Kos is an island drenched in history, its pine-clad hills and olive groves scattered with crumbling relics of Ancient Greece, Rome and the Byzantine Empire. It’s also encircled by some of the best sandy beaches in the Dodecanese, and the fertile volcanic soil provides bountiful harvests of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The main settlement is Kos Town on the north east coast, with its harbour watched over by the 14th-century ruins of the Castle of the Knights. The narrow streets are full of fascinating buildings, from the ancient Casa Romana, a restored Roman villa, to the Ottoman era Defterdar Mosque. The most impressive archaeological site on Kos is the Aesclepion, believed to be an ancient healing centre, with its Roman baths and temple to Asklepios, the Greek god of health and medicine.

The main resort areas are bustling Kardamena on the south coast and the quieter Mastihari and Kamari, in the north and the south west of the island respectively. As well as soaking up the sun, you can try your hand at watersports including kitesurfing, snorkelling and sailing, and there are two water parks geared towards families. Away from the coast it’s still possible to find traditional stone villages up in the mountains, some of them eerily abandoned.