Milos, Greece

Milos is the southwesternmost island in the Cyclades group, 120 km (75 miles) due east from the coast of Laconia, in Greece. It is notable for its volcanic soil and for the rich deposits of minerals that lie beneath. Milos has over fifty sandy beaches and others with sharp rocks and caves.

Milos is famous for the Aphrodite of Milos (Venus de Milo), a Hellinistic work of about 150 BC –which was discovered in 1820. A plaster copy of this master piece of art can be seen in the island's Archaeological Museum while the original is in in Louvre museum in Paris.

Plaka is the main town on the island. It is built on a rather flat valley and displays Cycladic arthitecture. On top of the hill, the ruins of a Frankish castle can be examined, and a beautiful view is available for those doing the 30-minute climb to the top. Plaka also has a must-see cemetery (if you can call a cemetery a must-see!).

Adamas, one of the safest natural harbors in the Aegean, is a particularly charming spot, with whitewashed houses, cobbled alleyways and balconies crammed with flowerpots. The Historical and Folklore Museum has a collection of folk artifacts, samples of the island's minerals, photographs, and historical documents of the greatest interest.

Things to See & Do

* Sea Caves
* Monastery of Agios Ioannis o Siderenios
* Adamas
* Plaka & the Plaka Cemetery
* Christian Catacombs

General information

Cruise Season – Feb to Dec
Currency - Euro (€)
Language – Greek
Land Area – 160.1 km²
Population – 5,000
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC plus two hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 30

Port Location – The port is located in the harbour town of Adamas, on the north side of Milos Bay.

Travel Links - There are several ferries from Piraeus (6-8 hours with ferries and 4 hours with highspeed), Kythnos, Sifnos, Serifos and Kimolos. Milos is also connected with Santorini, Folegandros, Symi, Rhodes and Karpathos. From Pollonia (in the north of the island) there is a frequent service to Kimolos island. There are also flights from Athens International Airport.

There is a bus service from the port Adamas to the capital Plaka, Tripiti, Chivadolimni, Provatas and Paleohori beach, Pollonia and Zefiria village. Boats offer excursions to Emporios, around the island and the nearby caves. Taxis, car and motorbike rental is also available.