Mastichari

Mastichari, built in 1926, is a quaint little seaside village about 22 kilometers away from the town of Kos and roughly 6 kilometers away from the airport (about 10 to 15 minutes by taxi) on the Northern side of the island. Its little port offers frequent ferry service to the island of Kalymnos which is just opposite, about 7.8 nautical miles away. The trip takes 20 minutes or 55 minutes depending on the type of ferry you choose. There are also some organized tours out of Mastichari that can take you to Platy and Pserimos, two other smaller islands, but those should be booked in advance.

The village is rather small in itself and is pretty much covered on foot in a very short time. The great thing about it is that it is quiet, children friendly and basically a fantastic place to calm down and relax while enjoying the weather and the beautiful beach. There are quite a few shops around and a few mini markets that should be able to cover all of your immediate needs. There are also quite a few restaurants and café/bars mostly along the shoreline where you can eat and drink in a completely laid back atmosphere while admiring the view. The locals are themselves easy going and that kind of adds to the cool mood. The good thing about the food is that most of the restaurants grow their own vegetables and use local products (meat, fish, seafood…), so the overall result is quite delicious. The café/bars are all lounge type of establishments and allow you to get rid of any stress you might have left. Last but not least, I should point out that there is no dress code whatsoever so you head for a refreshment straight from the beach…

For those who want to wander around and explore the region there is an early Christian basilica which you can visit at the end of the little road that goes along the shoreline. You can also take a walk in the area around the village as there are quite a few roads and trails available while a good idea would be to rent a bike and go off and explore the region…. One last thing, because of the location and orientation of the village the sunset is one of the best if not the best on the island.

Please check out the following site for further information on Mastichari:

http://www.mastihari-uncovered.com/

Brief historic overview

The German archaeologist Ludwig Ross, while visiting Kos in 1844, saw the remains of an ancient port and ruins of a settlement from the early Christian period in the vicinity of Mastichari, confirming the relevant information on the existence of ruins in the area of Glykorriza, around the early Christian basilica. After the devastating earthquake that hit Antimachia in 1926, 18 families decided to settle in Mastichari, named after the mastic trees that used to thrive in the area. In 1930, the topographic service of the Italian administration implemented an urban planning of Mastichari, with an orthogonal grid of 5 and 3 roads. In 1944, the Germans built a wooden pier for military purposes that remained in use until the current harbour was constructed in the eighties. For decades, the largest part of Antimachia’s production of watermelons was gathered on Mastichari’s beach and shipped to Kalymnos. The central church of the village -the Church of the Annunciation (Evaggelismos tis Theotokou)- was erected in 1945, and the now abandoned school in 1951. The current road linking Mastichari to Antimachia was built during the period of dictatorship (1967-1974).