Exploring the fishing villages in Milos

Located in the southern part of the Cyclades group of islands in Greece, Milos is a beautiful volcanic island, with truly unique landscapes, turquoise water and a stunning coastline, dotted with idyllic beaches and colourful fishing villages.

I went there in summer 2022, as part of a 10-day Cyclades itinerary and loved every part of it. There are dozens of things to do in this small island, but one of my favourite things was visiting and walking around the fishermen’s villages and ports, that showcase a more traditional and authentic side of the island, with their white-washed houses and colourful doors.

Traditional fishing villages in Milos

Milos has many beautiful towns and villages, but I’ll focus here specifically on the fishermen’s villages and small fishing ports. We explored them on a day-trip with a quad bike and it was one of the best days in our Cyclades itinerary, though quite an adventurous and fast-paced one.

These villages are all different but they have in common a similar architecture, with white-washed houses located right in front of the sea and brightly coloured wooden doors and details. These traditional fishers’ huts are called syrmata in Greek, and they usually have a garage-like room to store the fishing boats downstairs, and an upstairs part for living. They were traditionally used by fishermen, but are now more and more converted into holiday homes.

Klima

Klima is the first fishing village we saw and probably the most famous one. This picturesque little village is located next to other famous attractions in Milos, like a very typical Greek town called Tripiti, the Catacombs, the Roman amphitheatre and the location where they found the famous statue “Venus of Milo”. I would say that it is absolutely a must-see.

 In Klima, you’ll see beautiful and colourful fishermen’s houses right by the turquoise water. You can walk past them (barefoot or with flip-flops) and admire the contrasting colours of the buildings. There is also a nice restaurant where you can eat fresh and local food.

Areti

Areti is a very secluded and quite hidden fishing village – if you can actually call it a village. It is basically a small fishing port with a few little houses in a sheltered little bay. Those pretty houses are mostly vacation rentals so they are perfect for a peaceful stay, but it was really hard to get there as it required driving on gravel, unkept little roads and steep hills. For this reason, I’d say that it is not really worth it.

Firopotamos

Located in the northern part of Milos, Firopotamos is both a small beach resort and a charming fishermen’s village. The water there was stunningly turquoise, and what really distinguishes it from the others is the typical Greek church that overlooks the syrmata. Many people were swimming there – by the beach but also around the port – and the beautiful church and stunning cliffs nearby created the perfect idyllic scenery for a Greek holiday.

Mandrakia

This fishing village (first picture of this post) is probably my favourite because of its quiet and peaceful atmosphere, the stunning view you get from the road on the fishing port with brightly painted boats and houses, and the crystal-clear water all around it. There is also a beautiful Greek church with some benches and trees, and a cute café/restaurant – though it was very busy – and also some cats. The only thing that saddened me is that it seemed a bit deserted and while it still had a very authentic feel to it, you could see that a lot of the houses there were empty and abandoned.

Useful information

How to get to the fishing villages?

There are many ways to reach the traditional fishermen’s villages in Milos, and while many may say that renting a car is the best solution, I found it to be quite untrue as many of these little towns have very narrow streets and very little parking options. If you’re comfortable with it, I think renting a scooter or a quad bike/ATV is the way to go as they allow for much more freedom.

Some buses can also take you to some of the most famous spots of the island, but not directly to some of those villages, so a private means of transportation is probably the way to go. Alternatively, you can also rent a taxi but it is more burdensome and will probably cost you more if you want to go village-hopping.

Can you swim there?

Yes, swimming there is not prohibited and many of these places also have a beach nearby. However, it can be dangerous and has to be done at your own risks, since there are no life guards.

How long does it take to see the fishing villages?

The fishermen’s villages in Milos are really small and you don’t need more than 15-30 minutes to see one. Of course, I’d recommend taking a bit more time, possibly going for a dip in the sea, taking in the scenery, having a drink or a bite, just to enjoy the present moment.

You can also see all the ones I mentioned in one day, which is what we did, while also visiting some other beautiful landmarks and sights in Milos. Check out my 10-day Cyclades itinerary for this, as well as other must-see stops in Milos to add to your bucket-list.


Milos is a beautiful island, with plenty of stunning things to see. Among those things, I’d say the fishing villages, with their traditional houses, beautiful bright colours and clear water are a must-see, even if you only see some of them. They create a unique postcard-worthy and typically Greek scenery, that gives off instantly a relaxing and peaceful holiday atmosphere.

Have you been to Milos?



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Responses to “Exploring the fishing villages in Milos”

  1. ourcrossings Avatar

    Wow, just look at that transparent turquoise water, golden sand, and spectacular geological formations – Milos is a truly beautiful island I would like to visit one day. I very much like Klima Village as it is situated right in front of the sea and I have to say that fishermen’s huts can be super cute. The last time I was in Biarritz, I had a chance to see their traditional fishermen’s huts located along the Fishermen’s Harbour. Each of them was adorned with typical red, blue, or green shutters, and I was even able to take a peek at some of them. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Yes, the fact that those fishermen’s huts are right on the sea, with waves literally crashing at their doorsteps, is what makes those fishing villages so special and unique. I didn’t see the ones in Biarritz, but I’m sure they were beautiful as well! Thanks for stopping by!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Lingo in Transit Avatar

    The fisherman villages are so picturesque! The water looks so good to take a quick dip on a hot day. I hope there was a nice cafe or bar nearby!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Yes, almost all of those had a nice restaurant or café, which was perfect to really take in the surroundings!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Monkey's Tale Avatar

    It looks absolutely beautiful and sounds very relaxing. I can see why Mandrakia is your favourite. Maggie

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Yes, even though there were some tourists around, it was such a peaceful scenery. Mandrakia really had a charm of its own in my opinion, but Klima is the most famous one, maybe because it is very easy to walk right by the fishermen’s huts! Thanks for stopping by!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. ioana Avatar

    What a place! Totally added to our travel list. Was it crowded in summer? I would consider going a bit off season. What do you think?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Klima and Firopotamos were the most crowded but it was still very manageable and as you can see I managed to take pictures with very few people on it – and we were there in August! I think going a bit off season would be perfect but I’d stick to late spring or late summer months (May, June or September) because it is a pretty small island and not yet very touristic, so if you go in November you might find that a lot of restaurants, cafés or bars are closed!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. ioana Avatar

        That is amazing 🤩 You took amazing photos indeed. Thank you for your answer 🥰🙏 Have a magical day

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Juliette Avatar

          Thank you so much!

          Like

  5. Lyssy In The City Avatar

    So beautiful! The water in Greece sure is stunning. I went in 2017 with my family and we did Santorini, Naxos, and Athens.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Yes, the water is really unlike anything I have ever seen! We also went to Athens, which I loved, and Naxos was an option, but we decided for Paros instead! Thanks for stopping by!

      Like

  6. Travels Through My Lens Avatar

    Looks absolutely idyllic, and not too crowded which is always a bonus. Lovely photos too!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Thank you! Idyllic is absolutely the word for this island, and the crowds were very manageable to my surprise! I was expecting many more tourists!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. leightontravels Avatar

    I read this with much interest Juliette. We’ve been living on the Greek island of Naxos for around 7 weeks now and are loving it. Sladja has fallen for Greece so much that we are considering coming back to do another island one day. You make a good case for Milos, which looks so familiar to some of the places we’ve seen here but also with plenty of its own character. I’m trying to imagine living in Klima right on the beach where the water literally laps the side of the buildings. Magical.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Oh that’s amazing! Living in one of these fishing villages must be absolutely fantastic, and there are some offers for them on Booking, though you will have to rent a car to reach them! I also went to Paros during my trip and I loved it (we almost went to Naxos too). Do you know how longer you’ll be staying there?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. leightontravels Avatar

        We don’t have a car sadly, which has definitely been a challenge here on Naxos. That said, we have been determined to reach faraway places on foot and have gotten quite fit these last 5 weeks or so. We’ve got just over a month left on the island. Have seen so much but of course there are still bits we need to try and cross off before we run out of time. Glad you liked Paros, who knows maybe that’ll be our next Greek island post one day.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Juliette Avatar

          Oh yes I can imagine it must be hard to get around without a car! When we were in Paros we also didn’t rent a car but an ATV for one day and the rest we did with buses. Enjoy the beautiful scenery in Naxos!

          Liked by 1 person

  8. travelling_han Avatar

    It looks perfect, I’d absolutely love to spend a few days exploring these beautiful and quiet places along the coast.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Yes, I loved that these were really unique and allowed us to do something other than just going to the beach (which is amazing by all means ahah)! Thanks for stopping by!

      Like

  9. Lashaan Balasingam @ Roars and Echoes Avatar

    For a second, I thought you were saying it was dangerous to swim around there because of the creatures that lurk around hahaha These villages do sound like a wonderful place to just sit back and take in the sun or to plunge into the clear water! Thanks for sharing, Juliette. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Ahahah no, luckily there are no creatures lurking around – that I know of 😂 They are indeed really peaceful, and living in one of them must be so nice! Thanks for stopping by, Lashaan!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Rebecca Avatar

    I’ve not been to Milos, but I have been to a few fishing villages in Italy, Malta, and France. Definitely quaint (and often colorful) little places that are quiet, laidback, and slow-paced that makes the visit all the more enjoyable!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Absolutely! I love visiting fishing villages because they often have a more authentic atmosphere, though sadly tourism impacts them as well, as many fishermen don’t want to live there anymore because of the tourists coming and taking pictures! Thanks for stopping by!

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Pooja G Avatar

    Lovely! I’ve always heard Greece is gorgeous especially these types of villages.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      It really is! It honestly felt like being in the Mamma Mia movie ahahah

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Pooja G Avatar

        Lol Mamma Mia is a big reason why I want to visit Greece!

        Like

  12. Lookoom Avatar

    These beautiful colours make me want to return to the Greek islands to enjoy the good weather again right away.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Oh I understand, I was feeling the same when writing this post and looking back through my pictures!

      Liked by 1 person

  13. 5 beautiful beaches to see in Milos – Sunny Days with Juliette Avatar

    […] listed my favourite fishing villages in Milos in this post. You can of course check them out on their own, but you can also swim there too! Not all of them […]

    Like

  14. AndysWorldJourneys Avatar

    they look so beautiful! Certainly a beautiful part of the world great post Juliette!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Juliette Avatar

      Absolutely! Thanks a lot!

      Like

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