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The Weekend Neos Kosmos : 30 July 2016
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14 THE WEEKEND NEOS KOSMOS | SATURDAY 30 JULY 2016 DIGITAL.NEOSKOSMOS.COM Kimo A little slice of paradis ALEX PAPASIMAKOPOULOU E veryone loves the Cycladic islands. It's the archetypal image that everyone associates with Greece: whitewashed houses and churches, blue shutters, domes, and sandy beaches. The more famous islands of Mykonos and Santorini continue to be the biggest draws but could we enjoy these postcard views without fighting our way through the crowds? We doubted it too but yes you can and the name is Kimolos. Just four hours away from Athens on the fast ferry or a flight to nearby Milos and a short ferry crossing and you're there. From the minute you set foot on this little island, you know things are going to be different. No garish tourist signs, noone there trying to sell you a room for the night. Just a cute port, crystal clear waters, and a few cafes where you can immediately enter ‘island time’. There is no need to rush after all, there are only 36 square kilometres to explore. You notice straight away that people act differently here. They stop to greet neighbours when driving on the road, they smile a lot and are welcoming to visitors but not in an over the top way that may seem disingenuous. The main settlement is the Chora, or Chorio to be more precise. It has all the hallmarks of a Cycladic main 'town' but it's even cuter than most. Little cobbled streets, squares with churches, restaurants, and children's voices all around. The whole place feels like it's been touched by an artist's brush. There are interesting shops selling beautiful artworks and gifts, the bars aren't loud or aimed at cheap tourist deals and there are a whole host of eating options. The biggest surprise is the open air library set up by a local voluntary initiative called 'Kimolistes'. There are in fact two spots set up already with more planned for the future. They are built using local materials, giving the feeling of driftwood carrying books to the shore. This unique local initiative does more than organise these libraries. They are involved in various creative pursuits: they put on events, clean beaches, and work with the hill-walking/hiking society. It's an incredible feat for an island with just 400 full-time inhabitants. The week we visited, and as the sun was setting, painting the Chorio with warm colours, we saw a number of people moving books around the cobbled streets. It gave you a warm feeling that literature and sharing what it can give us means so much to this little corner of the world. All this culture does make one hungry though and Kimolos doesn't disappoint there either. You can't leave the island without trying
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