3 Good Reasons to visit Milos
Like most Greek islands, Milos offers a glimpse into a simpler life, away from the excesses of the modern world. The order of the day includes quaint mountain villages, stunning beaches and an unassailable sense of serenity. It does exactly what it says on the tin. No questions asked. Milo’s late entry into the game has created an almost mystical reverence for its allure. And while it isn’t necessarily an unknown quantity, it straddles the line between hip and mainstream gracefully enough to maintain its charm.
And so the island best known for ‘Venus of Milo’ (in the Louvre for quite some time, now) beckons to those in the know: the intrepid travelers, the romantic adventurers, the loved up couples..
There are, as always, a great deal of things to do and see in any Greek island, and particularly Milos. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 3 real good reasons to visit Milos.
Beaches
In case you hadn’t heard, Milos is the ultimate beach paradise. There are around 80 of them, plus many more inaccessible ones, and considering that the west part of Milos is a virtual wild west landscape with rugged terrain and no development (Ah! The sweet irony of multinationals unwittingly helping the environment) that is damned impressive!
We suggest Sarakiniko beach all day, every day, and twice on Sunday, and the reason for that is that Sarakiniko is unlike anything you have ever seen. The volcanic soil has created a dreamy moonscape right out of Space Odyssey. Truly a sight to behold.
Other beaches worth going to are the Kleftiko cove complex-accessible by boat only-which was a pirate ship repository and offers the chance for some scenic photo opps and some neat dive board plunges into the azure sea. Really, though, the best thing to do is rent a car and explore the beaches at your own pace, taking in as many as you want in a day. We call that beach hopping!
Archaeology
Unknown to most, for reasons that are incomprehensible, lie the mystical Catacombs on the village of Tripiti. Built between the 1st and 5th century AD, this subterranean necropolis is one of 74 Christian catacombs to have been discovered and is considered the second most important cemetery right after the one found in Rome. Still being excavated, 3 layers have been discovered, although only one is open to the public. Many important artifacts were recovered in its 183 meter surface.
Milos has a big prehistoric settlement in Fylakopi, as well, for the history buffs. Dating back to the Bronze Age, ruins of a past Cycladic village were unearthed bearing a wide array of pots and vases as well as the ubiquitous obsidian mineral, which was a big part of the trade back then. In addition to that, you can visit an ancient Roman theater, originally built during the Hellenistic period, cascading on the slopes near the village of Klima.
The Intangibles
We’re gonna borrow a sports term here, if you don’t mind, because we feel that Milo’s energy is something that needs to be pointed out. For first time visitors to Greece, at any rate. And it goes a little like this: The sun is king, and its sister the moon the queen. And when their energies collide you get something special. The Greeks called it the Dionysian energy. We call it the same. And when you experience its visceral intensity you’ll sneer no more.
