Milos
Milos is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete. Milos is the southwesternmost island in the Cyclades group.
The island is famous for the Venus de Milo, a statue of Aphrodite, now in the Louvre.
Towns and villages
Towns
- 🌍 Adamantas – (Greek: Αδάμαντας) is the harbor town of Milos island
Villages
- 🌍 Pollonia - Pollonia or Apollonia is a seaside village in the north-eastern part of the island of Milos, Greece. It is the second harbor of Milos island after Adamantas and it has taken its name from the temple of Apollo that existed to the east of the settlement. There is a regular connection from the village to the neighboring island of Kimolos with a small boat. The main beach beach of Pollonia is sandy and popular to tourists, while there are two more beaches near the village: "Polychroni's beach" and "Piso thalassa".
- 🌍 Plaka - Plaka is a small village located close to the north of Adamantas. It is well known for its views since it is settled on higher on the mountain.
Talk
Aside from Greek, there are also many English-, French-, and Italian-speakers. If you're lucky, you may even find a few Spanish- or German-speakers. The official 2008 Milos tourist guide was provided in Greek, English, French, Italian, German and Spanish versions.
Get in
By plane
From Athens, there are up to 5 flights every day, year round, that go to Milos, with Olympic Air or Sky Express.
Get around
By bus
There is one single bus company operating in the island. Remember that bus schedules on smaller islands like Milos might vary depending on the season, so it's a good idea to check for the most recent and reliable information closer to your travel dates: . Tickets cost €2 per disembarkation (as of 2023) and are issued in the bus.
By private vehicle
Note that most popular places on the island can be reached by all vehicles on paved roads and some unpaved but smooth parts, but there are some other places on the island that are inaccesible by normal vehicles. It is specially so on the west of the Island and Thiorichia Beach (Old Sulfur Mines). It is recommended to have offline maps because while 4G mobile coverage is mainly good, you can find some places without coverage. Any map using OpenStreetMap data will have road information more up to date than the popular options.
You can find different rentals for following vehicles:
- Cars are the best options for travelling in group, although take into account that in many destinations it can be difficult to park and you may find yourself walking more to the parking space.
- Motorcycle Scooter are a great option for two and are easier to park. Prices are around €35 per day. Like cars, they have the limitation of not being all-terrain and for this reason you may not be able to visit some inaccesible places of the island, like the west.
- Quad-Bikes are a fun option and they are pretty popular, so you can find different options. You can rent them with a car driving license and they come in different sizes and power. Some are slow and limited, but since the island is small you can still get around pretty fast.
- Buggies aren't that popular, but there are some options for renting. They may be a fun alternative to try something else while having the possibility to go offroad.
See
Milos' most picturesque village is Plaka, also known as Chora, perched on a rocky outcrop above the main port of Adamantas. A path leads up to the Venetian castle at the top, which is also home to the Church of Panagia Skiniotissa. On the way you will pass the gorgeous Church of Panagia Thalassitra. Catch the wonderful sunset from the castle, or from a balcony overlooking the sea at the Church of Panagia Korfiatissa.
The island's Archeological Museum is housed in a building designed by Ernst Ziller, with a reproduction of the Venus de Milo gracing the entrance (the original is in the Louvre in Paris).
Trypiti is a traditional settlement with white houses and windmills, ideal for a quiet afternoon stroll. Nearby is the site of a series of catacombs, among the largest in Greece, hewn from the volcanic rock in early Christian times.
At Klima, you'll see samples of syrmata, traditional fishermen's houses, where the basement is dug out of the soft rock and serves as a winter mooring site, while the main part is upstairs on ground-floor level.
Other villages that still have syrmata include Schinopi, Areti, and Fourkovouni, all beautiful locations almost untouched by tourism.
Little survives of the ancient city of Milos apart from an impressive Roman-era theatre, which is under conservation. It was near here that a farmer dug up the Venus de Milo in 1820.
Near Adamantas, the Mining Museum (http://milosminingmuseum.com) presents a 11,000-year history of mining in its rich collection of audiovisual material, ore samples, maps, and tools. On the road to Pollonia you will see the ruins of the ancient city of Fylakopi, an important settlement during the Cycladic period.
The Bay of Paliorema in Theiafes was used by a local sulphur mine company until 1957. Today you'll see ruins of the quarry's installations and a yellow-pebbled beach.
Do
- Go windsurfing, at some beaches.
- Horseback riding, on a beach.
Buy
- Haralambakis, Pachena. Local cheeses such as manoura (preserved in olive oil)
- Glykofilema, Adamantas. Local sun-dried tomato paste, capers, glyko koufeto (white pumpkin spoon sweets) and other fruit preserves.
- Paradosiaka Edesmata, Adamantas. White pumpkin spoon sweets, sun-dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil, capers, kritamo (sea fennel), preserved grape hyacinth bulbs and homemade sesame snaps.
Eat
In Adamantas, Tripiti, and Polonia, there are many restaurants that serve fresh seafood, Greek cuisine and local delicacies (pitarakia, karpouzopita).
- Gyalós, Pollonia, ☏ +30 099643960. Great fish, sea food, and traditional Greek cuisine with a twist of originality. Good service and the table are right in front of Polonia beach giving a romantic atmosphere.
- Flisvos, Adamantas. Well known to tourists, located across the street from the port of Adamantas. The food is delicious but prices are increasing due to the fact that it's well known.
- Giakos, Adamantas. Famous restaurant, one of few restaurants in Milos that is open year-round. Known for its gyros and is often referred to as a fast food restaurant, due to its quick service.
- O! Chamos, Adamantas, ☏ +30 22870-21 672. Local dishes ranging from courgette and goat cheese fritters to slow-roasted suckling pig in grape must and mustard.
- Empourio, Empourio village, ☏ +30 22870-21 389. Traditional fare such as goat roasted in a wood oven and rooster in a red wine sauce.
- Archondoula, Plaka, ☏ +30 22870-21 384. Traditional and fusion with recipes such as Greek-style coq au vin and pot-roasted goat and artichokes.
- Fatses, Plaka, ☏ +30 22870-21 740. Try the sausage cooked with honeycomb and balsamic vinegar cream, moussaka, thin-crust pizza and homemade lemon liqueur. Live music nightly.
- Palaios, Plaka, ☏ +30 694 691 6905. Local sweets, the best mille-feuille on the island, and homemade ice cream.
- Enalion, Pollonia, ☏ +30 22870-41 415. A family-owned taverna that makes the loveliest pitarakia (small fried cheese pies) on the island, octopus in honey sauce, traditional kakavia (fish stew), slow-marinated lamb in tomato sause, with vegetables from the family garden. They also have an excellent store of Greek wines featuring 50 labels.
- Belivanis, Triovasalo, ☏ +30 22870-22 115. Excellent grilled meat, hamburgers, liver and souvlaki.
- Ergina, Trypiti, ☏ +30 28870-22 523. Proper traditional family-style food with an amazing view over the Bay of Adamantas. Specialties include the onion and anevato (soft goat cheese) pie, beet root salad, and goat cooked in sun-dried tomato paste.
Drink
- Akri, Adamantas. Elegant bar with great music and beautiful balcony with a view.
- Mikro Cafe, Adamantas. Excellent cocktails and balcony with view over the port.
- Aragosta Milos.
- Bakaliko, Plaka. A quiet atmosphere.
- Utopia, Plaka. A quiet atmosphere.
Sleep
In Milos, there are many hotels, rooms, and apartments. In Tripiti, there are windmills, in which you can sleep in.
- Chronis Hotel and Bungalows, Adamas 84801, ☏ +30 2287022226, fax: +30 2287022900, hotelchr@otenet.gr. In an orchard with banana, lemon, bouganvillea and pistachio trees near the town beach; standard are shower-wc, air-condition, tv, mini-bar, direct dial call (ISDN), hair dryer and a balcony or terrace with garden view, breakfast room, lounge, bar, snack-bar, safe box, fax, e-mail, laundry, ironing and parking. US$40-80.
- Eiriana Luxury Suites, ☏ +30 22870 22730. Environmentally friendly accommodations with a mobile application for android and iOS devices.
- Portiani Hotel, ☏ +30 22870 22940, fax: +30 22870 22766, info@hotelportiani.gr. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Hotel Portiani is in Adamas and it is very close to the island port. Prices from €70.
- 🌍 White Pebble Suites & Spa, Pollonia, hello@whitepebblesuites.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Twelve sea view adult only suites. Courtyard swimming pool and private plunge pools on terraces of some suites. EUR 220.
- Καμάρα (Kamara) cave suites Pera Triovasalos 84800, ☏ +30 6909185442, info@kamaracavesuites.com
Stay safe
Milos is a very safe island for tourists.
Go next
Ferries are available to Anafi, Athens, Chalki, Folegandros, Heraklion, Ios, Karpathos, Kasos, Katapola (Amorgos), Kea, Kimolos, Koufonissi, Kythnos, Lavrio, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Rhodes, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Sitia, Syros, and Santorini.