Milos, the southernmost of the sun-baked Cyclades islands off mainland Greece, is a volcanic oasis home to picturesque whitewashed villages and hidden cliff-ringed coves. Formed around a central caldera and characterized by lunar-like rock formations, it has the highest concentration of beaches in the entire island group — and yet, it’s delightfully untrodden compared to its more famous neighbors, Santorini and Mykonos. It was once a critical location for the mineral trade — during the Neolithic period, the ancient Minoans exported Milos’s obsidian to the neighboring Aegean island of Crete, whose residents used the volcanic glass to make weapons — but the island is best known because of an event from more recent history. It was while digging near the Roman amphitheater in Klima, in 1820, that the amateur archaeologist Olivier Voutier discovered the marble statue known as the “Venus de Milo.” The celebrated work now lives at the Louvre in Paris, but Milos’s mystique remains intact. Thanks to its serene fishing villages, secluded caves, innumerable swimming beaches (many accessible only by boat) and an abundance of locally run restaurants offering fresh catch and regional Greek wines, this tranquil island is quickly gaining appeal for travelers who want Aegean charm without the crowds.
Eat
Medusa
Situated in the quiet fishing village of Madrakia, this family-run seaside restaurant is run by the chef Kourmoulaki Kaliopi, who serves traditional dishes like smoked eel and fava beans, salted mastelo cheese with local honey and grilled octopus procured daily from the village’s fishermen. Diners sit on the waterfront patio, on rustic blue or white painted wooden chairs, and can begin with starters like sxizakia — slices of bread slathered with tomato sauce — washed down with an array of Greek libations, from ouzo to locally produced wines like the citrusy Malagousia white from the Ktima Gerovassiliou vineyard.
O! Hamos! Tavern
This butcher-shop-turned-tavern at Papikinos Beach in Adamas offers outdoor dining and direct access to the sea. Dishes are based on recipes handed down by the owner Irene Psatha’s grandmother and produced with fresh ingredients sourced from her family farm in the island’s verdant Halakas Mountains. Diners can swim and sunbathe between savoring regional favorites like slow-baked lamb spiced with dill, wild goat baked for five hours beneath ash and charcoal and grilled manouri goat cheese seasoned with fresh pepper and thyme.
Armenaki
Overlooking the Aegean in Pollonia, this fish-focused tavern is inspired by Dionysus — the Olympian god of wine and pleasures — and is the island’s foremost outpost for savoring regional Greek wines. The daily menu features a range of seafood meze, Greek-style tapas, and specialties like baked scorpion fish spiced with sage, octopus marinated in tangy vinegar and karpouzopita, the sweet watermelon pie that is the island’s pre-eminent summer delicacy. Each dish comes with a recommended wine pairing of varietals grown mostly in Central Greece.
Shop
Ceramica Kymbe
The local artists Natalia-Kalliope Koutra and David Cifuentes design and sell minimalist ceramics at this experimental workshop next to the Archaeological Museum of Milos in Plaka. Made with white and red clay, the pair’s pieces are inspired by the area’s Neolithic past and are stone burnished with ancient pit firing techniques. Their offerings also include pottery for everyday use, from mugs adorned with blue glaze inspired by the Aegean Sea to simple half-dipped black-and-white plates.
By Michaela Trimble
Nov. 14, 2019
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