Kalymnos – The layered island.
“You see these layers of peeling paint?” asked a Kalymnian friend, “It tells Kalymmos’ history – blue was the colour of Greece, so whenever the Ottoman Turks came over to inspect the island, wherever they saw blue, they made the islanders paint over it with brown, then when the Ottomans left, the islanders painted everything blue again, and so on, layer upon layer.” Se non e vero… This is Kalymnos in a nutshell – layers upon layers upon layers, historical, social and geological:
HISTORY – Mycenaean bronzes, classical sculptures, Roman tombs and shipwrecks, Byzantine frescoes, medieval castles studded with escutcheons built by the Knights of St John, Ottoman era neo-classical mansions built by the wealthy sponge families, Mussolini-era municipal buildings from the interwar Italian occupation and a post-war famine that drove thousands of Kalymnians to Australia and whose descendants in turn drove the modernisation of Kalymnos.
SOCIAL – The lethal romance of its world famous sponge diving industry underpins all of Kalymnos – its food, culture, poetry, social structures, wealth, piety, music, traditions and philosophy are all born from this. The winter population is well over 16,000, huge for a barren Aegean island, and due to this alone. Sponge diving was a known industry from bronze age onwards – Homer mentions Kalymnian sponges in the Odyssey. They were found all over the Mediterranean, but only the Kalymnians were brave enough to dive down to the depths where the best sponges were found – from Gibraltar to the Libyan Coast.
Sponge diving formed the social pyramid with ship-owners & merchants at the top, then the captains who literally had the power of life and death over the divers whose safety lay in their hands. At the bottom were the divers – the young men who risked their lives every day, every dive – young, impossibly cool, heroic and what all small Kalymnian boys wanted to become when they were old enough. They were the poorest, but were – and still are the folk heroes- the John Waynes and Marlboro men of their time.
GEOLOGICAL – From the utmost depths of the Mediterranean sponge beds up to the craggy peaks of the cliffs and rock faces (Profitis Ilias at 760 metres is the highest point in the Dodecanese,) only Yosemite is more highly regarded as a cimbing centre and now hosts a world class climbing festival sponsored by Petzl which attracts the world’s top rock climbers. A whole infrastructure of equipment, boots and clothes, guides and accommodation has grown up around this, making Kalymnos one the islands with the longest season that there is. The village of Massouri is climbing central. It is also the best area for teens and twenty something year olds to chill in the evening, with a string of fun boutiques and climbing equipment shops, bars, vegan cafes, easy restaurants and music, there is a vegan/hand-knitted vibe, with yoga classes, Tibetan prayer flags and a good energy created by the nature-loving and well travelled, low-footprint visitors.
Activities - hikes, rock climbing, authentic ( as opposed to preserved in aspic) island life, great sea-food, diving, museums, ruined medieval castles, unpretentious and warm hospitality.
the beaches are mostly dark sand and some are rather sea-weedy – bring beach shoes to avoid burned feet!
the beaches are mostly dark sand and some are rather sea-weedy – bring beach shoes to avoid burned feet!
Sportsmen, explorers, historians, vegetarians, families, well-heeled hippies and crystal- collecting yoga practitioners.
Those looking of picture perfect iconic whitewashed villages, those wanting a Nobu or Louis Vuitton, celebrity viewings, or hoping to make serious damage to a credit card.
Buying a sponge from the amazing Sponge Warehouse shop and museum in Pothia
Sandy Kantouni Beach with a great restaurant.
High on the hillside above is the Monastery of the True Cross- a beautiful path zigzags up with ever more dramatic views switching sides as you walk up.
Pothia, the main port is a lively little town with a rather grand waterfront and a hinterland of lanes lined with neo-classical mansions.
The Kastro built by the knights of St John back in the 14th century. Intrepid visitors are rewarded for the half hour scramble past barking dogs and up a stony path, by entry into a deserted site of wild herbs, lovely views over the port, and tumbled ruins. Anyone who was anyone back in the fourteen hundreds built a chapel to their patron saint within the walls of the castle, safe from the pirates that plagued the Easter Mediterranean trade routes for centuries.
Just outside Pothia lies the cave Church of Panteleimon, wedged into a cleft in the mountain with a freshwater spring running down the little ravine next to it and an ornate bell tower outside.
The charming little port of Melitsahas with a picturesque waterfront taverna “Anna’s”. we recommend the sea-urchin salad, tiny Kalymnos shrimp and whitebait.
The picturesque creek of Vathi in the shadow of two high mountains. Impossibly pretty, with bobbing fishing boats, a freshwater creek with giant carp, byzantine church remains, and kayaks for exploring the bay. Fresh, hot, apple loukoumades and other local delicacies are sold on the side, and it is a great place for a late lunch - after the day-tripping pirate-boat from Kos has left with its loud and inebriated cargo.
Telendos Island is haunting, pyramid shaped lump of rock with a white frill of small houses and geranium-filled seafood tavernas around its feet. This little isle is one of Kalymnos’ iconic sights, and in the evening, sunset viewers amass in the hip bars and open air restaurants to watch the show as the sun slips behind it. A sort of hippy version of Santorini.
Vlihadia is a sheltered creek near Pothia – two pretty pebble beaches with clear calm water are wonderful for swimming, and on the first one, the Paradisio restaurant is right on the beach, has seriously good food, imaginatively presented, and bean bags to lie on the beach. The small maritime museum is here and displays sponges and sponging paraphernalia, and finds raised from the sea.
The Traditional Kalymnian House at Vothyni is a must- a gem of a folklore museum - just under the Church of Agios Savvas.
The Archaeological Museum - the prize exhibit is The Lady of Kalymnos, a very rare, over-sized bronze statue of an imposing Brunnhilde of a woman. She is unique in the world and it is a miracle that Kalymnos was able to keep her in its beautiful little museum.
The wonderful remains of the temple of Apollo of Dilios which has the most glorious mosaic floor featuring a camel with a bell round its neck.
The laid back beaches of Emborio, and lunch in Evdokia’s “Harry’s Paradise Garden” restaurant, where Evdokia cooks with local or home produced ingredients as the inspiration takes her – no written recipes she says – and does magic with flowers and trees.
After Yosemite, Kalymnos is the world’s second best sport rock climbing centre –
The Kalymnos Experience Group guides clients of all levels safely and expertly and Massouri village has a first class climbing shop!
Scuba Diving– Kalymnos has several PADI centres
Boat Hire – not a developed aspect but ask us to arrange! There are public boats across to Telendos island
Hikes – Apart from the rock climbing trails and routes, there are plenty of walks and trails and paths to monasteries - The Italian Path is a wonderful trail across the mountains.
Kayaking.
Full beaches and general business, but the island does not lose its character.
due to the rock- climbing industry, the season spreads late into the year and starts early, so this is a great choice for those coming out of season and still wanting to find lots of things open.
