Visiting the Cyclades: Kimolos

 

Another reason we chose to stay in Pollonia, is that it is just a stones throw away from Kimolos.  At least if  Mathew Stafford is throwing the stone.  With one exception, all ferries to and from Milos dock at Adamas.  That exception is the ferry to and from Kimolos.  The half mile ride takes less than 30 minutes and costs 2 euros.

Kimolos has a population of about 900, and is among the smallest of the Cyclades.  The main occupations are mining (chalk) and agriculture.  Kimolos has a number of unpopulated beaches with some accommodations and tavernas.  What few tourists were on the island were siphoned off to the water, as we did not encounter a single tourist during our two days in Chorio, the capital, and only true town on the island..

Our goal was to get a taste of the ebb and flow of village life.  And, taste it was.  The soul of a Greek village is the cafe, ouzeri, bakery or restaurant where Greek men gather daily to heatedly, but good-naturedly, expound.  

On Kimolos that is Kali Kardia, most often referred to by the name of the owner Bohoris.   On arrival we went there and shared moussaka.  

We returned for dinner.  What did I have?  Goat, he wrote.

At almost every Greek restaurant, a little something extra comes at the end of a meal.  Either a liqueur or a dessert on the house.

Bohoris serves top notch standard taverna food.  The lively conversations, although more Phillip Glass than Marvin Gaye, were music to our ears.  Completing our immersion into local life was going to the local bakery for fresh spanakopita.  We took it to go.  When you look at our home on Kimolos you will know why.

The house had two bedrooms a full kitchen and a bathroom that would put a 5 star hotel to shame.  Did we fall off our path to authenticity with Netflix on a 55" TV in the living room?

I was unable to find any hotels available in Chorio.  Instead places were between the port and town or on one of the island's beaches.  Through AirBnb we found this engaging residence right in the middle of town.  Including tax and cleaning fee it came to 216 dollars total for two nights.

We delighted in wandering the small town with nary a tourist in sight.

Just off the main square is the 17th Century Agios Ioannis Chrisostomas.  

The 17th Century is well represented.  Even the excellent ice cream shop is built into a 17th century wall.

There is only one taxi on Kimolos.  We booked in advance fo the short ride tor our ferry to Sifnos.  Had we stayed on Milos we would have had to take a taxi to Adamas to catch a ferry to Sifnos.  It was easier and quicker to travel from Kimolos.  The ferry to Sifnos was 6 euros each and took two hours.