Milos best beaches tour

A tour in some of the best beaches of Milos island

wave shaped rock in sarakiniko beach

Hello my friends! We are back in the most beautiful island of the World : The colorful Milos, in Greece.I came in Milos this September 2013 with my friend Tobias Vig from Tampa FL. We stayed in Milos for about 10 days. This was the third time on this island, yet like a new one. Milos  has 70 different beaches distributed on a large and sometimes very wild territory. This time we visited almost all the beaches we had missed in the previous times. But Milos is big, the roads of the island are often dirty roads, and even this time we left something unexplored. I am going to write this Milos beaches review like a daily report of the journey: I hope you will enjoy it.      

"Small Sarakiniko beach"

   Sarakiniko beach and "small sarakiniko" The first day went in the famous beach of Sarakiniko, in the north side of Milos. This beach is normally very windy and water is rough, so we decided to take advantage of a day of calm weather to enjoy the place better. Sarakiniko is the most visited beach of Milos by sightseers, and since we knew the place already, we decided to go far from the crowd. We drove est from Sarakiniko main beach, taking the dirty road before the parking area. After less than a kilometer, passing by a beautiful rocky coast,  we reached the end of the road and parked. From the top we saw what seamed to be a secluded, cozy beach. The hike to reach the bottom was short and easy, and expectations where right. This beach, that we called the small sarakiniko for the high resemblance with the bigger one, is in fact a small gem not even reported on any buck or map.    

"Small Sarakiniko"

St. John / Agioss Ioannis beach : The second day we drove through the West part of Milos, till the beach of St. John, or also Agioss Ioannis beach. This is the wild part of Milos, where you can drive only on dirty roads, and find no facilities at all. This beach is about one hour drive on a good car ( better if Four-wheel drive ) from the port of Adamas. The distance is more than 25 kilometers, of which 15 on the paved road. Saint John beach is three beaches in the same bay, characterized by crystal waters and colorful hillside. Agioss Ioannis ( Greek name ) is one the best beaches in Milos, and worths the sacrifice of a long drive.

St John beach (Agios Ioannis)

St John beach

St John beach

St John beach / Agios Ioannis

St John beach

Gerontas beach : during the second day, after we visited the beach of Saint John, we stopped at Gerontas beach. Gerontas is in the south coast of Milos, at about 40 minutes drive from the port of Adamas. Gerontas is the last beach on the south coast reachable by car. On the left side of the road, before the mine of Xilokeratia, you will find a small parking area with homemade signals for the beaches of Katergo and Gerontas. The road to Gerontas is on the wright end of the car park, the same road of the mine. This hike is  about ten minutes, or fifteen, in a relatively easy trail.  Gerontas is a sheltered beach surrounded by high cliffs , with fine sand and crystal clear waters. As a scenery : the famous Gerontas arch.    

Gerontas bay Milos

Gerontas arch Milos

Gerontas beach Milos

"Kerkides" Psathi bay Milos

"Kerkides" The secret beach in Psathi bay  The third day we had a very great surprise : We discovered a new beach ! No because we really discovered a new place for the world. Certainly many of the locals know this place, or some occasional people with boats or scuba gears, but nobody had the good sense or opportunity to report it with a review or a picture. And so we do it, with perhaps the first review and pictures in the web. This place is unknown by tourists, yet one of the most notable of the island. It is situated between Psathi beach and Pounda cape, on the south coast of Milos. Meanwhile we were snorkeling along the left side of Psathi bay, we swam under a small arch of the rocks, and found ourselves in this incredible place. This beach really looks like an ancient theater. A natural semicircle of rocky seats, set in rows like bleachers, and a natural arch at front of it like a scene. For this reason a like to think that the creator of the first theater took inspiration sitting here. After all, there is a preistoric city on this island, and after all, is not forbidden to dream. This beach could be an attraction for tourism but is not even reported on books or maps as I said. For this reason, and for the love I have for this island : I took the advantage and the honor to give this beach a name. With a long research I found a Greek name that was representative for the place itself, and in harmony with the other beaches names, like kleftiko or katergo. I like to call this beach Kerkides. Kerkides is the Greek name for bleachers, the seats of an ancient theater. I hope nobody will be offended by this. A possible way to visit this rock formations in security could be : to contact Kayak Milos for a day excursion. I have seen kayaks coming back in Psathy bay after their excursions.        

"Kerkides" Psathi bay Milos

"Kerkides" Psathi bay Milos

"Kerkides" Psathi bay Milos

Ammoudaraki and Triades : the fourth day we aired a SUV, because we wonted to across all the hills of the west-side, till the bay of Triades, on the West-coast of Milos. Triades is a bay with eight sandy and almost deserted beaches. This beaches are characterized by fine sand and crystal clear waters, in the contest of a wild and almost uninhabited hillside. At the left end of the bay we find the two or three beautiful beaches of Ammoudaraki, meanwile in the right end of the bay, there are the three main beaches of Triades, and some other minor ones. Triades is one of the most scenic and best preserved part of Milos, but also one of the most far. The best way to reach this bay, is to drive west from Hivadolimni to Agia Marina, and continue  on the dirty roads. The road is not bad, but you will need a good car ( better if four wheel drive ) especially for the last part of it. We drove from the port of Adamas to Triades for about one hour.    

Ammoudaraki beach Milos

Ammoudaraki beach Milos

Triades beach Milos

Paliorema and the old sulfur mines : The fifth day, since we had a SUV haired till the late morning, we went to check the road for Paliorema beach. The sulfur mines beach, in the east-coast of Milos. We knew that the roads on this part of the island were difficult roads and sometimes forbidden by scooter renters. Instead we found it easy except for the very last part of it. It was our first time at the sulfur mines and we discovered that this place is one of the most visited places of the island. We also discovered that Paliorema bay is maybe the most scenic spot of the island. A bay of exceptional beauty and colors. Paliorema is better known with the name of sulfur mines beach. This because of the impressive ruins of the old sulfur mine, set on the cliff. This sulfur mine plant was built in 1930 and operated untill 1958. Today this ruins represent an important tourism resource for Milos, even though nobody has provided to restore it yet. Despite the presence o this scenic and interesting ruins, I have been more impressed by the nature of Paliorema bay. A violent beauty made of red vertical cliffs on the deep blue color of the sea. This beach is about twenty minutes by car from Adamas. We preferred to go back later  with scooters, for to avoid all the traffic on the narrow road, and for to park as close as possible at the beginning of the hike.  

 Old Sulfur mines, Milos

Sulfur mines, Paliorema

Paliorema / Sulfur mines

Sulfur mines Milos

Sulfur mines beach

Sulfur mines beach

Skiadi : The mushroom rock of Kimolos  The sixth day we went on the nearby island of Kimolos. Our goal was to see the mushroom shaped rock Skiadi. This is land-form created by wind that is the symbol of the island. We went in Kimolos previously but had no time to make the hike. The funny thing of the story is that, despite this rock is the symbol of Kimolos, we were discouraged by some locals to do the hike. We were told about how long and how hard it cud be. Instead we went to the mushroom rock and came back in less than two hours. The hardest part of it was to find the right directions from the town. Skiadi is situated on the hills over Chora, at about forty minutes from the town if you have a mean of transport. We reached the entry of the hike in ten minutes with our motorbikes, and continued walking on the narrow path for about thirty minutes. The hike is easy, though a little long. The trail passes through a beautiful landscape overlooking the hills of Kimolos and the Aegean sea. If you are planning to do this hike is very important you don't forget water, sunblock and a hat.  

Skiadi mushroom rock Kimolos island

Psathi beach Kimolos: Once back from Skiadi, we were hot and sweat enough to deserve a bath. We went straight to Psathi beach. Psathi is close to the port, and this makes it easy with a ferry's schedule to respect. This beach is also one of the best beaches in Kimolos. A rocky beach with crystal clear waters. Kimolos is a beauty and peaceful island at only twenty minutes crossing from Pollonia.

Psathi beach Kimolos

Pollonia town and Pelekouda beach : Pollonia is 12 kilometers  from the port of Adamas. This is a nice beach town with a seafront rich of restaurants and a long sandy beach. We spent the day in the rocky beach of Pelekouda. This side of the town is quieter than the side of the port, and more suitable for people who like to dive and snorkel. In Pelekouda beach we also find the famous rock Devil's sunbed.  

Pollonia town Milos island

Pollonia beach Milos island

Devil's sunbed, Pollonia

Katergo beach : The eighth day was meant to be our last day in Milos, so we decided to go in a beach that we previously enjoyed so much. This beach is Katergo on the south side of Milos, just before the beach of Gerontas. After a few kilometers from the bay of Kipos, towards Kleftiko, you will find a small parking area just before the entry of Xylokeratia mine. The road to the left is the road for Katergo beach. I advice to walk to the beach from the parking area unless you have a for wheel drive car. Katergo is maibe the place  that better gives the imagine of the wild beauty of Milos. Secluded and surrounded by green uncontaminated hills. The beach is almost rocky and should be the perfect spot for people who like to snorkel and dive. In fact the place is characterized by crystal clear waters and caves, and an interesting undersea life. We enjoyed the day snorkeling and fishing some Limpets for dinner.              

Katergo beach,  Milos south coast

Katergo beach, Milos south coast

Firiplaka beach

Firiplaka beach : The last day we decided to have a easy day before to leave on a ferry to another island. We chose the beach of Firiplaka on the south coast of Milos, next to Tsigrado beach. Firiplaka is a long sandy beach connected with Adamas by a quick paved road. We had never stayed in Firiplaka because we considered it a popular and crowded place. Instead we found in this beach a pleasant and quiet spot where to relax. I believe that Firiplaka can be very busy during the high season but also lovely in other months of the year. In the first part of the beach there is a tavern that rents beds and umbrellas. The second part is wild and populated by nature lovers and naturists.  

Firiplaka beach

Firiplaka beach

Favorite Restaurant in Milos : To conclude I like to add the name of the restaurants where we had the best food. This because eating good in a vacation is certainly one of the thighs that makes a pleasant stay, and because I like to reward people that make good Job. These restaurants are : Archondoula in Plaka chora, and  Barko Tavern in Adamas. We tried almost everything in Archondoula and was everything good. We also eat many times in the pleasant Barko tavern where the owner likes to talk at each table. Tuna and Swordfish steaks were delicious!  

Firiplaka beach

Skiadi mushroom rock-kimolos