Overview

Located in the Aegean Sea just north of the Sea of Crete, Milos is a volcanic Greek island with unforgettable charm. It’s famous as the discovery site of the Aphrodite of Milos as well as the local Bentonite clay that is in all the lush local beauty treatments. Far less touristy than Santorini and considerably more affordable, this is the perfect destination for anyone looking to soak up the sun on island time - think old traditions, laid back charm, and slow pace of life. The most beautiful part of Milos is its endless stunning beaches, complete with white rock formations, and the deep blue Aegean sea.

The island is small and close to the other Cyclades, making it a perfect stop on a Greece island hopping trip. Once you’re on the island, you can drive anywhere in just 40 minutes! This makes it perfect for travelers looking to explore. Milos’ understated character, and undeniable beauty, truly make it feel like the Greece you see in movies.

Best Beaches

The horseshoe shape of Milos, and the white rock that makes it famous, are two reasons why this island has such unique and alluring beaches. One of the best things to do in Milos is travel between secret coves and sweeping bays, relaxing on the beach, or snorkeling in the crystal clear waters. These are some of the best beaches on Milos:

Firopotamos Beach: A picturesque sandy cove with old boat houses that line the shore. This beach offers great swimming, fishing, and snorkeling around the rocks surrounding the beach.

Sarakiniko Beach: Moonlike landscape and one of the most popular beaches on the island, Sarakiniko is absolutely stunning. The sea and wind have molded this beach’s bone-white volcanic rocks into humps and columns. There’s a long, shallow inlet with a beach at one end and tiered white rocks along the edge where people sunbathe and dive into the water.

Papafragas Beach and Caves: This beach is one of the most impressive sites of Milos. From the top of the rock, it resembles a huge natural swimming pool, an enormous cave carved out of the cliff’s side. A tiny path leads to the tiny strip of sand that forms the beach.

Firiplaka Beach: This stunning beach boasts a wide horseshoe bay with soft silver sand and huge colored rocks at the coastline. Because of the rocks and exposed position, you get more waves here, making it fun to swim. The waters in Firiplaka are a beautiful shallow green-blue color.

Alogomandra Beach: A sandy small cove that is sandwiched between flat white rock cliffs. The beach has fine white sand with crystal clear turquoise waters. The rocks on the right side are forming small marine caves that are waiting to be explored.

Kleftiko Beach: Located on the south coast of the remote western end of the island, this is considered one of the most spectacular areas on the island. The iconic patch of coastline boasts clear, turquoise waters, white cliffs, and tunnels and caves to be discovered. It is said that pirates once hid out in the coves here, but today you’ll find mostly catamarans and snorkeling visitors.

Paliorema Beach: This is the most unusual beach on the island, considering it was the place where the abandoned mine Thiorichia rises up. Instead of trees and beach facilities, you will be surrounded by old mining wagons, tools and parts. The sea around the shore is deep; it was used for a pier from which ships were loaded with sulfur and other minerals from the mine. This beach is truly an off-the-beaten-track experience.

Tsigrado Beach: One of the most beautiful beaches on the island, and also all of Greece. Located right next to Firiplaka, Tsigrado is a remote location of a small sandy cove with crystal clear waters. Going down this beach is a bit difficult as visitors have to pass through a rocky passage to get there. Climb down the ladder to reach the beach itself. The surrounding area with the rocky cliffs is quite impressive.

Most of the beaches on Milos are close together, so it’s easy to visit a number of different ones during your visit. Some of the more remote beaches don’t have good roads leading to them. Because of this, be prepared that you may have to drive down dirt tracks or walk quite a bit to the beach.

Things to See and Do

Kleftiko: From the port in Adamas you can set sail for the southwestern corner of Milos, where one of Greece’s most photographed natural wonders awaits. Kleftiko is an arena of white cliffs and outcrops that you can only reach on the water.

At the base of the cliffs and rocks are caves, and natural arches, and one has a cave that you’ll pass right through and look up at the captivating layered rock that forms the ceiling. Like all of Milos these rocks have volcanic origins, and because of their pillar-like appearance they’re compared to the cliff-top monasteries at Metreora.

The name “Kleftiko” is rooted in the word “to steal”, and is from the time when pirates would hide out in these caves.

Milos Mining Museum: The island has a mining heritage that is as old as the Neolithic Period, when it was a source of obsidian for the entire Mediterranean. Later, Pliny the Elder wrote that Milos provided more sulfur than anywhere in the ancient world, while it was also highly valued for its rich alum deposits.

That mineral history is recorded at this museum in Adamas, offering a story of all the rocks and minerals mined here through the ages, like gypsum, sulfur, baryte, perlite, bentonite, alum and millstones.

Also interesting is the set of prehistoric obsidian tools and weapons. You can see the role that these substances still play in everyday life, and get up to speed on mining technology in the 21st century.

Sunset or Sunrise at Plaka Castle: This has to be one of the most memorable things to do in Milos! All that’s left of this old Venetian castle is the old walls, and in its place is a beautiful white-domed church that sits high up on the hill above the sea. It’s a short hike to the top, and well worth it for the breathtaking views. We recommend getting up for sunrise to have this place all to yourself and see the soft dawn colors over the island.

Take Boat Tour around Milos: The size of the island and the multitude of coves and swimming spots make it the perfect place to take a boat trip. Most of the boat trips will pick you up and take you to numerous spots throughout the island, including snorkeling, and even lunch if you opt for the full-day trip. Experience the island by boat will allow you to reach secret beaches, which can’t be accessed by road, for example, Gerakas beach, a beautiful strip of sand backed by a huge rock formation. Taking a full tour also gives you plenty of time to relax both on the boat and land and fully absorb the fabulous atmosphere of this dreamy island.

Discover the Catacombs of Milos: People have lived on Milos for thousands of years, and the history is astonishing. The Catacombs of Milos are comparable to the catacombs of Rome and the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. The Catacombs is a huge underground burial place with deep dark passageways that date from the 1st century AD.

To date three sets of tunnels have been discovered totalling more than 180 meters where 2,000 Christians were interred in the cavities in the walls or in the ground in graves covered with makeshift rocks.

Only two short sections can be visited, but that’s more than enough to get a sense of the place and decipher inscriptions on the walls that go back 2,000 years.

Explore the Ancient Theatre of Milos: The Catacombs of Milos sit next to the Ancient Theater (200 meters away) and close to the town of Trypiti. Belonging to the ancient town of Klima, the theatre would have first been built in Hellenistic times in the 3rd century BC and had to be reconstructed after the city was razed by the Athenians in Roman times. The theatre has eight tiers which could once seat 7,000 spectators (compared to 700 today).

Visit the Cave of Sykia: Like Kleftiko, Sykia can only be approached by boat. It is a collapsed sea cave with a small shingle beach in a beautiful cauldron of textured white rock. The light created by the water and this white stone is a spectacular sight. Typically your tour boat will wait outside the entrance to the cave and you’ll go inside on an RIB to take a dip in the sparkling blue water.

Adamas World War Two Bomb Shelter: In 1941, Milos was a foothold for the Wehrmacht to launch their Invasion of Crete, and a few bunkers like this one in Adamas were excavated to offer protection for personnel and store resources and equipment.

Adamas has the largest bomb shelter of all, and was used by many of the island’s inhabitants during an Allied bombardment 1944. For about €2 you can wander the bunker’s long tunnels and 12 chambers. The bunker also serves as an art gallery with graffiti, paintings and imagination installations.

Diving at Shipwrecks: If you’re interested in diving or want to try diving for the first time, Milos is a great place to do it! The sea is super clear and home to incredible marine life. Between the three islands of Milos, Kimelos, and Polyegos, the seafloor is packed with shipwrecks that are fascinating to swim amongst and explore. Check out the shipwreck that lies close to Kleftiko beach too!