The mythologic beauty of Milos
Milos, the island of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love...
Whether it was really Venus who created this island as a mirror of her mythological beauty or, on the contrary, Milos was attributed the birthplace of Aphrodite to explain with a mythological narrative how it is possible for such a small island to gather so much wonder, one thing is certain: you will fall hopelessly in love with it.
We were lucky enough to get to know Milos in 2014, when it was still an earthly paradise known to few. Unfortunately, on our second visit in 2023, solitude had become a rare thing, and the beauty of this island is no longer so secret. An off-season trip will still allow you to enjoy its wonders along with some peace.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Milos has a distinctive geographic conformation that clearly divides it into two large land areas connected by a narrower area, that like an embrace creates a deep inlet facing north where the main port for arrival on the island is located: Adamas.
This port does not have much in the way of character, but you will find yourself stopping there for shopping and other services. Three main arteries unfold from the harbor: one reaches the main village on the headland, with the small towns of Plaka and Tripiti, and goes all the way to Pollonia connecting the other small towns on the north coast; the others go to the beaches to the east and south, and do not encounter large villages or towns. Each of these places is not cross-connected, and you will have to travel the roads up and down to get from one place to another, as well as to go shopping in Adamas.
The beaches of Tsigrado and Archivadolimni are on opposite poles of the land gorge that connects the two areas of the island. From here, toward the area to the west is almost completely uninhabited.
The road makes a couple of loops, at times unpaved, at times almost impassable with a normal car, between remote shepherd villages, a few half-built dwellings, and the island's most remote beaches, most of which cannot be reached from the mainland, or can be reached by long, rough paths through the vegetation.
Unless you have in mind a specific beach to reach in this area, the views are not particularly noteworthy, and you can do without pushing yourself this far, especially if you are looking for family-friendly places.
The information that will be most useful to you on a trip to Milos is that this island is one of the most prone to the mythological Greek Meltemi, the wind that blows from the north almost incessantly from June to September on all the Aegean islands. On some, it will often result in little more than a refreshing summer breeze, but Milos is not among them.
Areas to the north of the island, when the wind blows hardest, are almost impassable. Not only will it make bathing impossible, but it is not uncommon for it to make travel impossible as well. If you want to be sure (or almost sure) of getting to or from Milos, you will have to book the slow, large ferries that manage to set sail despite the wind. If you are planning a fast ferry trip, it is likely that you will have to change your travel plans, because trips are often canceled, even for several days. Better to be flexible.
THE BEACHES
The beaches on Milos are among the most varied you will find in the Cyclades. In the northeast portion of the island, they are almost all reachable by car, either by a short dirt road, or by continuing on foot. There are plenty of family-friendly beaches, but the coastline is mostly sparsely colonized and there are few facilities around.
To get a clear idea of the best beaches, you can read this article: LINK
THE VILLAGES
The island's most beautiful villages are all on the north coast, often settled in coves sheltered from strong winds. Their exposure, and their location at sea level, sheltered in bays protected from winds and high cliffs, makes them less pleasant for evening visits, as they all go into shade early, but in the morning, the sunlight tinting the crystal clear sea and colorful boathouses makes them exceptionally beautiful.
Plaka and Tripiti
Milos is one of the few islands in the Cyclades that does not stand out for the beauty of its main village. Plaka and Tripiti, which sit high on a promontory overlooking the harbor bay, are two mostly charmless towns, with a few narrow streets worth a walk, in the cool of the morning or evening, that won't take you more than 20 minutes.
Tripiti has a number of windmills that do not, however, stand out over the built-up area, some ruined and hard to reach, others restored and converted into lodgings. The most interesting restaurants are concentrated here, and there are beautiful views at sunset.
Firopotamos
Less touristy than the other villages, Firopotamos is perhaps the most beautiful. A string of white houses that converge on a golden promontory with a church and the archaeological remains of a stone portal, they are surrounded by high cliffs (which offer a stupendous view from the top of the bay) and a sea of surreal color. The village also has a small, pleasant beach, which becomes too crowded in the middle of the day.
Klima and Mandrakia
The most distinctive feature of Milos, are the fishermen's marinas, small clusters that sit right on the sea, sometimes swallowed up by the tide, with their colorfully gated boathouses, sometimes set among the rocks like little gems. You will find them everywhere, dotting the rocky shoreline, but the most beautiful harbors are Klima, just north of Adamas Harbor, and Mandrakia on the coast to the north. The village of Mandrakia soon goes into shade in the evening, and we recommend arriving early to enjoy it illuminated by the last rays of the sun.
Pollonia
The village of Pollonia is a pleasant town from which ferries depart for the beautiful island of Kimolos. It is a quiet resort center with a few nice cafes and restaurants overlooking the sea, and a quiet family beach.
Except on the north coast, the island has no other villages of note, just a few small towns scattered here and there with few amenities.
ENVIRONMENT
Milos is a jewel from a naturalistic point of view: caves, cliffs, rock arches, natural hot springs. The coastline is an alternation of high red cliffs, now and then tinged with all shades of yellow and ochre due to the presence of sulfur.
Snow-white pumice rocks are found in several areas, but at Sarakiniko you will admire them in all their magnificence. This cliff to the north of the island is a lunar paradise shaped by wind and stormy sea, and although mid-morning starts to fill up with people arriving by tourist buses, if you go early in the morning you can explore its canyons and caves undisturbed.
A little further east of Sarakiniko, you can find the Papafragas caves. They, too, are an extremely popular place for tourists, to the point that fences and signs warning of the danger of falling from the cliffs have been installed to ward off the irresponsible attitudes of visitors who, in order to take a photo or a swim among the caves, climb everywhere on the fragile cliffs. Our advice? From the dry land of the caves you can admire very little. If you are an experienced and resourceful swimmer, you can access the sea a few bays further and swim to the caves. Otherwise, you can skip this tourist attraction, and perhaps avoid climbing over fences and gates endangering yourself and the delicacy of the cliffs.
The coast in the Southwest is a magnificent alternation of majestic bays and cliffs, but from the mainland it is difficult to reach them, impossible for a family. You can consider taking a boat ride and reach these hidden corners from the sea.
Finally, on the coast of the harbor bay, from the narrow sandy beach that runs all the way from Adamas, you can have a nice experience. The first time we skirted this beach, we were intrigued by elderly gentlemen who, almost in the dark, were floating lazily and isolated in the middle of the very shallow water. Intrigued, we ventured out as well, to discover that there are hot springs of thermal water (40° C) on the seabed, forming small underwater geysers bubbling under the sand. Enjoy your free Spa.
THE FOOD
Milos has so many tourist-catching restaurants, and it is really hard to find an authentic or worthwhile place to spend the evening. With the exception of the harbor, which doesn't seem to boast any unmissable culinary specialties, this is our small gastronomic selection.
Medusa, Mandrakia
This restaurant is the best known on the island, and starting at 7:30 p.m. you'll have to bring a book to read to beguile the long wait, since they don't take reservations, and it seems that every tourist in Milos wants a table at the terrace of this restaurant. Honestly, the quality of the food is not worth all the fuss, although, arriving just before sunset and being able to find a table near the sea at least offers a nice view, even if the atmosphere is anything but peaceful. The octopus, as seen by the rows of cephalopods drying in the wind, is supposed to be their signature dish, but it was certainly not memorable.
OKTO Milos
This restaurant, however, is really worth a visit. It is located on a beautiful terrace in Tripiti, from which you can watch the sunset, and offers a refined take on Greek cuisine, with very modern and imaginative dishes.
Sirocco Volcanic Restaurant
Sirocco is located on the beach at Paliochori, and is another very fine restaurant that offers special cuisine, as the dishes are cooked, directly before your eyes, in a hole dug in the sand that covers a volcanic spring. Both land and sea dishes are very good.
Pelagos Taverna
Also located on the beach at Paliochori, this tavern is spartan and authentic, and offers excellent traditional dishes, seated on blue stuffed chairs on a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea.
Cafe Palaios
This is a bakery among the narrow streets of Plaka, with high ceilings, wooden furniture, elderly gentlemen sipping coffee and reading the newspaper, and a beautiful garden with tables under wisteria branches. It serves mouth-watering preparations, sweet and savory, arranged on counters in baking pans, such as Ladeniae, flatbreads with tomato and oregano, Portokalopita, the orange cake of the Cyclades, Karpouzopita, the watermelon cake typical of Santorini, and many other local desserts. Well worth a visit for breakfast or snack.
Kivotos ton Gefseon, Apollonia
The unpronounceable name of this delicatessen does not help, as do the labels of the products it sells, handwritten and exclusively in Greek, which are difficult to interpret. But on a day spent under the sun in Pollonia, be sure to take a breath of fresh air under the shade of the beautiful garden next to a wooden store filled with jars of capers, jams, and hand-packed preserves of local produce. On the marble table in the center of the small room, trays overflow with cakes and other mouth-watering preparations. The orange cake is truly memorable. They also serve excellent iced coffee.
