Kantouni beach for dinner. I was already prepared for rain and had put my fold up umbrella in my handbag as a precaution. We noticed that Nefeli restaurant was open (it had been closed for mourning since we arrived) and decided to eat there. I had the special – Greek salad and stamnas for 10 euros. The smaller sized salad was ample for one person and the stamnas with tender beef and potatoes was tasty – though it was a bit heavy on the cheese for me. OH had a huge Greek salad and chicken a la crème which came with a really dark sauce which was a bit salty for my taste, though he enjoyed it. The bill including half a litre of house rose, a large beer and bread was 32.5 euros. The bread wasn’t very fresh and the salad could have done with more cucumber instead of lettuce but the waitress said that the restaurant had only been open for two weeks so it’s still early days for this family run restaurant. There was a heavy shower whilst we were eating dinner but the rain had stopped by the time we finished so I didn’t need my umbrella. As we walked back up the road the dustbin wagon drove past, still hard at work collecting the rubbish.

12 June 2018
After last night’s rain we woke to a cloudless blue sky and a gentle breeze, a beautiful morning for our last full day on Kalymnos. After breakfast we walked down to Kantouni beach and took the rocky track across the hillside towards Agios Fotis. After walking for half an hour on the track, we arrived at a headland with a white painted wall and turned to admire the beautiful views of Kantouni and Livadi in the distance. The track continued through a gate and across to the next headland. As there was no shade on the track and it was already getting hot we decided to retrace our steps and walk back. We were unsure how much further it was to Agios Fotis and aware that we would have to walk the same way back. After walking past Kantouni beach and up the steps to the small square overlooking both beaches (what a lovely place to relax and read whilst enjoying the stunning views) we decided to walk up to the square and enjoyed warm cheese and spinach pies outside the bakery. We returned to Norma’s the long way round via the quiet pine scented road to Platy Gialos, with stunning views both along the coast and inland towards Panormos. We spent a final afternoon relaxing by the pool.

For our final dinner we returned to Ioannis Athonsiou overlooking Livadi beach. Due to the rough seas the waiter recommended that we didn’t sit at one of the tables on the top decking next to the sea as we’d done on our previous visit. This was a sensible suggestion as every so often a wave would crash in and we would have ended up having an impromptu shower. We enjoyed watching the sea from the safety of the lower deck. For dinner we shared an excellent Greek salad which came with warm bread followed by 2 x chicken in cream sauce. The bill with half a litre of rose, a large beer and a small water was 37 euros. Complimentary water melon followed the meal. It was a lovely meal for our last evening on Kalymnos, listening to the sea and walking back up the hill under the star studded sky.

13 June 2018
After a final breakfast on the balcony we checked out and walked round the corner to the bus stop where a taxi picked us up at 0920 (10 minutes ahead of schedule) to take us to the port. We were soon in Pothia where we were dropped off to wait for the 1030 ferry back to Mastichori. There were several plastic seats but no shade in the waiting area so it was a relief when the little ferry arrived and we could sit on deck where there was a lovely sea breeze. We had just enough time for a drink and an omelette at the taverna in Mastichori before our 1150 transfer to Kos Airport. Check in at Kos was much quicker than at Manchester and our flight left on time. Once again we were allocated extra leg room seats by the emergency exit.

Another lovely holiday in Greece has come to an end.
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Re: Kalymnos Trip Report

Postby silverfox » 16 Jun 2018, 15:28

Great report on an Island we have never been to. Sounds lovely!

Just the tinkling bells make you relax!

Thanks Gemma
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Re: Kalymnos Trip Report

Postby D and E » 17 Jun 2018, 06:40

Thanks Gemma - an excellent report on Kalymnos. We often wonder what Emborios is like nowadays and it was nice to read about your day trip there.
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Re: Kalymnos Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 17 Jun 2018, 08:52

D and E wrote:Thanks Gemma - an excellent report on Kalymnos. We often wonder what Emborios is like nowadays and it was nice to read about your day trip there.


I really liked Emborios - though it's not the easiest place to get to on Kalymnos.
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Re: Kalymnos Trip Report

Postby Pollychops » 18 Jun 2018, 17:09

Thanks for a great blog on Kalymnos. Another lovely island in the Dodecanese.
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Re: Kalymnos Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 19 Jun 2018, 07:43

Thanks Pollychops :)

Especially for D and E, here are a couple of photos that I took in Emborios. The weather was quite cloudy that day so I didn't take many photos.


60 Emborios-small.jpg



61. Emborios-small.jpg


and this is one of my favourite views on Kalymnos :)

44. Myrties and Telendos-small.jpg


Sorry, my photos always come out too big on here - think I need Allan's assistance :oops:


Fixed it for you.
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Re: Kalymnos Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 20 Jun 2018, 07:24

Thank you Allan :D
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