Taking the ferry to Kimolos, the traveler discovers a serene island of the Cyclades that captivates with its barren Cycladic landscape with its silvery rocks!
Kimolos or Argentiera, as the Franks "christened" it in the 13th century, because of the color of its silvery rocks, is very close to the popular islands of Milos and Sifnos. Since ancient times it was a "monopolis" and until today it has only one Village (and not Chora, as is common on other islands) which is the main settlement of the island with cobbled streets with flowered courtyards, but also many small beautiful squares where visitors can enjoy the sunset on summer evenings.
The village has many attractions such as the Medieval Castle and the Archeological and Folklore Museum and the post-Byzantine churches, many of which are protected by the Ministry of Culture. Impressive is the fact that despite its small size, Kimolos has over eighty churches and chapels, some grand and imposing and others humble and graceful, but most of them are truly unique for their architectural value, their temples and their icons.
Apart from the village , Kimolos has many beautiful picturesque settlements that become deserted in the winter months and come alive in the peak months.
This little gem of the Cyclades holds surprises for those who love and seek out local specialities in every destination. There are local pure Kimolian products such as Ladenia made from dough, fresh tomato, onion and olive oil, Tyrenia a kind of open cheese pie with a bread dough sheet, excellent honey, many traditional cheeses made in a special way (dry cheese wrapped in the "mud" of must),aromatic rusks with skink, kappari, manoura and xyno. In the taverns there are Κimolian fresh pasta, tomato meatballs and rustic salad with Κimolian cucumber and sour.
But apart from the sights of Kimolos the traveler will enjoy clean, sheltered beaches for all tastes, with sand, pebbles, shallow or deep water, rocks for diving or next to spas, with tamaras and skinos for shade and organized beaches, all with clear blue waters!
Make haste and book your tickets to Kimolos in advance in order to live it up in this small picturesque Cycladic Island!
Getting to Kimolos by ferry
Kimolos is connected to two ports of Athens, Piraeus and Lavrio. The distance in nautical miles from Kimolos to Piraeus is approximately 86 nautical miles and to Lavrio is 60 nautical miles (110 km).
Kimolos belongs to the barren line of the Western Cyclades but the connection to the ports of Athens is made all year round, about 3 times a week in low season and in high season there may be more services. The journey is usually long with several stops en route at islands such as Kythnos and Sifnos, and often more and lasts from 7 - 8 hours depending on the ship, the port of departure and the shipping company.
Kimolos is often connected to some other islands of the Cyclades, such as Milos, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos and many others. From all of these, Milos is the closest island to Kimolos, as the distance between them is estimated to be around 30 minutes and the approach is made by a small ferry. This is the reason that Kimolos is a famous island hopping option from Milos.
Kimolos ferry port
Kimolos Ferry port is in Psathi, a small settlement in the southeastern part of Kimolos and about 1 km from Chorio, the capital and main settlement of Kimolos. Psathi has hotels, rooms to let, cafes, taverns and a small beach near the port.
Getting around Kimolos to explore the scenic settlements and its famous beaches can be done by local bus, by taxi and water taxi.
More specifically the transportation options are the following:
Public Bus
Public transport is not particularly developed in Kimolos due to its small size and few inhabitants. There is a small bus that can take you to any part of the island. The itineraries can be found here.
Taxi
The taxi option is the quickest and easiest however their availability is very limited. By taxi, you can see and enjoy all the beauties of the island. Book one by visiting Kimolos Taxi.
Water taxis
There are also water taxis that will take you to the more remote and steep beaches. It is definitely a fun way to get around. Mor einformation in Kimolos Water Taxi.
On foot
If you want to move from the port to the mainland this is easy as the distance is short and although the road is a bit uphill, it is not steep, so it is easily accessible on foot.
Holidays in Kimolos
Holidays in Kimolos will justify the visitor who will choose this quiet and very beautiful island of the Cyclades, which in its simplicity is both imposing and peaceful.
Many will get to know it on a day visit from the short island of Milos but others will choose it for their main holiday.
The volcanic backdrop of the island along with its unique landscape of white rock, the mineral chalk from which it takes its name (chalk in Greek), and a variety of limestone, make it very special.
The island has wonderful beaches either sandy or white pebble beaches and caves, most of which are accessible on foot while others are only accessible by small boats.
What fascinates the traveler are the beautiful traditional settlements with Chorio being the largest settlement built at the foot of Xaplovouni, with its whitewashed houses, flowered courtyards, it has an incredible beauty with a traditional Cycladic look. Of particular interest are the other settlements of the island that are mainly inhabited in summer, such as Psathi, Goupa, Kara, Agios Nikolaos, Prasa, Aliki and Bonatsa.
There are several tavernas on the island offering delicious traditional meals, fresh fish and seafood, as well as some of the local dairy products. There are also several bars and cafes on the island offering a variety of drinks, good music and a friendly atmosphere.
Places to Visit in Kimolos
Although a small island, Kimolos has interesting places to visit especially for those who love nature and culture.
We give you some ideas of places worth getting to know in this jewel of the Aegean:
- Visit Skiadi rock in Kimolos: one of the most famous places to visit in Kimolos is a large, mushroom-shaped rock, called Skiadi. This cool landmark has been sculpted naturally, over thousands of years.The giant rock formation is made of several types of different materials. The softer ones, at the bottom of the rock, have slowly been corroded by the winds. The top part is made up of harder materials, that have been less affected
- Wonder in Chorio, the main town in Kimolos: the white-washed alleys, the bougainvillea trees, the colorful windows and pots and the dozens of blue-domed churches are all there
- Go to the Archeological Museum of Kimolos: houses several objects from the 8th – 7th century BC. Most of them were found on Agios Andreas island and the areas around Ellinika beach, where the sunken city still exists
- Venetian Castle: It was originally built somewhere between the 14th and 16th centuries
While the interior of the castle is ruined, during the summer, you can even watch a movie screening upstairs in the castle. These screenings are organized by a volunteer group, the Chalkies
- Take a boat trip to Polyaigos: the small uninhabited island of Polyaigos is an earthly paradise awaiting you at a distance of one nautical mile from Kimolos easily accessible by boat from Chorio. It is a paradise destination with pristine beaches, rare species of flora and fauna in wild landscapes and an old monastery,while its beautiful coasts, such as Mersini and Blue Waters, attract boat owners from all over the world like a magnet
- Rock formations on Wupa: discover the rock-carved caves and admire the elephant, an impressive rock formation that is transformed by the strong waves and winds into an elephant-like structure over the years
- Explore hiking paths of the island: Kimolos is a great place for hiking, especially in the western half of the island.There are still many wonderful trails around this road, including in the mountainous area between the highest peak of Paleokastro (364 m), Prophet Elias and Sklavos (358 m). Through really great hiking trails you can also walk to the wonderful beaches of Deka and Mavrospilia or Elenika
Beaches of Kimolos
The beautiful beaches of Kimolos are one of the advantages of this small island! There is a wonderful transparent sea with shades of blue and a beach for all tastes. Busy or quiet, with sand, pebbles or rocks for diving, long or short, shallow or deep water.
Most of the beaches are easily accessible but there are some unique beaches in the north of the island and on the island of Polyaigos, which can only be accessed by sea.
What could be more relaxing for your holidays on a beach with clear blue waters under the bright sun!
Have a look of the best beaches in Kimolos:
- Aliki Beach: is one of the most popular beaches with sand and pebbles (colorful and impressive), ideal for groups and couples with a wonderful view of the open sea of the island and fairly close to Chorio
- Psathi Beach: a fantastic long sandy shore, not organized but providing free umbrellas. There is a small tavera nearby with traditional delicacies
- Bonatsa Beach: is a very popular beach with the southern aspect keeping it well protected from the Meltemi wind
- Kalamitsi Beach: is a nice, long beach very close to Chorio and you can find accommodation in the area
- Klima Beach: even though it's "caught" by the north winds, you'll love it. With big pebbles and sand and plenty of shade in its tamarisk
- Agios Georgios Beach: is a long, sandy beach that attracts, about 5km northeast of Chorio that attract a lot of visitors for its natural and calm environment
- Ellinika Beach: is a nice, relaxing beach on the west side of Kimolos with clear waters and a calm atmosphere that attracts lonely visitors and couples
- Mavrospilia Beach: is a beautiful, long beach on the western side of Kimolos, but not that popular due to the fact that is accessible through a track road
- Dekas Beach: is a beautiful beach with clean water. It is accessible through a track road and thus is ideal for couples and people who enjoy privacy
Hotels in Kimolos
Hotels in Kimolos offer options for all tastes and for every budget! On this enchanting island of the Cyclades, a variety of accommodation can be found scattered throughout the settlements, from suites in beautiful hotels to rooms to let, studios and airbnb houses.
To give you a better idea of what you can find in Kimolos, see the options below:
- White Sea Houses
- Psathi Blue Beta
- Thalasea Kimolos
- Sardis Rooms
- The Windmill Kimolos
- Kimolis Apartments
- Psathaki Suites
- Toffee Apartments
- The Elephant Beach House
Island hopping from Kimolos
Kimolos is an excellent base for island hopping due to its proximity to other very popular islands of the Cyclades.
However, the closest island to Kimolos is Milos, since the distance between them is about 900 meters. These two islands are connected daily by various ferries, open-type ferry boats, traditional trawlers and high-speed vessels, starting from Psathi, the port of Kimolos and ending at Apollonia in Milos. Depending on the ferry type, the trip takes from 10 to 25 minutes. It is also important that Milos, being an important port, is connected with conventional and high-speed ferries, with other islands such as Folegandros and Santorini and with the ferries of the Cretan lines.
It is also worth noting that there is a "local" ferry that connects several of the Cycladic Islands, with 2 or 3 stops in Kimolos per week.
