Kos 2026: 8-Day Family Travel Diary

We spent 8 unforgettable days on Kos, an island of incredible food, amazing hospitality, and… wild goats at every turn! This was our first real summer vacation with 11-month-old Antun, and it brought us so much more than just relaxing on the beach. From the hidden shores of Kos to the bustling streets of Bodrum, Turkey, here is our day-by-day travel diary, restaurant recommendations, and a complete expense breakdown at the very end.

• A few quick impressions: First of all, there are cows and goats literally everywhere. Second, the food selection on this island is incredible. And third, the people are amazingly hospitable, even those who don’t speak a word of English.
• The car rental drama: The agency completely played us and gave us a broken car… or so we thought. Stay tuned, because the plot twists are real.

Pre-Trip Expenses

Before we even landed, our baseline costs were locked in:

• Flights: €285
• Accommodation: €956
• Car Rental: €214 (plus an €800 credit card deposit)

Day 1, June 5, Friday

We landed around 9:00 AM and went straight to pick up our car from Green Motion agency. Everything went smoothly with the paperwork and the car looked great, but the agency turned out to be a 3-minute walk outside the terminal. Carrying all our bags plus a baby across the hot pavement was definitely a challenge, but luckily, it was over quickly.

Our first stop was Lidl to stock up. Since we hadn’t really decided if we’d be cooking dinners, we just grabbed the essentials: juice, pastries, and plenty of water.

Travel Tip: We’ve read that the tap water here isn’t drinkable, so we immediately bought a 6-pack of bottled water to be safe.

Right there in the parking lot, we changed into shorts because the heat was starting to kick in. We packed a light daypack for Kos Town, put on a generous layer of sunscreen, and off we went. Proud mom moment: none of us ended up red at the end of the day!

Finding a spot at the free public parking lot in town was a bit difficult because it was crowded, but manageable for this time of year. The streets were lively but still easy to navigate with the stroller. Since the season is just starting, it was perfect for us, who knows what the chaos looks like in July or August.

Once Antun fell asleep in the stroller, we took a lovely stroll past some ancient ruins all the way to the Ancient Agora and Hippocrates’ Tree. We checked out the New Agora market and wandered down a street packed with charming little shops, which we absolutely loved. The town is incredibly tidy, beautiful, and bursting with history. You can really tell that tourism is their lifeblood, everything is set up to make visitors feel welcome.

When Antun woke up, we headed to the castle. Tickets are €5 per person, cash only. It was fascinating, but the sun was getting brutal, so we cut it short to keep the baby safe in the shade.

Lunch at Vinylio Wine Restaurant

For lunch, we stumbled upon Vinylio Wine Restaurant, and wow, what a meal! For €51, we treated ourselves to their famous specialty (cheese in pastry drizzled with honey), two main courses, and drinks. Delicious!

But, of course, a family vacation wouldn’t be complete without a reality check. In all of Antun’s 11.5 months, we forgot to pack a spare set of clothes exactly once, and yep, that was the exact moment he had a massive diaper blowout. Poop. Everywhere. I’ll spare you the details, but it was a crisis. The staff was incredibly patient and gave us our space, which was honestly a blessing because we were stressed enough without people hovering. Later, the waiter made a joke about it to lighten the mood, and we left a good tip to apologize for the mess.

After that drama, we drove to the hotel, checked in, and all three of us crashed for a much-needed 1.5-hour nap.

Refreshed and repacked, we headed down to the beach. This was Antun’s first time truly experiencing the sea and sand while being fully aware of it. He was in absolute paradise, playing with the pebbles and splashing around. Tin and I just sat back and watched him entertain himself for an hour. It was pure magic.

To wrap up day one, we hit a nearby supermarket for actual cooking groceries, read some books with the little guy, put him to bed, and finally collapsed into sleep ourselves.

Day 2, June 6, Saturday

We had an early start today for our excursion to the volcanic island of Nisyros. The tour offered hotel pickup, which actually meant meeting at a spot 3 minutes away. We boarded the bus at 8:15 AM, picked up a few more tourists, and by 9:30 AM, we were on the boat setting sail from Kardamena. To our absolute delight, Antun slept through part of the boat ride, saving us the energy of having to entertain him.

(We booked via Viator through “Kos Activities” for €30 per person, and the guide on the bus was excellent).

The boat ride took an hour of pure sunshine and gorgeous island views. Once we docked in Mandraki, we had 3 hours to explore. We walked through the beautiful town, visited the monastery (€2 cash entry), and sat down for lunch at a square recommended by our guide.

Tourist trap? Maybe a little. The octopus didn’t blow me away, but it was decent enough. We paid €41 for two mains, drinks, and stuffed zucchini flowers. The place I originally wanted to visit didn’t open until 12:30 PM, which didn’t fit our 1:30 PM departure for the crater. Luckily, Antun fell asleep during lunch after exhausting himself chasing cats between the tables.

Before jumping on the bus, I desperately needed to cool off, so we took a quick dip at a rather small local beach. We also bought some local kanelada (cinnamon syrup) and almond syrup, both are genius and will be our lifesavers during some hot days at home. We grabbed a magnet and sprinted to the bus. We were the absolute last ones to arrive at 1:25 PM (oops, the guide said 1:20 PM). The drive to the crater took 20 minutes, and Antun slept right through the guide’s commentary.

Standing in Stefanos Crater

We knew it was going to be hot down there, and it was, but standing inside the Stefanos Crater was worth every sweat drop. Entry was €5 per person (cards accepted). The moment you step onto the walkway, the smell hits you: pure rotten eggs. The yellow sulfur crystals on the rocks are a clear reminder that the earth is alive beneath you. The ground was visibly warm. We hovered our hands over it but didn’t dare touch it. Don’t worry, it’s not hot enough to melt your sneakers or stroller wheels! We took a few photos and quickly returned to the shade of the café so Antun could eat.

The journey back via bus and boat was a bit tiring because the heat always drains the baby, but we managed to keep him awake until we got onto the final bus back to Kos Town. He knocked out instantly. The tour guides’ method of sorting people into buses by yelling out hotel names (with some very creative pronunciations) was hilarious, but we made it back safely.

Back at the hotel, we instantly pivoted into beach mode. We spent the late afternoon soaking up the sun and watching Antun happily play with pebbles. Absolute vacation chill. We ended the day with showers and a quiet evening on our balcony.

Day 3, June 7, Sunday

Today was my birthday! Since our 3-Island cruise wasn’t leaving until 9:45 AM, we decided to walk the 20 minutes to the harbor after breakfast. Antun split the time between his stroller and riding high on Tin’s shoulders. We got to the boat early enough to snag prime seats in the shade and even managed to get the baby to sleep before we cast off.

The cruise to our first stop, Kalymnos, took two hours, and we spotted dolphins twice along the way! It was so windy in the shade that we actually got cold and had to move out into the sun.

Once we docked at a tiny village on Kalymnos, we had 50 minutes of free time, so we all jumped into the sea for a refreshing swim. Back on board, we were offered a quick lunch and set sail for the islet of Plati. The boat anchored right in the open water. Getting Antun down the steep boat steps into the sea was a bit of a balancing act, but it was such a fun swim.

Afterward, Antun passed out for a nap, which gave Tin and me the perfect window to grab a birthday cocktail and toast to the day while sailing toward Pserimos. Once we arrived at the final island, I sneaked off for a solo swim while Tin watched our sleeping boy.

On the hour-long ride back to Kos, Antun woke up full of energy. Tin took over entertainment duty because, right on cue, my period decided to start while out at sea… standard luck!

Back on dry land, we walked to the hotel, fed the baby, and then took him right back to the beach so he could crawl around and play with his beloved pebbles. He’d been cooped up on the boat all day and needed to burn off some physical energy. He entertained himself perfectly for an hour while we just breathed out. We ended the night with a simple home-cooked tuna pasta and drinks on the balcony.

Day 4, June 8, Monday

Today we crossed international borders to visit Bodrum, Turkey! I booked our ferry tickets early on Ferry Hopper (€30 return per adult), but we had to pick up physical tickets at the port. We set off around 10:00 AM and were across the sea in just 20 minutes.

The moment we stepped off the ferry, Antun fell asleep, so we walked along the beautiful seaside promenade straight toward the castle. Bodrum completely charmed us, the center is clean and pleasant. The only chaotic, messy part was near the bazaar hall and bus station. Before entering the castle, we stopped for a quick coffee by the water and got absolutely fleeced, €16 for two coffees!

Antun woke up just in time for us to wander through streets packed with fake designer goods (Rolexes as far as the eye could see).

We reached the castle and gasped at the €23 entry fee, but honestly, once inside, it was worth every cent. The place is massive, beautifully kept, full of exhibitions, lush gardens, and views that literally take your breath away. We would have stayed longer, but the heat was getting dangerous again.

A Gemini Recommendation

For lunch, we hit Nazik Ana, a restaurant Gemini recommended. It holds only a 4.4 rating on Google, but it lived up to the Gemini’s hype. Great food, friendly staff, and powerful A/C that saved our lives. Antun slept the entire time, so Tin and I actually got to enjoy our kebabs in absolute silence.

Afterward, we walked past the bus station to see the famous bazaar, but it was still being set up, so it was a bit of a letdown. On the way back, I stopped at one shop and bargained a vendor down from €20 to €10 for some fake Birkenstocks. I immediately put them on and hid my sneakers in the bag so customs wouldn’t pull me aside. It worked like a charm, we sailed through border control without a single question.

The Sweetest Ferry Ride

On the ferry back, we sat near the same Austrian family with a 2-year-old girl we’d seen earlier. We pulled out Antun’s toys, she joined in, and what followed was the highlight of the trip. Antun started laughing from the very bottom of his soul. We switched to reading a picture book, and every time Tin pointed to an animal, the little girl would say the word in German: Schildkröte, Kühe, Katze, Ente…

Antun thought this “jibber-jabber” was the funniest thing he had ever heard. He roared with laughter at every single German word. Even when Tin and I tried saying the words in German, he absolutely lost it. We were all crying tears of laughter.

Once back in Greece, we dashed to the hotel, changed, and drove to Therma Beach. On the way, we had to stop at an electronics store to buy a new camera since our baby monitor literally fried itself the night before.

Antun took a 20-minute power nap in the car, which gave him just enough juice for the beach. Therma Beach is famous for its natural hot, healing sulfur springs that mix with the cold sea in a rock pool. We spent a heavenly 30 minutes soaking in the warm water. The 10-minute walk back up the hill was easy, especially since we got to point out all the wild goats to Antun along the way.

We ended the day tracking a massive 27,000 steps!

The Data Drama: Before boarding the ferry to Turkey, I carefully turned off my regular SIM and turned on an eSIM. When we got back to Greece, I switched them back, only to realize my phone had automatically roamed onto Vodafone Turk instead of the Greek network! I grew up in a border zone, I should know better! Thank God A1 has a data protection limit capped at €60, or I would have been completely broke.

Day 5, June 9, Tuesday

Today was rough. It was our first day planned for pure, solo island exploration, and the universe decided to test us.

We drove up to the Asclepieion ruin, parked, and immediately realized we had used up the last drop of Antun’s sunscreen (thankfully, there was a backup at the hotel). The site costs €15 per person to enter, and we walked through it in about 15 minutes. It’s an ancient medical center built in honor of Hippocrates, and the views from the top tiers looking over to Turkey are lovely, but honestly, without a tour guide, there isn’t much to do.

Next, we drove toward Tigkaki Beach and the Salt Lake. We found a spot, walked down to the beach, sat on the loungers, and, boom, discovered Antun had pooped and we had zero diapers in the bag. I got a bit nervous because I knew I had packed them. Turns out Tin had taken the whole batch out during a morning change, completely forgetting he had a separate stack by the bed. We decided to quickly peek at the salt lake and then head back to Kos Town where the beach loungers are free if you order a drink.

Car Troubles

And then came the real disaster: the car wouldn’t start. Completely dead. We managed to push-start it to get some juice into the battery, and it fired up. We drove to the Salt Lake, but the flamingos were miles away in the distance. When we tried to leave… car dead again. Another push-start. We finally managed to get back to the hotel, where it started once and then died for good. Tin called the agency, and they had the audacity to tell us they’d only swap the battery if we paid them €200! Tin rightfully told them where to go. We realized we’d be push-starting this thing for the remaining three days of the trip, which felt incredibly risky, especially thinking about our early flight to the airport on the final morning.

To salvage the day, we spent a very lazy afternoon at a beach restaurant that had private cabanas with plush cushion seating. We ate gyros and kebabs, drank cold beer and cocktails (We paid only €41 – they forgot to charge us for the beers, win!), swam, let Antun nap, and felt human again. We went to bed early to sleep off the stress.

Day 6, June 10, Wednesday

We slept in late today, hit Lidl, swam in the pool, and let Antun take a long, peaceful nap in his actual crib. Miraculously, the car started normally at both the hotel and Lidl.

In the afternoon, we drove to Mastihari for lunch and a beach session. Lunch at Palatiano restaurant was incredible (highly recommend)!

We rented their beach loungers for €12, had a gorgeous swim, and Antun napped for an hour under the umbrella.

Next, we drove up toward Pyli Castle. We made it to the church viewpoint, but skipped the final stairs to the castle because we had a strict 6:45 PM dinner reservation in the mountain village of Zia. On the way down, Tin started loudly bleating at the wild goats on the hillside, which for some reason absolutely terrified Antun and made him burst into tears. Kids are so unpredictable.

The Mystery of the Broken Car Solved

When we got back to the car, Tin turned the key. Nothing. Dead. I told him to move over, hopped into the driver’s seat, turned the key, and it fired up instantly.

That’s when the lightbulb went off: the car was never broken. There was plenty of battery juice, it just needed to be started MY way. Whether in gear or neutral, I always subconsciously press the clutch all the way to the floorboard and tap the gas pedal a little bit as I turn the key. Tin simply doesn’t drive like that, he lets the clutch out halfway thinking it catches early, so the safety sensor wasn’t engaging! He tried starting it his way again later in Zia and couldn’t do it.

At first we thought it was just because I was tapping the gas pedal a little bit. It wasn’t until the next day that we realized it was the clutch, AND ONLY THE CLUTCH, so the next day Tin started the car normally every time.

We were making jokes and laughed that day so hard. My old family car was a bit tricky, and my mom taught me to start it exactly like that. Since it was the first car I ever drove, I just brought that habit to every car I’ve ever driven. We, of course, felt bad for the next people renting this car from that scammy agency, but we’ll definitely leave a Google review explaining the “trick”.

Magic in Zia

We parked in the big lot at Zia and were immediately greeted by spectacular views. The village is so neat and charming, with little souvenir shops and a church you literally access by walking directly through a restaurant’s outdoor terrace.

We had booked a table at Oromedon 10 days in advance, and it did not disappoint. The service was flawless, the food was spectacular, and the terrace views were even better than from the street.

Since Antun started getting fussy before the actual sunset, we left the restaurant early to catch the magic moment from the parking lot. The main street was packed with over 100 people trying to get a photo, so navigating with a stroller would have been a nightmare anyway.

From the parking lot, it was pure perfection. Antun waved at the sun, laughed, and showered me with kisses. It was one of those core memory moments. He fell asleep on the 30-minute drive back to the hotel, and we weren’t far behind him.

Day 7, June 11, Thursday

Since we had a massive amount of leftovers from an accidental fast the night before, we cooked up some meat and pan-fried it with potatoes and onions for breakfast. Boom, lunch and dinner solved, no beach prices for us today!

Before Antun’s nap, we hung out at the hotel pool. He floated around on a pizza-shaped slice luxury float and chased balls. I couldn’t believe was already our last day. The pool worked its magic, and the little guy passed out in the car within 5 minutes of driving.

Agios Stefanos & Paradise Beach

Fifty minutes later, we arrived at Agios Stefanos Beach. We set up our pop-up tent on the sand and went exploring.

The beach is gorgeous, framed by old church ruins right on the shore. The water is shallow but noticeably colder than elsewhere on the island. We actually swam out to a nearby tiny islet to play with the rocks.

Next, we drove 6 minutes down the road to Paradise Beach. We paid €20 for two loungers and an umbrella, fed Antun, and put him down for a nap so Tin and I could take turns checking out the beach’s main attraction: the underwater bubbles!

It is an absolute wonder of nature. The “Bubble Area” is marked by a massive blue buoy out in the water. If we had forgotten our snorkels, I would have cried! Streams of cold volcanic gas bubbles rise continuously from the seabed. It’s a complete must-do on Kos, and I’m so glad we saved it for our final day.

On the drive back, we made two quick stops to pet a local donkey and feed some cows. Watching Antun blew my mind. Tin showed him how to hold out a handful of fresh grass to the cow, and Antun instantly copied him perfectly, gently letting go the moment the cow took a bite. I honestly get teary-eyed writing this. Kids are absolute little sponges, learning so fast.

We ended the day with one final trip to the beach so Antun could say goodbye to his pebbles, packed our bags, filled up the gas tank, and stayed up way too late because we drank coffee at the wrong hour.

Day 8, June 12, Friday

We arrived at the Green Motion office at 7:50 AM to drop off the car. The agent taking the keys looked at our file notes and said, “Ah, so it wasn’t the battery, it was just the clutch safety switch, right?” Tin just nodded. I was fuming internally… If they knew the car had that exact quirk, why didn’t they just tell us over the phone instead of trying to extort €200 for a new battery? Scammers.

We walked to the terminal, dropped our bags, breezed through security, and boarded our flight with a blissfully sleeping baby.

Kos, you were incredible. Between the ancient history, the volcanic bubbles, the gorgeous beaches, and watching our little boy grow and learn so much in just one week, this trip is going straight into the core memories chest.

Final Trip Expense Summary

Here is the total financial breakdown of our 8-day island adventure:

💳 Grand Total

• Total Trip Expenditure: €2,190