Kalymnos

Kalymnos is a rugged island in the Dodecanese group, lying between Kos and Leros near the Turkish coast. For centuries it was the sponge-diving capital of the Aegean: its men descended to the seabed clutching a skandalopetra stone, free-diving for natural sponges in a tradition dating to antiquity. The sponge trade shaped Kalymnos’s economy, architecture, and culture — visitors can still tour working sponge factories and the Maritime Museum in Pothia, the colourful capital whose neoclassical mansions climb amphitheatrically around the harbour. In recent decades Kalymnos has reinvented itself as one of the world’s premier rock-climbing destinations. Over 4,000 bolted routes on excellent limestone span more than 70 crags, from beginner-friendly slabs to the famous Grande Grotta overhang — a stalactite-encrusted cave wall that has become an icon of European sport climbing. A 10-minute boat ride from Myrties reaches Telendos, a car-free islet with sunken Roman ruins visible through clear water. Inland, the Vathy valley is an unexpected green oasis of citrus orchards and olive groves enclosed by bare rock walls.