Roman Ruins

Hi everyone, I just have a question. Does anyone know if the Casa Romana in Kos Town has reopened or is likely to reopen this year.  We have been trying to see it for 8years but they have been renovating it! (Greek time?)

The bus to Kos town from Tingaki is 1.6 euro and takes you to the bus station where you can easily access many of the amazing ruins there are in the town. The Odeon has been recreated so you can sit and imagine what it was like and my 15 year old son found many marks in rocks where distinctly the huge doors would have been and rubbed at the stone as they opened and shut in the 2nd and 3rd C BC!! You can access them for free and photograph as much as you like. There is a small charge for adults but kids free in the Castle of the Knights but we loved it and even enjoyed our picnic under the shade of a tree while chatting about how it would have been in the 14th C when the knights were defending Kos!!

If you can go up to the Asklepion there is a little train goes from near the harbour or a bus. We found the train was always full but it wasn't going to put us off so we walked! The heat was terrible and it's up hill about 2k outside of Kos Town through the little village of Platani. Wouldn't have missed it for the world mind you as I found the Jewish and Turkish Cemetary that I had been reading about in my 'Rough Guide'! When we got to the top we had the fresh orange that was very cold and quenched our thirst!!  A Bit expensive at 4.5 euro each!    but you are hot but then it puts you off a bit buying more!! The Asklepion is a amazing again like the castle a small charge but worth every penny. We walked down into Platani and had a coffee and cake in one of the little cafes and it was so good and so cheap made the long hot walk well worth it!

The archaeological sites are all stunning. Free parking all day across the road from western site (fab mosaics and ruins of baths) and ancient theatre. Casa Romana closed until end of 2006 for further work funded by EEC. 

We spent an hour or so at the Ancient Town (near the harbour) and we thought it was a nice and interesting place to walk around in the sun.  Shame though that there was no info on the site whatsoever, as this would have made it much more interesting.  There were also a few little 'rooms' blocked off, probably for restoration or protection, which was a shame as they would have been fun to have a look around.  Spent ages after that looking for Hippocrates' tree-the map said it was somewhere around the site but there were trees all over.  Finally found some steps going up to some benches and a big tree with grafitti all over it, so we thought that must be it....and we were just about to waste a few photos on it when we saw a few couples walk past us, so we followed them and came out onto this lovely old square with a much bigger and more impressive tree...which was of course the real one.  Worth a look...

  An absolute must! Free entry and some fantastic features. Wall paintings,mosaics,the bathing pool,the street all 2-2500 yrs old. Free parking over the road.....unreal!!

We visited the ancient site west and also just across the street the roman theatre it was unbelievably well preserved when you compare it to other ruins, mosaics are in immaculate condition showing all the gladiators and the old roman road is still intact.

The altar of Dionysius and The Old Agora (in the town center facing bar street area) excellent, I spent quite a lot of time at The Agora (3rd Century BC). If you like ancient ruins, this is worth investigation. Look out for all the feral cats that are being looked after by the chap at The Agora, give him a donation (donation boxes in the grounds) as he has 60 strays to look after and most of them are in a bad way.

The altar of Dionysius and The Old Agora (in the town center facing bar street area) excellent, I spent quite a lot of time at The Agora (3rd Century BC). If you like ancient ruins, this is worth investigation. Look out for all the feral cats that are being looked after by the chap at The Agora, five him a donation as he has 60 strays to look after and most of them are in a bad way.

I loved all the roman ruins around Kos Town but especially the Esklepillion. Excuse the spelling. You felt a great sense of history about the place and its very grand and fantastic photographic oportunities.

Well worth seeing if you're into archaeology.

One warning - the Casa Romana is closed for restoration - sign says it won't reopen till November 2004.

If you are into ruins, this will make your day(s). In Kos town there are at least 4 sites worth visiting these are The Old Agora (in the town center), The Western Ruins, The Ancient Odeon and The Restored Roman Villa. All the ruins are free admission apart from the Villa (3 Euros/person) and all well worth a visit. Outside of Kos Town there is the Asklepion (3 Euros for adults free for kids). This is the most impressive of the lot. There is a land train from Kos seafront direct to the Asklepion. Take your camera.