Kos which is the largest island from the 12 famous islands of Greece is also known as Istankoy and is only 8 miles away from Yarimadasi, Bodrum.
Kos Island which is considered to be one of the most beautiful and characteristic Greek island in the Aegean sea is home to 32,000 residents but hosts up to 1 million tourists every year.
It is the closest Greek island in the Aegean sea to Turkey. There are many ferry’s from the Turgutreis and Bodrum ports each day to Kos Island. There is also an airport in the island.
Approximately 10% of the island are made up of Turkish residence. The island which is rich with wine, olive oil and spices was once used by Alexander the Great as a storage island.
The islands has history going back to the Persians, the Romans and up to the Hellenistic era.
Kos Island was at one point, a place where physician Hipokrat, Artist Apelles, Poet Philates and Theocritus Princes came to have their education.
Kos Island was in the hands of the Turks at around the year 1500 but in 1912 the Italian’s took over and was then taken control by the German’s during World War II. By 1947, the beautiful island was left entirely to Greece.
The Main religion applied in Kos Island is Greek Orthodoxy. Kos also has a mosque which applies to the islands Muslim community. The island also houses a Roman Catholic Church and a Synagogue which was destroyed during World War II.
The Synagogue which was restored by the Kos Island council, is now used in special events especially cultural occasions.