The island of Milos has some of the most beautyfull beaches in Greece. The flow of lava has created a shoreline that is multi-faceted and in many places quite dramatic with strange rock formations that look like you are on another planet. Many of these rock formations are great places to swim. At Sarakiniko beautiful smooth white rocks form a long narrow inlet with a tiny beach on the end offering a safe place for children to swim and great snorkling, while the rocks let you sunbathe without getting sand all over you.

As you go down the coast on the road to Pollonia you come to several beaches and small settlements like Agios Konstantinos with its boat houses on a tiny inlet and the beautiful Alogomantra and Agios Konstantinos beaches. Further on is the town of Pahaina and its long sandy beach. The small beach at Papafrakas is like no beach you have ever seen. One of the most bizarre places to swim it is a long channel cuth through the rock going inland about 75 yards and ending in a small beach. Part of it is covered so in order to get to the sea you swim through a cave.

In the town of Pollonia there are several beaches, notably the main town beach in the bay which has white sand a shade trees and another on the back side. But the most interesting place to swim is the area to the west of the town on the flat rocks that jut out into the straits between Milos and Kimilos. In Pollonia there are a number of seafood restaurants and cafes and the church of Agia Paraskevis which was blown up by the Germans during World War Two because they wanted to put a gun on that spot to cover the straits. You can also catch the ferry to Kimilos at the pier just below the church.

The excursion boats go to a number of beaches on their trips around the island including Paliorema (where there is an abandoned mine), Tsigrado, and some of the other beaches mentioned above. The highlight of the trip though is droping anchor at Kleftiko and jumping off the boats to swim around the giant rock formations in sea so blue you will spend as much time taking pictures as you will swimming. Not all the boats get close to the rocks so ask when you go to book.

Excerpt from Matt´s Barrels Travel Guide