"Milos is for lovers" Top 5 Page for this destination Milos Island by andreasfmpro

Photo: Partial view of the famous cove of Kleftiko, island of Milos, Greece. Kleftiko (Bandits' Lair) was an old pirates' hideout and now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Milos. Kleftiko is famous for its crystal-clear water, elaborate caves and imposing rock formations, and is the destination for several daily sailboat cruises during the summer months.

Photo © 2004 Andreas Belivanakis. All Rights Reserved.

DESCRIPTION
Milos is largely an undiscovered island, with perhaps the most interesting coastline of any other island this size in the world. A volcanic island, Milos is known as the island of colors, mainly because of its spectacular, colorful rock formations. Milos is the southwesternmost and 5th largest island of the Cyclades archipelago, only 3-5 hours from Athens by ferry, or 30 minutes by aircraft. It is located west of Santorini, right between Heraklion, Crete and the Greek mainland. Its 5,000 inhabitants earn their living primarily through tourism and mining, and to a lesser extend through fishing, farming and agriculture.

THE ISLAND OF LOVERS
Milos is also known as "the island of lovers" because it is the discovery site of the famous statue Venus de Milo, depicting the ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty. Every July and August Milos is the favorite destination of thousands of young and not-so-young lovers. The island has few visitors in June and September, and is practically deserted in April/May or October/November, even though the weather is still very good.

HISTORY
Milos is proud of its fascinating history. The famous statue of Venus de Milo was discovered here in 1820, its early-christian catacombs are older than Rome's, the ancient Greco-Roman theater is among the few marble theaters in Greece with such a spectacular, elevated view, and the island boasts of an 11,000-year mining history. Most exhibits in the Cycladic wing of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens are findings from Milos.

WHAT TO DO IN MILOS
On the island itself, several interesting museums (Archaeological, Folklore, Ecclesiastical, Mining, WWII Exhibition, Photographic Panorama of Milian History, etc.) are open to visitors, who can also enjoy the island's spectacular landscapes, romantic sunsets, white-washed quaint tiny churches and sugar-cube houses, and incredible local as well as Greek traditional food. Milos is also very popular because of its multitude ( 70+) and diversity of beaches, more than any other island in the Cyclades.

Milos is ideally suited for outdoor activities such as sea-kayaking, scuba diving, sailing, mountain bicycling, distance swimming and windsurfing in the island's protected bay, one of the largest and safest natural harbors in the Mediterranean. It is not surprising that Milos is becoming increasingly popular for weddings and honeymoons as well.

MILOS TRAVEL PAGE ON VT
On my Milos travel page, including the tips and travelogues, I strive to provide quality, detailed, and above all, accurate information together with a decent presentation. On my pages you won't find one-line tips, annoying, hard-to-read ALL CAPS, gratuitous misspellings, abysmal grammar, syntax and diction, or misleading, downright wrong information as is the case with most websites about Milos on the web today.

I encourage you to read all my tips on Milos and ask me anything about my native island. You may also view hundreds of high-resolution, good JPEG quality photos of Milos on the web photo albums of my external website Milos is for Lovers as well as a few short iMovies on Milos Island.

Andreas

The fishing village of Klima, Milos

The fishing village of Klima, Milos. Established in 1000 BC by the Dorians, Klima was the port of the second in chronological succession capital city of Milos. Ruins of the ancient city can still be seen among the houses of Klima, in the fields behind the village, as well as underwater, in front of the harbor.

Klima is also known for its unique "Syrmata", structures by the water that house fishing boats on the ground level, while the second floor serves as living quarters for the fisherman's family. Klima is the largest of several such settlements in Milos.

Paliohori - Deep Blue

Paliochori (Old Village) is widely considered to be the best beach in Milos. On the southeast part of the island, facing south, Paliochori is divided in 3 sections, East, Middle and West, and is perfect for all kinds of visitors. Paliochori is only 10 km. away from the main port of Adamas.

The middle section is ideal for everyone, especially families. All 3 restaurants, a bus stop, and 3 lodging establishments are located in the middle section of Paliochori featuring the longest beach of the three.

Paliochori West, or Paliochori beach A, the first beach a visitor would come across upon arrival in Paliochori, is better suited for couples, with the Deep Blue Cafe/Bar lodged on the cliff overlooking the beach.

For those who value privacy, peace and quiet, Paliochori East can be accessed on foot, is a more secluded area, popular with nudists. Unlike the other 2 sections, there are no umbrellas/stretchers to rent, or beach bars at Paliochori East.

The photo depicts part of Paliochori beach A (West).

Photo © 2004 Andreas Belivanakis. All Rights Reserved.

• Pros:Numerous and diverse beaches, spectacular scenery, majestic sailing excursions, romantic sunsets, bristle nightlife, great food, incredible history!
• Cons:Relatively Expensive lodging in July-August
• In a nutshell:All of the Cyclades in one island and a unique character of its own