Milos is one of the most beautiful islands of the Cyclades with unique landscapes, such as Sarakiniko and beautiful beaches.
To travel to Milos you can go by plane or by boat from the port of Piraeus. The fast ferry will get you there in about 3.5 hours, while the slow ferry takes just over 7 hours.
Transportation in Milos
You can explore Milos by bus if you don’t drive. All buses leave from Adamas, the port of Milos and tickets cost 2€ each route.
Milos is a big island, so I would recommend renting a car, as we did, to make it easier to get around. Prices start at 50-60€ per day and increase, depending on the vehicle you choose. Cheaper options are motorbikes.
Accommodation in Milos
Plaka Suites Milos
In Milos we chose to stay at Plaka Suites, which is located in Plaka, the island’s Chora.
We stayed in two rooms, Suite 7 and Suite 9, as the second one was booked the day we arrived. Both were beautiful, spacious, with Cycladic architecture and equipped with kitchens to make your own meals.
What I liked most about both rooms were the balconies, as they were quite large, with sofas and sea views.
Especially suite 9, located on the second floor, had the best view. It is the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset without being crowded in other places with hundreds of tourists.
Plaka Suites is very close to the bus stop and public parking, and is located in the centre of Plaka next to the best spots and many restaurants, bars, etc.. If you visit Milos I highly recommend it.
Food in Milos
Akrotiri Seafood Obsession
In Pollonia we discovered Akrotiri Seafood Obsession, a beautiful restaurant with tables on the sand, everything you need to enjoy your meal.
The dishes we tried were all delicious. We started with a spinach salad, which included baby spinach, arugula, goat’s feta cheese, black raisins, crispy leaf and vinaigrette.
For appetizers, we tried smoked eggplant (with xinomizithra Milou, tomato, corn, red grapes, toasted sesame seeds, garlic oil, balsamic cream and fresh herbs) and fried calamari with roasted beetroot mousse. Both dishes were super.
We then moved on to the main courses, each one amazing with unique flavors. We chose seafood moussaka, with minced seafood, potato, eggplant, zucchini, bechamel, burnt sugar flavored with cinnamon, tomato and shrimp sauce and parmesan. It was fantastic.
In addition we also had octopus in the oven with Santorini fava beans (you should definitely try it) and last but not least we tried the fantastic spinach orzo with scallops, mussels, squid, asparagus from the Mediterranean Sea, stonefish and shrimp broth, handmade fresh pesto and lemon zest.
Volta
In Adamas, a few meters from where the ferry leaves you, you will find Volta restaurant, a family-run restaurant with amazing food. The people who run it are from Larissa, so as you can understand you should definitely try their delicious meats there. That’s what we did.
We started with pitarakia, cheese pies with Milos cheese, which you should definitely try if you visit the island. For salad, we had the Greek salad with Milos xinomyzithra and Thessaloniki pretzel and it was fantastic. If you don’t want Milos xinomyzithra you can choose it with feta, it’s also delicious.
Now let’s move on to the main courses. At Volta we tried the most delicious pork in pouch with baked potatoes. Words can’t really describe how perfect it was. It was so soft you could cut it with a fork and it melted in your mouth. Don’t skip it, trust me.
The second main course we got was mom’s delicious meatballs with fries and a super sauce.
Also when you go don’t miss out on the local beers. We tried the beer “Syrma” from Milos and the beer “Lola” from Larissa, which is lighter with a fruity taste, perfect for summer.
Archontoula
In Plaka you will find Archontoula, a beautiful tavern in the alleys of the island’s Chora, which is almost always full, not without reason, since the food is very tasty.
We tried saganaki cheese with local cheese from Milos, meatballs with fried potatoes and baked lamb from Milos with baked potatoes. All the dishes were very tasty, but especially the lamb was so special. You definitely have to try it.
Angeliki
Located in Adamas, Angeliki is a place with countless flavors of ice cream, just the perfect thing for hot summer days. Besides ice cream you can have coffee, dessert, snacks and brunch, just like us.
We tried and recommend the brioche with poached eggs, prosciutto, hollandaise sauce and salad and croque madame, with cheese, ham, bechamel and fried egg.
Kokkina Podilata (Red Bicycle)
In Plaka, most tourists take cocktails for takeaway and head to Plaka Castle or other spots to enjoy the sunset.
We did this and got our cocktails from Kokkina Podilata, which had pretty good prices for takeaway and we got them in a plastic glass and watched the sunset from the balcony of our room at Plaka Suites.
What to see in Milos
Sarakiniko
Sarakiniko is a beach on the north coast of Milos. It is about 5 km from Plaka.
It is the most famous beach of the island, since the white landscape reminds of the Moon.
The erosion of the waves has created caves along the coast, in which once, the Saracen pirates took shelter, to whom the beach owes its name.
You can get there by bus from Adamas or by car/motorbike. If you want to take uncrowded photos you should go to sunrise, as it is already almost crowded from 8am onwards.
Also from Sarakiniko you can enjoy a unique sunset. The beach is unorganized, so you should make sure to bring water and food with you.
Mandrakia
One of the nicest surprises in Milos is the colorful fishing village of Mandrakia, in the northern part of the island.
It is a small settlement with an equally small harbor, a few white houses with colorful doors, while the church that dominates the top is an ideal destination for those who want to relax with a view of the endless Aegean Sea.
The protagonist here is none other than the famous “Syrmata”, small buildings by the sea with coloured doors where the trawlers and the fishermen’s gear are kept, which give the traditional colour of the settlement.
Each door is painted in a different colour, as in the past the fishermen who lived there could not afford to buy paint to paint their houses, so they used the leftover paint from when they painted their boats. In fact, this way, when they returned from fishing at night, they could also find easily their house.
Fyropotamos
Fyropotamos is a fishing village at the northern end of Milos, a few minutes drive from Mandrakia.
The heavenly, turquoise and clear waters await you for countless dives. Spread your towel under the shade of the trees and enjoy your swim with a view of the Syrmata.
Klima
Klima is a romantic little fishing village in Milos and perfect for enjoying an amazing sunset.
There you will find the most photographed Syrmata. This particular settlement stands out for its picturesque houses with coloured doors.
It is worth making the walk and waiting for sunset to take one of the best photos.
Before you head down to the beach with the colorful houses, you can leave your car in the free parking lot. We went in June and found it easy to park, but the truth is that in August you might find it a little difficult.
Plaka
Of course you can’t go to Milos and not visit Plaka, the island’s main town. We stayed there and it was the best decision. Beautiful white alleys with colourful flowers, restaurants full of people, music and smiles everywhere.
Plaka is the best spot on the whole island to enjoy the sunset and most people choose to see it from Plaka Castle. It is an unforgettable experience that you definitely have to live.
After watching the sunset you should wander around the alleys and then choose one of the small shops for food or cocktails. We chose Archontoula, as I mentioned above, for food and Red Bike for cocktails.
Aphrodite of Milos – Catacombs
From Plaka in about 15 minutes walk we reached the spot where the famous statue of Aphrodite of Milos was found, which is now in the Louvre and in Milos there is an imitation statue. A little further down you will meet the Catacombs of Milos and you can get inside with a ticket that costs 4€ (2€ the reduced ticket).
Pollonia
Pollonia is a beautiful seaside village, built around a beautiful creek with a beach with a rich sandy beach and many tamarisk trees.
It is believed that its name comes from the ancient god Apollo, in whose honour, in fact, there was a temple on the peninsula in ancient times.
Most of the shops there have tables on the sea, so you can enjoy your meal with the best view. We chose Akrotiri Seafood Restaurant there, as I wrote above and you should definitely try it.
Also worth a visit is the chapel of Agios Nikolaos, which is located by the sea and has a great view.
Adamas
Adamantas or Adamas is the port of Milos and along the sea you will find countless restaurants, cafes and tourist shops. It is a relatively new port, having been created in the last 30 years.
From Adamas all buses leave to all the other villages on the island, so it’s a good location to stay if you haven’t rented a car/motorbike.
Also, the port of Adamas is the departure point for the boats that organise sea tours.
Paleochori Beach
Paleochori beach has a lovely sandy beach with tiny pebbles and crystal clear waters. There you will find a beach bar to enjoy your swim in comfort.
Tsigrado Beach
Tsigrado beach is a beach at the bottom part of the island with difficult access, as you have to use a staircase down a very narrow path to get down.
In my opinion, it is better to approach it by boat. It has beautiful turquoise waters and is definitely worth a swim there.
Gerakas Beach
Gerakas beach is also located in the lower part of Milos and is accessible only by boat. The waters have an incredible turquoise color as if it were a swimming pool. I was so amazed.
Just above it, is the volcano of Agia Kyriaki and if you go there, it is still steaming. That’s why there are some caves that if you swim towards them the water is quite warm, like in the hot springs.
The huge sand slides with crystal clear waters create a unique landscape.
Kleftiko
I saved the best for last. By boat we went to Kleftiko, a spot with countless caves, crystal clear turquoise waters and impressive white rocks.
Kleftiko also known as “Meteora of the sea” is not just a beach, but a cluster of impressive volcanic grey and white rocks, a creation of time, air and sea. The rocks of various shapes and sizes make this beach a work of art. It is the trademark of Milos and certainly the most photographed part of the island.
White giant rocks fall into the sea, creating three continuous bays, while some of them are cut off from the land and touch the deep blue waters forming caves.
Don’t forget to take your mask and underwater camera for amazing shots! Access to Kleftiko is only possible by boat.
We chose Thalassitra sailing and with the boat “Leloudo” we did half of the island’s round from 9:30 to 16:00. There is also a full day package where you sail around the whole island, but we didn’t want to spend the whole day at sea.
In addition to the big boat we were on, when we got to Kleftiko, we also got on a small inflatable boat in order to get into caves.
On our tour we had breakfast, a bar with soft drinks, beers, coffee and tea, and at lunch they had a huge variety of food. My favourites were the fantastic moussaka, orzo with cuttlefish ink and of course the village salad.
The crew told us stories of pirates coming to Milos, while explaining exactly everything we were seeing. In my opinion it was the best part of my trip to Milos and what I have to say is that there is no way you should come to Milos and not tour by boat.
If you want to see more of my trip to Milos, visit my Instagram profile.