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MILOS

Milos is wonderful! It is my kind of island, and Adamas is my kind of port town!

Milos is as brown and dry as the Great Karoo, and Adamas is one of those fabulous island towns where everything happens down at the waterfront.  All the tavernas are there, the bus station is there, the taxis, the fishmarket , the bakeries ,the veggie truck, the gyro joints, and it is the main shopping drag as well.  This all happens around, in, or off a sort of plateia, which is entered by four roads from various directions.  Now, bearing in mind that the plateia is a small-ish one, this is a recipe for a bit of fun as tourists and locals play "dodgem" with the cars, mopeds, bikes, buses and other folk rushing through the square!  And what exquisite fun it is!  If you need to take a bus anywhere, get to the bus station in the plateia long before your bus and watch the goings on!  Wonderful!

Seriously, though, Adamas is truly fantastic!  Great waterfront, super tavernas and cafe bars, and definitely the best port town buzz in the Western Cyclades.  Adamas itself is pretty random.  A few streets back from the beach drag and you are into a bit of bushveld.  But that is what I love!  Not too sophisticated!  About 1km out of town to the east is a long stretch of sandy beach with lovely clear water and backed by tamarisk trees, which provide very welcome shade. On the other side of Adamas there is a lovely small, sandy beach in front of the Lagada Beach Hotel.

There is loads to keep you occupied if you don't want to "beach" all the time.  There is quite a bit of local history and some interesting and well-exhibited museums.  And then, of course, there are visits to Plaka, Klima and Mandrakia.  All impossibly picturesque!  When visiting Plaka, climb that little bit higher to Kastro and you will get fab "orientation" views over the island.

Milos is similar to Sifnos insofar there is Adamas, which is the "vibey" part of the island.  Then up on the "plateau" about 4km out of Adamas are a trio of working villages.  One of these is Tripiti.  A real Greek village at work, and lovely to walk around in.  It is also the starting point for a walk down the hill to Klima.  Klima will take your breath away!  A perfect picture-postcard village right on the water's edge.  Take  your bathing trunks and a picnic and ensconce yourself on the jetty or the beach.  Just have a great day there admiring the beauty of the colourful houses, and swimming in the lovely clear sea.  No trendies here.  Just ordinary, local Greek folk enjoying their holidays in the simplest way possible.

A thirty minute bus trip from Adamas takes you to Pollonia, which is the other "resort" area of the island.  Mainly Greek holiday-makers.  It has a lovely beach with tamarisks in lieu of sun brollies.  There is a string of lovely waterside tavernas.  It is definitely worth a visit. A ferry leaves from Pollonia to nearby Kimolos throughout the day.  [See Kimolos page on this site]

Oh, and bakeries seem to be Milos' thing.  Loads of them and loads of yummy goodies I haven't seen on other islands.  So feast your eyes and indulge your tummy!

There are still places on Milos I need to visit, so I am going back in 2009! 

Milos is right up there!  Wonderful!  And the islanders are incredibly obliging, friendly and hospitable!

I stayed at the super-friendly Hotel Semiramis in Adamas.  It is run by the wonderful Petros and his family.  They also run the Dionysis Studios nearby.  Visit their website at www.miloshotels.net.