80% of the island is rocky and is located only in a small part of the settlement.
Only 270 people live on the island in winter, and this number increases thanks to tourists in summer.
Turkish tourists, especially Italian tourists and 2nd-day tourists. Descendants of the islanders who had to immigrate to Australia during World War II are among the island's only visitors.
Port olak, the main port of the island, is located in a charming very small local port called Mandraki to the east of the main port, mandraki is mostly used by island fishermen.
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Daily boats leave from Kas Port to island. The two biggest are Meis Express and Altug Meis Lines. We passed from Kas to Meis with meis express agency, but they gave us some problems with the output stamp abroad. Alternatively, Altug Meis Lines can be tried. Kas-Meis round trip fee was 40 TL per person when we went (2010), we were able to reduce this price to 35 TL when we said we would go one way. |
You need to hand over your passports to these truzim agencies a few days before crossing the street, they take the overseas exit fee for you, but check if they have pasted the exit stamp when they deliver the passport. They didn't stick my overseas stamp even though we paid for it. You can also obtain a stamp from any bank for yourself.
They forgot to stamp my wife's passport on greece, there was trouble leaving Kos, and you'd better check that when you get your passports.
If you're gone day by day, you can get your passports when you get back to Kas. If you specify in advance that you will stay on the island, you can get your passports back after the crossing to Meis (almost 1 hour) after entering Greece.
You can reach the island in about half an hour, you have to be at the port around 9:30 in the morning before the boats get up, the boats leave at 10:00. If you're gone day by day, it's 3:00 a.m. to get back to Kas. The boat captain's name helped us find our Turcan captain's board.
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We stayed in a hostel called Little Paris (Micro Parizi), the nightroom rate was €50.
The owner, Yorgo, speaks half-sloppy Turkish and operates with his daughter Irini and his son. He's got his own restaurant. It's a very good family, we loved them very much. |
As a room we recommend room 4, a room with large 3 beds, small kitchen, not very luxurious, but very clean. There's a beautiful sea view from its balcony, and it doesn't bother because it's on the side of the shade in the afternoon. No breakfast, we were shopping ourselves and throwing it in the fridge and having breakfast on our balcony.
It's cheaper and more enjoyable. In fact, we made a group of our shopping from Migros in Kas and put it in our suitcase and took it with us.
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You can also enter the sea from the back of the cemetery, there are different subsea rocks and formations, at least once it can be tried. The sea is clean in the main port, the sea can be entered from both ends of the port. |
One of them is a yellow-building bar just below the mosque, where there are free sun loungers and umbrellas, and you can also provide food and drink. |
| At the other end there is the Megisti hotel, which can be entered into the sea. They allow you to use some sun loungers when you're not a hotel customer. It's going down the sea by stairs, it can be a little difficult if you have young children. | |
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The sea is immaculate and clear, you can swim with herds of fish and even caretta-carettas that restaurant owners are accustomed to throwing fish scraps away. There are three or four Caretta-Carettas in the harbor that are constantly wandering around the front of the restaurants.
The island of Meis has two islands, Rho and Strongili, which have beautiful little beaches, but there are no facilities. You can ask Yorgo, the owner of the port or where we are staying, and you can go in daily boats. They come back and take you back at any time you want. Don't forget to take food and especially drinking water with you! |
You can't see blue like that again for the rest of your life. It's a must visit!
You can find Yorgo from Micro Parizi to get to the cave. If you were two people on the boat when we went, €15 per person, and €10 per person if there were more people. You can also reach other boats from the port.
Eating-Drinking
Almost all of the restaurants were successful but we ate the Micro Parizi restaurant under our own hostel the most, because they were making it delicious in the style of full home cooking. You have to drink fish soup, very successful!
In addition, we also liked alexandra restaurant and the small restaurant next to it.
And then there's the Lazarakis restaurant in the harbor again, the owner has some money, but I'd say eat Symi shrimp here. These prawns, unique to The Island of Symi, are tiny and fried and eaten with their shells, very tasty.
The food is generally similar to turkish food, and since it is already very close to the island Kas, restaurant owners make their shopping from the Kas market, which was established on Friday.
If you're going to eat fish, make sure you bargain starts at €40 a kilo, usually expensive.
I recommend Aiolis from where ferries take off for lunch, owner Yannis is a talkative and sympathetic man. He's lived in America for years, so he's very good in English. There's both Greek and international dishes.
I'd say you definitely don't eat grilled seafood except fish, because they don't tame squid and octopus like us, so they're all like rubber. It feels like it hangs octopus, dries in the sun, then throws it directly on the grill, chewing gum while eating.
| If you want to go to the bar at night, there are a few bars under the old mosque. But you shouldn't expect a crazy nightlife. This island is a good place to listen more and spend a few days away from the beautiful quiet quiet city environment.
As a bar, I would recommend the place entered the sea under the mosque. It has a protrusion towards the sea where you can sit on high stools and watch the sea. They've also lit up in the sea, it's a pleasure to watch the fish coming to these lights. And his cocktails are very successful. |
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Shopping-Market
There are a few shops along the harbour where you can buy souvenirs and clothes, and a few monopoly dealers where you can also get cigarettes. If you go through the Neo Agora, there's a shop selling souvenirs behind it, so I suggest you stop by.
Please note that you will not be able to Cigarettes and lighters are not sold in grocery stores.
There is an oven for breakfast in the morning, where you can buy products such as fresh bread poaça. But be careful to leave in the early morning, otherwise most may have been sold.
There are 2 markets and you can meet your other needs here. One of these is within the old fish market (Neo Agora – New Market), where daily basic needs (milk, eggs, etc.) can be obtained here. And there's a grocery store at the back of the Lazarakis restaurant, this place is bigger, and there are quite a lot of cheese, meat products and drinks (especially wine).
It is the first white building you see on the right when you first enter the port by boat. On the edge of the sea is a white painted rectangular dome with ceilings and there are various rumours of what it was intended to do. The general belief is that this building was designed as a small church. Today it is used as a workshop by a Greek sculptor. Megisti hotel is a float and you can reach this building.
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Megisti Hotel: It was founded by the island municipality between 1966 and 1970. It is one of meis's only floating spots, especially gazadhika, swimming with snorkel and you can see the beauty of the sea. |
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Mediterraneo Vassilissia House: The Italian film Mediterraneo, directed by Gabriale Slavatores, which won the 1991 Academy Awards, was shot here. The subject of the film is italian soldiers hiding from the war on this remote, mystical and beautiful Greek island. In particular, Italian fans of the film visit this blue and white house in particular. It is also possible to enter the sea in front of this house, which is 50-100 metres from Megisti Hotel. |
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Passas Large Water Cistern: The island of Meis, an island surrounded by sea, does not have a natural freshwater source. During the Ottoman rule, this problem was tried to be solved by making a water tank in each house. In addition, three large water cisterns, named passas by local people, were built in 1853 by Ottoman Ahmet Pasha. Nowadays, these water cisterns are no longer used. |
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The New Market, called Mercato during italian domination, was built in 1934 by Italians as a meat, fruit, vegetable and fish market. Today, this place is often used to sell small kitchenware and simple clothes.
Just below the mosque you can see a large statue of anchor, cross and heart, which is the symbol of the island of Meis. Here you may want to take a few pictures and see the beautiful view behind it. Anchor in this icon; seafaring, Cross; Fate and Heart; It represents the love of the islanders for this small but patronised island.
This castle was founded by knights on Rhodes Island from 1379 to 1383.
"Kastellorizo", the Greek name of the island of Meis, is probably derived from the medieval name "Castello Rosso". This original name is thought to have been carved due to this castle and the red rock it was built on. (Castle = Castello, Castle; Red = Rosso, Red)
Another view is that the name is derived from the merging of the words 'Castello' and 'Rhoge' (one of the oldest names on the island of Rho).
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Lady of Rho's Bust You can find a bust of Despina Achladioti, also known as Lady Rho, in the square. Born in 1893, Lady Rho; He planted a Greek Flag to show the Turks he saw as a threat to the island of Rho every day. Over time, it has become one of the icons of the island. |