Beaches Milos Greece: Most Beautiful & Best Beaches in Milos
/Beaches in Milos: The Ultimate Guide
START BY WATCHING MY MILOS CINEMATIC TRAVEL EDIT
Table of Contents
Sarakíniko BeachPaliochori BeachPollonia BeachPapafragas BeachVoudia BeachKleftiko CoveFiropotamos BeachMandrakia Bay
NOTE: If you’re curious about any of the specific photo locations displayed in this article, feel free to ask me about it in the comments! For more tips and photos, you can also refer to this detailed guide of my favorite 10 activities to do in Milos.
Milos is one of the most spectacular islands of the Cyclades! Back in late September, Jake and I spent about a week exploring the beaches, coves, and towns around Milos and we loved every single minute of that adventure.
As photographers, we were very impressed by the diversity of landscapes existing on this one single island, especially when it comes to beaches. The island counts over 70 beaches and creeks and boasts some of the wildest landscapes as almost half of the island having been designed a protected nature park. In this article, I’ve written about my favorite beaches in Milos Greece.
If you have some spare time while you’re at one of the beaches in Milos, make sure to help the environment and the locals by doing a few minutes of trash pick-up! There is a lot of plastic that washes up against these shores and as travelers, it’s important that we contribute to keeping this island clean and as plastic-free as possible. For more information on how to protect the ocean, check out my Ocean Guide: 6 Ways to Protect the Oceans Right Now.
Beaches in Milos // 1. Sarakíniko Beach
Nothing compares to the Sarakíniko Cliffs! I had seen pictures of this moon-like landscape before, but walking on it was an otherworldly experience. These low cliffs are dotted with ocean caves and surrounded by crystal clear waters, making it the perfect spot for swimming, cliff jumping, and soaking in the rays.
Depending on what you would like to do at the cliffs, my favorite time to visit was in the early morning and in the evening, when the light is best and it is least crowded. The cliffs start to get busy around 9 am, but if you’re just looking to swim, you will find free spots all throughout the day as there is plenty of space on the rocks to set up a towel. There is a parking lot at the top of the cliffs and from there, it’s a short 5-minute walk to the bottom.
If you’re looking to cliff jump in Sarakíniko, the best place to do it from is just past the big crater-like hole. The tallest jump is about nine or ten meters and the water-depth is about the same. So all in all, a pretty safe jump! Once you’re in the water, the easiest way to climb back up if through that same hole. There are no urchins but the rocks can get slippery so make sure you are careful when you climb back up.
WHERE TO STAY ON MILOS ISLAND, GREECE
Looking for inspiration on where to stay on the island?
Villa windmill is one of the most surprising and delightful Airbnb I’ve ever stayed at. Tucked in the center of the island, this incredible windmill converted into a house makes for the perfect couple getaway. Surrounded by a luxurious garden, the property offers also an epic background for luxury travel photos.
Beaches in Milos // 2. Paliochori Beach
Paliochori beach is located on the South Coast of Milos and is very well protected from the Northern winds which blow in the region. There is plenty of parking right by the beach so you won’t have any problems finding a spot. The best time to visit is in the morning, although you can escape the mid-day sun by getting an umbrella.
Paliochori’s sand is coarse and colorful and the cliffs surrounding the beach take on vivid red colors, owing to its volcanic origin. If you enjoy snorkeling, this is one of the best spots on the island to explore the underwater world. On the beach, there are two restaurants, one of which, Sirocco Restaurant, is very famous on the island for serving « volcano-cooked » food—food cooked in the ground using thermal heat, and I recommend trying that one out if you’re feeling adventurous.
Beaches in Milos // 3. Pollonia Beach
Pollonia beach is most famous amongst the beaches in Milos for its sandy shores, cute little waterfront bars, and restaurants. The beach isn’t the most breathtaking on the island, but it’s very family-friendly and the town is the perfect place for grabbing a bite. The beach is also lined with trees, providing shade at all hours of the day. If you’d like to book a tour to visit the nearby islands of Kimolos and Poliegos islands, here is a good place to do so.
Beaches in Milos // 4. Papafragas Beach
Papafragas consists of three tiny canals passing through high sea cliffs, forming beautiful caves and arches. There are two different parts and beaches to Papafragas, and you should definitely check them both out as they are as different as they are beautiful. You can hike from one spot to the other through the cliffs—takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and there is parking at both locations. Here is a picture of the two different scenic beaches.
If you are choosing to go down to the beach with the archway, please do so mindfully: there are signs advising that these cliffs are dangerous and you need to be aware of your own limits. There are a few other cliff jumping spots in Papafragas, but I would make sure to survey the area with a mask before jumping in! Both Papafragas and Sarakíniko are about a 10-minute drive apart so you can definitely visit both in one day.
Beaches in Milos // 5. Voudia Beach
Voudia is one of the best-kept secrets of the island of Milos. This incredible beach was completely deserted back when Jake and I visited. Only a five to ten-minute drive from Pollonia, Voudia is a rather long stretch of pebble shore within the background, towering pink cliffs. Along its cliffside, Voudia is full of small caves and the water is of an incredible electric blue color. Something not to be missed!
Beaches in Milos // 6. Kleftiko Cove
This was one of the absolute highlights of our trip! Kleftiko Cove is impressive, serene and dramatic and it makes for the perfect backdrop for breathtaking photos. Kleftiko used to be a pirate hideout in the 16th and 17th centuries, and today it still soaked in history as it has remained protected from the Northern winds.
Kleftiko Cove can be reached by hiking, but most people prefer to visit it by paying for a sailing day tour around the island to discover more of the island’s western coast. Jake and I opted for the tour and our boat departed from Pollonia at 9 am and arrived in Adamas at around 7 pm. Jake and I chose a semi-private tour and there were only about 15 of us on the boat. As part of our tour, we got to snorkel around the cove and its caves and loved every single minute of our adventure. The captain was very informative and we enjoyed our lunch on the boat while gazing at these mesmerizing white cliffs. If you’d like to check out the tour we did, click on this link.
NOTE: All the photos in this article were edited with the presets from the Not Just Colour Travel Collection Pack available for sale here. Get -$5 OFF on your next purchase with code: FINDYOURTONE2020. Not Just Colour donates 5% of all its profit to the Environmental Justice Foundation.
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Beaches in Milos // 7. Firopotamos Beach
Firopotamos is a small but very impressive and scenic beach town, about a 15-minute drive from Mandrakia. In terms of beaches in Milos, this was definitely one of my favorite.
The bay has a large white sand beach and is perfect for spending the early afternoon wading in clear waters and exploring the church ruins at the back of the village. The beach is also perfect for families, as the water stays rather shallow for about twenty meters.
If you are looking to bask in the sun there, make sure you come before 5 pm because the sun quickly dips down behind the island and leaves the whole bay in the dark relatively early in the evening. If you’re looking to have lunch around Firopotamos, I recommend driving to Mandrakia and having lunch at Medusa.
Beaches in Milos // 8. Mandrakia Bay
Mandrakia is a small fishing village, situated about 5 kilometers from the capital, Plaka. It’s a very scenic area and the village is home to one of the best restaurants on the island: Medusa. The restaurant serves traditional Greek dishes and seafood, right on the water. Medusa tends to get very crowded for lunch and dinner, and although it’s not very traditionally greek to make reservations, you’ll want to make sure you call to book a space before you show up. They are open late into the afternoon for lunch and Jake and I enjoyed our meal there at around 4 pm.
Mandrakia isn’t the best spot for swimming as there is no beach per se, but from the parking lot, there’s a beautiful overlooking view of the village where you can enjoy the scenic fishing settlement and take a picture.
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