A Mount Zia sunset tour drives you from the Kos coast up to the mountain village of Zia, where the evening is yours to spend in the lanes and at the sunset viewpoints. Our wider list of tours in Greece adds daytime trips to fill the hours before the sun goes down.
This page covers what the tour includes, the pickup and the timing, the village of Zia on Mount Dikeos, the free time, the sunset over Kalymnos, local products and homemade lemonade, other Zia sunset tours, the months and the evening times, and answers to the questions travellers ask.
What does a Mount Zia sunset tour from Kos include?
A Mount Zia sunset tour from Kos includes hotel pickup and drop-off by bus. You get about 2.5 hours of free time in Zia, while the sun slowly slips behind the island of Kalymnos.
This Mount Zia sunset tour is a bus transfer with a free evening attached. After a short scenic drive, the bus brings you to the centre of Zia. The listing calls the stop Mount Zia, while the village lies at the base of Mount Dikeos. You explore it by yourself, at your own pace, with no tour leader.
The listing promises panoramic views across the northern coastline of Kos. It describes sipping a drink or dining on a terrace as the sun goes down. It also names the homemade lemonade as a highlight. As an extra service, the host can reserve you a table at the restaurant of your choice.
This Mount Zia sunset tour lists three inclusions. They are hotel pickup and drop-off, free time at Mount Zia, and food and drinks. The text only describes a drink or a meal on a terrace. Check with the operator what the food and drinks line covers.
The listing also marks the tour as wheelchair accessible. It names English as the driver’s language. Its what-to-bring line has one item, comfortable shoes, for the time you spend on your feet in the village.
Where does the bus pick you up, and how long does the evening last?
The bus picks you up at your hotel. The Mount Zia sunset tour lasts 3 hours, and about 2.5 of them are free time in Zia. The start time follows the sunset.
Pickup is included, and the listing sends you to its availability page for the pickup details and the starting times. It gives no fixed clock time. Its note says visiting hours are subject to change according to the sunset. Check the start time for your date when you book.
This Mount Zia sunset tour is a round trip, so the bus returns for you. At the prearranged meeting time, it collects you from the same place where it dropped you off. Then it takes you back to your hotel. Note that spot when you step off the bus, and set a reminder for the meeting time.
The listing points to three ways to spend the 2.5 hours. You can browse the little shops of local products, arts and crafts, sip a drink, or sit down to dinner. On a Mount Zia sunset tour, the sun sets behind Kalymnos. Pick a start time that puts you in the village before the light goes.
What is Zia, the village on the slopes of Mount Dikeos?
Zia is a small village on the slopes of Mount Dikeos, 15 kilometres southwest of Kos Town. A Mount Zia sunset tour takes you there, and the village is known for its sunsets, taverns and alleys.
Zia is the village, and Mount Dikeos is the mountain above it. Mount Dikeos is the highest mountain on Kos and reaches 846 metres above sea level. Wikipedia lists Zia among the smaller villages of the island. It is a popular day-trip destination, and a Mount Zia sunset tour is one way to see it at sunset.
The village has kept its traditional feel. Houses show traditional island architecture, with white walls and bright blue doors and windows. On a Mount Zia sunset tour you walk narrow lanes in a relaxed atmosphere. Greenery and natural springs surround the village.
Two traditional watermills stand along the winding alleys, the mills of Ioannis Chatzantonis and Kassios. Both are listed monuments, and one has been restored. It shows tools and everyday objects that locals used in earlier centuries. Kos Natural Park lies in the area around the village, and walkers can follow its trails.
Among the rocks you find the church of Saint John the Theologian. A chapel of the Prophet Elias stands on a low hill. Walkers can climb Mount Dikeos for views of Kalymnos, Pserimos, Nisyros and the coast of Asia Minor. Greeka calls the path somewhat tricky and says not to attempt it in the dark.
How do you spend the free time in Zia before the sun goes down?
A Mount Zia sunset tour by roundtrip bus gives you about 2.5 hours of free time in Zia. Nobody leads you around, so you walk, eat or sit with a drink at your own pace.
Start the free time of a Mount Zia sunset tour with a slow walk. The streets are narrow, and the village has cosy corners, traditional houses and small shops. Bring a camera for the lanes and the old houses.
Then find a place to rest. Visit the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, or sit at the Neromylos cafe beside a traditional watermill. Families can explore the nearby natural park.
Next comes dinner. On a Mount Zia sunset tour by roundtrip bus, the host can reserve you a table. You choose the restaurant, and the booking is an extra service. Local restaurants serve dishes such as stuffed goat and dolmades with local wine.
Wear comfortable shoes for the lanes, and sun protection is also advised. On a Mount Zia sunset tour, visiting hours can change with the sunset, so check the times when you book.
Where do you watch the sunset over Kalymnos from Zia?
On a Mount Zia sunset tour, you watch the sun slip behind Kalymnos from the village of Zia. One listing names the village entrance as the viewpoint. Another has you watch from a terrace.
The Kos Activities listing starts with a hotel pickup by bus. After a short drive, you reach the centre of Zia, and the sun slowly slips behind Kalymnos. No tour leader walks with you, so you pick your own spot.
The Kos Transfers and Tours listing is more exact about the spot. On its Mount Zia sunset tour, you watch the sunset from the village entrance. The view takes in Kos, Pserimos, Kalymnos and the Aegean Sea.
A table is the other way to watch. On a Mount Zia sunset tour, the Kos Activities host can book a table at your chosen restaurant. This is an extra service. The listing says you can sip a drink or dine on a terrace. Ticket Travel in Kardamena books tables in rooftop restaurants on request.
Greeka describes a walk up to the top of Mount Dikeos and the church of Christ. From there you see all of Kos, the islands of Kalymnos, Pserimos and Nisyros, and the coasts of Asia Minor. Greeka calls the path tricky and says not to attempt it in the dark.
Greeka also names the Kos Natural Park near Zia, a forest sanctuary that offers a sunset experience. The Kos Transfers and Tours listing says families can explore the nearby natural park.
Which local products, crafts and homemade lemonade fill the lanes of Zia?
On a Mount Zia sunset tour, you find shops with local products, arts and crafts. The listings name lace, ceramics, herbs and spices. Two listings also mention lemonade, one of them homemade.
The Kos Activities listing says a Mount Zia sunset tour reaches a village with small shops. They sell local products, arts and crafts. The Kos Transfers and Tours listing adds artisan shops that brim with lace, ceramics and other souvenirs. It describes alleys lined with traditional houses and those shops.
Shoppers on a Mount Zia sunset tour find the goods in small shops, and SeePlaces lists them. It names aromatic herbs and spices, handmade lace, ceramics and textiles. SeePlaces calls the visit a chance to take home an authentic souvenir from Greece.
Greeka says Zia has shops selling traditional products and taverns with authentic recipes. It describes houses with white walls and bright blue doors and windows. A BIG TRAVEL listing describes narrow streets lined with traditional shops, handmade crafts, local products, restaurants and a cafe.
Two Mount Zia sunset tour listings name lemonade. The Kos Activities listing highlights the homemade lemonade as something to try. The Kos Transfers and Tours listing pairs the sunset view at the village entrance with local lemonade or sweets.
Which other Mount Zia sunset tours run, from hotel pickup trips to panoramic tours?
A Mount Zia sunset tour comes in four more forms. Choose a hotel pickup trip, a transfer-only ride, a private evening drive, or a private panoramic loop. Each one has its own duration and stops.
The hotel pickup version of the Mount Zia sunset tour lasts 3 hours and takes up to 18 people. Its stops are the Neromylos café by a traditional watermill and the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. The sunset view comes from the village entrance. The listing names 25 pickup points.
The transfer-only ride is a round trip from a meeting point near your hotel and lasts 3 hours. An email sends your pickup point and time one day before. A travel office in Kardamena lists a hotel bus to Zia on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. It can book a rooftop restaurant table.
The private evening drive lasts 2.5 hours. It follows the coast past Faros and Tigaki, climbs to Zia, and returns through the lit streets of Kos Town. The meeting point and the final drop-off are both on Kanari Street. The listing marks it wheelchair accessible.
The private panoramic tour is a 3-hour tuk-tuk loop, and its listing does not mention the sunset. Stops include a miniature church and 30 minutes of free time in Zia. A 20-minute stop at the ghost town of Haihoutes adds a coffee break. Do not book it as a timed Mount Zia sunset tour.
A Tigaki operator also lists a sunset evening in Zia from Tigaki and Marmari. Its page says the service is not available and asks you to get in touch.
Which months and evening times suit a Mount Zia sunset tour?
Summer gives a Mount Zia sunset tour its driest weather. A Kos weather station records no rain in July and August, and the sun sets at 8:02 pm in mid-August. October brings earlier sunsets and more rain.
These sunset times on the local clock come from a sunrise and sunset table for Kos.
- Mid-April: 7:45 pm
- Mid-June: 8:31 pm
- Mid-July: 8:30 pm
- Mid-August: 8:02 pm
- Mid-September: 7:18 pm
- Mid-October: 6:34 pm
- End of October: 5:14 pm
Two tour listings tie the hours to the sun. One says visiting hours change with the sunset. The other asks you to contact the operator for the right arrival time. Check the start time for your date before you book a Mount Zia sunset tour.
The same station gives July and August highs of 30.4 and 31 degrees Celsius and lows of 23.5 and 24. October has 36.3 mm of rain and November has 106 mm. The station stands at 37 metres, not in Zia, so read the figures as a rough sign of the season.
What else do travellers ask about a Mount Zia sunset tour?
Does a tour leader walk with you, and what language does the driver speak?
The roundtrip bus transfer is a Mount Zia sunset tour with no tour leader on the walk. Its listing says you discover the village by yourself, at your own pace. A highlight on the same listing promises the freedom to discover Zia on your own terms. The listing names English for the driver.
The hotel pickup trip to Zia lists a tour leader as not included.
Can you cancel a Mount Zia sunset tour, and when do you pay?
The roundtrip bus listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. It also lets you reserve now and pay later. The Zia Village sunset experience listing gives the same full refund up to 24 hours before the start. That listing sends your voucher by email straight after booking.
Tigaki Tours refunds in full when you cancel earlier than 3 days before the start date. Rules differ by operator, so read the terms of yours. Two listings add that the programme is subject to change.
Is a Mount Zia sunset tour wheelchair accessible?
The answer depends on the tour. The roundtrip bus listing and the Zia sunset transfer listing both carry a wheelchair accessible label. The hotel pickup trip to Zia lists wheelchair users among the people it is not suited to.
Greeka describes the village as narrow streets and winding alleys. Ask the operator about access in the lanes before you book.
What do you wear and bring for the evening in Zia?
For a Mount Zia sunset tour, the hotel pickup listing says to wear comfortable shoes for walking. It also lists a sun hat, a camera and sunscreen, and notes that sun protection is advised. Smoking is not allowed on that trip. The roundtrip bus listing asks for comfortable shoes too.
For the Zia Village sunset experience, show the voucher on your phone or print it. Reach the pickup point 15 minutes ahead of time.
Do you book dinner ahead for a Mount Zia sunset tour?
The roundtrip bus listing says the host can reserve a table at your chosen restaurant as an extra service. Ticket Travel in Kardamena makes a similar offer: tell them and they book a table in a rooftop restaurant.
Reviewers of the hotel pickup trip say the restaurants get very busy when coach tours arrive together. Ask for a table when you book.