Milos is a small but beautiful volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of islands in Greece. It is known for its lunar landscapes, for being the place where the famous Venus of Milo statue was found (it is currently in the Louvre in Paris) and, of course, for its stunning beaches.
While there is a huge variety of things to do when you visit the island, relaxing by one or several of the beaches in Milos is truly the perfect way to enjoy your Greek holidays.
How to reach the beaches in Milos?
There are many beaches in Milos, and some of them can only be reached by boat. For this reason, I would recommend checking out some boat tours that will take you to some of the most beautiful beaches that you cannot get to by land. I won’t talk about them in here though, as I personally have not done it, though I will definitely book one for next time!
To reach the beaches in Milos by land you have several possibilities, that I will detail below. During our stay, we only booked and ATV/quad bike for one day and did the rest by taxi or public transport.
- Car rental: many recommend this option, but I feel like this is probably quite impractical, as cars are harder to park, and the roads can be narrow or in poor conditions. It has however the advantage of having A/C and of offering protection against the scorching hot sun on the island.
- ATV or scooter rental: if you are comfortable with either one of these, I’d recommend this cheaper solution to explore the island more in-depth and go to less famous places that are not accessible by public transport. It is also easier to park than a car, but doesn’t offer the same comfort.
- Taxi: Milos is quite small, so you won’t be charged a lot to go from one part of the island to another (for reference: to go to a beach on the South to one on the North, we paid around 15 euros). However, this can add up pretty quickly and you’ll have to call the taxi to come pick you up if you are not in the main city where they are usually based.
- Bus: there are some buses departing Adamas that can take you to some of the most popular places for just a few euros, but keep in mind that there aren’t a lot of them, and you have no way of knowing where the bus is until it’s finally there. It is however a good solution that can easily be coupled with a taxi ride for instance.
Beautiful beaches in Milos
The unique coastline of Milos offers visitors the possibility to swim in crystal-clear water by golden sandy beaches, chalky white rock formations or quaint fishing villages. Since this island is a bit less travelled-by than the most famous Mykonos or Santorini – even though its popularity is rising – you’ll also have the added benefit of having less crowds.
Note: The word for beach in Greek is paralia, so you’ll probably come across it a lot when you’re on the island.
Sarakiniko
Out of all the beautiful beaches in Milos, I’d say that if you only had to check one out, it would be Sarakiniko. It is the most famous beach in Milos for a reason: its chalky-white rock formations make it one of the most unique beaches I have ever seen, creating a stunning moon-like landscape. It is also perfect for sunset, with lots of nice and quiet spots to watch the sun go down the horizon.
Most people go there when they visit Milos, so it can be quite crowded, but it is absolutely worth it. You won’t get stretches of sand as it is a rocky beach, but the sea is still easily accessible. You also can just walk around it as this already allows you to take in all the beauty of the place.
Tsigrado
Tsigrado is also another much-talked-about beach in Milos, its popularity linked to the fact that it is only accessible by climbing down a ladder between two huge rocks. Since it is so secluded, less people know about it or actually go there as it can be quite dangerous. This is maybe why the water there has such a stunning turquoise hue, which is nothing short of idyllic.
However, due to its very small size, it is not the most enjoyable if there are a lot of people – which was the case when we went there, as this beach is more and more talked about. It can also get quite windy and the sand of the beach and of the cliffs all around will get in your eyes and hair.
Fyriplaka
Located a few minutes away from Tsigrado beach, Fyriplaka is another of Milos’ most beautiful beaches. Its water is just as crystal-clear as its neighbour’s but it is so much bigger, meaning it is easier to find a quiet spot and just relax, taking in the beautiful surroundings and laid-back Greek-holiday lifestyle. There is also a beach bar selling fresh drinks, water and ice cream.
Even though Fyriplaka seems more like an “ordinary” beach, I loved it because it was nice and quiet, and overall more relaxing than the Tsigrado experience I just had!
Plathiena
Plathiena beach is located in the northern part of Milos, and it is far less famous than the other ones I’ve mentioned. It is also the first accessible beach for wheelchair users that I saw in Greece (there were several)! The area and scenery there are simply stunning with a bit more of a wilderness to them. It was also really peaceful, even though there seemed to be quite a bit of seaweed in some parts of it.
There, you’ll also find a small place selling some drinks and snack, that also rents out beach chairs and beach umbrellas.
Papikinou
This beach is located in Adamas (or Adamantas), the town you’ll arrive to when you reach Milos with the ferry boat. It is also the main city of the island, and you’ll find there plenty of hotels and accommodation, restaurants, shops and bars. It is a great town to walk around in, but it also has a very cute beach, if you walk along the coastal road for about 10/15 minutes.
This beach is quite narrow but very long, and it is easy to get to even if you don’t have a car or scooter, but it can be a bit busy during the day. It gets almost empty in the evening and around sunset, making it the perfect spot to watch the sunset or for an evening swim.
Bonus: the fishing villages
I’ve listed my favourite fishing villages in Milos in this post. You can of course check them out on their own, but you can also swim there too! Not all of them have a proper sandy beach and you won’t find beach infrastructure, but it’s totally possible to swim there. I had a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear water around Mandrakia, and many people were swimming in Firopotamos!
