Milos

Milos Bay was formed when the a volcanic crater was flooded with sea water. The bay is over 100 metres deep in places. The bay is contained between two halves of the island joined by an isthmus. The bay is so deep that large vessels can moor in the sheltered waters.

The port and harbour of Adamas was used in times past to transport minerals and ores from the mines across the island. Today the harbour caters for island ferries and some pleasure craft.

Lagada Beach is a small beach west of Adamas town. It can be reached by walking along the water front or by the road which runs along the back of the town. The beach is generally quiet.

The town of Adamas is fairly small though has plenty of accommodation and many restaurants. The town is very picturesque when first viewed on arrival by ferry, as the towns white washed builds are on an incline overlooking the harbour.

Plaka is on a hilltop, about 5km from the port of Adamas. The road from the harbour to the Plaka is fairly steep in places. Again the town is picturesque with it's white cubed buildings and dome church. The remains of a fort are on a hill above the town.

The Archaeological Museum in the lower part of the town is worth a visit. It has a plaster copy of the Venus de Milo. The original Venus was found a short distance away near the catacombs. The artefacts in the museum date back over many periods and go back as far as 3500 BC.

The Kastro, accessible via a path from the Plaka was built by the Ventian's. It's position half way up a volcanic plug, gives it a commanding view over the Aegean and approaches to the harbour. On top of the hill or plug is a number of churches. It is worth walking to the top church and admire the views over the island.

The catacombs on the edge of the village of Trypiti ( which is near Plaka) were built by the Christians in 1st century AD. The catacombs are carved into the hillside. A tunnel or central walkway passes lines and lines of arched niches in which bodies were interred, often as many as 7 to niche. There are approx. 300 tombs though manyt are not on public view.

Trypiti is a small village on the plains below the Plaka. The village overlooks the sea. It has a number of restaurants, many of which are popular with visitors to the catacombs and the sea village of Klma.

On the south west side of the harbour towards the entrance of the bay at Bani, there are remains of a number of mines. The island is rich in minerals and ores. Obsidian has been mined on the island for thousands of years.

A sea trip along the west coast is interesting though the landscape becomes even more amazing further south of Triades.

At Sykia there is a large arch in the white chalk cliffs that open into an open top inner cavern. The sea water inside the cavern has a sulphurous blue colour.

The views from Sykia around the headland to Kleftiko are some of the most amazing on the island.

Just a short distance around the southern headland are the towering white sea stacks and cliffs of Kleftiko, set in an turquoise blue sea. This is a popular area for swimming, snorkelling and kayaking.

The white, black, red and pink cliffs along the coast around Gerontas and further east can be breath taking to view when the sun is shinning directly on the rock face.

Around the southern coast there are a number of beaches from Kypos to the Tsigrado headland. Some of the beaches can be difficult to reach, though there are dirt roads down to the coast at Kypos.

The mountains are lower around Provatas and a small community lives close to the shore. This is a popular beach area for visitors, who come from Adamas by quad bike or the irregular bus.

Firiplaka is another beach area set against an amazing mountain and cliff back drop.

The views around the Tsigrado headland can be stunning. There is a beach along the cliffs but you need to be fit to climbdown the rickety ladder.

Kamalos has a small sandy beach at the base of a towering sandstone cliff. As the cliff erodes, rivers of fresh sand flow down the cliff adding to the sand piles below. The area is popular with swimmers but is only accessible by boat.

The finest beach on the south coast is at Ag. Kriaki. The beach is well developed with amenities and is reasonably accessible from Adamas.

The towering red,white and pink cliffs around Paleohori have an oddity an eye shape in the cliff face overlooking the sea.

The amazing rock formations continue up the east coast and long past the old sulphur mines. The mine workings can be seen from off the coast. There is a small beach at the mines which is accessible from the sea or by quad bike from Adamas.

The island with it's quaint sea front bars and restaurants is easily accessible from Milos. The island has a long history and an interesting geography. In one of the inner valleys there is a massive mushroom shaped rock formation,called Skiada, which has been eroded by the wind. The island is on a ferry route from Milos to Paros. Water taxis take passengers across to the larger island of Milos.

Pollonia on the north east tip is the third largest community of the island and is popular with visitors.

The amazing rock formations continue along the northern coast - Kalogeros is large rock just jutting out of the sea while the volcanic rocks at Glaronissa appear to be fluted like organ pipes.

The white rocks and cliffs of Sarakinniko take on a lunar appearance. The area can be accessed by land from Adamas or by boat.

As the land turns south again, you start to enter the volcanic crater and the natural harbour of Adamas. The strange rock shapes continue along the coast until the bay opens out at Adamas town.

With the town of Plaka above, the small beach ( easily accessible ) has an idyllic setting as the sun turns towards the evening sky.

There is a small community around the headland at Fourkovouni.

The village of Klima is best seen in the evening and from the sea as the sun sets on the colour houses which line the the waterfront.