Milos is one of those Greek islands where having a car definitely makes things easier, but you can still have a great time without one. We spent a weekend on the island without renting a car and managed to see quite a bit. It did cost us a few Uber/taxi rides, since our accommodation on Milos wasn’t located in one of the towns, but hidden away and not connected to public transport.
The trick is to combine places that are easy to visit together, use the local bus when possible, and accept that you probably won’t see every beach on the island. Which is more than fine. You are on a Greek island. There is no need to rush. We had two days on Milos, so we were also a bit limited when it came to things to do. We didn’t want to rush. And rush we did not.
Milos without a car: how to get around
If you are going to Milos without renting a car, don’t worry! There is a local bus connecting most of the main towns and tourist spots on Milos, including Adamas, Plaka, Tripiti, Pollonia and Sarakiniko. The schedule depends on the season, so check the timetable when planning your trip.
For places that aren’t well connected by bus, you can also take a taxi. We used Taxi Milos, which you can call to arrange a ride. You can plan your taxi in advance, but when you call, they can usually also have a car come to you in more or less 10 minutes. If you plan the car beforehand, they add a €10 fee. Just so you have an idea of the prices, the cheapest ride we got through Taxi Milos was €25.
Uber also works on Milos, although it isn’t necessarily the budget option. A ride usually starts at around €36. Not all cars could reach the accommodation we were staying at, or they charged more through Taxi Milos.
If you arrive at Adamas port, you’ll also find taxis there. Just talk to the driver and ask for the price. This was also around €20 minimum for a ride.
What to do on Milos, Greece
Visit Plaka and Tripiti
Plaka and Tripiti are easy to combine, especially if you don’t have a car on Milos. It’s just a matter of reaching one of the two towns, and then you can walk to the other. These towns are also reachable by bus, depending on where you’re travelling from.
Tripiti is small, so I wouldn’t necessarily dedicate a visit to it on its own. Combine it with Plaka. In Tripiti, there is a beautiful church, and you can find a few places for coffee, lunch or dinner, like OKTO.
After walking through Tripiti, make your way to Plaka. Walk up towards the church and the viewpoint around the ancient castle ruins. The views from up there are beautiful, especially later in the day. It’s a climb, but it’s worth it!
Plaka is a good place to stay for dinner, so plan your visit in such a way that you end up in Plaka in the evening. We had dinner at Dikorto, and I loved the atmosphere. Don’t leave without stopping for something sweet, either. We had ice cream and pastries from Cafe Palaios while wandering around the shops in the evening. Very important cultural activity 😉
Go on a boat trip around Milos and to Kleftiko
A boat trip is one of the best ways to see the island without a car, and some parts of the island are even impossible to reach by car. So with a boat, we went. There are plenty of options for boat trips on Milos, both online and at the port. We went with a tour from Volcano Boats for half a day tour to Kleftiko and saw parts of the west coast as well as the southern coast.
It was a speedboat with a maximum of 16 people, so it felt relatively small and relaxed. There was snorkelling equipment, a guided snorkelling stop, drinks and snacks included. It was basically half a day of swimming, snorkelling and looking at the coastline from the water. Not exactly a difficult way to spend an afternoon, but a very special one!
Visit Sarakiniko early in the morning
Sarakiniko is probably one of the most recognisable places and beaches on Milos, thanks to its almost completely white volcanic landscape. We had originally planned to go for sunrise but decided to sleep a little longer and arrived around 8:30 instead.
It was still very peaceful at that time, and the morning light hitting the white rocks was beautiful. The water was quite rough when we visited, so swimming wasn’t really doable that morning. If you want to experience Sarakiniko without huge crowds, going early is definitely the way to do it.
There is a bus that reaches Sarakiniko, so check if you can easily hop on from where you’re staying on Milos. The timetable for the bus is linked in the first part of this article.
Spend some time in Pollonia
Pollonia is a small seaside town with restaurants, shops, beaches and a cute little church right on the coast. We had lunch at Yigalos, which is known for its fish dishes. We went for something lighter and had a vegetarian lunch with salad and cheese.
After lunch, wander around the town, walk along the coast and stop at the little shops. There is also a cute bakery/shop selling local products, pastries, honey, ice cream and other snacks called Kivotos ton Gefseon. Definitely worth a stop!
Visit Kostantakis Winery
While you’re in Pollonia, make some time for a wine tasting at Kostantakis Winery. It’s a family-run winery surrounded by vineyards and Milos’ volcanic landscape. The winery is built inside natural volcanic caves, which are also used as the wine cellar.
We visited the winery right before catching the bus back to Adamas, so sadly we didn’t have time for a full wine tasting. But there is always time for one glass 😉 Definitely a fun thing to do on Milos.
Where to eat on Milos
There are plenty of places to eat around Milos, and we managed to try quite a few despite only being there for a weekend.
O! Hamos! Tavern — Adamas
If you arrive in Milos by ferry, O! Hamos! Tavern in Adamas is a great first stop. We went there straight after arriving because we were too early to check into our accommodation. We left our luggage at a luggage storage place in Adamas and went for lunch.
The restaurant is right next to the water and has a beautiful setting, great food and a lovely atmosphere. It ended up being a very nice introduction to the island. We shared a salad, dessert, some incredible chickpeas… all super fresh and tasty!
OKTO — Tripiti
We went here for lunch and enjoyed the setting and the food. It would also be a good option for dinner, particularly if you want to sit outside and watch the sunset. Make sure to arrive on time, or see if you can make a reservation if you want to come for dinner. It’s a popular sunset spot!
Dikorto — Plaka
A nice choice for dinner while exploring Plaka. There are some tables outside and inside. The food felt very homey. Delicious. We had gemista and grilled feta, and some fava. All yum. The waiter was very kind as well, and I feel like I could have stayed for hours in this restaurant. Maybe also because we came here right after doing the boot tour in the afternoon. So having been in the sun for 5 hours, it was nice to sit down inside and eat.
Yigalos — Pollonia
We had lunch at Yigalos while exploring Pollonia. They are known for fish dishes, but since my friend and I are both vegetarians, we went for a vegetarian lunch with salad and cheese. Super tasty as well! And with their location next to the water, you don’t just enjoy the food 😉
EN PLO — Plaka
For breakfast, find one of the rooftop spots in Plaka and enjoy the views. There is this cute café called EN PLO, and the views from there are beautiful! Have a coffee, a juice or some extra fuel to get ready to climb to the castle in Plaka.
There are many more things to do on Milos, and more beaches and coves we would have liked to visit if we’d had more time. But that’s also the “downside” of a short trip to Milos: there is always another beach, another little village, another restaurant and another reason to stay for one more day.
So if you’re visiting Milos for a weekend without a car, I wouldn’t try to tick everything off the list. Pick a few places, group them together, use the bus where you can, and leave some time to just wander around and go with the flow.
We were super happy with everything we did, ate and saw on Milos before heading back to Athens on the ferry. Would I like to come back and just relax for a week? Also yes. But the way we managed to spend this weekend on Milos, without a car, was incredible!
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