The Villages of Milos Island
Adamas is the seaport and largest village of Milos. It is the tourist and social center of the island, with several hotels, restaurants, cafés, mini-markets, travel and car rental agencies, banks and ATMs, a bus hub and a taxi cab stand. The main village sits on a hill opposite the main pier, with a smaller, quieter section to the west, and a larger area sprawling eastward. There are three beaches in Adamas: Lagada, Francomnimata and Papikinou.
The village of Plaka is situated at the foot of Kastro. It is both the island capital and the center of the province, housing the island's public services and two museums—the Archaeological Museum and the Folklore Museum. Most of Plaka retains the old island architecture, with the white-washed houses and the narrow alleys, typical of a traditional Cycladic village.
Also called Chora or Palaia Chora, stands at the center of a fertile plain filled with olive trees. Once boasting of a population of 5,000 and 17 parishes, was largely abandoned by the early 1800s because of earthquakes and epidemics. Today only a few houses remain as well as the main church of Panagia Portiani, and a single restaurant.
Near the ancient city, Trypiti is named after the several holes (trypes) used in antiquity as ancient or early Christian tombs, and now used mainly for storage. On a hill to the northeast there are half a dozen ancient windmills, abandoned when diesel motors proved more efficient in milling grains, and now used as summer vacation rentals. Trypiti features a bus stop, a couple of cafés and two restaurants.
A coastal summer resort and fishing village, featuring "Syrmata", two-story dwellings housing the boat on the ground floor and the fisherman's residence on the top floor. Klima became the capital of Milos after the decline of Phylakopi in 1100 B.C. and remained the center of island activity until the byzantine times.
A traditional Cycladic village, between Adamas and Plaka. The main attraction is the church, Agios Georgios, with its yard graced with a 19th century sea-pebble mosaic with animal figures.
The main commercial center of Milos, with lots of retail shops, banks, and a few cafes and eateries. The local church, Agios Spyridon, features byzantine icons brought over from Palaia Hora (Zephyria).
The local church, Agios Haralambos, possesses a number of byzantine icons, including the Panagia Akradiotissa, originally from the ruins of a small church on Akradies, a desolate islet at the port entrance. An interesting custom taking place at Plakes during the Orthodox Easter is a re-enactment of the crucification of Christ.
This fishing village blossoms with visitors in the summer, thanks to its delightful beach, taverns and hotels. The islets Glaronisia (Seagull Islands) with the unusual prismatic lava formations are 15 minutes away by motorboat, and the neighboring island of Kimolos is about 20 minutes away across the channel, via the affectionately-called "Slipper" ferry.
