The Complete Guide To Milos, Greece

Milos is one of the Cycladic islands of Greece that has a lot to offer. Crystal clear turquoise water, beautiful fishing villages, and amazing beaches that are just out of this world. All of these make Milos one of the most desirable islands to visit in Greece. To help you organize your itinerary for visiting this island, I wrote the complete guide to Milos with all the tips you need to know. 

The Best Time To Visit Milos

Greece is one of the most popular summer destinations in Europe. That is why during the high season many islands are very crowded (especially Mykonos or Santorini). For this reason, the best time to visit Greece in general is the shoulder season. In the spring the water is still a bit cold for swimming, but in autumn, especially in September, the weather is still great, and there are less tourists throughout Greece. 

How To Get To Milos

Milos is not a big island, and it has a very small airport that usually hosts a few domestic and charter flights. The best way to travel to and from Milos is by ferry. Milos has a pretty big port (Adamas port town). We took a ferry from Paros island to Milos (it took us around 3 hours and cost $58/pp) and then from Milos to Athens (3h 53m. $45/pp). You can check all the possible roots to Milos and book a ferry ticket online on Bookaway.

Where To Stay On Milos

Milos has many charming Cycladic villages around the island. You of course can choose any of them to stay in. However if you are coming in the shoulder season you need to know that most of them will be quite empty. So, if you want more activity the best choice will be to stay in Admas town, while driving around and exploring the island.

Where To Eat In Adamas

CoBu 

CoBu is a cute restaurant located along the harbour with a big terrace right next to the water. The restaurant specialties are burgers. So if you are tired of Mediterranean cuisine CoBu is a great place to have your break and enjoy some good and greasy burgers. 

Location: Adamantas 848 01, Greece

Mikros Apoplous

Mikros Apoplous is a great restaurant with a big menu. You can find almost everything you want. We ate at Mikros Apoplous a few times and every time the food and the service were great.

Location: Νεοχώρι, Adamas 848 01, Greece

Nostos Seafood Experience 

Nostos Seafood Experience is a place for seafood lovers. This is one of the trendy, high rated seafood restaurants in Adamas. We left this restaurant for our last dinner, and we didn’t regret it. The food was excellent.

Location: Adama-Zephyria, Adamas 848 00, Greece

Transport

There are a few ways to get around the island. The best way to start will be from Adamantas. This port city has the highest concentration of rental offices on the island. Adamantas is also the best way to explore the island by buses in case you don’t like to drive. 

Bus

Milos has a very big plus for those who don’t drive – it is possible to explore almost the entire island by using the bus system. Milos’ bus system is quite efficient and the routes are spread widely around the island. 

However, if you are coming in off season  there won’t be as many operating bus routes as during the high season. Click here to check the bus schedule. 

Rent your transport:

Car

For those who like to drive and prefer to rent their own transport there are a lot of options in Adamantas. My advice is don’t rent your transport from the first rental office you visit. Ask around until you are satisfied with the price. 

We started with 50€ per day and went down to 25€ (if you rent for more than 2 days). In every rental office we visited, the price was different. So, take your time and look around. 

Bicycle 

Milos is quite a small island and if you like riding bicycles it is very possible to explore the island on the bicycle. Unfortunately there are not a lot of places where you can rent one. In fact we found just one such place (maybe because we were in Milos in off season) – “Safari – Rent Motorbikes”. 

Our intention was to rent three bicycles and go to Sarakiniko beach which is located pretty close to Adamas. On one of the blogs we read that you can rent one bicycle for €13 per day which is a pretty reasonable price, although if there are three people it is cheaper to rent a car for a day. Anyway, we wanted something new, so we stopped our choice on bicycles and went to the Safari rental office. 

Oh boy, we were disappointed. First, you need to know that the place was completely dead (it was October 16th). They clearly have no business, but when we came to rent a few bicycles for a few hours, they decided to charge us 20€ per bicycle. So we took a taxi for 10€ directly! 

Things To Do On Milos Island

Visit Sarakiniko Beach

Sarakiniko beach is the number one attraction on Milos island. In fact Sarakiniko is one of the main reasons why people visit this island. No wonder it is one of the most famous instagram spots on Milos. 

Sarakiniko beach is also called a Lunar beach due to its unique rock formation created by a volcano.  The white rocks and crystal clear water make this place one of the best beaches not just on Milos, but in the whole country. 

Sarakiniko is a great spot to have some fun. It is great for swimming and jumping. It is also very kids friendly (there is a very long shallow strip of water where your kids can swim safely).

Sarakiniko beach is an unspoiled site without sun umbrellas and shops/restaurants nearby. You can get to this site by driving yourself, taking a taxi (10€ from Adamantas) or by bus (bus schedule). 

The best time to visit Sarakiniko is during the off season. It’s never crowded no matter what part of the day it is and you basically have the whole place for yourself. If you are coming during the high season the best time to get to Sarakiniko will be early in the morning before it gets super crowded and you feel like you are on an ant hill. 

Things that you should bring with you to Sarakiniko:

• Sunscreen (as I mentioned before, Sarakiniko beach doesn’t have sun umbrellas where you can hide from the Greek sun, or as a matter of fact trees. Midday sun and the white rocks that reflect it will burn your skin, so sunscreen is the most important thing to bring to Sarakiniko if you want to spend more than half an hour at this location).
• Water (another essential thing to bring with you to Sarakiniko, otherwise, you will have to cut your trip short and look for a store elsewhere)
• Sunglasses (well… white rocks and a bright sun is a good reason to have your sunglasses with you)
• Water Shoes (since Sarakiniko beach is not a soft fine sand site, but rocks and gravel, it will be a good idea to bring your water shoes there)
• Beach Towel (just remember this: if you forget a towel – you will have to put your wet butt on a not very smooth rock)
• Snacks (of course that is not the most important thing to bring with you, but if you are planning on staying there for a while, it is always a good idea to have a snack. Don’t forget – Sarakiniko is a protected unique area, so Do Not Litter There or as a matter of fact anywhere else!)

Klima Village (The discovery spot of the Venus de Milos statue, Milos catacombs, and the Ancient Theater of Milos)

Klima village is located on the North of Milos island. It is one of those cute fishing villages that you must visit in Milos. The white traditional buildings with colorful windows and doors plus crystal clear turquoise water make this place a dream spot for a photographer. 

And although Klima is a very pretty village, the highlights of this place are located on the hill 10 minutes drive from Klima. I, of course, talk about the discovery place of the Venus de Milo, Milos catacombs, and the Ancient theater of Milos.

Milos Catacombs

I advise you to start at the Milos Catacombs. There is a quite big parking lot where you can leave your vehicle and walk to all three sites. 

The catacombs are located just down the stairs. Nowadays, to get to  the catacombs you have to show  your vaccination card (you can show a picture of it as well) and buy a ticket. The ticket costs €4 per person. After you bought a ticket a guide will take you inside, show you around and tell you a bit of history. The whole excursion will not take more than 15 minutes (there is not that much to see, since a lot of the galleries are closed for tourists).

The Discovery Spot of the Venus de Milo Statue

Just three minutes from the parking lot you will find a plaque that will tell you the approximate location where the most famous statue was found and a bit of history about that place itself.

As it often is, the statue was found by accident when a farmer was digging his field in 1820. The written description declared that the statue was found in a niche in the ancient city called Melos. Unfortunately, after such a discovery the area got filled with treasure hunters and they devastated it. Because of that, nowadays no one can tell where exactly the Venus de Milo was found. 

The actual statue found its place in the walls of Louvre where millions of people admire it every year. 

Ancient Theater Of Milos

Same as the Venus de Milos, the Ancient theater of Milos was found on accident by a travelling monk who dug out three rows of marble seats in 1735.

The actual excavation started way later. In 1816 a German architect bought the sight for the king of Bavaria and started the excavation. 

To visit the Ancient theater of Milos just go down the hill following the trail from the Venus de Milos plaque. You don’t need to pay to enter this historical sight, and you can freely explore it by walking pretty much anywhere you want. 

Visit Plaka

Plaka is another Cycladic village that you should visit in Milos. It is the capital of the island and was built in 1800. Plaka is quite a charming place with narrow streets and colorful cafes and restaurants. There are also a few interesting things you can do and places you can visit around Plaka.

Visit The Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological museum of Milos is a must visit place in Plaka. Although it  is quite small with just a few rooms where you can find a collection of ancient things including old archeological digs and a replica of the famous Venus de Milos statue. 

Hours: 

Winter Time(November 6 – March 31): Tuesday  – closed; Monday, Wednesday – Sunday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM; 

Summer Time (April 24 – October 31): Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM; Friday from 2 PM – 10 PM; Saturday, Sunday from 9 AM – to 10 PM;

Price: €3

Location: Plaka 848 00, Greece

Climb to Plaka Castle 

So, right away I want to let you know that Plaka Castle is not a fancy big castle that you can visit. Nowadays there is no actual castle, but just a few remaining walls of a Venetian castle. 

The structure dates back to the 13th century. The remaining walls of Plaka castle were used once more during World War II by Germans. You actually can learn more about WWII in connection to Milos at the War museum in Plaka village. 

To get to Plaka castle you will need approximately 20 minutes, good shoes (better sneakers than flip-flops, since you are walking mostly on a very rocky road), and a bottle of water. 

At the top of the hill beside the remains of an ancient castle you will find Panagia Skiniotissa church.

The best time to visit Plaka castle is the golden hours. This viewpoint is one of the best in Milos for sunset watching. 

Plathiena Beach

Plathiena beach is not the easiest location to get to, but it definitely is one of the most beautiful in Milos. It is kind of a secluded (although in high season it can get pretty crowded) sand beach with turquoise water and an amazing view. 

There is a cute cafe next to the beach with toilets, showers and changing booths. If you drive a car, you don’t need to be worried about parking, there is usually a lot of space. Just be careful when you drive, the closer you get to the beach the worse the road gets.

Firopotamos

Firopotamos is probably one of the smallest fishing villages in Milos. It is located in the very North of the island. It is a cute little place with a charming church and a great viewpoint. 

Firopotamos also has a pretty good beach where you can spend a few hours relaxing. In the high season this beach can be very crowded, but when we visited in October, the beach was almost empty. 

Mandrakia Village

Mandrakia village was definitely one of my favorites in Milos. And I cannot tell exactly why that is: the Cycladic buildings with colorful doors, the water color, or the rocks around the Mandrakia village. 

When you enter the village there is a big parking space on the right side where you can leave your vehicle. And right across the street you will find a nice scenery of the cute small-boats mooring.

Mandrakia village won’t take a long time to explore, but even during the short time here you will fall in love with this place and once more with Milos. 

Papafragas Caves

Papafragas cave is difficult to describe with just one word. It is not entirely a cave, but also not a normal beach that you expect to see. It is a den that is made in volcanic rock that contains a tiny charming beach and caves. There it is, my definition of this place. 

You can see Papafragas caves from a boat and from the top of this den. There is a walking path around it that will give you an opportunity to see the hidden beach and the caves better. 

It is probably one of the most difficult locations to explore in Milos. Nowadays you cannot get to the hidden beach and have a swim from the top. It is quite dangerous to climb down, so the authorities put up a fence. 

Nevertheless, Papafragas caves is a place to see in Milos, plus it is a very convenient stop on the way to Pollonia village. 

Pollonia Village

Pollonia village is the second most popular village among tourists on Milos. There, as in Adamas, you can find many good restaurants and cafes, and a decent choice of accommodation.

In fact Pollonia is a place for those who want to visit the small neighboring island of Kimolos. There are many small boats in Pollonia that offer this service. 

Take A Boat Trip Around Milos 

One of the most popular activities on Milos is a boat tour that can take you around the island. 

You can find such tours pretty much in every tour agency office in Adamas. They usually offer you two choices: a half day trip and a full day trip. Those tours usually include drinks, snacks and food, all the gear you will need for snorkeling, and your transfer. 

The difference between a half day tour and full day tour is of course the duration and the amount of spots you visit. The price depends on the season (although the difference is not that big, you can expect no less than €100 per person for a full day tour).

The Complete Guide To Milos, Greece