In recent years, more and more people have been praising Milos for its endless beaches and volcanic landscapes.

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Apart from the much-photographed Sarakiniko, Milos boasts 74 other beaches (perhaps the largest number of beaches on a Greek island). This guide, therefore, will help you discover its beaches, its enchanting landscapes and traditional flavours, and plan your holidays on the island.


Find listed below all the things that will make you want to return to Milos as soon as possible.

How to get there

To get to Milos, you may take one of the fast ferries such as the Speedrunner. The journey takes about three and a half hours by SeaJet, seven hours by regular ferry and 25 minutes by plane.

Especially during the summer months, there are about 4 or 5 flights a day from Athens to Milos.

Getting around the island requires a car. The distances to the beaches and villages range from 20 to 25 minutes. The buses cover only some of the most famous beaches. It is therefore advisable to rent a vehicle before you arrive on the island.

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Lito Karamitsou
Photo: Lito Karamitsou

Where to stay

Milos offers a wide variety of accommodation, which are scattered in the small villages and along the beaches. Small hotels and houses with incredible sunset views can be found in the villages of Plaka and Tripiti (archodoula studios, for the win).

In recent years, several unique accommodations have been built in Milos, such as Milos Breeze (milosbreeze.com) in Pollonia, as well as Skinopi Lodge (skinopi.com), consisting of three stunning villas by the sea with an emphasis on nature and architecture.

Another accommodation option is Milos’ syrmata, the colourful fishermen’s huts located in the villages of Klima, Mandrakia, Fyropotamos and Skinopi, which can be rented via Airbnb.

As for most Greek islands, July and August are the busiest months on the island. It is therefore advisable to arrange your stay in Milos well in advance of your arrival date.

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Photo: Lito Karamitsou
Photo: Lito Karamitsou

Where to eat

“O! Hamos” is perhaps the most famous –and for a good reason- tavern on the island, using nothing else but local products. Particularly, the meat and cheese come from the owners’ farm on the island. It is worth trying the pitarakia (traditional Milos’ cheese pies), the manouri cheese saganaki (Greek pan-seared cheese) and certainly the famous gourounopoulo (Greek pork roast, wrapped in parchment paper). “Oh! Chamos” does not take reservations and usually has a long wait during evening hours, so try to be there as early as possible.

For deliciously grilled or stewed meat try also “Elia” restaurant, located in Adamas, overlooking the sea and the port of Milos.

For fish there are several options and one of them is Astakas in Klima. The best time to go to Astakas is at dusk, as the tables on the beach offer a great sunset views. You should try their taramosalata (Greek fish roe dip) and their luscious shrimp pasta.

After your morning swim, take a leisurely stroll around Madrakia and enjoy a delicious lunch at Medusa restaurant, known for its scrumptious mezedes (a selection of small dishes served as appetizers) such as pitarakia, zucchini meatballs and freshly cut French fries. After lunch, go down to see the octopuses drying in the sun and the colourful seaside syrmata.

In the north-eastern part of the island lies Pollonia, a seaside village with several dining options especially for dinner. Gialos, Almyra and Armenaki offer fresh fish and seafood.

Finally, if you want to try traditional Greek casserole dishes, visit Ergina in Tripiti. Here, you should definitely try their rooster stew served with handmade pasta and their devilishly delicious squid dish. Tip: Be sure to try Angeliki’s ice cream in Adamas and the traditional sweets of Paleos in Plaka.

Where to swim

The list of Milos’ beaches is endless. Where to start with? Most of the island’s beaches are not serviced, so it’s a good idea to bring with you everything you might need. After checking the weather to ascertain which side of the island is more favourable each day, set off on your wanderings eager to discover as many beaches as possible.

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Photo: Lito Karamitsou
Photo: Lito Karamitsou

On the south side of the island, the famous Fyriplaka is a beach not to be missed; endless white sands, crystal clear waters and a small beach bar at the edge of the beach. Leaving Fyriplaka, a 5-minute drive away is the famous Tsigrado, a very small but unique beach of Milos, famous for its accessibility, as to visit it you have to walk down a narrow strip of land between two rocks using a rope. Tsigrado may be hard to reach, but once you do, you won’t regret it.

Located on the south side of the island, Agia Kiriaki and Paliochori beaches are both stunning and sandy. Agia Kyriaki is a good option for those wishing to avoid the crowds. The beach remains still untouched and -in my opinion- has the most pristine waters on the island. Paliochori is relatively close to Agia Kyriaki. Here you will find numerous beach bars and taverns.

What to do

On the northern side of the island, the first thing you will probably want to visit is the much-photographed lunar landscape of Sarakiniko. Try to visit Sarakiniko as early as possible during the day to enjoy the magical landscape before the place gets crammed. Many photographers visit Sarakiniko at sunrise to catch the incredible colours and also late at night when the moon is almost full. Visit also Plathiena and the seaside settlement of Fyropotamos on the north side for a swim.

It’s time for one of the most exciting activities in Milos: the island tour. Many of Milos’ gorgeous landscapes are only accessible by boat, so I highly recommend that you dedicate a full day to an excursion on one of the small boats.

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Polyaigos/ Photo: Kostas Spathis
Photo: Lito Karamitsou

The night before the excursion, visit the port of Adamas, where all the boats are moored and choose the one that suits you best. Prices vary depending on the boat you choose and the duration of the trip. If you are a fan of traditional boats, choose Thalassytra for a full-day excursion to Kleftiko and other hidden bays. During your trip with Thalassytra, you will also enjoy fresh seafood pasta, prepared on the spot while you enjoy your swim.

Finally, if time allows, take a day trip to the neighbouring islands of Kimolos and Polyaigos. Kimolos is connected to Milos from the port of Pollonia by the “slipper boat” which takes about half an hour. In Kimolos, dine at the port of Psathi, at Kyma restaurant, and do try the traditional ladenia (the Greek version of Italian focaccia) and the mouth-watering fried octopus. Here, from the port you can also take a boat to Polyaigos at any time of the day. In the afternoon, saunter around the village of Kimolos, walk in the picturesque alleys and the castle, where an open-air cinema will be open starting this year.

No matter how many times you visit Milos, you will always have something new to discover and a reason to come back to the island again and again.