Milos

Cyclades

Marble from the nearby island of Paros was used to carve one of the most famous and beautiful statues in the world, the Venus de Milo, a statue of Venus found on Milos.

The Venus Found on Milos

 It came to light on 8th April 1820 when a local farmer found a cave in a field he owned, inside which was half of the statue. The other half was soon found and the whole statue was bought the following year as a gift for Louis XVIII, which is how it found its way to its current home in the Louvre. 

The spot where the first half of the statue was found is marked by a plaque close to the Christian Catacombs, in Trypiti. The Catacombs are the only example of their kind in Greece, believed to contain up to 8000 bodies in the 291 tombs that have been discovered.

Photo by Milan Gonda (see more of his photos on our page Photos of Greece).

Milos Museums

Trypiti is almost a suburb of the main town, Plaka, though to talk of suburbs is misleading as the entire island only has a population of less than 5000, boosted in summer by visiting tourists, though not yet in great numbers. Plaka stands on what is thought to be the original acropolis on Milos, dating back to roughly 1100-800BC. 

The Folk Museum tells the island’s more recent history, with a good collection of fascinating old photographs alongside the inevitable folk costumes and crafts.  Milos also has an unusual museum for Greece, a Mining Museum, which shows the interesting history of the mining of rocks and minerals on the island. Another of the island's museums is the Ecclesiastical Museum, which is by the waterfront in Adamas and is inside the thousand-year-old church of the Holy Trinity (Ayia Triada).

There is also an Archaeological Museum in Plaka, where visitors are greeted by a copy of the famous Venus, while inside are remains from the island’s most significant site, that of Ancient Philakopi. 

Philakopi is towards the north of the island although little remains to be seen as much has been lost to the sea. Two of the finest finds from the site are on show in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, these being a 4th-century BC statue of Poseidon, and a 6th-century BC kouros, a statue of a young man not fated to achieve quite the same fame as the Venus de Milo.

Visiting Kimolos

It's easy to visit the neighbouring little island of Kimolos from Milos, as there are several ferries a day in high season making the 30-minute trip. For more information see our Kimolos page.

Getting to Milos

The most convenient way to get to Milos from outside Greece is usually by taking a flight to Athens and then a flight or ferry to Milos.

Flights to Milos
There are usually one or two flights a day between Athens and Milos with Olympic Air, with a journey time of about 40 minutes.

Ferries to Milos
There are regular ferry connections to Milos from Piraeus and from most of the other Cyclades Islands. Ferried from Piraeus run several times a week (but not daily) with a journey time of anything from 3-5 hours, depending on the service.

Ferries in Greece

Ferries in Greece has an excellent and very thorough website where, in addition to checking ferry schedules and times, you can also book tickets and get lots of useful information about travelling by ferry in Greece.

Where to Eat on Milos

Read this piece from the UK's Guardian newspaper on Marvellous Milos: the Greek island full of fresh flavours.

Where to Stay on Milos

You might like our other Cyclades pages...

  • Tinos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Tinos in the Cyclades has several daily ferry connections from Rafina on the Greek mainland and is most famous for the Feast of the Assumption.

  • Syros

    Syros is in the Cyclades islands, with Ermoupoli as its main town and some good beaches, described here on the Greece Travel Secrets website.

  • Sikinos

    Surrounded by bigger and better-known Cyclades islands such as Ios, Naxos and Santorini, Sikinos is a delightfully untouristy island.

  • Sifnos

    Sifnos is one of the smaller islands in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea.

  • Serifos

    Serifos is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea, a rugged and mountainous island with a small population.

  • Paros in the Cyclades Islands in Greece

    The island of Paros in the Cyclades is famous for its marble, and on this page you can also see information about flights and ferries to Paros.

  • Naxos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades and on this page you can see information about flights and ferries to Naxos.

  • Kythnos

    Kythnos is a small island in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, with easy access from Athens and popular with Athenians on summer weekends.

  • Kimolos

    Kimolos is in the Cyclades islands of Greece, close to Milos.

  • Folegandros

    Travel information from Greece Travel Secrets about Folegandros in the southern Cyclades, close to Sikinos, with flight and ferry information.

  • Anafi in the Cyclades islands of Greece

    Travel advice and information on Anafi in the Greek Cyclades islands with good beaches, walking, accommodation, tavernas.

  • Amorgos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    Travel advice and information on Amorgos in the Cyclades, a dramatic and growing holiday destination with ferries from Athens and other Greek islands

  • Kea

    Kea is in the Cyclades group of Greek islands and this page from Greece Travel Secrets shows how to get there by ferry and what to do when you've arrived.

  • Schinoussa and Iraklia Travel Guide

    This is the first travel guide to Schinoussa and Iraklia, two tiny islands in the Cyclades, published by Real Greek Experiences.

  • Mykonos

    Mykonos in the Cyclades islands in Greece has cheap and luxury hotel accommodation, car rental, ferries from Athens, Santorini, Crete and other Greek islands.

  • Ios in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Ios in the Cyclades group of islands in Greece is noted for its nightlife in summer, as well as its beaches, churches and the grave of Homer.

  • Antiparos

    Travel information about Antiparos near Paros in the Cyclades Islands of Greece from the Greece Travel Secrets website.

  • Andros in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Andros in the Cyclades has fast ferries from Rafina. There are some good beaches and the main town has two interesting museums.

  • Cyclades

    Travel information about the Cyclades group of Greek islands including Mykonos, Santorini (Thira), Naxos, Paros, Delos, Tinos, Siros, Milos, Amorgos.

  • Delos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Delos in the Cyclades islands is a unique archaeological site, taking up the whole island, and a popular day trip from nearby Mykonos.

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. Covid-19: PM Mitsotakis Appeals to Greeks to Follow Rules to Help Avoid Lockdown

    Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on the Greeks to be vigilant and respect the current health and safety measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), as confirmed cases cont…

    Read More

  2. Athens to Celebrate European Day of Languages 2020 with Digital Treasure Hunt

    The Municipality of Athens on Saturday, September 26, will join the celebrations for the European Day of Languages ​​2020 with an online treasure hunt. Organized in collaboration with the EU National…

    Read More

  3. Greece Revises Law on Vouchers for Canceled Travel Due to Covid-19

    The Greek government has revised regulations to the law on refund claims regarding bookings of airlines, ferries, yachts, hotels and travel packages that were canceled due to the coronavirus (Covid-19…

    Read More

  4. Czech Republic Passengers Need Negative Covid-19 Test to Enter Greece

    All travelers entering Greece from the Czech Republic from Monday, September 28, will be obliged to present a negative molecular test result (PCR) for coronavirus (Covid-19) upon arrival to the countr…

    Read More

  5. Greece to Launch Online Map with Latest Covid-19 Restrictions Per Area

    Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias on Tuesday announced that the government is preparing to introduce a platform to provide citizens with the latest coronavirus (Covid-19) restrict…

    Read More

  6. Ministry’s Tourist Guide Schools Attract 2,880 Applications

    Greece’s five tourist guide schools this year have accepted a total of 2,880 applications, which shows the increasing demand for tourism education in the country, the Greek Tourism Ministry said in an…

    Read More

  7. Covid-19 Hits Greek Accommodation & Food Services in Q2

    Greece’s accommodation and food services activities in July suffered the biggest blow to turnover, down by 71.4 percent as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, according to the latest data…

    Read More

  8. 24-hour Ferry Strike at Piraeus Port on Thursday

    Five seamen’s unions have announced a 24-hour strike on Thursday, September 24, at the Piraeus Port, which is expected to cause disruption to ferry transport in Greece.

    Read More

  9. Cruise Companies Submit Plan for Healthy Sailing in Covid-19 Era

    In efforts to ensure safe journeys at sea in the Covid-19 era, cruise companies have tabled a comprehensive plan that includes heightened health protocols aimed at safeguarding crew, passengers, and c…

    Read More

  10. Greece Suspends Outdoor Theatrical Performances Due to Covid-19

    Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias on Tuesday said that all outdoor theatrical performances in Greece will be suspended as of Thursday, September 24. The measure has been added to…

    Read More