5F in Milos, Greece

The first travel recommendations edition is here.

Heads up! This travel guide is a free preview of paid subscriber content. All subscribers will receive the weekly edition (see: last week!) while paid subscribers will also have access to travel destination favorites such as this one.

Why, you ask? Travel writing includes more of my direct experience and expertise. Plus, you have my commitment that travel guides will always be ad and affiliate link-free.

I’m thrilled to introduce the first travel-focused edition of Five Favorites!

This week I’m spotlighting a favorite Greek island. I haven’t written about it yet, but it’s actually where I went for my honeymoon.

Rather than give you a full travel guide, 5F (that’s five favorites, shortened) will share just five quality recommendations for your trip. Your trust is important to me, so know these will always be personally vetted and affiliate link-free.

I find when I share about my favorite places with close friends, I send them ~five quick tips or locations that I really loved most. That’s actually how the idea for 5F was born.

So without further ado…five favorites in Milos, Greece.

eating

First things first — the second you get to Milos I need you to know about two restaurants.

One is the fresh seafood Greek restaurant you always dreamt of eating at. When you arrive to this view, you know it’s going to be good:

It’s Medusa restaurant, located in the village of Mandrakia which is on the northern tip of Milos. They serve (what else!) fresh seafood straight from the sea. Of course, you’ll want to get the octopus — there are several preparations to choose from. Another highlight is the grilled swordfish, including the souvlaki. I also really enjoyed their salads, wine, and local olive oil.

The waterfront sights and sounds, and the friendly service, make this a memorable meal that feels refreshingly local despite being well-known by tourists. I recommend getting there for lunch, right when it opens, to minimize your wait for a table. And be sure to set aside time before or after your meal to explore the colorful fisherman’s homes that dot the village it’s in.

Next, you won’t want to miss O! Hamos! the Greek taverna experience I want literally everyone to have at some point in their life. Not only is the food incredible — and I’m pretty sure made by grandmothers — you have the glorious ambiance which ranges from farm-to-table ingredients to handwritten menus to Greek traditional music and language everywhere (even the plates.)

The meat and cheese they use in the cooking is from their very own local farm, and if you weren’t already charmed by the garden setting or the friendly service, you’ll soon fall victim to their copious local wine carafes and life will be all kinds of grand. It’s located in Adamas, and again I recommend visiting for lunch unless you’re ok with taking a drink to the beach across the street while you wait (they don’t take reservations.)

Lastly, never forget that oftentimes the best meal you eat in Greece is one you assemble yourself. I mean getting yourself to a local market and picking up fresh cheese, produce, olives, bread, wine…and making yourself a little picnic of Greek goodies that you can’t get anywhere else. (My most recent one is pictured above.)

drinking

I sat down on a bougainvillea-lined terrace ready to order one of my favorite holiday (or when I want to feel like I’m on holiday) drinks, the spritz. I shot a glance at the menu, and saw something called a “Greek Spritz” and quickly changed my order with the waiter. When in Greece, after all…!

To my surprise and delight, this is my favorite thing I had to drink on my whole trip (not counting frappés and freddos.) You can find them sprinkled on menus throughout Greece. I had my first one at an unassuming cafe in the plaka or main town of Milos. With local grapefruit soda being essential to it, you’ll likely love it if you enjoy grapefruit-based drinks.

Of course, I tried to recreate it once I returned home. It requires some local liquors, as it should. So I recommend drinking them while in Milos, or anywhere in Greece. I’m envious of those of you about to enjoy your first sip.

strolling

It’s easy in Milos to get in one mode and stay there — whether lounging on a beach or exploring rocky landscapes via quad. I’m here to recommend the simple stroll, and there’s no better place to do this than in the Plaka town of Milos.

I’d be remiss not to also recommend the wonderful fishing villages dotted along the coast as well. Two favorites include Firopotomas and Klima.

Might I suggest pairing this activity with the one above it? Ice cream or coffee is also a good move if you’re not drinking.

beaching

Well, what would a Greek island trip be without some beach time? Lucky for all of us, Milos has not only some of the most beautiful but the most unique beaches out there. Here are a few worth noting:

Sarakiniko

The most distinctive image of Milos, and one that will remain stored in your brain for years to come. It’s often called the “moon beach” because its smooth, cream-colored rock landscape looks so much like the moon.

I recommend arriving first thing in the morning at sunrise to avoid crowds and get the best light. Any time of day is great for swimming, too.

Tsigrado

This was a favorite spot on the whole island for me. It’s worth driving out to for the view, even if you don’t hike down the slightly precarious steps required to lay out on the actual beach. You can enjoy it sitting on the cliff above, which is where I took this picture.

Kleftiko

Reachable only by boat, this is more of a swimming cove but nonetheless worth planning a trip to — if nothing else than to bear witness to some of the most beautiful water in Greece.

A few others to bookmark: Paleochori for a longer stretch of sand and more amenities, Papafragas for more gorgeous rock formations paired with sandy beach, and Kalamos if you’re out on a boat for the day.

staying

Perhaps the most special part of any trip to the Greek Islands is a place to stay that’s so special you hardly want or need to leave your accommodation. For me, that was this Airbnb we rented for this portion of my honeymoon.

My personal dream is waking up in a former Greek fishing village with the sound of the waves, a light breeze, and a stream of sunlight through a bright blue window. This spot is located in Firopotamos, which made for excellent swimming, beaching, and exploring without having the leave the cove. It feels private, even more so once any day trip crowds have departed and you have the cove to yourself.

At just $300 a night (when I went in September at least, a great time to go!) and with a balcony, outdoor space, and hammock, I can’t recommend it enough.

Γειά μας!

Until next week!