Sometimes the best escapes do not require long flights or complicated itineraries. Just across the Aegean from Bodrum lies Kos, a Greek island close enough for a spontaneous getaway, yet layered with enough history and culture to feel like a completely different world.

Getting there from Bodrum is part of the experience. Regular ferries connect the two shores during the season, making Kos an easy destination even for a short stay. As Bodrum disappears behind you, it is fascinating to think that these two sides of the Aegean have been connected for centuries through trade, migration, culture and everyday life.

We stayed at Aqua Blu Boutique Hotel Spa, an adults-only boutique hotel near Lambi Beach. Just a few minutes from Kos Town and the harbour, it offers a peaceful setting while still being close to the center. Its contemporary architecture, white-and-blue palette and views across the Aegean create a refined but relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere.

Food is also an important part of the experience. Cuvee Restaurant, located at Aqua Blu, offers a contemporary interpretation of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. It is particularly beautiful in the evening, when dinner stretches into sunset and the Aegean becomes part of the setting.

But Kos is much more than its beaches and hotels. Walking through Kos Town, you begin to understand how many different cultures have left their mark on this relatively small island.

The island was part of the Ottoman Empire for several centuries, and a Turkish Muslim community lived here alongside the island’s other communities. A Turkish-speaking Muslim minority still lives on Kos today. Traces of this Ottoman period remain visible, particularly in the historic centre, where mosques stand surprisingly close to churches, ancient ruins and later Italian buildings.

The Defterdar Mosque, overlooking Eleftherias Square, is one of the most recognizable reminders of the Ottoman period, while the Gazi Hasan Pasha Mosque near the Plane Tree of Hippocrates is another important part of this heritage. Together with Orthodox churches, archaeological remains and Italian-era architecture, they tell the story of an island whose identity was shaped by many different chapters.

The old çarşı, or bazaar area, also feels strangely familiar to visitors arriving from Türkiye. Small streets filled with cafes, local shops, spices, souvenirs and restaurants carry the atmosphere of an Aegean market town. Even the word çarşı feels appropriate here: Kos and Bodrum may belong to two different countries today, but their shared Aegean culture is often visible in the smallest details – from food and architecture to the rhythm of daily life.

Another place that fascinated me was Albergo Gelsomino. Standing directly by the sea, the building is beautiful at first sight, but its history makes it even more interesting. It dates back to the period when the Dodecanese islands were under Italian rule. Designed by Italian architect Rodolfo Petracco in the late 1920s, it was originally created as a guesthouse for Italian officials and was later used by military authorities, eventually becoming known as the Kos Officers Club.

Almost a century later, the building has been carefully restored as an intimate eight-room boutique hotel while retaining its distinctive Italian architectural character. Today, Albergo Gelsomino holds One Michelin Key, Michelin’s distinction recognising exceptional hotel experiences.

Its restaurant, The Gelsomino, brings another layer to the experience, combining its historic setting with contemporary Greek gastronomy. Led by award-winning chef Gikas Xenakis, it is the kind of place where the surroundings become as memorable as the meal itself – a historic Italian-era building, Greek flavours and the Aegean only a few steps from your table.

This mixture is perhaps what I enjoyed most about Kos. In the space of one walk, you can encounter an ancient archaeological site, an Ottoman mosque, an Orthodox church, an Italian-era building and then find yourself sitting in a lively Greek square.

Kos may look like simply another beautiful Greek island from the Bodrum coast, but once you arrive, its layers begin to reveal themselves. Greek, Ottoman and Italian influences coexist across its streets, while the old çarşı and the familiar landscape constantly remind you how closely connected the two shores of the Aegean have always been.

And perhaps that is the real charm of Kos: it feels foreign and familiar at exactly the same time.