When we decided we wanted to go to Greece and explore some islands, we jumped online and started researching like usual. We knew we wanted to see Santorini, but what to do with the rest of the time was yet to be determined. Seeing as there are thousands of islands, with over 200 inhabited, we quickly found out that it would be tough to pick a handful based on reviews. We reached out to some friends who honeymooned in the Greek Isles and got a piece of the best firsthand travel advice we may have ever gotten: Go to Milos.
We traveled to Milos in 2015. At this time Milos was still very much off the beaten path. Since that time I feel that Milos has definitely had a bit of a moment. It is getting more attention, influencers are starting to head there, and it is becoming increasingly popular. However, I still feel that the average traveler is unaware or unmotivated to hit up Milos.
Milos is other worldly. The rocky formations and 40+ beaches make it a glorious place to get away from the crowds and take part in a relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle. Like many of the other Greek Islands there is plenty of amazing seafood, picturesque views & is a perfect place to rent a Quad and just explore. It doesn’t have the traffic that some of the more popular islands have, so jumping on an ATV and cruising the island roads or off-roading to get to a number of secluded beaches feels safer and lacks any intimidation.
Once we decided Milos would be one of our stops while on our 2-week Greek adventure, our first decision was whether to hotel or Airbnb. Seeing as we took this trip with another couple, it made financial sense to rent a home, and we couldn’t be happier with what we found. The house we found on Airbnb was in a traditional fishing village on the island called Klima. It is a row of colorful homes directly on the water, I mean that literally; they are built so the front sidewalks connecting the row homes have sea water splashing up to the front doors of the houses. We fell in love with the images online & quickly reserved our stay. As with most private home rental situations in order to get into the house we had to get our hands on the keys (which is not exactly as easy as walking into a hotel reception). After going back and forth via email with who we found out was the more English-fluent daughter (Irene) of the owner, she ensured us that we would be picked up “by the man in a hat” once we landed at the airport, who was her father (Fragiscos). Being used to going to large international airports, the fact that we would be able to pick out one man in a hat became an ongoing joke between us. We took a quick hopper jet to the Milos Airport (4 of us sitting in the back row like a bus) from Athens, and realized that there actually would only be one man in a hat… the airport was tiny! We immediately spotted our man-in-the-hat, a testament to the small, personal feel of this paradise they call Milos. Fragiscos spoke little English, but enough to explain the importance of following the signs on the twisting, turning route to Klima.
Our stay in the house was fantastic, it felt like living in a storybook. The old, wooden double front doors opened up from the sea & stone walkway into a living room & kitchen, with steep stairs leading to an upstairs with 2 bedrooms and a cute porch. The mornings sipping coffee in the living room with the doors wide open, letting in the light of the rising sun and the salty sea breeze all around us are memories that we will cherish forever. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I wish could last forever. While we easily could have stayed in our quaint home the entire time we were in Milos, there was much to see & explore!
On our first day there, we walked up the hills away from Klima and the sea (and surprisingly didn’t get lost!) to Moto Christos, where we had reserved a couple of quads. Living in a city, we had rarely driven them before and were slightly nervous about it, but like I mentioned the island didn’t have much traffic and it was a quick & easy learning experience. We were soon off on our way around the island with map in hand, on a mission to find the best beaches. Of the dozen or so that we stopped at in the time we were there, the most memorable would have to be Sarakiniko, which looks like it is on another planet. Formed from volcanic rock, the white landscape resembles the moon & makes Milos’ blue waters seem even more so. It is probably the most popular beach on the island, and a quick image search of the beach will explain why. During our drives around the island, we discovered several smaller restaurants that proved to be some the best food in all of Greece (our opinion of course). One of which was a place called Madusa’s, and it was the first time we’d seen freshly caught octopus roped up & drying in the sun. Riding our quads was a highlight of the trip, it allowed us to see the island by road, beach & rocks in the limited time we had there.
Apart from riding around the island, we got to explore a bit on foot as well. When we are away, we make it a point to jog around the places we visit so we can scout out places we’d like to spend more time in later. At the very least, it gives us an opportunity to get a quick glimpse of life in the surrounding miles of where we are staying. We discovered some old catacombs right by Klima while on one of our runs, and went back to explore the crypts and hear the stories of who was buried there. We also found a couple of trails which we hiked later, leading to the ruins of an old theater and churches high above the rest of the town offering breathtaking views. While we had to bypass angry roosters, and at times felt like we were trespassing, it was an easy hike that proved to be well worth the sweat.
The best part of being in Milos was the 12 hour boat ride we took with Milos Adventures Sailing Excursions. Considering it was a full day with meals and drinks included, it was very inexpensive (only $100 per person in 2015) and we ate the best meal we had while in Milos, compliments of the deckhands (more like chefs!) who prepared an octopus they caught with a line trailing the boat. We met at the docks near the main port around 8:30 and boarded the ship with about 10 other guests for our trip around the island of Milos. The crew was amazing and made sure to point out local landmarks, rock formations, and the crypts within the caves on Milos’ rocky cliffs while we lounged on the catamaran netting on the front of the boat. Over the course of the day we drank Alpha beer, stopped at a few beaches and swam in water so blue that you would swear had an Instagram filter. To this day we still haven’t seen those same shades of blues & teals. We also got to snorkel and cliff jump near coves where pirates used to dock their ships. Eventually, with our bellies full, heads light, and skin tanned, we rounded the coast toward the port with the sun setting behind us, not believing how fast the day went.
Milos is, without a doubt, a diamond in the rough. It lacks the intense tourism of islands like Santorini & Mykonos, yet offers so much more. It may not be the nightlife or shopping capital, but what it lacks in commercialism is what gives it so much charm: it’s authenticity. All it takes is one ride around the island to realize the island is a paradise. If there is one take-away from this post, it is that I’d recommend you try and get to Milos before it is further discovered by the masses.
Plan for me dani 