Zia - Dikeos (Kos)

Access to starting point:
The starting point is the island-mountain village Zia on the island of Kos in Greece (Greek: Ζία).

To reach the village Zia, turn off the main highway of the island in the town of Zipari (Greek: Ζιπάρι). The signs for the turn-off are poorly visible or absent in the direction of the town of Kos. In the opposite direction, the signs are visible.

Before the village Zia, park at the larger parking lot located right below the village, or at the beginning of the stone-paved road, turn right downhill to the free gravel parking lot.

Path description:
The trail can be divided into 4 parts. The first part runs through the village Zia (15 min). The second part runs along a dirt road or dusty road (30 to 40 min). The third part is a footpath that steeply winds in the shade through a forest of juniper trees (40 min). The fourth part is scenic and runs in the sun, but temperatures are eased by the constant wind (20 min).

PART 1
From the parking lot, head up the road past the first bend and immediately after 50 meters right past the stalls and restaurants to the church. The trail continues along the right side of the church ahead and at the next junction according to the signs right. Further on, the trail or road steeply winds past houses, finally turning right at the intersection.

PART 2
Follow the dusty road or dirt road for about 35 minutes. The environment is rural, so there are usually chickens at the beginning of the road, higher up sheep and goats.

PART 3
Pay close attention to the markings. Finally, on the left side of the road, notice the markings for the mountain. The markings are in Greek, namely: Δίκαιος. From here, a steeper footpath runs through the forest of juniper trees and loud grasshoppers.

PART 4
The trail exits the forest and with nice views in a somewhat steeper section passes onto an indistinct ridge of the mountain range. Further on, in gentle terrain, follow the trail uphill to the pre-summit, from where it descends and continues somewhat steeper to the summit. The summit is to the right, i.e., west of the shelter and chapel.

INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE SUMMIT: Shelter, chapel, larger and smaller flag, larger cross (lit at night).

PANORAMA: Excellent. Turkish coast (city of Bodrum); three islands to the north: Pserimos (in summer about 100 people stay on it), Plati (one inhabitant) and Kalymnos, world-famous for the history of sponge harvesting; SW part of the island with the town of Kefalos, steep slopes to the south and island of Nisiros to the south.