Ruins

Not too far from the island’s airport, you’ll find the village of Antimachia. Set on a plateau, the town offers views unlike any other point on Kos.

Ruined mostly by a 1926 earthquake, Antimachia Castle marks the spot where knights successfully fought off Ottoman soldiers intent on conquering the island in 1457. Walking around the place, you get a sense of the grandeur.

Restored, the Windmill of Antimachia shows what a traditional 19th century windmill looked like. This one makes flour used in pastries sold in their souvenir shop.

Not far from Antimachia, check out Plaka Forest. After exploring the castle ruins, this shaded area provided some reprieve from the heat. The wooded area has dozens of free-roaming peacocks. We did not spot the all-white peacock, but we did see photographic evidence offered up by another visitor. People come here to hike and bike, and to feed the peacocks. One thing about this area: no services. Bring water!

While in the mountains, we stopped in Zia, a charming village on the slopes of Mount Dikeos. The picturesque town has loads of souvenir shops and eateries. It’s most known for the best sunset views from the island, but we visited at the wrong time of day to view the sun fall into the Aegean Sea.