Casa Romana Verified listing

Casa Romana is a restored ancient Roman villa located in the heart of Kos Town, built atop an earlier Hellenistic house. Dating from the late 2nd to early 3rd century AD, it spans approximately 36 rooms arranged around three central atria connected by peristyle porticoes with columns—showcasing sophisticated Roman architectural planning and drainage systems. Despite its modest exterior, the interior glows with stunning mosaics of animals and mythological scenes, marble-clad walls, and traces of frescoes. The building's scale and opulence suggest it once belonged to a wealthy Kos official.

Visitors step into a richly decorated world featuring mosaic floors depicting leaping panthers, dolphins, sea nymphs, and geometric patterns. Two atria include pools or water tanks, and one courtyard bears a mosaic of a panther devouring a deer. Some Hellenistic-era statues of nymphs, Athena, and artistic mosaic panels are exhibited inside, with several original artifacts now housed in the Archaeological Museum of Kos. This elegant villa offers insight into elite daily life during Roman times on the island.

Casa Romana is open most days (closed Tuesdays), with summer hours roughly 08:00 to 19:30 and shorter winter hours. Entry costs around €10, with free access for EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18. The site is easily accessible on foot, by bike, or by car, and free nearby parking is available. Founded during excavations triggered by a devastating 1933 earthquake, the villa was unearthed by Italian archaeologists and restored by 1940. A small statue base inscribed “APELEXIKAKOS,” meaning “he who drives away evil,” stands near the entrance and is a unique feature not to be missed.