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The Island of the sponge divers and rock climbing.
Kalymnos is
about three hundred kilometres south east of Athens, and one hundred
north west of Rhodes. It has 15,500 permanent inhabitants, most
of who live in Pothia, the capital of the island. It is a mountainous
island with impressive rocky crags, devoid of trees, but abundant
in aromatic plants, such as thyme, sage, thrimbe and oregano to
which the excellent Kalymnos honey owes its fragrance. It is surrounded
by a number of small islands, only, two of which are inhabited,
Pserimos and Telendos.
By boat from Piraeus the journey takes ten to twelve hours. There is ship everyday, which leave usually at two in the afternoon (Dane) and at 4.00pm (GA Ferries). On the return journey the ship leaves Kalymnos at 7.00pm (Dane) or 9.00pm (GA Ferries) and arrives at Pireaus at seven the following morning.  |
Kalymnos,
the sponge divers island, offers fantastic sport climbing in a cool
and peaceful setting. Its picturesque landscape, the clear blue
water, and the hospitality are things that you will never forget.
The rock is of excellent quality, and the two hundred single-pitch
sport routes existing at the time of writing (5/2000) leave many
cliffs of ten to two hundred meters offering numerous possibilities
for new routes. The rock climbing is never monotonous, as there
are routes on slabs and walls with delicate moves, or routes on
overhangs and roofs with holes and stalagmites. The opportunities
for alternative tourist development are especially bright for Kalymnos.
The authorities and the Municipality of Kalymnos have embraced these
developments and support the organisation and exploitation of the
rock and climbing areas. 
Pothia
is a picturesque town built like an amphitheatre around the port.
It has all the necessary facilities such as banks, a post office
and a hospital etc, as well as an intense commercial life with shops
selling all kinds of goods although up until now there is nowhere
to buy climbing equipment. It is well known as the sponge divers
island. The sea has always been a focal element in the local life,
which has preserved its traditional character colour and style to
a great extent. The divers, who initially dived nude and the best
of whom could remain under water for over three minutes, travelled
in small boats to the beaches of Africa looking for sponges. 
You
can reach Kalymnos by air via the airport of Kos. There you get
a bus to Mastichari on a route with a regular service. From there
a ferry takes thirty to forty-five minutes to reach Pothia. The
airport of Kalymnos is under construction and is not yet ready for
passengers.