Milos is 1 of 56 islands found in the Aegean Sea and forms part of ‘The Cyclades’. ‘Cyclades’ refers to the islands forming a circle around the sacred island of Delos.
I quickly fell in love with the island of Milos for two reasons: the beaches and the fact that because it is a smaller island, less tourists know about it. Although it is a small island there is so much to do and see.
Here are some of the best things to do in Milos!
Firiplaka Beach
Firiplaka was hounds down my favourite thing about Milos. Firiplaka is located on the South side of the island and is definitely the most breathtaking beach we visited during our time in Milos.
There is definitely a bit of a trek to get to this beach as you have to walk downhill for a couple of minutes but the view along the way are amazing. You can basically park off to the side anywhere along the road down but the closer you get the harder it will be to find parking so I suggest parking up a bit farther and walking down. That way you will be able to find a spot and still have room to turn around to get back up the hill.
Once you get down the hill you will have to walk in the water along some slippery rocks so be careful! Once you get through this spot you will walk along a small ledge to get around a small building and then you are there! This beach is definitely not wheelchair accessible, as you do have to walk in the water for a few steps to get to the ledge. Make sure to take your time and be careful because it is easy to slip on one of the rocks and fall.
There isn’t anywhere in the close vicinity for food or water so make sure to pack some if you plan on staying for a few hours, which I definitely recommend. There is also a limited amount of beach umbrellas (about 6 umbrellas) so definitely play it safe and bring your own if you can.
Next time we are in Milos (that’s right! We will definitely be back), I plan on packing an umbrella, picnic lunch, snacks and water and spending the entire day at this beach. The water was the clearest I have ever seen and was very calm given that it was a windier day. There is soft white sand along the beach, which makes laying on the beach for an entire day easy to do.
If you have enough time to devote a day to this beach then absolutely do it! You will not be disappointed. I even found myself getting slightly emotional when leaving this beach as it was extremely beautiful and I just could not believe I was there.
Sarakiniko Beach
Sarakiniko Beach was actually the first thing I fell in love with when I was researching things to do in Milos. Sarakiniko Beach is actually surrounded completely by volcanic rock. There is a small portion of sand with one tree but if you don’t show up early enough you will most likely find yourself setting up for the day on the volcanic rock. Make sure to bring lots of sunscreen and a hat, as you will spend most of your time here in the sun!
It was pretty windy while we were here so the water was pretty rough so we were not able to venture too far out into the Sea. I was actually hoping we would get to do some cliff jumping here but due to the rough water it was not safe enough to do so.
Regardless, we spent a few hours soaking up the sun, swimming in the sea and just enjoying the beautiful landscape here.
Catacombs
I was a little hesitant to visit the catacombs for two reason: one, I’m not a huge history buff and two, I don’t feel comfortable going underground. I decided to give it a go as I was in Greece and didn’t want to leave with any regrets!
I was pleasantly surprised to find out how well organized this experience was. After purchasing tickets you wait for your number to be called. A tour guide will take you down in to the catacombs with a small group for approximately a 15 minute tour. This was actually the perfect amount of time to spend down there as we had enough time to look around the area while our guide provided us some history about each area we were exploring.
Just as an FYI – you are not allowed to have the flash on your camera when taking pictures in the catacombs so please respect this request.
Ancient Theater of Milos
The Ancient Theater of Milos was built during the Hellenistic period as a place to hold festivals.
The theater is about a 5 minute walk from where you park to go to the Catacombs so this was an easy stop for us. There is a bit of a rocky downward walk to the theater so make sure you are wearing good shoes so that you don’t trip or fall.
If you are here visiting the catacombs definitely stop in to check out the theater as it is a pretty cool space with a great view. They have clearly been doing some renovations to the theater as some spots were sectioned off and other sections had been recently repaired.
Mandrakia
Mandrakia was actually another reason I was drawn to Milos. Located on the Northern part of the island you will find this quaint fishing port, which is absolutely stunning! There is actually a hotel and restaurant located here in case you are looking for a unique place to stay that is in a more secluded part of the island. I will warn you that you have to drive up/down a pretty steep road to get here so I could not see myself making that drive everyday had we decided to stay there.
There is definitely a certain peace and quiet to this area though. There are not many tourists here and there is a very easy-going relaxing feeling about Mandrakia. The water is super clear here and gets deep enough to enjoy some swimming in the port. I wouldn’t suggest swimming outside of the port, as it can get pretty rough out there.
Although I didn’t quite enjoy the drive up or down it was an absolutely gorgeous view and I definitely enjoyed relaxing there and going for a quick dip!
Tsigrado Beach
Tsigrado Beach was certainly near the top of my list but unfortunately we just did not have enough time make it there. This spectacular beach is definitely not for the faint of heart as you have to climb down a narrow ladder in order to access the beach, but once you do you will not be disappointed!
Located on the Southern part of the island close to Firiplaka Beach nestled between two cliffs will definitely be one of the more difficult beaches to get to.
There is only a small portion of beach here but as it is a more difficult beach to get to it is likely there will not be many people here. There also won’t be much shade in this area as there isn’t any trees or umbrellas set up so if you can safely manage to bring on down with you, I definitely recommend it!
Because of its secluded location, make sure to pack lots of sunscreen, a hat, food and water, as you will not be making several trips up and down the cliff. Once you do make your way down to the beach you will be able to enjoy the calm secluded area and relax and enjoy the views!
Kleftiko Caves
As it was fairly windy during our stay we decided not to do a boat tour to the Kleftiko Caves. However, the next time we are in Milos we will definitely be adding this to our list of activities as I have heard several great things about the boat tours in Milos!
Unfortunately, Kleftiko Caves are only accessible by boat so you will have to book a tour or rent a boat if you want to see them.
For such a small island, Milos definitely has a lot to offer and is definitely Greece’s hidden gem! If you are planning a trip to Greece in the near future I highly recommend visiting Milos. There is plenty to do and see while in Milos so you certainly won’t be bored!
