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Kalymnos Island

Culture of Kalymnos Island. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Kalymnos has a very rich history. Scientists believe that it was inhabited in ancient times. The first people who inhabited the island were the Carians. Kalymnos came under the influence of the neighbouring Kos Island and was dependent on him. Later it was inhabited by Byzantines, Venetians, Hospitallers, Turks and Italians. There is still evidence of these different cultures on the island. That’s why the island attracts amateur historians and curious people.

Authentic traditions, festivals and lifestyle of Kalymnos Island inhabitants

While communicating with Greeks, remember that they are emotional people and can easily interrupt each other and raise their voice even during a dialogue with close people. Locals touch …

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You can start your acquaintance with the island from its capital, city-port Pothia. The settlement itself is small, cosy and Greek. Pothia is not an ancient town. It was built in the 19th century when it was not necessary to live behind stone walls to hide from pirates. The Castle of Chora was built in the 11th century. This building reminds people of ancient times. The castle was rebuilt in the 14th-15th centuries and we can see the building of those times. The building was partly destroyed by time and weather, but it still deserves your attention.

Museums on Kalymnos attract a lot of tourists. There are several museums despite the small size of the island. Don’t pass by the Archaeological Museum. It is housed in a beautiful mansion of the 19th century. Its collection is rich with unique items and it is considered to be one of the best collections on the Ionian Islands. Weapons and armour of different eras, household items and works of art will help to understand how people lived here centuries ago. The Ethnographic Museum will send you to the 18th-20th centuries. It is exhibition tells about Greek customs and traditions. Be sure to visit the Monastery of Saint Sava. It is also called the Monastery of all Saints. There are a small library and a museum inside the monastery. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Your active city break in Kalymnos Island. Attractions, recreation and entertainment - best places to spend your day and night here

Kalymnos is an ideal place for active tourists. The island is incredibly popular among climbers from all over the world. There are hundreds of climbing routes on the island. They are all of …

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The Church of the Christ the Savior is beautiful too. There are wonderful frescoes and icons inside, made by local artists. Be sure to visit the Sponge Factory in Kalymnos. It is dedicated to sponges. This is not surprising, the sponges are still produced on Kalymnos. There is only one sponge factory in the capital of the island, Pothia, it tells people about the history of sponge-fishing, the methods used to dive and the process of elaborating sponges. The sea museum «Valsamidis» also deserves your attention. Its exhibition consists of all the Aegean species. What’s interesting, the museum was founded by two persons, who collected the exhibition. The Maritime Museum of Kalymnos was founded in 1994. It has a rich collection of items, connected to sea and sailing.

Don't miss the chance to visit the castle of Chora or Hrisoheriya. It was built in the 15th century. There are several interesting attractions near Vathy. For example, the ruins of ancient settlement Rina. Don’t pass by a Paleopanaghia church, where you can ancient mosaics of the 6th century. There are several ancient Byzantine basilicas near the Chorion. There are also ruins of antique settlement Damnos and the temple of Apollo who was the patron of the island.

In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Kalymnos Island and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Kalymnos Island and surroundings

This guide to cultural sights Kalymnos Island is protected by the copyright law. You can re-publish this content with mandatory attribution: direct and active hyperlink to www.orangesmile.com.

Kalymnos Island - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Iconic cultural sights of Greece

In Thessaloniki, it's worth to look into the archaeological museum, which houses pre-historic artifacts and a large number of antiquities, including the golden head and the shield of the Medusa Gorgona. The museum dedicated to ancient Greek, Byzantine and post-Byzantine musical instruments has 200 different items that have been used for the last 4 thousand years. In the museum of Byzantine art, tourists can recreate a complete picture of the great state. Numerous Thessalonikan monuments of early Christian and Byzantine history are in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Arc de Triomphe of Galerius, the Basilica of Saint Dimitrios of the 3rd century, and the Church of Saint Sophia of the 7th century are among them. There is an acropolis in Thessaloniki with the remains of the ancient Greek temples. … Open

Culture of Kalymnos Island. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

City tours, excursions and tickets in Kalymnos Island and surroundings

Iconic cultural sights of Greece

Photogallery of cultural heritage of Kalymnos Island

Landmarks of culture on Kalymnos Island map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc

Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Kalymnos Island