Having had an opportunity to sail and drive around almost the entire coast of Milos, we can attest to the fact that she is one of, if not the most, beautiful of the Cyclades islands in Greece. The best beaches in Milos aren’t found in one particular area; they’re spread out around the circumference of the island. The most beautiful Milos beaches can, mostly, be visited by car if you have a 4×4, but there are some that we absolutely love that can only be reached by boat. We recommend you read our Milos travel tips and if you only listen to one or two of our suggestions, rent a 4×4 for the duration of your stay and be sure to hire a boat with our friends at Excellent Yachting to sail around the island.
This Milos beaches map covers most of the beaches worth visiting on the island. Having a 4×4 vehicle will enable you to explore areas that are off the beaten path and not on the map. Milos island is an absolute beauty and her beaches are pretty much all worth a visit!
Arguably our favorite place on Milos island is Kleftiko. The white volcanic cliffs juxtaposed with the clearest blue water you’ve ever seen in your life are an absolutely breathtaking sight. This area can be reached by a combination of car and foot (apparently), but we HIGHLY recommend that you sail around the island and spend a couple of hours at Kleftiko. Kleftiko’s coastline is covered in caves, making it perfect for exploring either by small boat or by swimming if you want a little workout.
If Kleftiko is not our favorite beach on Milos, then we would have to give that aware to Fyriplaka. The long, peaceful, stretch of beach is reminiscent of El Matador State Beach in Malibu or the Algarve in Portugal. Much of the coastline is encompassed by bright white volcanic cliffs, while in other areas the cliffs boast a rainbow of color: red, orange, green, yellow, and blue. Fyriplaka, like many beaches in Greece, is bathing suit optional, so we chose to swim and tan nude like true Greeks. This beach is, perhaps, the best place to swim and tan nude on the island.
Instagram has, unfortunately, been a bit of a catch 22 for travel. While Milos has certainly not seen a tourism boom (yet), Instagram has definitely had its impact on beaches like Sarakiniko. Perhaps the most famous of the beaches on Milos, Sarakiniko transports travelers from Greece to the moon. The white volcanic rock forms one of the most interesting topographies on the island; you will literally feel like you’re on the moon in certain areas. The white rocks form cliffs, craters, waves, and some incredibly unique views. Since Sarakiniko is all rock, you can lay virtually anywhere you want. Sarakiniko is also a great place for cliff jumping if you’re adventurous!
This quaint fishing village is what Greece is all about. The Mediterranean Sea is the nucleus of the Greek culture, so it’s always awesome to visit little fishing villages like Firopotamos and just sloooowww things down a bit. From where we are sitting (in the photo above) and continuing on further to the west (left) mountains encompass the bay of Firopotamos and embrace this little village like a warm hug. The village is nicely tucked away and a bit out of the tourist center; one could drive by on the main road and miss this beach if they weren’t looking for it. This beach is great for a quintessential Greek feeling.
Yiannis and Moises, the captain and first mate of our yacht called Gerakas “Turtle Bay”, but the Milos beaches map above and the proper name reference the beach as Gerakas. This was the last stop on our sailing tour around Milos and a wonderfully peaceful finish to a lovely day of adventure. Similar to other areas of the island, Turtle Bay is beset by massive white volcanic cliffs. At Gerakas, the mineral-rich, white, volcanic rock layers like a beautifully buttery croissant. The beach is only accessible by boat, so depending on the time of day you choose to visit, you might have a private beach to yourself. We visited late in the afternoon and were the only yacht anchored off the shore. This beach is great for swimming, relaxing, and hiding from the crowds.
Just East, Tsigrado shares the same beautiful coastline as Fyriplaka. The cliffs here are reminiscent of Red Beach on Santorini and also have a similar feel to those of you familiar with El Matador State Beach in Malibu. To arrive at Tsigrado, you’ll have to drive down a dirt road and then scale the side of a cliff with a rope and ladder. We didn’t find it challenging, but we caution you to go slowly so that you 1) stay safe and 2) mitigate creating an avalanche of sand that will inevitably dump down on those sunbathing below. This beach is great for adventure and something unique. We personally love when a little challenge is required to reach a beach or destination in nature. It feels almost primal to explore and adventure in such a way that requires more effort than simply driving, paying for a parking ticket, and parking in a paved lot.
Yes, like the Catholic nuns. This beach won’t appear on a map, but you’ll stop here if you embark upon a sailing excursion with one of the major tour operators. This was our first stop of the day and was a great place to swim in the crystal clear water and explore. The actual beach is tiny, but this bay is great for snorkeling and relaxing on a boat.