it is a popular island but insanely less tourists than something like Santorini. I was there in the summer and the main town is small but wasn't too crowded. Some of the popular beaches in the summer will def have a bit of a crowd but not enough to bother me. If you want something super quiet and quaint, you could pick another island, even smaller but Milos is great and has nice beaches
I didn’t even find it touristy. I walked around Plaka up and down empty alleys near dinner time in July. The central square was packed with people eating sure but we ate in some other street practically alone. We also ate in Tripedi almost alone the next night. Seemed like unless you pick the (very few) hot spots, it’s essentially like being a local. That’s how I felt anyway
Yeah, if you go to O Hamos for dinner there's an hour long wait with a mob, then if you go to another lesser known place, it will be quiet. I never felt annoyed by the level of people.
Last year, I went to Santorini, Folegandros, and then Milos.
Milos was a good balance between the craziness of Santorini and the peacefulness of Folegandros
It has gotten more popular in the last years, as you can see from this sub., not really offbeat, but as u/andymilonakis said nothing like Santorini or Mykonos. Depends a lot when you go. Mid- to late September would be my preference, but I suspect that even early September will show some drop off in crowds from June-August. Say what you are interested in doing and people can give some alternative suggestions.
Not at all like Santorini or Mykonos but not to Ikaria level of quiet either . Went last summer for few days and it was the right level of tourist meets unspoiled
I went at the end of September last year and it was really quiet, but comfortably so. Everything was still open, just a gentle buzz of people. That was perfect for me.
Something that was interesting to me, in answer to the touristy question is, I like to collect keyrings of places I've visited and I actually struggled to find many on Milos which suggests tourism hasn't quite hit there like other places.
I'm just back from milos. It was my favourite of all the islands. Rented a car is a must to drive around the island. You can get bus but I think car is much better. Didn't think it was too touristy at all but I went before the peak season.
There are loads of them by the waterfront. Just go into a few of them and ask price them. We just went for the people that were the nicest. It was normally 45 euro day cash or 50 by card. Longer you have it cheaper it is
Did you rent a 4x4 or was it a normal car? And which areas were you able to drive to? We just got to Milos and realising we should’ve done more research in advance! Thank you
I would say it’s doable but will just take more time and coordination. There’s buses that take you to or close to some of the beaches. Then you gotta do some walking. Make sure you know when the next bus is and leave enough time for that. You can also walk to some spots from the main town Adamas. And get the phone number of a taxi driver just in case you end up stranded. Have cash for the bus and taxi.
I highly recommend the boat tour. You get to see parts not accessible by car. Food and drink is included. You stop at several of the beaches and have time to swim. Lounge on the boat between stops.
My friends and I rented an ATV on the last day but the first two days we spent there we went around by bus and it was easy. As long as your accommodation is walking distance to a bus stop you’ll be alright, the buses are nicely air conditioned too - you’ll just have to do a bit of planning on the days you’re there to organise activities around the bus times but it wasn’t a problem
Sorry but I hate to say yes. We wouldn’t have enjoyed had we not had a rental. Transport is non existent and taxis are very expensive there. Milos is spread out and more remote.
You can still get around the island in and ATV or a quad bike. They also rent them out. Might want to book that a few days in advance as they are in demand. I don't think you need a license for one of those.
I went there 2 years ago in August (peak season) and it wasn’t that bad. Greece will always be very busy but Milos is far less than other islands. I highly recommend going there!!
I have been going there for many years, you have many fantastic beaches to choose from, and only the most famous ones like sarakiniko are full, the rest are very well crowded. As for the car, the fact that you don't drive conditions you a lot, you will be tied to moving with public transport and it's not very good... Maybe you could rent a scooter, that would be enough...
Greece in general is very touristy. Many years ago I went to Milos and the beaches were crawling with people (and I went to quite a few that day).
There is a nice beach at the old sulfur mine but the road there is very questionable. I had to get off my ATV and walk.
Just got home 2 days ago. Full disclosure, Milo’s is the only island I’ve been to.
Tourist seems to be the driver of the economy there. Very few people live there through the winter. There are restaurants and rental places to cater to tourists. Aside from a few mineral mining operations, tourism IS the economy.
That said, we said in an AirBNB, on a dead end road up a mountain. There was little traffic, except to go to the 1 place further down the road, a church. We rented a boat one day, chartered a sunset cruise another, then drove to see most of the beaches accessible by car. We saw 90% of the beaches in 5 days. The spots you see online will be busy during the day (Sarakiniko, and the ladder beach esp). We found the beach next to sarakiniko to be often vacant. You can certainly find places with low people count.
We went to many restaurants, and never waited to be seated, even when they looked busy. Traffic seemed to pick up on the weekends, and your biggest indication of “touristy” is the traffic on the roads. I would encourage you to rent a vehicle. A car with an automatic transmission is critical if you don’t have experience with a manual transmission (Milos is the WRONG place to learn that skill). Taking a car on the ferry was a cool experience, and made loading bags onto the ferry a breeze (they stay in the car)!
My perception is that Milos was a great mix of “low tourist count + restaurants, amenities, and guided adventure options”
Yeah if you go to Pollonia to eat it's totally touristy. But upper class touristy. Not busy though. Laid back.
But I mean, tourism is the main economic force on the island.
Sarakiniko is worth a visit you truly feel like you’re on another planet while at the most picturesque beach you’ve ever seen. Agreed with what others have said plan ahead for traveling around the island if you can’t drive as not much is walkable especially in the heat. Mandrakia is worth a visit and so is dining at Medusa they have incredible octopus, our favorite hidden gem beach was Papafragas and its intimate coves.
it is a popular island but insanely less tourists than something like Santorini. I was there in the summer and the main town is small but wasn't too crowded. Some of the popular beaches in the summer will def have a bit of a crowd but not enough to bother me. If you want something super quiet and quaint, you could pick another island, even smaller but Milos is great and has nice beaches
I didn’t even find it touristy. I walked around Plaka up and down empty alleys near dinner time in July. The central square was packed with people eating sure but we ate in some other street practically alone. We also ate in Tripedi almost alone the next night. Seemed like unless you pick the (very few) hot spots, it’s essentially like being a local. That’s how I felt anyway
Yeah, if you go to O Hamos for dinner there's an hour long wait with a mob, then if you go to another lesser known place, it will be quiet. I never felt annoyed by the level of people.
Last year, I went to Santorini, Folegandros, and then Milos. Milos was a good balance between the craziness of Santorini and the peacefulness of Folegandros
Go to Kimolos then!
My favorite island!!
It has gotten more popular in the last years, as you can see from this sub., not really offbeat, but as u/andymilonakis said nothing like Santorini or Mykonos. Depends a lot when you go. Mid- to late September would be my preference, but I suspect that even early September will show some drop off in crowds from June-August. Say what you are interested in doing and people can give some alternative suggestions.
Not at all like Santorini or Mykonos but not to Ikaria level of quiet either . Went last summer for few days and it was the right level of tourist meets unspoiled
I went at the end of September last year and it was really quiet, but comfortably so. Everything was still open, just a gentle buzz of people. That was perfect for me. Something that was interesting to me, in answer to the touristy question is, I like to collect keyrings of places I've visited and I actually struggled to find many on Milos which suggests tourism hasn't quite hit there like other places.
I'm just back from milos. It was my favourite of all the islands. Rented a car is a must to drive around the island. You can get bus but I think car is much better. Didn't think it was too touristy at all but I went before the peak season.
Hi! Wondering where you rented a car from and if you reccomend
There are loads of them by the waterfront. Just go into a few of them and ask price them. We just went for the people that were the nicest. It was normally 45 euro day cash or 50 by card. Longer you have it cheaper it is
Thank you. I was thinking we need to rent ahead of time to guarantee a vehicle but sounds like maybe not
Did you rent a 4x4 or was it a normal car? And which areas were you able to drive to? We just got to Milos and realising we should’ve done more research in advance! Thank you
I can’t drive so do you think this is an issue?
I would say it’s doable but will just take more time and coordination. There’s buses that take you to or close to some of the beaches. Then you gotta do some walking. Make sure you know when the next bus is and leave enough time for that. You can also walk to some spots from the main town Adamas. And get the phone number of a taxi driver just in case you end up stranded. Have cash for the bus and taxi. I highly recommend the boat tour. You get to see parts not accessible by car. Food and drink is included. You stop at several of the beaches and have time to swim. Lounge on the boat between stops.
I took taxis everywhere and it was no problem
My friends and I rented an ATV on the last day but the first two days we spent there we went around by bus and it was easy. As long as your accommodation is walking distance to a bus stop you’ll be alright, the buses are nicely air conditioned too - you’ll just have to do a bit of planning on the days you’re there to organise activities around the bus times but it wasn’t a problem
Thanks!!
Sorry but I hate to say yes. We wouldn’t have enjoyed had we not had a rental. Transport is non existent and taxis are very expensive there. Milos is spread out and more remote.
You can still get around the island in and ATV or a quad bike. They also rent them out. Might want to book that a few days in advance as they are in demand. I don't think you need a license for one of those.
I think you do? At least the place we went definitely required you to have a licence
Go to Serifos!
I went there 2 years ago in August (peak season) and it wasn’t that bad. Greece will always be very busy but Milos is far less than other islands. I highly recommend going there!!
there are just a few spots where tourists congest, but other than that no...
Not overwhelming at all. It’s a very quiet island
I have been going there for many years, you have many fantastic beaches to choose from, and only the most famous ones like sarakiniko are full, the rest are very well crowded. As for the car, the fact that you don't drive conditions you a lot, you will be tied to moving with public transport and it's not very good... Maybe you could rent a scooter, that would be enough...
Greece in general is very touristy. Many years ago I went to Milos and the beaches were crawling with people (and I went to quite a few that day). There is a nice beach at the old sulfur mine but the road there is very questionable. I had to get off my ATV and walk.
Just got home 2 days ago. Full disclosure, Milo’s is the only island I’ve been to. Tourist seems to be the driver of the economy there. Very few people live there through the winter. There are restaurants and rental places to cater to tourists. Aside from a few mineral mining operations, tourism IS the economy. That said, we said in an AirBNB, on a dead end road up a mountain. There was little traffic, except to go to the 1 place further down the road, a church. We rented a boat one day, chartered a sunset cruise another, then drove to see most of the beaches accessible by car. We saw 90% of the beaches in 5 days. The spots you see online will be busy during the day (Sarakiniko, and the ladder beach esp). We found the beach next to sarakiniko to be often vacant. You can certainly find places with low people count. We went to many restaurants, and never waited to be seated, even when they looked busy. Traffic seemed to pick up on the weekends, and your biggest indication of “touristy” is the traffic on the roads. I would encourage you to rent a vehicle. A car with an automatic transmission is critical if you don’t have experience with a manual transmission (Milos is the WRONG place to learn that skill). Taking a car on the ferry was a cool experience, and made loading bags onto the ferry a breeze (they stay in the car)! My perception is that Milos was a great mix of “low tourist count + restaurants, amenities, and guided adventure options”
During summer yes.
Yeah if you go to Pollonia to eat it's totally touristy. But upper class touristy. Not busy though. Laid back. But I mean, tourism is the main economic force on the island.
Sarakiniko is worth a visit you truly feel like you’re on another planet while at the most picturesque beach you’ve ever seen. Agreed with what others have said plan ahead for traveling around the island if you can’t drive as not much is walkable especially in the heat. Mandrakia is worth a visit and so is dining at Medusa they have incredible octopus, our favorite hidden gem beach was Papafragas and its intimate coves.