Discover Kalymnos Island, Greece

Kalymnos Island lies just south of Leros. The town is bustling and popular and still imparts a sensation of prehistoric permanence. The port is located at the head of the bay on the south shore of the island. Strong northwest winds usually prevail in summer. Kalymnos is framed with rocky islets. With the Meltemi blowing, there are strong gusts off the high land down into the port. The harbour is protected by two moles.

The northern shores of Kalymnos extend for 0.5 miles up. There are small marine farms in the northern part of Cape Diapori. There are rocky islets all around, so care is needed.

Approach

The harbour is protected by two moles. Approaching from the east, you will see the buildings of Kalymnos town. Approaching from the west, you’ll see the town only when you reach the bay entrance. Closer in, the monastery on the hill above the town, the silver cupola of the cathedral, and the outer mole are visible. By night, the harbour lights are difficult to make out against the loom of the city lights.

Mooring

Watch the visual pilot of Kalymnos Port

Kalymnos Marina

Kalymnos Marina
36° 57.02′ N, 26° 59.18′ E

Port Kalymnos
36° 56.95′ N, 26° 59.03′ E

Fantastic Bays in Kalymnos

Kalymnos offers fantastic bays. Here are the two most popular ones we loved:

Vathi Bay

Vathi
36° 58.42′ N, 27° 1.80′ E

A lovely narrow deep fjord lies one mile north of Ormos Akti. The valley inland from Vathi is extremely attractive with orange and lemon groves and lush markets that contrast with steep red rock hills in this, one of the few lush areas of Kalymnos. The pier is for tripper boats. The bottom is sand and weed with good holding. It offers good shelter from the Meltemi, although there are strong gusts off the surrounding hills. Captain Manolis will guide you to the quay if the depth is good for you (2m).

Ormos Palionisou

Ormos Palionisou
37° 2.47′ N, 26° 58.38′ E

Palionisos Bay, on the northeast side of the island, offers 17 mooring buoys. Nine orange buoys belong to Ilias Tavern, and eight white buoys belong to Taverna Kalidonis. Just grab one and enjoy your dinner or lunch at the taverna. We had an excellent opportunity to dine in Ilias Tavern. Nomiki is very welcoming, and the food is marvellous.