welcome to the island of Kimolos – GREECE
The two most important residential areas on Kimolos island of the Cyclades are the Hora and Psathi, where the main port is situated. You can reach the place by plane to Athens or Milos, and then by ferry. The territory of the island is 38 km2. The highest point is Mount Paleokastro, 367 m. There are no banks, no internet, and no cash machine on the island, so you must be prepared for that – and if you seek for a real peace and quiet, away from the hectic world around us, then Kimolos is your place. Lack of luxury brings about another merit – the prices at the island are below the average for the islands, and for Greece, for that matter. The most interesting fact about the island of Kimolos is that it was part of Milos, but an earthquake separated the two, and now Kimolos is at 1,6 km north-east of Milos, inhabited by only 770 people. It includes administratively also Polyaigos, Agios and Agios Efstathios (which all three are uninhabited).
The old name of the island was Echinousa. On the sea-bed between the Milos and Kimolos archaeologists have found remnants of the town Ellinika and they suppose it has sunk during the earthquake . When it was under Venetian rule, it was known as Argentiera. It joined Greece together with most of the other Cyclades in 1829, after the whole country won its independence from the Ottoman Empire. The white cliffs, the small villages (almost like neighbourhoods), the scenery, the friendly people, last but not least the wonderful beaches, make this place an ideal for relaxation seekers. The name “kimolos” comes from the word for chalk, because the houses are whiter than white, as if made of chalk (which is simply an effect of the reflected light). Chalk is the export product for the island, the other means to earn a living is fishing and to a certain extent tourism.
Most of the inhabitants live in the Chora (main town of Kimolos). Due to the constant attacks by pirate during ancient times, the chora has been built like a labyrinth to confuse the intruders. There’s an archaeological museum, impressive church (with blue dome, probably influenced by Venetian style) and an old kastro. At Ellinika at the diving school, you can have fun diving round the sunken city and observing the marine life – but you should not expect too much from the city, as most valuable things have been pulled out. Snorkeling and fishing are other challenging things to do, if you have a flair for diving