Things to see and do Dodecanese

The monastery of St. George is a 2.5 hour walk from Arvanitochori, a charming flowery village nestled in a beautiful valley of fig trees, bougainvillea and jasmine. Take a small path to the left, heading south, on the road to Aghia Marina. If you are lucky, or if you come across him in the village before your visit, the caretaker of the monastery will not only give you a tour, but he can accommodate you for a night or two. A unique experience, with a dinner based onofto , a dish of lamb roasted for several hours.

The Kos synagogue has finally been renovated: closed for almost 40 years, it was consecrated and inaugurated in July 2023. It will soon be reopened to the public to tell the story of the Jewish community of Kos, almost entirely murdered by the Nazis after their deportation on July 22, 1944. The story of this synagogue begins in 1747, when a member of the local Sephardic community decided to build a first temple. The establishment of the Jewish community in Kos dates back to the Second Temple period, but it was expelled by the Knights in 1502, before being able to return thanks to the more tolerant laws of the Ottoman Empire. The community fluctuated in size over the course of the ^19th century, and was mainly involved in commercial activities, particularly wine. It was integrated into the wider Kos community, speaking Greek and Turkish, as well as Ladino, a Judeo-Spanish language. The local community expanded in the early ^20th century, following the arrival of refugees from Asia Minor after the Great Catastrophe of 1922. The great earthquake of 1933 did not spare the synagogue, which was rebuilt the following year in the Art Deco style still admired today. On the eve of the Nazi occupation, the synagogue housed around 140 members of the community. They were all arrested on the same day by the Nazis and sent to their deaths in the Auschwitz camp, along with the Rhodes Jewish community. Only one survivor returned to Kos after the liberation of the camps, and the synagogue has been abandoned to this day.

You will find all sorts of useful information, including maps of the island and bus schedules. If you're not there, you can contact the tourist agencies at the port or the tourist police, who will take over from the harbour office for ferry schedules. To help you find a room, a car or a ferry ticket, you can turn to Astoria Travel (+30 22470 31205 - www.astoriatravel.com) or Apollon Travel (+30 22470 31356 - www.apollontravel.gr), two reliable travel agencies that are almost next door.

From the village of Lipsi, you can reach this part of the island on foot in about 30 minutes. Before arriving, you will see on your right the 16th century church of Panaghia Harou, famous for the icon of the Virgin celebrated on August 23rd (see box). A little further away, you can taste and buy organic products from Kostas Makris, who has taken over the family farm a few years ago, and further away, Kohlakura is a pleasant pebble beach. Shaded in the morning, it offers little shade during the day but the waters are crystal clear.