Milos has more than ninety beaches… here are the ones genuinely worth your time, from the famous to the hidden to the downright strange.
Of all the Greek islands I’ve spent time on, Milos has the most extraordinary coastline. It’s the island’s volcanic geology that does it: white, chalky rock and soil meeting impossibly blue-green water, producing some of the most dramatic and varied coastal scenery anywhere in Europe. No two beaches here look quite the same.
The flip side of having ninety-plus beaches is that it’s genuinely hard to know where to start. So, having spent weeks on the island working my way through a good few dozen of them, I’ve put together this honest guide to the ones genuinely worth your time, whether you’re after a postcard-perfect swim, a proper adventure, or something you’ve never seen the likes of before.
Here are the best beaches in Milos.
The Best Beaches in Milos
Sarakiniko: The Moon Beach
If you’ve seen one photo of Milos, it was almost certainly Sarakiniko, and it’s the one beach you genuinely cannot skip. Nicknamed “Moon Beach,” it’s a sweep of smooth, blinding-white volcanic rock so otherworldly it genuinely looks lunar, undulating in soft, sculpted waves before dropping away into deep, sparkling blue water.
What’s surprising when you arrive is how little actual sand there is. There’s a small strip where you can wade into the water, but the real draw is the surreal white rockscape itself, which you can sunbathe on, explore, or use as a launchpad for cliff-jumping into the sea below. Walking among those rippling white rocks with the blue beyond feels like being on a film set, and it’s every bit as photogenic in person as the pictures suggest.
Top Tip
The secret is well and truly out here, so timing is everything. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon to beat both the crowds and the fierce midday sun. We arrived at around 8:30am and there were already a fair few people there; by the time we left at 10am, the car park and the rocks were filling up fast. For the full lowdown, see my dedicated Sarakiniko guide.
Kleftiko: The Boat-Only Showstopper
If Sarakiniko is the most famous beach on Milos, Kleftiko is the most spectacular. It’s a stunning series of brilliant white cliffs, carved by centuries of wind and water into voluptuous, billowing shapes that jut out into a sea so blue it doesn’t look real.
The catch, and part of the magic, is that you can only reach it by boat. Once there, you’ll spend your time swimming through a maze of natural sea arches and little hidden pools, exploring the caves that gave the spot its name (kleftiko comes from the pirates and thieves who once used it as a hideout). It’s a popular stop on the island cruises, but a good captain knows how to tuck you into a quieter cove away from the other boats, which makes all the difference.
Do
You can reach Kleftiko on most island boat tours (see below), or charter a small boat yourself for more freedom. Either way, it’s worth every bit of effort to get there. Full details in my Kleftiko guide.
Firiplaka: The Postcard Beach
For a classic, easy, gorgeous beach day, Firiplaka on the south coast is the one. This is the Milos beach of postcards: a good stretch of sand backed by dramatic striped cliffs, with shallow, crystal-clear water that shifts through every shade of turquoise.
It’s one of the most popular beaches on the island for good reason. It’s beautiful, it’s accessible, and there’s a cool little beach bar right there for when you need a frappe or a cold drink between swims. If you want a beach where you can simply turn up, lay out a towel and have a wonderful day with no scrambling or planning required, this is it.
Tsigrado: The Adventure Beach
Right next door to Firiplaka, but a world away in effort, is Tsigrado… and it’s for the adventurous only. This tiny, gorgeous sandy cove is reached by climbing down through a narrow gap in the rock using a series of ropes and wooden ladders. It’s a genuine little scramble, and not for anyone nervous of heights or unsteady on their feet.
There’s nothing at all down there once you arrive, so you need to bring all the water and snacks you’ll want for your time on the sand. But that’s exactly the appeal: the effort keeps the crowds away, and the reward is a secluded, dramatic little cove hemmed in by crumbling volcanic rock, with the kind of water you’ll want to dive straight into after the climb down.
Top Tip
Wear proper shoes with grip for the descent (not flip-flops), and go with a head for heights. Bring everything you need with you, and be prepared to wait your turn on the ropes if others are climbing up or down, as it’s single-file in places.
Paliochori: Beach Days and Geothermal Lunches
Paliochori is a wonderful south-coast beach in its own right, with warm, clear water and dramatic coloured cliffs behind. But it has a brilliant extra string to its bow: it’s home to Sirocco, the restaurant that cooks using the natural geothermal heat of the volcanic sand.
So you can spend the morning swimming, then settle in for a lunch where you watch them bury fish or lamb in the hot sand to slow-cook (the fish takes around 35 minutes from start to finish). It’s a genuinely unique Milos experience, and the meltingly tender slow-cooked lamb on chickpeas was one of my favourite meals on the entire island. A beach and a one-of-a-kind lunch in one.
Agia Kiriaki: Shade and a DIY Boat
Agia Kiriaki is a fabulous beach with two things that make it stand out on Milos. The first is the rare and precious bonus of natural shade from trees, which is a genuine luxury on an island where sun cover is famously scarce. The second is that you can rent a small boat right here and putter along the coastline at your own pace, finding little spots you’d never otherwise reach.
It makes for a wonderfully relaxed day: a shady patch of sand to base yourself on, calm water to swim in, and the option to play captain for an hour or two if the mood takes you.
Firopotamos: The Boathouse Cove
Firopotamos is one of the prettiest of the island’s traditional beaches: a sandy stretch in a sheltered, protected cove, ringed with the old whitewashed boathouses (syrmata) that give so many Milos coves their character. The water is calm and clear, there are sunbeds, and it’s a lovely spot to settle in for a few hours away from the bigger crowds. A gentle, scenic, easy beach to love.
Papafragas: The Pirate Caves
Papafragas isn’t really a conventional beach at all, which is exactly why it’s unmissable. It’s a series of tiny natural beaches set inside dramatic caves and a deep, narrow rock channel, where the sea funnels in between sheer white cliffs to create a sheltered, brilliant-blue swimming spot.
It was once used by pirates as a base, and you can see why: it’s hidden, protected and spectacular. You can jump from the rocks and swim around through the channel to the little sandy patches. It’s more of an adventure than a lounging beach, but as a place to swim and explore, there’s nowhere quite like it.
Alogomandra: The Easy One Near Pollonia
If you’re based in Pollonia, as I was, Alogomandra is a lovely, easy option close to hand. It’s a pretty sandy beach with a cave to explore and, again, that precious bit of natural shade. It doesn’t have the drama of Sarakiniko or the scramble of Tsigrado, but for a relaxed, uncrowded swim within easy reach of your base, it’s hard to beat.
Paliorema: The Sulfur-Mine Beach
This is, without question, the most unusual beach on the island, and on an island of ninety-odd beaches, that’s saying something. Paliorema (also called Thiorichia) sits right beside Milos’s abandoned sulfur mines on the eastern coast: a small beach backed by rusting machinery, crumbling industrial buildings and rainbow-coloured cliffs.
It sounds bleak. It’s actually mesmerising. You can wander the eerie ruins of the old mine, then go for a swim and sunbathe on the sand with that extraordinary industrial backdrop behind you. You can even smell the sulfur faintly in the air. It’s the kind of place that stays with you long after the prettier beaches blur together.
Getting There
You can drive all the way down to Paliorema even in a two-wheel-drive car; just take it slowly at the end, as the track gets bumpy. There’s no shade and nothing to buy, so bring water and supplies.
Agios Ioannis: The Wild West Escape
For desolate beauty over postcard prettiness, head to Agios Ioannis on Milos’s remote western side. It’s reached on a good unpaved road (no 4×4 needed, despite what some guides claim), out in the wild west where goats outnumber people a hundred to one.
This isn’t the most conventionally beautiful beach on the island; the sand is rough and the setting is raw. But that’s the point. Turquoise water, rugged cliffs tumbling into a crashing sea, and, on my windy visit, not another soul to share it with. The sheer drama and isolation put it in a class entirely of its own, and it was one of the most memorable stretches of coast I found anywhere on Milos.
The Best Way to See Milos’ Beaches: A Boat Trip
Here’s the thing about Milos: some of its very best beaches and coves simply can’t be reached by car, Kleftiko chief among them. Which is why a boat trip around the island is the single best way to experience its coastline.
The day cruises leave most mornings (weather permitting) to explore the impressive coastline, the bizarre rock formations and the hidden coves you’ll never otherwise see, with plenty of stops to swim and snorkel along the way. It was one of my favourite days on the whole island.
Top Tip
Choose a small-group tour over the big boats. Plenty of travellers I met were crammed onto boats of 25 or more, which really isn’t a relaxing day at sea. I went with a small group of ten, run by a brilliant brother-sister team who looked after us beautifully and even served up hearty Greek food on board. Worth every cent.
Practical Tips for Milos Beaches
- Hire a car to reach the spread-out beaches; many of the best are nowhere near the towns, and a car (or ATV) opens up the whole island.
- Bring shade and water. Milos is famously light on natural shade, so pack an umbrella for the open beaches and plenty of water, especially for the remote ones with no facilities.
- Wear sturdy shoes for the rocky and scramble-access beaches, Tsigrado especially.
- Go early or late for the popular spots (Sarakiniko, Firiplaka) to beat both the crowds and the midday heat.
- Get a road map that marks paved, unpaved and rough-track roads, so you can reach the western and remote beaches with confidence.
Quick Guide
- Don’t Miss: Sarakiniko, Kleftiko (by boat), and the sulfur-mine beach at Paliorema for sheer uniqueness.
- Best for Families: Firiplaka and Firopotamos, for easy access and calm, shallow water.
- Best for Adventure: Tsigrado and Papafragas.
- Best Time to Visit: May to September for the warmest sea; I went in October and the swimming was still lovely, with far fewer people.
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