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Sofia Ps.
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Milos Island; a place of wonders

Milos Island (or Melos) is by all accounts a fascinating and marvellous island. Born from a volcano and rich in minerals, it has stunning sceneries, magnificent shores embraced by the Aegean Sea, picturesque villages, and wonderful local culture. From the minute I set foot on the island I was truly enchanted…

View of Sarakiniko beach, Milos Island, Greece
Sarakiniko, the beach with the "lunar" landscape.

Towns & villages

View of Plaka in Milos Island, Greece
View of Plaka

The capital of the island is Plaka, a traditional town with white houses and small alleys. There are several restaurants, serving delicious local dishes, charming boutique shops, and many old churches, excellent examples of Cycladic architecture. Make sure you walk all the way up to the medieval castle on the hill to enjoy the view of a breathtaking sunset.

Adamas, the port, is the first thing you see if you arrive by ferry. It has many coffee and ice-cream shops, restaurants, and bars; it offers everything from evening strolls to great nightlife.

View of Adamas, port of Milos Island, Greece
Adamas, built in the 1830s by Sfakians, refuges from Crete, is one of the safest natural harbours in the Mediterranean.

One of my favourite things about Milos is the villages. They’re really unique, authentic and picturesque. Mandrakia is a quaint fishing village, close to Plaka.

Mandrakia Village in Milos Island, Greece
Mandrakia. Enjoy the view and relax by having a delicious meal right next to the sea at Medusa restaurant.

Klima is one of the most colourful villages in Greece. The fishermen’s houses, known as syrmata, are carved into stone and have huge wooden doors, each painted a different colour. Up until the 20th century, the fishermen used the ground floor as storage for their boats during the winter and the first floor as a living space. Nowadays, they serve as vacation houses and shops.

Pollonia is a beautiful, family-friendly village with exceptional restaurants. It has a small beach, a nice coastline you can go for walks, a few shops and the best patisserie on the island, called Kivotos ton Gefseon, ideal for brunch and tasting local products.

Beaches & excursions

Milos has many, very diverse beaches! Do you like sandy beaches and calm waters? Would you prefer to explore secluded beaches and do something more adventurous? Do you like sailing or are you searching for out-of-this-world photographic spots? Milos has it all! You can spend days on the island and see something different every day.

There are more than 70 beaches in Milos! Some of my personal favourites are Firiplaka, Provatas, Agia Kyriaki and Paleochori in the south; Sarakiniko, the most popular beach of Milos, Papafragas, and Firopotamos in the north; Triades, Gerakas, Sykia Cave, and Kleftiko, one of the most photographed places in the Aegean, in the west.

Check out this post if you want to know more about the best beaches in Milos and choose which options are the best for you!

Sites & Museums

Milos has a very long history, so you can explore many sites belonging to many different historical periods. Are you interested in prehistoric times? Why not visit Phylakopi, a very important Bronze Age settlement, which was continuously inhabited for almost two millennia (3300-1100 BC). Would you like to see something Roman? Visit the Ancient Roman marble theatre, which was located above the ancient port and enjoy the spectacular view. On the way there, you’ll also have the chance to see the finding place of “Venus de Milo, a famous beautiful statue of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.

Do you want to explore ancient catacombs? The Christian Catacombs of Milos (1st-5th cent. AD) are among the most important catacombs in the world.

Catacombs of Milos Island, Greece
Only a small section is open to the public, but it's still definitely worth seeing!

The Archaeological Museum of Milos, situated in Plaka, offers a little bit of everything. It has a very interesting exhibition with objects dating from about 2000 BC to 600 AD, focusing mainly on prehistoric and classical times.

Are you interested in orthodox church history and byzantine art? The Ecclesiastical Museum of Milos, housed in the church of the Holy Trinity (Agia Triada) in Adamas, features a small but wonderful collection of 14th-18th cent. icons and various ecclesiastical artefacts. Do you want to know more about everyday life on the island in the 19th and early 20th centuries? Visit the Folk and Historic Museum of Milos to experience aspects of the locals’ life in an authentic 19th cent. house. Last but not least, visiting Milos Mining Museum in Adamas is the best way to discover more about the mineral wealth and the 11,000 years of the fascinating mining history of the island. Not enough time to visit everything? No worries, check this to read more about the ones you must see!

Conclusion

There is so much more one could write about Milos. I hope this post gave you at least a tiny taste of how truly wonderful this place is. So, what are you waiting for? Book those tickets for your next summer holidays and dive right in!

Woman Diving at Kleftiko beach in Milos Island, Greece
This colour.

[Greek: Μήλος ]

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