Cruise the coast at your own speed
Milos has around 78 beaches, yet less than half are accessible by land. Boat rental is a rarity in the windswept Cyclades, so take advantage of the opportunity to beach-hop at your leisure. Hire a 30-horsepower motorboat from Blue Mile Boat Rentals, for which a boating license isn’t required. Pack a picnic lunch, protective clothing and sunscreen and seek out secret swimming spots like Gerakas, where the sea is an eye-watering shade of cyan.
Best restaurants on Milos
Okto
Chef Nikos Chatzipantelidis and pastry chef Jisun Sung, both of whom have earned their stripes at Michelin-starred restaurants, have proved a winning combination. As co-restaurateurs at Okto, the pair have wowed even the most exacting foodies with contemporary Mediterranean comfort cuisine and delectable desserts. Open for breakfast through dinner, the restaurant’s pared-down look shouldn’t fool you. Highlights include shrimp tartar with candied ginger, cucumber and lime and octopus with bacon powder, fava purée, cherry tomatoes and onion pickles. Make sure to book ahead.
Nama
Pollonia has no shortage of good dining spots. At Nama, apple-green and white wooden tables and chairs are set on the village beach with views of bobbing fishing boats, so prepare to dig your bare feet into the sand while perusing the menu. Classic Greek reigns supreme here, with a few modern takes thrown in for good measure. Choose from pitarakia (local cheese-filled pies), cumin- and garlic-laced soutzoukakia (meatballs) in a tomato sauce, or grilled swordfish filet marinated in citrus fruit.
Kyra
From the people behind ever-popular Yialos in Pollonia, this chic all-day, open-air spot opened in Plaka in 2024. Named Kyra in honor of a 14th-century BCE clay female figurine exhibited in the neighboring Archaeological Museum of Milos, it serves updated Greek and Mediterranean fare. Breakfast options include wild green pie with feta. Roasted beetroot with blue cheese and slow-roasted lamb with rosemary and garlic count among lunch and dinner highlights. Stay on for a signature white rum honey and basil cocktail and live music.
Mezze
After opening in Triovasalos in 2024, Mezze has quickly become a local favorite. This lively, casual eatery serves various Cycladic mezze, such as chickpea fritters from Sifnos, yellow split pea dip (fava), and fried calamari. Pair these with dakos salad, a combination of tomatoes, capers, and xynomizithra cheese atop a rye rusk. For your main, ask chef Vasilis Koutsioumpis if he has taken delivery of grouper or amberjack from a local fisherman that morning and allow him to work his magic.
Best bars on Milos
Verina
After years of living in Athens and spending summers in his native Milos, Stelios Mathioudakis found the perfect location to open a bar in the island’s picturesque hilltop capital of Plaka. He named it Verina, which translates as ‘twisted nautical knot.’ Low-lit and atmospheric, the bar is decked out with timber rafters, fishing net light fixtures, and a seafarer’s portrait. Order the Sailor’s Punch, a mix of aged rum, pineapple, passionfruit, falernum liqueur, ginger, and aromatic bitters, then catch the sunset from the courtyard of neighboring Panagia Korfiatissia. And don’t sleep on the home-style snacks.
Utopia
Seats at this Plaka bar, which boasts a spacious alfresco terrace looking out onto the Aegean, are highly sought-after, particularly when the sun starts to go down and casts a burnt sienna glow on the water. Jazz, RnB, and Greek ballads are the music mainstays at Utopia, while the crowd is a mix of families, couples, and parties of friends. There’s a fine selection of premium spirits, fine Greek wines, cocktails, and mocktails like the Vir-Gin Fizz, an amalgam of zero-alcohol gin, redcurrant syrup, and soda water, plus local cheese platters.
Mostra
Couples of all ages gravitate to this super mellow watering hole for its roomy, elevated seafront terrace, which offers front-row seats to yachts jostling for space in Adamas’ busy port, their lights twinkling in the night. The soundtrack at Mostra, which is part of Hotel Adamas, is mostly lounge music with soft, melodic and rhythmic vibes. Cocktails are of the classic kind, so you can expect the full gamut, from Negroni and Old Fashioned to Cosmopolitan and Aperol Spritz.
Syrma Beer Shop
Who knew that Milos was quietly brewing its own beer, including a golden ale flavored with local thyme honey and a pale ale whose label pays tribute to the Venus de Milo? In Triovasalos, the Syrma Beer Shop tempts with small-batch craft brews from throughout Greece along with their local tipple. Perch yourself on a stool inside this slick taproom, or sit outside and watch the world go by as you sip. On your way out, grab a t-shirt for the memories.
Mosaic
Make yourself comfortable on the giant woven cushions gracing this friendly all-day café-bar’s contemporary Bedouin-styled rooftop for a morning espresso freddo beneath bright blue skies. Alternatively, scale the steps of the stone-built, white-washed building in Plaka for sunset with a refreshing mojito in hand. Be sure to arrive early as space is at a premium. Open from 10 a.m. to late, Mosaic also serves açaí bowls, croque madame and other breakfast treats, as well as delicious pizza for lunch.
Akri
Akri, which means edge in Greek, certainly lives up to its name. Alexandros Desbordes converted his grandmother’s traditional home in a quiet corner above Adamas’ port into a classic bar in 1995. Jazz and lounge beats dominate the three stone-paved outdoor spaces, where patrons can watch ferries silently come and go. Around 10 p.m., the DJ turns up the volume indoors and switches to disco, funk and pop. Akri’s namesake cocktail blends mastika liqueur, gin, lime, grapefruit soda, and cardamom bitters.
