Kalymnos, is best known as the island of some of the world's finest sponge divers. The sea has always been a focal element of local life, which has preserved its traditional character colour and style to a great extent. Its picturesque landscapes, its clear blue seas and the hospitality of the locals are just a small sample of what the island generously offers its visitors. Situated between Kos and Leros rises the fourth largest island in the Dodecanese; Kalymnos! Kalymnos is surrounded by other smaller Greek Islands, (islets) however, only Pserimos and Telendos are inhabited.

Kalymnos adorns the Northern part of Dodecanese islands with it's mountainous landscape that attracts rock and mountain climbers from the furthest corners of the globe. One can find a great variety of herbs such as thyme, sage and oregano, while exploring the Kalymnian slopes. The above mentioned herbs are also vital ingredients for the production of the famous Kalymnian honey.

The island also boasts a number of fertile valleys, "Vathi" being the most famous, is riddled with citrus orchards for local consumption and export.

In Kalymnos the sponge-divers still continue to dive into the deep waters of the Aegean bringing, in their own traditional manner, the "fruits" of the sea to the surface. Traditions are still very strong on this beautiful Dodecanesean island.

The small boats take about 2 hours to sail from Kos to Kalymnos while the faster line ferries take 45 to 70 minutes.  From the first heart-stopping glimpse of Pothia's amphitheatric splendour as the ferry slips into the harbour, until your reluctant departure, you will find yourself succumbing to a magical aura that takes you back to a bygone era of simplicity, honesty, beauty and a thirst for life.  This is Kalymnos in a nutshell, tucked away in the Aegean in Greece, like a diamond waiting to be discovered.  The hallmarks of Greece and the Greek Islands in general, bright sunshine, blue skies and dazzling crystal clear seas are of course ever present but Kalymnos has a unique extra, the Kalymnian people.
Welded together over generations when the island's survival depended on hazardous sponge-diving, Kalymnos is a genuine community where traditions are respected and visitors are instinctively welcomed. Make friends with a Kalymnian and you've become part of their family.

This Kalymnos Travel Guide provides a brief history of the island and it's role in Greek mythology, a map of Kalymnos, various breathtaking photographs and a slide show, as well as places of interest and where to stay.  The closest weather station to Kalymnos is at Kos Airport.  Click here for a detailed weather report.