The Complete Milos, Greece Travel Guide

After over a year of international travel being shut down, the world was finally beginning to reopen. Marco and I knew we wanted to travel to Greece, but landing on Milos was part impulse and part thanks to Selena over at Find Us Lost. It could be because Marco proposed the morning after we arrived, or the beautiful weather, or the fact that we got everywhere by ATV, or a million other things that made our time so special, but our trip to Milos was one to take up lots of space in my heart.

I can confidently say Milos is one of my favorite places I’ve ever been to. Known for it’s unforgettable beaches (the infamous Sarakiniko Beach is located here), fresh seafood, quaint towns and beautiful sunsets, Milos is great for couples looking to relax by the beach and the adventurer alike.

In my opinion the best way to experience Milos is by ATV. Greece requires you to have an international drivers permit which you can get through AAA. They will check this before handing over your vehicle so make sure you are prepared. Our ATV was waiting and ready at the airport when we arrived. We packed it full to the brim and headed towards our hotel.

You don’t really need an itinerary when traveling to Milos. We had our map downloaded (always recommend having your map available offline when traveling internationally) and marked with the beaches we wanted to visit and restaurants we’d heard about. Our daily routine consisted mainly of waking up and heading to our favorite breakfast spot for coffee and pastries, heading out to explore a new beach, coming home to shower before dinner and sunset. Rinse and repeat.

*Exploring Firapotomos and the Venetian Castle*

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at Asterias Boutique Hotel, a family-run boutique hotel located between Sarakiniko beach and Papafragas beach – which coincidentally is where we got engaged. The hotel is in an ideal location for exploring the island, but not walking distance to food. Each night we’d take our ATV for a 15 minute drive into one of the seaside towns to grab dinner.

Bonus! There is an amazing local goat cheese shop at the base of the hill leading up to the hotel. Marco and I brought back about 10 wheels of cheese with us and they were all AMAZING. Highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area.

HOTELS IN MILOS

Asterias Boutique Hotel – $ – we loved this family-run boutique hotel. We had a private balcony with a view of the ocean. It was extremely affordable and in an ideal location for exploring the best beaches in Milos. Where I stayed.

Miland Suites – $$$ – luxury boutique hotel located on a hilltop near Adamantas. Beautiful pool with an incredible view if you’d prefer to hang by the hotel. My friends just spent part of their honeymoon here and loved it.

Cave Suites Milos - $$$$ – I remember driving by this hotel while we were visiting Sarakiniko and saying to Marco “when we come back, I want to stay there.” All suites provide a balcony with private pool and panoramic sea views. The famous Sarakiniko beach is located about 1 km away. If I were honeymooning this would be my pick!

Melian Boutique Hotel & Spa – $$$$ – Luxury boutique hotel located in the scenic village of Pollonia. A luxurious retreat right next to the beach. Pollonia has plenty of food options within walking distance.

Skinopi Lodge - $$$ - To be honest….this hotel is my actual dream. A private nine acre property of unspoiled land, hides seven stone villas amongst olive trees, lavender and thyme, on a slope right above the sea.

*Traditional Cycladic homes in Firapotomos*

HOUSES IN MILOS

If I were to do it over again, I would split my time between a bougie hotel and a Cycladic home on the North side of the island. I was mind blown by the houses that just opened up onto the beach. It’s like something out of a movie. Some of the houses behind me in the photo above are rentals Here are a few that I have book marked for next time.

Terra Mare Suites - $$- A unique two-level waterfront property. Excellent location for exploring the island.

Costa Mare - $$$$ - Stunning beachfront 3 bedroom 3 bath villa with private pool in Pollonia

Venia’s Guesthouse – $ – a comfortable apartment-style building with a sea-view patio in the quaint town of Pollonia.

The Cove - $$ - Beachfront Cycladic home

Blue Mare – $$ – a traditional Cycladic beachfront home on one of my favorite beaches on the island

WHERE TO EAT

Kivotos ton Gefseon - we began every morning at this little patisserie. It is hands down the best pastry shop in all of Milos. It’s also a great shop for locally made gifts to bring back with you to the states. Try their watermelon pie and baklava.

Astakas Cafe Restaurant - Amazing sunset! Go walk around Klima and then come here for a romantic dinner. We found this to be one of the better meals on the island and you can’t beat the ambiance.

O! Hamos! Tavern - Legit the best meal of our trip. A truly authentic Greek tavern. We came here twice for the lamb cooked in paper. It was so good.

Sirocco Volcanic all day restaurant - The food here was amazing. Come for lunch and get lounge chairs with umbrellas (free if you are eating here!). The ground is so hot your food is cooked in the sand. It’s also the best beach to go to if it’s windy on the island.

Medusa - located adjacent to Mandrakia beach, and serves up fresh fish right on the water. The view is beautiful, but If I’m being honest I found the food here to be underwhelming. However it’s the most popular restaurant on the island so maybe we went on an off night.

Ergina - Greek restaurant serving up homemade pasta and lots of other Greek specialties. Beautiful view of sunset.

Yialos - Excellent restaurant with tables right on the water. The saganaki with honey was incredible.

WHERE TO BEACH

PAPAFRAGAS BEACH

This beach is where I got engaged, so I’m quite partial to it. It’s actually made up of two ‘fingers’ of water that carved the rock out from the ocean. It’s calm and quite secluded so Marco and I enjoyed coming here for romantic swim

FIRIPLAKA BEACH

The rocks here are a beautiful red color. As we drove up on our ATV I felt as though I was in a movie. It was absolutely one of my favorite beaches and has a traditional “beach club” vibe with umbrellas, chairs and food/drink options.

SARAKINIKO BEACH - A unique beach made of lava that’s been bleached by the sun and sea. I would recommend getting here super early to avoid the crowds as it’s the most ‘touristy’ beach on the island. Despite the crowds, it’s absolutely stunning and a must visit on your trip. Especially beautiful at sunset.

PALIOCHORI BEACH - We had such a lovely day here. Restaurants on this beach will cook your food on the sand. There are lounge chairs and umbrellas here, and it’s the best beach to go to if it’s windy on the island. The sand is unbelievably hot here so be sure your sandals can slip on and off easily.

FIRAPOTOMOS BEACH

A pristine stretch of beach protected by the nearby cliffs. Known for its white-washed houses, and nearby cliff jumping spots. This was one of my favorite beach days. It felt very secluded and if we were to come back I would want to rent one of the Cycladic houses here that opens up onto the beach.

KATERGO BEACH

Marco and I chartered a private sail boat one of our days in Milos and the captain said this was his favorite spot on the island. So….away we went. A very special and secluded little stretch of crystal clear ocean. Truly unique and hidden away from the crowds, this beach was quite a journey to find. It’s roughly a 15 minute hike down from where you can park your ATV. Once you arrive you will find abandoned buildings and caves to explore. Excellent spot for snorkeling. From here (if you’re craving more sand) head to Gerontas Beach.

GERONTAS BEACH

A hidden treasure. One of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in Milos. Some boats will stop here on the way to Kleftiko. It’s about a 20 minute walk down to the beach from where you park (same parking as Katergo)..

*Exploring Milos and the surrounding islands by boat*

MILOS BY BOAT

There’s no better way to experience Milos than by boat. We headed down to the port one morning and flagged down the captain of the private sailing yacht “Kirki.” After agreeing on a price we arrived the next morning and spent the most MAGICAL day at sea. When it came time for lunch our captain Fotis got in the water, caught a fish and prepared it for us right there! We explored all over the island, plus some islands only accessible by boat. This is who we did our sailing day with and we cannot recommend them highly enough. Worth every penny.

*Unbelieveable view along the road to Katergo*

GET LOST ON AN ATV

One of our best and most memorable days on the island was trying to find Katergo Beach that was recommended to us by a local ship captain. We ventured to the remote Western part of the island and spent all day getting lost. It was magical!

SUNSET AT THE VENETIAN CASTLE

one of the highest points on the island, this castle dates back to the 13th century. If you don’t mind climbing stairs, this is one of the best spots to catch sunset. I’d recommend getting there at least a half an hour before sunset to snag a spot. Marco and I parked ourselves on the roof of the church and headed down the hill to Plaka for dinner in town afterwards.

All images for this blog post were created in collaboration with Marco Pannella.