Zia

Zia sits at around three hundred metres on the wooded northern flank of Mount Dikeos, and the reason everyone comes is the sunset: the village faces west over the plain and the sea toward Kalymnos and the Turkish coast, and the terraces along its single lane are built to catch it. Springs and pines make it noticeably greener than the rest of the island, and the old watermill, the small church and a handful of stone houses give the core some substance. It is unapologetically commercial, with a long run of souvenir shops, herb stalls and restaurants, and coaches deliver visitors in the late afternoon. From the top of the village a trail climbs Mount Dikeos, at 846 metres the island's highest point.

What you actually see

• The sunset terraces - west-facing restaurant balconies over the plain.
• The green slopes - pine and spring-fed vegetation above the village.
• The old watermill - a restored mill on the village lane.
• The Dikeos trail - a path climbing to the island's highest point.

When to go

Late afternoon into sunset, any month from spring to autumn; arrive early to get a terrace table in season. Summer evenings are cooler here than on the coast, which is part of the appeal.

Honest expectations

Zia is heavily commercialised, and the main lane is essentially a souvenir market with restaurants attached. Coach arrivals crowd it between five and eight in season. Parking is difficult and often means a walk uphill.

Nearby

Asfendiou villages lie along the same slope; the Asklepieion and Kos town are below.