Milos is a beautiful, horseshoe-shaped volcanic island, and the most southwesterly island of the Cyclades in Greece.
With its unique volcanic scenery and an extraordinary array of more than 70 beaches, the” island of color” is a top destination for any nature or travel photography lover.
You’ll find there and below as well old Cycladic-style fishing harbors and old villages that are truly beautiful…
The article below articulates and tries to showcase images of what I consider the top ten most beautiful photographic places in Milos Island 🤩 (even if, as usual, this is subjective and can’t be exhaustive)
Sarakiniko beach
The lunar landscape of Sarakiniko is word-famous and is truly amazing
Like every place in the Cyclades, famous spots attract a lot of Instagrammers so you’ll not be alone there…
So, arriving very early is a must if you want to get some pictures without crowds and get twilight glow/colors on the white rocks…
You’ll be then rewarded with a glorious sunrise ….
The permanently changing light will make its wonders, especially nearby the famous cenote hole
Of course, as the sun goes up, the parking (and the photos) will start to fill with lots of people (not all as photogenic as the girl above 😂). To get the hole fully lit with nobody around will then require a lot of patience (my second name 😢)
That moonscape place, despite the touristic pressure that my images do not show, remains clearly one of the most beautiful spots on Milos Island.
Plaka old town and Venitian castle
While the port of Adamas is the biggest settlement on Milos, the beautiful Plaka old town nearby is the island’s capital … and is a beautiful village.
Kastro district
Above Plaka, you’ll find the Kastro district and fort so-called because of its Venetian walls. This is the most popular sunset place on the island 🤩.
The view from Plaka Castle above Panagia (Virgin Mary) Thalassitra’s church is a must on the island …
The small chapel at the top is a beautiful 360 view, but to get it free of tourists in the evening will require you to wait for the twilight far after the sunset 😢
Like in Santorini, the future and photo spot belongs to those who wake up (very) early 😊…
The crowded church at sunset is, in the morning, empty most of the time 😊.
You’ll then get rewarded for your second climb up there by a 360 degrees panorama at sunrise and golden hours
As the light comes up, that gorgeous place keeps changing and providing endless photography opportunities
When the light reaches the bottom of the church, this is time to get down and explore the old village (still before breakfast 😢) …
Plaka old town
Inhabited since the early 19th century, the old town is where Milos reveals its Cycladic character, with its little whitewashed houses and cobblestone alleyways.
Close to the castle, don’t miss, when going down, the colorful garden and house on the left of the main castle stairway
It is beautiful at different moments of the day if you are brave enough to climb the stairs more than once 😅…
Then just get lost in the narrow streets …
Don’t miss the small, cute plaza …
In the bottom part of the village, it is worth working around the area of the Catholic church of our lady of the Rosary as well.
Firiplaka beach
On the south coast, this narrow, sandy, beach has stunning volcanic cliffs painted in yellows, reds, and whites, providing a unique backdrop to the pristine water.
The beach has umbrellas, sunbeds, and a beach bar for those that want to stay longer, … and beautiful views for others.
The colors of the rocks are stunning, especially mid-morning
Saint Nicholas chapel in Pollonia
Pollonia is a small village (8 miles from Adamas) on the north of the island surrounded by beautiful cliffs
Photographers will come here to discover the colorful Saint Nicholas Holy Orthodox chapel
Light is best mid / end afternoon there.
Mandrakia fishing village
With Klima and Fyropotamos (described below), Mandrakia is one of the three beautiful fishing villages with colorful Syrmata on Milos island
The Syrmata are colorful fishermen’s boathouses literally built into the rocks
The entire small (and touristic) village is like a fairy tale of colors and shapes
… and the view from above the village is breathtaking
Ancient theater and surroundings
Just below the village of Tripiti (near Plaka), you’ll find catacombs built by early Christians fleeing Roman persecution and a large Roman-era theatre that entertained the citizens of Ancient Melos, from the 1st to the 4th century AD.
This is where the inhabitants discovered the famous statue of Venus, or Aphrodite, now in the Louvre Museum in Paris. You’ll find a copy there 😢.
if you’re there, take a small hike up to the little Prophet Elias chapel.
The chapel on its own has “nothing special” but the views on the island are great
Firopotamos fishing village
Firopotanos is another fishing village with a small port and some boats lying around that you can’t miss while being in Milos.
The port has crystal-clear and mirror-like waters, which look like a swimming pool, making Firopotamos beach among the most visited beaches in Milos.
The church Agios Nikolaos is worth having a look
The interior is beautiful …
The pristine waters and rocks around the village are on their own worth a visit as well 🤩
Thiorichia beach and Sulphur mines
The abandoned (since the sixties) sulfur mines are worth visiting to find yourself traveling back in time, with unique colors between the sea and the rocks.
The unpaved road to get there is clearly an adventure as in some areas you can’t cross another car (with a scary cliff drop 😅, but, you can as well get there by boat or hiking down …
This is another must-see place in Milos!
Klima fishing village
Like Firopotamos and Mandrakia Kirma is a small fishing “village “at the entrance of the Bay of Milos.
This is probably one of the most photographed places in Milos with Sarakiniko beach.
The colorful houses are a tradition from the past when families painted their doors in different colors to distinguish the house from others so that when the fishermen could easily spot it and moor in front of it.
Kleftiko cliffs (and caves)
Kleftiko bay and caves are a one-time pirate hangout, dominated by steep cliffs 🏴☠️
Most people will visit it with an organized boat trip from Adamas, which seems to be a lot of fun
Courageous (or nut) photographers and nature lovers will however consider hiking it from above for amazing views of the bay.
This is however not a straightforward hike as you need to drive 45 min on an unpaved road, find the beginning of the track (GPS point 36.66491, 24.34245), hike (down) for a bit less than one hour, and then hike back up for more than one hour. It is beautiful for sunrise and sunset but, as that hike may not be a great idea in the dark (plus poisonous snakes there apparently 🐍), difficult to get more than golden hours of light…
So here is my little view of some of the wonders of Milos. I hope this will engage you to visit the island of colors, a paradise for nature and photography lovers!
If you like that area, you can check my post about Santorini, the world-famous pearl of the Cyclades 🤩.
