With fresh new places to stay, beautiful restaurants, and classic waterfront bars, Milos is evolving into one of the Mediterranean’s most sought-after holiday destinations.

Milos is a volcanic island, just north of the Sea of Crete. The municipality also includes the uninhabited islands of Antimilos and Akradies – often called Erimomilos (“Deserted Milos”). It is home to just 5,193 residents as of the 2021 census and has a combined land area of just 61.8 square miles. The majority of the island is rugged and hilly, culminating in Mount Profitis Elias 748 metres in the west.

There are no direct flights to Milos from the UK, though it has a domestic airport with flights from Athens. It can also be accessed via a two-hour ferry from Santorini which docks at one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean, Adamantas.

The old hilltop capital of Plaka – at an altitude of 254 metres – is home to narrow stone-paved alleys, with whitewashed houses draped in bougainvillea. It offers a 360-degree view of the sea and neighbouring islands. In the village of Tripiti, the ancient catacombs can be explored, built towards the end of the 1st-century AD and discovered in 1844.

Among its best beaches is Sarakiniko, famous for its white rock and cliff diving. Kleftiko, an extensive chain of rocky coves and sea caves, can only be accessed by boat but is well worth the visit. Alogomandra is popular with locals, while even fewer venture to Gerontas Beach, about a 40-minute drive from Adamantas.