Milos, Greece: The New Island Escape

After checking off the bucket list islands of Santorini and Mykonos, you may yearn for a little more peace and quiet. Look no further than to the West, where you’ll find Milos, the Cycladic’s southwesternmost island. In contrast to the busy streets of Santorini and Mykonos, you’ll find more intimate, if not deserted, paths on Milos. 

I arrived at this volcanic island by ferry from Naxos in late-June, when the weather was still comfortably hot by the beach and before the French and Italian frequenters had arrived. My family and I were picked up from the Port of Adamas by Michael, the proprietor, and his father, Captain Zeppos, the hotel’s namesake. I was lucky enough to sit with Michael, who provided an impromptu tour on our drive to Pollonia. I wish I had my pen and notebook handy because tips were overflowing.

Where we stayed

As we settled into the waterfront boutique hotel in a Pinterest-ready, white-on-white top floor suite, we were greeted with the utmost hospitality by his family. We received a procession of juice, espressos, croissants, sandwiches, and the most wonderful crack-like cookies to fill our bellies as Michael filled our minds with all of his favorite beaches and activity options during our stay. Thankfully he wrote on a map as he talked because I was preoccupied by crack-cookies. 

Decisively, what we needed to explore the island was a car. No scooters this time; the roads were too slippery. Since we had not made previous arrangements, we rented Michael’s car for the week. We hit the travelers jackpot with Captain Zeppo’s Boutique.

I spent the rest of our first day laying out on our white deck in my obligatory white swimsuit while I watched my mother-in-law and my brother-in-law disappear across the turquoise water in kayaks. Bliss. 

Beaches

Milos’s 70 beaches run the gamut from crowded to deserted, so finding one that’s just right is relatively easy. My favorite was the first one we visited - Alogoandra, just west of the better known Konstantinos. It’s beautiful and quiet. On the other side of the beach, there is a little walking path that leads to a narrow channel you can swim down that’s breathtaking. As you drive west from Pollonia and Alogoandra, you’ll find Sarakiniko beach, nicknamed moon beach for its appearance. There is a truck parked in the parking lot if you need to reload on water or grab a snack. 

We had picked up bread, cheese, and fruit around our hotel to have a suitable picnic on the white-grey moon rock before cliff diving and swimming. As you can guess, Sarakinikos doesn’t have much sand to sink into so we moved further west to Firopotamos. Driving down the road to the beach and finding parking was a bit tricky but we were rewarded with calm waters and sandy beaches that ran right up to the doorways of local houses. We laid our towels in the shade of a home, as the homeowners sat in plastic chairs sipping beers right outside their garage door. Imagine if people just laid down in your driveway everyday sunbathing; quite a wonderfully odd arrangement. 

In Town - Kind Of

One afternoon, we made the trip to the ancient town of Tripiti, or at least we tried. Not knowing where to park, we parked where we saw other cars and set out on foot. I’m pretty sure we walked through more than a few backyards. Our efforts walking through the hot sun seemed fruitless until, until we stumbled upon the best view ever. In nearby town Plaka, where everyone was hiding or siesta-ing, we found a spot, right in front of a church that overlooked the gulf of Milos. It was unreal. After 30 minutes of basking in our find, we set back to Pollonia. Plaka is said to come alive at night but we didn’t stay long enough to find out. We were also told that the sunset near Papikinou beach and Kanava were worth a visit. But we were perfectly happy returning to our corner of Pollonia, with its own street of quaint restaurants. 

A Lap Around the Island

The best and most efficient way to see the island’s nooks and crannies is to sign up for an all-day private or small group boat tour. This became one of our favorite days in Greece. Our all-inclusive excursion took us clockwise from the docks of Pollonia to a handful of secluded beaches and snorkeling spots. We spotted hidden beaches (including Tsigrado Beach which literally requires visitors to climb down numerous ladders to get to), old mining rigs, and the gorgeous cliff sides along our journey. We stopped at Kleftiko Beach where we had lunch before snorkeling through tunnels and getting onto a smaller motor boat to explore tucked away caves. We were exhausted after eight hours of being on the boat and swimming, but it was a magical experience.

Milos left an impression. Discovering its quiet beauty and warm hospitality reinvigorated my love for Greece. Although Greece has become one of the world’s most iconic and visited island groups, I hope Milos keeps its smooth cool.