Things to Do in Telendos: Beaches, Walking & Ancient Ruins

Telendos is a tiny, car-free island lying just across the water from Myrties on the west coast of Kalymnos.

Although less than a kilometre separates the two islands, arriving in Telendos feels like entering a different world. There are no cars and no road network, and almost everything is reached on foot from the small waterfront settlement.

Telendos is particularly good for travellers who enjoy swimming, walking, climbing and quiet Greek islands where you don’t need a long sightseeing itinerary.

There is also considerably more history here than you might expect. Early Christian basilicas, baths, cemeteries and Byzantine remains provide evidence of a much larger settlement in the past.

Here are the best things to do in Telendos.

1. Explore Telendos Village

The small waterfront settlement is where virtually every visit to Telendos begins.

Boats from Myrties arrive here, and you’ll find tavernas, accommodation and places to stop for a drink within easy walking distance.

There’s no traffic to negotiate and no need to think about transport.

Walk along the waterfront, explore the narrow paths behind it and settle into the much slower rhythm of the island.

Telendos is somewhere where simply sitting beside the water with a coffee is a perfectly legitimate way to spend an hour.

2. Spend the Day at Potha Beach

Best for: easy swimming near the village

Potha is one of the easiest beaches to reach from Telendos village.

It’s around a ten-minute walk from the harbour, making it a particularly good choice if you’re visiting Telendos as a day trip from Kalymnos.

You can arrive in the morning, explore the village, swim at Potha and then walk back towards the waterfront for lunch.

Unlike some of Telendos’s more secluded swimming spots, Potha has traditionally offered some beach facilities.

We’ll cover Potha and the island’s other swimming spots in more detail in our separate Best Beaches in Telendos guide.

3. Walk to Paradise Beach

Continue beyond Potha and you’ll reach Paradise Beach.

Paradise is a small beach of sand and fine pebbles and has traditionally been popular with naturists.

It’s considerably more informal than the organised beaches found across the channel on Kalymnos.

There are limited facilities, so take water and anything else you need.

If you’re specifically uncomfortable with naturist beaches, Potha will probably be a better choice.

4. Swim at Hohlakas Beach

Best for: sunset

Hohlakas lies on the western side of Telendos and offers a different experience from the more sheltered beaches facing Kalymnos.

The beach consists primarily of pebbles and fine gravel, with clear water and an open outlook towards the Aegean.

Its western position also makes this one of the island’s interesting places to watch the late-afternoon light and sunset.

Bring suitable footwear and don’t expect extensive facilities.

5. Discover the Early Christian Ruins

One of the surprises of Telendos is the amount of early Christian archaeology scattered around such a small island.

The Municipality of Kalymnos identifies the Byzantine settlement of Agios Konstantinos, Basilica of St Basil, early Christian baths and cemeteries among Telendos’s important historic remains.

You don’t need to be an archaeology enthusiast to appreciate them.

Walking between these remains also gives you a reason to explore parts of Telendos that many day visitors never see.

6. Visit the Early Christian Necropolis

One of Telendos’s most interesting archaeological areas is the early Christian necropolis at Tholaria.

Nine vaulted burial structures survive, containing rectangular built tombs. The shape of the structures gave the area its name.

The necropolis can be reached by following the path from the port through the island’s quieter landscape.

It’s a particularly good walk because you can combine history with swimming along the way.

7. Hike to Agios Konstantinos

Best for: history and walking

For a more substantial walk, head towards the ruins of Agios Konstantinos.

The Municipality of Kalymnos highlights the ruined Byzantine settlement as one of Telendos’s significant historical sites.

A walking route from the harbour follows the coast north before heading towards the ruins.

Allow roughly an hour from the port depending on your pace and conditions. From the archaeological site, you can continue towards the coast for a swim before returning.

Take water and avoid undertaking exposed walks during the hottest part of a summer afternoon.

8. Walk to Agios Georgios

The little chapel of Agios Georgios occupies one of the island’s particularly attractive locations.

Built against the rocky landscape above the sea, the blue-and-white chapel has become one of the recognisable sights of Telendos.

The walk is worthwhile for the scenery as much as the church itself.

If conditions and daylight allow, the late afternoon can be particularly attractive as the sun begins dropping towards the western horizon.

9. Go Rock Climbing

Telendos shares neighbouring Kalymnos’s reputation for climbing.

The island’s steep limestone landscape contains numerous climbing sectors, and the Municipality of Kalymnos specifically identifies climbing as one of Telendos’s main activities.

For experienced climbers already visiting Kalymnos, Telendos provides an opportunity to combine climbing with an overnight stay somewhere much quieter.

This isn’t an activity for inexperienced visitors to improvise.

Use current climbing information, appropriate equipment and routes suitable for your ability.

Non-climbers should also be aware of climbing areas and avoid lingering directly beneath active routes.

10. Walk Everywhere

One of the best things about Telendos is something the island doesn’t have:

cars.

There is no road network or vehicle traffic, so walking is simply part of daily life.

From the harbour you can walk to beaches, archaeological remains, tavernas and viewpoints without thinking about buses, taxis or rental vehicles.

That makes Telendos particularly appealing if you enjoy car-free travel.

Bring proper walking shoes rather than relying entirely on beach sandals.

11. Go Snorkelling

The clear water surrounding Telendos makes it a natural place to bring a mask and snorkel.

You don’t need a dedicated snorkelling excursion.

Take your equipment to Potha, Paradise, Hohlakas or one of the quieter coves and explore wherever sea conditions are suitable.

The rocky coastline can be particularly interesting underwater.

12. Explore Telendos by Boat

Walking may be the default way to explore Telendos, but seeing the island from the sea provides a completely different perspective.

The dramatic limestone slopes become much more obvious from the water, and a boat can reach parts of the coastline that aren’t as convenient to access on foot.

If you’re already sailing around Kalymnos and the Dodecanese, Telendos is an obvious stop.

Otherwise, ask locally about current boat possibilities rather than relying on an old online timetable.

13. Have Lunch Beside the Water

Telendos has a surprisingly good selection of tavernas for such a small island.

The Municipality of Kalymnos notes that restaurants and tavernas can be found right beside the beach.

That makes lunch an important part of a Telendos day trip.

Swim in the morning, walk back towards the settlement and find somewhere overlooking the water for a long Greek lunch.

We’ll cover the individual restaurants in our Best Places to Eat in Telendos guide.

14. Watch the Sunset

Telendos is particularly well positioned for sunset.

Its western coastline faces away from Kalymnos towards the open Aegean, and the Municipality of Kalymnos specifically highlights the island’s sunsets as one of its attractions.

Hohlakas is an obvious choice, while higher walking routes can provide even broader views.

If you’re staying overnight, this is one advantage you have over visitors rushing back to Kalymnos.

Watch the sunset, then walk back for dinner.

15. Stay Overnight

Many people experience Telendos as an excursion from Kalymnos.

That’s understandable—the crossing is very short.

But staying overnight gives you a different experience.

Once the day visitors begin returning across the channel, the island becomes quieter. There’s no traffic, nowhere you urgently need to go and only a small waterfront settlement around you.

Telendos does have accommodation, despite its tiny size.

We’ll cover the genuine options separately in Best Places to Stay in Telendos.

How Long Do You Need in Telendos?

You can easily visit Telendos as a day trip from Kalymnos.

That gives you enough time to explore the settlement, swim at one or two beaches, have lunch and perhaps take a short walk.

I’d consider two or three nights if you enjoy slow travel.

That gives you time to explore the archaeological remains, walk farther around the island, visit several beaches and enjoy Telendos after the day-trippers have departed.

Climbers could easily justify staying longer.

Do You Need a Car in Telendos?

No.

You couldn’t make much use of one even if you wanted to.

Telendos is car-free, and walking is fundamental to experiencing the island.

That’s one of its biggest advantages.

If you’ve been driving around larger Greek islands, spending a couple of days somewhere where your only transport decisions involve walking or taking a boat can be wonderfully refreshing.

How Do You Get to Telendos?

Telendos is reached from Myrties on Kalymnos.

The crossing is extremely short—roughly ten minutes—and small boats regularly make the journey across the narrow channel.

That makes Telendos one of the easiest small-island excursions to add to a Kalymnos trip.

Don’t rely on an old timetable for your return journey. Frequencies and final departures can vary with season, so check the current service when you arrive.

Can You Visit Telendos as a Day Trip?

Absolutely.

In fact, that’s how many visitors first discover it.

A simple day could look like this:

Arrive from Myrties in the morning.

Explore Telendos village.

Walk to Potha for a swim.

Continue towards Paradise or explore some of the early Christian remains.

Return to the waterfront for a late lunch.

Spend the afternoon swimming or walking before taking the boat back to Kalymnos.

But if you find yourself wishing everyone else would leave so you could have the island to yourself, that’s probably a sign you should stay overnight next time.

Telendos or Kalymnos?

They aren’t really competitors.

Kalymnos provides towns, roads, museums, extensive accommodation, beaches and one of Europe’s best-known climbing destinations.

Telendos offers a tiny car-free settlement, walking paths, beaches, archaeological remains and a much slower pace.

The best trip combines them.

Use Kalymnos to explore the wider island and then spend at least a day—or preferably a couple of nights—experiencing Telendos.

Is Telendos Worth Visiting?

Definitely, particularly if you’re already visiting Kalymnos.

The journey takes only minutes, yet the absence of vehicles gives Telendos a completely different atmosphere.

Come here for swimming, walking, climbing, early Christian ruins, waterfront tavernas and sunset.

Don’t come expecting a packed itinerary of conventional tourist attractions.

Telendos is enjoyable precisely because there isn’t very much demanding your attention.

Final Thoughts

Telendos is one of those tiny Greek islands where the experience matters more than the number of attractions.

Arrive by boat from Myrties.

Walk through the little settlement.

Swim at Potha, Paradise or Hohlakas.

Explore the early Christian ruins and necropolis.

Walk towards Agios Konstantinos.

Have a long lunch beside the water.

Then stay for sunset.

And if you really want to understand why people fall in love with Telendos, don’t take the first boat back to Kalymnos.

Stay overnight and enjoy the island when almost everything becomes quiet.