Nisyros Volcano and Mandraki Day Trip from Kos

Kardamena and the crossing to Nisyros

The day starts with hotel pickup by coach between about 08:00 and 08:45, depending on your area, and a drive to Kardamena, a resort town on the south coast of Kos. From its harbour you board the boat to Nisyros, the round, dark-green island you can see on the horizon to the south.

The crossing takes about an hour and offers wide views back towards Kos and ahead to the volcanic cone of Nisyros, with the smaller islets of the Dodecanese scattered between. If you have wondered how to get to Nisyros from Kos, this is the simplest way: the boat and both coach transfers are arranged for you, so there is no need to check ferry timetables or rent a car on arrival.

The caldera and the Lakki plateau

Nisyros is the visible top of a volcano that rises from the seabed, and its centre has collapsed into a huge caldera about four kilometres across. From Mandraki harbour a coach takes you up and over the rim and down onto the Lakki plateau, a flat, fertile basin with fields, oak trees and grazing animals, surrounded by steep walls of volcanic rock.

On the rim of the caldera you can see the white villages of Nikia and Emporios perched high above the plain. The guide explains how the volcano was formed, how it belongs to the same volcanic arc as Santorini and why the island's soil is so rich. It is a striking landscape that answers the question of whether Nisyros is worth visiting before you even reach the crater.

The Stefanos crater

The highlight of the day is Stefanos, the largest of the hydrothermal craters on the caldera floor, roughly 300 metres across and some 25 metres deep. A path leads down onto its pale floor, where steam hisses from small vents, the ground is warm under your feet and grey mud bubbles in shallow pools. The air smells of sulphur, and bright yellow crystals form around the vents.

The volcano is considered dormant; its last activity, in the late 19th century, was steam explosions rather than lava flows, and scientists monitor it continuously. You have time to walk around the crater with the guide and take photos. A small entrance fee is paid on site, and closed shoes are essential, as the ground can be hot and uneven.

Mandraki, the harbour village

Mandraki is the main village and port of Nisyros, a tangle of narrow lanes, whitewashed houses with brightly painted wooden balconies and small squares shaded by trees. Its waterfront is lined with tavernas and cafés, and fishing boats rest on the pebbles below the cliffs.

After the monastery visit you have free time to explore, have lunch at your own expense or buy local sweets and souvenirs. Above the village, the ancient walls of Paleokastro, built from huge volcanic blocks, are a reward for fast walkers. Halal food is limited on Nisyros, but grilled fish, salads and vegetarian dishes are easy to find. The best time to visit Nisyros is in spring or autumn, when walking around the crater is more comfortable than in the midday summer heat.

Panagia Spiliani monastery

Perched on the rock above Mandraki, the monastery of Panagia Spiliani, whose name refers to the cave in which it was built, is set into a hollow below the walls of the medieval castle that once protected the village. A stone stairway climbs up to it from the lanes, with wide views over the rooftops and the sea.

Inside the small church you see a finely carved wooden iconostasis, old icons and silver offerings left by islanders and sailors over the centuries; many consider it one of the most beautiful monasteries in the Dodecanese. Visitors should cover shoulders and knees, and a small donation is customary. The guide accompanies you up from the village before your free time begins.