Several aspects of Kálymnos’ history come together in Pothia: archaeology, the sponge-diving tradition and everyday culture. There are also churches with icons by local artists. If culture and island history are your main reasons for travelling, you’ll find specific places to explore here; nearby and across the island, trails, climbing routes and landscapes offer more to discover.

Museums and Architectural History in Pothia

The Archaeological Museum of Kalymnos is in the Agia Triadha district of Pothia and opened in 2009. Its exhibits include the bronze sculpture “Lady of Kalymnos”. The Maritime Museum of Kalymnos is in Pothia’s coastal area and was founded in 1994. Its exhibits cover the history and methods of sponge diving and sponge fishing, the processing of sponges, and objects recovered from the wrecks of ancient ships.

A special section of the Maritime Museum is devoted to the skandalopetra. This rounded, streamlined stone was usually made of marble or granite and weighs 8–14 kg. Kalymnian sponge divers used it as a diving aid from ancient times until the recent past. Its shape, material and weight offer a vivid introduction to this tradition. Unlike finds from ancient shipwrecks, it tells of a practical activity on the island.

The Folklore Museum of Lykeion Ellinidon in Pothia displays local costumes and wedding dresses, household objects and traditional furniture. These include the krevatos: a large family bed with a children’s bed above it. The Vouvalis Mansion in Pothia is also noteworthy for architecture enthusiasts; it is considered an exceptional example of 19th-century urban architecture. Numerous churches in Pothia display icons by local artists, offering another perspective on the city’s religious art.

Around Pothia: Castle and Churches

Chrysocheria Castle lies between Chora and Pothia and was built in the mid-15th century by the Order of the Knights of Saint John. On its eastern slopes stands the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ, and on its western side, the Church of Saint John the Baptist. Both churches are decorated with post-Byzantine frescoes dating from the late 15th to the early 16th century. Three old windmills still stand a few metres northeast of the castle. Together, the castle, churches and mills offer different glimpses of the architectural heritage in the surrounding area.

Hiking and Climbing on Kálymnos

The island has hiking trails in the mountains and along steep coasts. Two described routes offer different points of reference: above Kantouni Bay, a trail described as fairly easy leads to the Church of Saint Photis and is considered suitable for almost all hikers. The Italian Path, by contrast, is paved and crosses lower hills between Vathy Valley and Pothia. The routes therefore differ in their destinations, terrain and surface, without needing to assume a walking time for comparison.

Sport climbing is also popular on the island: Kálymnos has almost 2,500 well-equipped routes, from easy climbs for beginners to extremely difficult ones for experts. This wide range makes the island appealing to climbers with different levels of experience, although no single route is intended for every ability level. When choosing a destination, you can weigh up whether to focus on the museums and architectural history in and around Pothia, or on activities such as hiking and climbing.

The Sea and Regional Traditions

The seabed around Kálymnos is rich in vegetation and marine life, and the island has facilities for scuba diving. This connects thematically with the history of sponge diving, but describes a different side of the sea: today’s underwater world and scuba diving on the one hand, and the methods and tools of sponge divers shown in the museum on the other. Another regional tradition is pure thyme honey. According to Strabo, Pliny and Ovid, its quality was already praised in Hellenistic and Roman times—a historical attribution that gives the product its own place in the island’s history.

Discover more destinations: Emporios, Grikos, Masouri, Lipsi, Pserimos, Leros, Panormos, Livadia

For the main travel overview: Kalimnos.