Milos is an island with natural beauty and beautiful volcanic beaches. My husband and I went to Greece in September of 2021. Our favorite thing to do on Milos was…
1. Visit the beautiful beaches
Milos has over 70 beaches. Some are multicolored, some have cliffs, some are sandy and wide, and others feature beautiful white chalk formations. There is a wide variety in the beauty found where the land meets the sea on Milos.
On or first day on Milos, we visited beaches on the south side of the island. We spent several hours on Paleochori beach. It is an “organized” beach, meaning it has lounges and umbrellas for rent. Its calm shore is surrounded by multi-colored cliffs. You see orange, brown, green, yellow and white sand in the cliffs and in the small pebbles beneath your feet. I couldn’t get enough of gazing at the colorful cliffs and then looking down into the blue water at green and tan pebble sand. This beach reminded me of a rainbow snow cone.
After lunch we drove to a few more beaches on the south side of the island, just to have a look. Aghia Kiraki is wide and sandy with hills on either side. Firiplaka is wide and also multi-colored. You have to park and hike down to Firiplaka, and it has a crowded but fun atmosphere. Agios Sostis and Provatas are two adjacent beaches that are also very beautiful.
You walk down steps from the parking lot to reach the beach. Perched part way down the path and overlooking the beach is a great little casual restaurant where we had a sandwich and Greek salad for lunch. An authentic Greek salad has cucumber, olives, red bell pepper, and tomatoes, and is drizzled with olive oil and topped with a huge hunk of feta cheese.
The next day, we explored the beaches on the north side of the island. These beaches are not all safe for swimming. Several of them have only small strips of sand next to cliffs and crashing water, but they are definitely worth seeing. We made short stops at Papafragas, which has “fingers” of ocean cut into the cliff. You can see caves there that were supposedly used by pirates. Algomandra, Aghios Konstantinos, and Mitakas have picturesque “fisherman houses” by the water, now used as vacation rental properties.
The most spectacular beach is Sarakiniko Beach. We spent about an hour exploring there. This striking and very popular white beach looks like an otherworldly moonscape carved by the sea and wind. The water there is deep blue with crashing white surf. There is paved parking for at least 30 cars, but the beach was not so crowded that it was unenjoyable. I was surprised by how much room there was to explore and walk. Even with the room to explore, the only place we visited where we saw more people taking pictures was the Acropolis in Athens. You can lounge on the rock or sit mesmerized by a hole with crashing blue surf rolling in and out. There is one small narrow and calm beach about 50 feet wide that reaches inland.
Northeast of Sarakiniko is Mandrakia, where we saw the most beautiful fisherman houses and ate at Medusa. We would highly recommend eating at Medusa. This is a casual place with outdoor seating and a spectacular view. The lamb sausage was some of the best sausage I have ever tasted, and that is saying something coming from a Texan. We also had octopus. At the recommendation of the waiter, we tried it both grilled and marinaded in vinegar. Much to our surprise, we both loved the marinated octopus the best.
On another day we went to Firopotamus Beach. It is not “organized,” and so you have to bring your own towel for lounging. But it is surrounded by a pretty cliff and has a church nearby perched above the water. Like some of the southern beaches, Filopotamus Beach is good for swimming.
2. Wander through the town of Pollonia and eat a good meal
Pollonia was our favorite town on Milos. There is a main street along the beach and a bay with little boats. It is the perfect mix of lively but relaxed, classy but not stuffy, and full of tourists but authentic. Restaurants line both sides of the main street, and when the sun sets, the lights of the restaurants look so beautiful reflecting out on the water with the little fishing boats. The other tourists there were in-the-know Europeans and Australians, and so we felt like we were the only Americans who had discovered this little jewel.
We enjoyed eating at Gialos in Pollonia. I had linguini with cuttlefish cooked in her own ink. My teeth were black, but it was one of the best and most unique things I have ever tasted—buttery and rich, but not fishy.
The ferry to the nearby island of Kimolos is also at Pollonia. While we were eating, the ferry let cars out, single file down the pedestrian street. It only made the town that much more interesting.
There is a public parking lot across from the beach, just a few yards away from the restaurants and mellow night life.
3. Visit early Christian catacombs and a Roman theater
The catacombs located near Klima beach, are dated from the 1st to 3rd century A.D. and were used both as a burial ground and a place of worship. We were told that these catacombs are important because they date back almost to the time of the Apostle Paul. According to the tour guide at the site, Paul was shipwrecked on Milos and brough Christianity to the Jewish population on the island. Entry to the catacombs is ticketed, and visitors are accompanied by a guide. The tour only takes a few minutes but is interesting.
Walking up from the location of the catacombs, you can reach the ruins of the Roman theater. The theater is nicely preserved with descriptions of the architecture and how it would have looked at the time it was in use.
On the trail to the theater, you pass near the area where the Venus de Milo was discovered by a farmer. There is nothing to see but a sign because Venus now resides at the Louve in Paris.
4. Walk to the castle at the top of the Plaka for great views
On the south side of the Plaka (town) there is a large, free, public parking lot. You can park and walk uphill to the “Kastro,” a Venetian era castle. Signs guide your way. Nearing the top of the hill, you pass a picturesque church, continue through the Venetian castle ruins, and then arrive at another Greek Orthodox church when you reach the top. The hike provides a spectacular view of the north side of the island.
5. Take a boat tour to Kleftiko bay
The beauty of Kleftiko bay is its white, chalky formations and cliffs rising up from the clear, aquamarine water. Kleftiko bay is on the southwestern tip of the island that is inaccessible by rental car. You can take a boat tour from the southern Agia Kyriaki and Kipoi beaches or from the main port town of Adamas, which is on the north side of the island. If you do plan to drive the dirt roads, rent a 4WD or quad vehicle that is allowed to traverse the west side of the island.
A boat tour takes from 4 hours to a full day, but most give you the opportunity to swim or snorkel, and some provide food and drink on the boat. The cost ranges from about $45 to $150 per person. We didn’t take a tour to Kleftiko bay, but if we had an extra day, we probably would have.
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2 Comments
Gorgeous! But was hoping for a picture of you flashing a post Cuttlefish smile. Thank you for sharing your travels with us. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
Laury, I seriously thought about it! Maybe it should be for subscribers–I’ll consider putting that in my next newsletter. You would either laugh or be horrified, but I’m not sure which. ( :
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