Milos Island Travel Guide: The Overlooked Greek Island
We spent several months researching different Greek Islands to explore. We wanted the best mix of beautiful beaches, hiking trails, unique villages, and delicious cuisine. After what seemed like forever, we finally settled on the island of Milos.
We spent a month on this often overlooked island finding the best things to do, places to eat, and places to stay. Use this extensive travel guide to plan your trip to the island of Milos.
How To Get To Milos, Greece
Milos is a small island, part of the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. There are several ways to get to Milos, Greece. Here are the two easiest ways to get there:
1. Fly
Hop on a small plane from the Greek capital, Athens, and fly over to the island of Milos. Prices on roundtrip flights are extremely affordable and you’ll only be on the plane for 35 minutes.
Flying is by far the quickest way to get from mainland Greece to Milos.
Check out our Skyscanner tips for booking the absolute cheapest flights here: 7 Skyscanner Tricks For Booking the Cheapest Flights.
2. Ferry
Another way to get to the island of Milos is by ferry. Ferries run daily across the Aegean Sea, making it easy and affordable to move from one island to the next.
Although flying is the quickest way to get to Milos from Athens, taking a ferry is the quickest way to get from island to island. Flying between islands typically requires a layover in Athens, so you might as well book a ferry ticket.
We took a ferry from Santorini to Milos and loved that experience. The ferry felt like a cruise ship!
To book a ferry ticket, I recommend using Direct Ferries. No matter where we are in the world, Direct Ferries has always helped us find the best deals on transfers.
How Do You Get Around Milos?
Although Milos is a relatively small island, you’ll need to figure out a mode of transportation that works for you during your visit.
Rental Car In Milos
I highly recommend booking a rental car for your trip to Milos island. A rental car will allow you to explore the island at your own pace. You’ll also be able to visit off-the-beaten-path locations that aren’t serviced by the local bus.
Since we were on Milos for a month, we received an amazing deal from a rental car company. After doing business with them for a month, we couldn’t be more satisfied. You can find and book your rental car at their website here: MilosRentCar.
Buses on Milos Island
There is a local bus that circulates the island of Milos, which is quite convenient. The bus stops at several places around the island, however, it does not stop at some of the best hidden gem locations.
In order to get the best experience, I still recommend hiring a car.
If you’re set on taking the bus around Milos, you can find the timetables here: Milos Buses.
Taxi
I would only recommend taking taxis around Milos if you’re planning to stay on the island for a very short time (which you shouldn’t; Milos deserves as much time as you can afford).
Although taxis are available in Milos, they are pretty pricey and they aren’t always available when you need them.
Where To Stay On Milos Island
Before we made our way to Milos, we didn’t know quite where to stay on the island. There seemed to be a high density of hotels and Airbnbs on the north side of the island. We took our best guess and booked a place for our month-long stay.
📍 Plaka Or Tripiti
We chose to stay in a highly-rated Airbnb and we’re extremely glad that we did. The Airbnb is located in Plaka, the most beautiful Milos town. You can book the same Airbnb that we did here: Manolis & Filio’s Home in Plaka Village.
Just down the street from Plake is the cute town of Tripiti; staying in either Tripiti or Plaka would be a great experience.
Plaka and Tripiti are located at the top of the hill on the north side of the island. Both are approximately 7 minutes from Adamas and the port by car.
📍 Adamas
Adamas (also known as Adamantas) is the biggest town on the island of Milos. This is where you’ll find many shops, restaurants, coffee houses, and the pier (where you can catch a ferry from Adamas to any other Greek island).
Adamas is a beautiful place to stay on Milos, however, there are better experiences throughout the island than staying in Adamas. I only recommend staying here for convenience.
📍 Pollonia
We spent an afternoon roaming around the quiet streets of Pollonia and we fell in love with its small-town charm.
If you’re looking for something outside of the main tourist area, I recommend checking out some boutique hotels or Airbnbs in Pollonia.
Note: Pollonia is also a convenient place to stay if you plan on visiting the nearby island, Kimolos. Hop on the small ferry that will quickly take you across the bay to the sister island of Milos.
Best Time To Visit Milos
We visited Milos island in February and loved every moment of it. However, we do recommend coming when the weather is a bit warmer. This way you’ll be able to take advantage of all the water activities.
I don’t recommend visiting Milos in the dead of summer because you’ll be battling loads and loads of other tourists. The best time to visit Milos is from April to May and again from September to October when the island is relatively quiet.
Best Things To Do On Milos Island
I was blown away by the endless amount of things to do and places to explore on Milos island. We have always heard about how beautiful and amazing Santorini is and while we did enjoy our trip there, we found Milos to be much more exciting with far more things to do.
Visit Kleftiko Beach
You can’t travel to Milos without exploring the island’s most incredible coastline. Kleftiko Beach is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I’ve ever seen.
Here you’ll find epic coastlines surrounded by aquamarine water. The white-rocked cliffs jutting out of the bay, each with unique archways carved out of the middle, are the cherries on top.
To get to Kleftiko Beach, you can choose to drive out to the trailhead and hike or you can take a boat tour. Boat tours to Kleftiko cost quite a bit of money (100+ euro per person) so if you’re on a budget, I really recommend hiking.
We hiked to Kleftiko Beach twice and it was the most incredible experience.
Walk On The Moon At Sarakiniko Beach
Sarakiniko is located just 10 minutes from Adamas and this is the kind of place you’ve only dreamt about. When we arrived at Sarakiniko, it felt like we had just landed on the moon.
The rocks are pure white, which made us feel like we were walking in an all-white-sand desert. The water here was magnificently blue, too, although a different shade of blue than the water you’ll find at Kleftiko.
One of the most exciting parts of visiting Sarakiniko is cliff jumping. Many travelers and locals enjoy jumping from the rocks into the ocean. Be sure to only jump into the ocean where others are jumping.
Check Out The Fishing Village, Klima
One of our favorite adventures during our stay on Milos was visiting the adorable fishing village, Klima. Klima is located just a 25-minute walk from Plaka and Tripiti. You can choose to walk here or drive.
The uniquely painted boathouses located in Klima are a sight that will steal your heart.
These three experiences are some of the best things to do on Milos, but to say that this is just the tip of the iceberg is an understatement. Check out our recent post, 21 Amazing Things To Do in Milos, Greece, for more ideas.
Best Restaurants On Milos Island
While we are traveling, we try our best to save money where we can. Eating out always breaks the bank so we avoid it as much as possible.
Unfortunately, avoiding the restaurants on Milos was an impossible feat. We just couldn’t resist the tempting Greek salads, gyro-style meats, and other traditional cuisines. Here are the three best restaurants on Milos:
Glaronisia
We spent many afternoons and evenings stuffing our faces at this traditional Greek restaurant located in Tripiti.
Be sure to order the gyro pork plate; you’ll be in heaven!
Alevromilos
If you want fresh food, Alevromilos is the restaurant you need to visit while staying in Milos. You’ll find traditional Greek dishes and an incredible ambiance.
Yankos
A local favorite, Yankos, is the most convenient restaurant in all of Milos. Situated directly next to the pier, enjoy a great bite to eat while roaming through the shops of Adamas.
Hidden Gems On Milos Island
In my opinion, Milos is still a hidden gem among the Greek Islands. Most tourists flock to Santorini or Mykonos while Milos flies under the radar. But, as the years go by, more and more people discover the beauty of this island.
I’m typically torn about sharing my hidden gem locations because I don’t want them to become overcrowded by people. I also fear that others won’t take care of these delicate places.
Since I want you to enjoy Milos as much as we did, I will share our favorite hidden gem locations. Before you leave to visit these off-the-beaten-path places, PLEASE remember to pack out everything you pack in. As an island, Milos does an incredible job of providing trash bins. I beg you to use them and leave no trace.
Firopotomas
I fell in love with Firopotomas for several reasons, the first being its hilarious name. Even though I’m sure it isn’t pronounced this way, I can’t help but think of hippopotamuses.
As soon as you arrive in Firopotomas, you’ll realize exactly why I loved this small fishing village so much. Spend an afternoon lounging on the beach, walking along the coastline, or watching the fishermen cast out for the daily catch.
Hot Springs
It actually took us several weeks to figure out that there are hot springs on Milos. To put it lightly, we LOVE hot springs.
There are two hot springs locations on Milos (that we know of). Find the first at Paleochori Beach on the southwest side of the island. Find the second hot spring along the shores of the bay across from the electrical plant.
Plathiena Cliffs
We found Plathiena after hiking to the top of the Venetian Castle of Milos. Seeing this beach from afar sparked our interest so we set out in search of this beautiful bay.
Plathiena is surrounded by cliffs on both sides. One side of the beach is private property (and clearly marked by several stone walls) and the other side is unmarked. We spent several hours on the unmarked side of the beach finding the best viewing location. We highly recommend adding this to your itinerary while traveling in Milos.
Best Beaches On Milos Island
The beauty of visiting Milos is that it has everything: amazing coastlines, beautiful beaches, and quaint Cycladic villages. The hiking is phenomenal and the people are friendly.
Since you’ll be visiting an island, after all, you’ll definitely want to relax at some of the best beaches on Milos.
Paleochori Beach
We loved Paleochori Beach for many reasons. The beach is filled with agates, there is a hot spring nearby, and the restaurant (Sirocco) serves fantastic food.
Since we went to Paleochori Beach in February, we were the only ones there, however, I have heard that the beach remains pretty quiet throughout the year.
Kleftiko Beach
As I mentioned earlier, Kleftiko Beach is a must-visit while traveling to Milos. Lace-up your hikers or book a boat trip to find this breathtaking coastline.
It’s important to note that Kleftiko Beach isn’t much of a beach at all. There are flat surfaces (rocks) where you can layout in the sun, but you won’t find a large sandbar here.
With that said, you should still add this to the top of your Milos itinerary. Bring your swimsuit and sunscreen for an entire day of snorkeling, swimming, and cliff jumping.
Kiriaki Beach
We found Kiriaki Beach by mistake. We were on our way to Tsigrado Beach and took a wrong turn. To our surprise, we found the nicest stretch of beach. It was clean, big, and deserted. I only wish we could’ve experienced this beautiful beach during the hot summer months.
Is Milos Safe?
Not once during our month-long trip did we feel unsafe in Milos. In fact, I would be surprised if Milos wasn’t the safest place in all of Greece.
So to answer the question, is Milos island safe? Absolutely.
The Wrap-Up: Milos Island Travel Guide
Milos is the most underrated Greek Island and the perfect place to plan your next vacation. Use this travel guide to get the most out of your trip to Milos island; we hope you enjoy this piece of paradise as much as we did.
And when you’re done exploring Milos, head over to the nearby island of Tinos for more beautiful beaches, traditional villages and delicious food.
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Finally someone mentions the hike to Kleftiko! In all guides that I’ve read everyone recommends taking the boat tour or renting a boat which seems to be pretty expensive… We love hiking to secluded beaches so we definitely prefer this option. Any tips on that? How difficult is the route? We have done some moderate hikes to beaches in Sardinia and in Portugal but would prefer to know what to be prepared for 😀 Is it a hard beaten path or just rocks? Do you actually get all the way to the bottom (I mean the water)?
Thanks in advance for any tips! <3
Hi Zooey!
I’m glad this has been helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed our hikes down to Klefitko and we HIGHLY recommend doing it. It’s definitely a definitive path, so it’s hard to get lost, but there are a lot of rocks on the trail, so I would wear sturdy shoes. You do get all the way to the bottom; in fact, Mike went swimming when we got there. It was February and not very warm, but it was so beautiful that he had to jump in!
We actually wrote an entire post about hiking to Kleftiko that you can find here: https://mikeandlauratravel.com/kleftiko-milos/