Best beaches in Milos, a paradise island in the Cyclades

Milos offers everything you can expect from a dreamy Greek island – charming villages with whitewashed houses, delicious Greek cuisine and gorgeous sunsets over the Aegean Sea. There’s no doubt, though, that the best part about this island is its incredible volcanic beaches.

I’ve been to nine Greek islands, and the beaches in Milos were undoubtedly some of the most beautiful ones I’ve seen in Greece. From long sandy beaches surrounded by colorful cliffs and volcanic formations to hidden coves with dazzling blue water, the coastline of Milos is nothing short of incredible.

In this blog post, I’m covering the best beaches in Milos that you shouldn’t miss when visiting this island. At the end of the post, you’ll also find a map with the exact location of each of these beaches.

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Best beaches in Milos, Greece:

1) Sarakiniko Beach

The spectacular Sarakiniko Beach is undoubtedly one of the best beaches in Milos and one of the most unique beaches in Greece. What makes this beach so special is its volcanic, moon-like landscape with white rock formations. It looks like it belongs to another planet. Exploring this surreal place is one of the top things to do in Milos, so be sure to visit it at least once during your stay.

Along the beach, you’ll find small pools with clear emerald water, rock arches and cliff jumping spots. If you’re brave enough to jump, have a look at where locals do it first (and also how they get back to the shore) to make sure it’s safe, because the sea can be a bit rough here. For those who prefer a more laid-back beach experience, there’s a small sheltered cove with calm, shallow water.

Be aware that there’s no shade from the sun here, so remember to bring sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water.

Sarakiniko Beach tends to get very crowded in the summer months, so if you want to see it with fewer crowds, come here early. We came here to watch the sunrise and stayed for several hours before it got busy. It was amazing to watch the colors of the cliffs change from orange and pink to bright white as the sun rose higher.

If you’re not a morning person, though, you can also enjoy the sunset at Sarakiniko, but there will be more people.

Facilities: A food truck selling snacks and drinks

How to get there: The beach is only a 10-minute drive from Adamas or a 12-minute drive from Plaka. The best way to get there is to rent a scooter, an ATV or a car. It’s very easy to access, and there’s a free parking lot. It’s also possible to get to Sarakiniko by bus from Adamas, but there are only a few departures per day. Check the bus schedules at MilosBuses.

2) Firiplaka Beach

Firiplaka Beach (also spelled Fyriplaka) is located on the southern coast of Milos. It has a large bay with shimmering turquoise water and golden sand, and is bordered by cliffs in shades of orange, pink and white. In the middle of the beach, there’s a massive rock jutting out of the sea with an archway that you can swim through.

Because of its beautiful colorful landscape and calm water, Firiplaka Beach ended up being one of my favorite beaches in Milos. It’s also one of the most popular beaches on the island due to its easy access. However, the beach is quite long, so it never feels overcrowded, and you can always find a more private spot.

Due to its location on the south coast of the island, Firiplaka is the perfect place to escape from the ‘meltemi’, which are strong northern winds that often blow in Milos in July and August.

Firiplaka Beach is also the starting point of kayaking tours that take you to several other scenic beaches along the coastline.

Tip: When you visit Firiplaka Beach, you should also pop over to Tsigrado Beach in the neighboring bay (more about it below).

3) Gerakas Beach

Gerakas is a small sandy beach surrounded by white cliffs on the southern coast of Milos. It’s a secluded and unspoiled beach that can only be accessed by boat and is a popular stop on boat tours in Milos.

What made this beach so special for me was the color of the water. It had probably the most vibrant shade of turquoise I’d ever seen (similar to the Blue Lagoon I visited in Malta). It was unbelievable and completely mesmerizing! For this reason alone, I’d say that Gerakas Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Milos.

The best way to experience this jaw-dropping beach is to grab your snorkeling mask, plunge into the sea from your boat and swim to the shore. You might want to bring a GoPro or a waterproof bag, so you can bring your camera to the shore and capture some photos of this serene place.

4) Firopotamos Beach

Firopotamos Beach (also spelled Fyropotamos) lies in a small cove on the northern coast of Milos. Here you’ll find a bay with pristine turquoise water and a series of quaint houses along the shoreline. The beach consists of a mix of sand and pebbles and has several trees offering shade from the sun. Although the beach is quite isolated, it gets pretty lively during the day.

Besides visiting the beach, be sure to also go for a walk through the Firopotamos village to see the cute houses, a church and some old ruins where you can get a nice view of the bay.

Since Firopotamos is an old fishing village, the houses around the bay (which are called ‘sirmata’) were traditionally used by fishermen to store their boats. Now, many of the houses have been renovated and converted into gorgeous tourist apartments.

If you like the idea of spending a night in a dreamy seaside Greek village and waking up to the sound of the waves, consider staying at one of the houses in Firopotamos. Some of the most beautiful places to stay here are the Aquanis Anchored and Milinon Suites. Be sure to book months in advance because these houses tend to sell out quickly.

5) Polyaigos Island

The Blue Bay (or Galazia Nera) is situated on the uninhabited Polyaigos Island (also spelled Poliegos or Polyegos) to the east of Milos. It doesn’t have an actual beach and it’s not even a part of Milos, so you might be wondering why I’ve included it here. The reason is that it’s a breathtakingly beautiful swimming spot, which most people visit on a boat tour from Milos.

The water in this small bay has such an unusual azure blue color. It almost looks like it’s glowing. This together with the cliffs in shades of orange, pink and white around the bay creates an otherworldly setting. Photos simply don’t do justice to this place.

Although there’s no beach to put your towel down, swimming in this one-of-a-kind spot will likely be one of the highlights of your trip to Milos. It definitely was for me!

Facilities: None (apart from what’s provided on your tour boat)

How to get there: The only way to get to the Blue Bay at Polyaigos is by boat. We visited it on our full-day boat tour around Milos that also included a stop at Polyaigos. If you’re visiting in the summer, be sure to book your boat tour in advance because they tend to sell out.

Related post: Looking for a quieter and lesser known Greek island with nice beaches? Then read my guide to the best beaches in Antiparos.

6) Kleftiko Bay

Another stunning location that’s more of a swimming spot than a beach is Kleftiko Bay. It’s one of the most iconic places in Milos, which is why I couldn’t leave it out of this list.

Located on the south coast of the island, this sheltered bay has beautiful turquoise water, chalk-white cliffs, numerous sea caves and ‘tunnels’ you can swim through. It’s truly a masterpiece of nature. Apparently, in the past, pirates used this bay as their hideout.

It’s also a cool place to snorkel. Thanks to all the arches and rock formations, the underwater scenery here is pretty interesting, and there are also quite a few fish to see.

Facilities: None (apart from what’s provided on your tour boat)

How to get there: Kleftiko Bay can be accessed either by boat or by an easy 45-minute hike. Most people go there by boat, which is also what we did. There are various Milos boat tours that include Kleftiko Bay in their itinerary. We visited it on this 10-hour boat tour and were very happy with our experience.

If you’d rather hike to Kleftiko, read my best hikes in Greece post, where you’ll find details on how to do this hike.

7) Kastanas Beach

Kastanas Beach is definitely one of the more hidden beaches in Milos and getting there can be a bit of an adventure. It lies on the less developed eastern coast of Milos and to access it, you either have to take a boat or drive through sulfur mines along dodgy dirt roads. We chose the latter option and did it with a scooter.

When you rent a scooter in Milos, you might be told that due to the condition of the roads, you’re not allowed to drive the scooter to the part of the coast where Kastanas Beach is located. At least this was the case for us. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get to the beach. We simply drove to the point where the off-limits zone starts, parked our scooter there and walked the remaining kilometer or so to the beach.

Once we reached Kastanas Beach, it felt like we had discovered a little piece of paradise hidden between sulfur mines. There’s a small cove with a pebble beach bordered by spectacular pink, white and red cliffs and mesmerizing aquamarine water. On the left side of the beach, you’ll find a sea cave and a natural arch you can swim through. You might want to bring your water shoes because the pebbles here are a bit painful to walk on.

Since it’s such a secluded place, there are almost no people here. It’s the perfect spot for those looking to escape the summer crowds of Milos.

8) Tsigrado Beach

Hidden between rock walls on the south coast of Milos, Tsigrado Beach is notorious for its tricky access. In order to get to the beach, you need to climb down a narrow crack in a cliff using ropes and ladders to aid you. It might sound challenging, but it really isn’t that bad and many beach-goers climb up and down this route every day.

However, if you have limited mobility or have small kids with you, I wouldn’t recommend going to Tsigrado Beach via this path. Instead, you could visit the beach by taking this 3-hour kayak tour from the neighboring Firiplaka Beach.

Whichever way you’ll choose to go to the beach, once you’re there, you’ll be rewarded with a view over a stunning turquoise bay, caves, arches and rock formations. Remember to bring your snorkeling mask to explore the clear shallow waters.

Despite the somewhat challenging access, this beach can get pretty crowded since the space is limited. Also, if you want to sunbathe, don’t leave your visit to Tsigrado for too late during the day because the beach will be in shade. 

Tip: Visit Tsigrado Beach and Firiplaka Beach in one go since they’re located just next to each other.

Facilities: None

How to get there: Tsigrado Beach is a 20-minute drive from Adamas. There’s also a bus that takes you there from Adamas.

9) Papafragas Beach

Papafragas Beach is one of the most unusual beaches on Milos Island. This tiny beach is situated on the northeastern coast of Milos, between two cliffs. It looks like a narrow canal and opens up to the sea.

When we visited Papafragas, it was still possible to go down to the beach. Unfortunately, this is no longer allowed, and the entrance to the beach has been fenced off due to safety reasons. However, you can still walk on the cliffs above the beach and even swim there from the nearby Kapros Beach if you’re a confident swimmer and if the sea is calm.

Depending on the direction of the wind and waves, the water at Papafragas can on one day be quite dirty and uninviting, and the next day be pristine blue. So if you get unlucky and the water doesn’t look good, just give it a second chance and come back another day.

Facilities: None

How to get there: Papafragas Beach is about a 15-minute drive from Adamas. There’s also a bus going there from Adamas. Find the bus schedules at MilosBuses.

10) Paleochori Beach

Paleochori (or Paliochori) is a beach that I really wanted to visit but unfortunately didn’t have time for.

What makes this beach different from the rest are the underwater thermal springs that heat the seawater in some parts of the beach. In addition to that, there are some amazing pink and orange cliffs that create a beautiful contrast with the surrounding crystal blue water. 

Paleochori Beach is also known as a great snorkeling spot so remember to bring your mask. Not only will you get to see fish but also tiny gas bubbles rising from the seabed due to geological processes in the ground.

Thanks to the thermal activity in the area, the sand in some parts of the beach is so hot that it’s possible to cook in it. For an unusual dining experience, head to Sirocco beach restaurant which is known for their ‘volcanic food’ cooked on hot sands.

Facilities: Parasols and sunbeds for rent; restaurants; water sports rentals (jet ski, SUP and kayaks)

How to get there: The access to the beach is very easy, and you can either take a bus from Adamas or drive there with your car, scooter or ATV. The drive from Adamas takes roughly 20 minutes.

Milos beaches map

The map below gives you an overview of where each of these beaches in Milos are located. Click on the icon in the top left corner of the map for more details.

How to get to Milos

Most people get to Milos by ferry. If you’re coming from Athens, the ferries depart from Piraeus port, and the journey can take 3 to 8 hours depending on what kind of ferry you take (high-speed or regular). The price for a one-way journey is 42-78 euros.

You can also take a ferry to Milos from the other Cyclades Islands, such as Santorini, Ios, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and also from Crete.

If you’re traveling during the summer, book your tickets several days in advance to make sure you get a spot. Find the ferry schedules and buy the tickets at Ferryhopper, the main site for buying ferry tickets to all the Greek islands.

You can also fly to Milos from Athens International Airport. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

Best beaches in Milos: Final thoughts

As you can see, Milos is a true paradise for beach-hopping, whether you like sand, pebbles or cliffs, organized beaches or ‘wild’ beaches, wide open spaces or narrow coves.

I hope that you found this Milos beaches guide helpful for planning your trip. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments.

Although beaches were by far my favorite part of Milos, this dreamy island has more to offer! Check out my post on the best things to do in Milos for more inspiration for your trip. And if you’re considering exploring other Cyclades Islands as well, have a look at my guide to the beaches of Antiparos, a charming lesser-known island next to Paros.