Kleftiko

Other

Other · Milos, Greece 36.6510°N 24.3335°E

Why you should go

Ninety seconds on Kleftiko

Time needed

About 7 hoursHalf-day trips too

Best time

A calm daySouth wind roughs the bay

Effort

Easy by boatHike in: rocky, unmarked

Season

May to OctoberBest May to September

Access

Boat or a hikeDay boats from Adamas

Getting there

How do you get to Kleftiko?

By sea or on foot, as no road reaches the bay. Most boat trips leave from Adamas, the main port of Milos, and a rocky overland path leads in for those who walk.

Trip length

How long is the boat trip to Kleftiko?

Half-day trips take around five hours, and some full days run to about ten. The quickest option is a speedboat run to the bay and back.

Hiking

Can you hike to Kleftiko?

Yes. The path starts about an hour's drive from Adamas, along the asphalt road towards Agia Marina church, at a point marked on map apps as the access for the path to Kleftiko by hike. Walkers' times differ widely, from about 35 minutes to an hour and a half each way, and walkers hike back too unless a boat pick-up is arranged.

Beach

Is there a beach at Kleftiko?

No. Despite being called Kleftiko beach in some travel guides, the bay is bare rock, with no sand, no shade and no shore to lounge on.

In clear blue water, tall white pillars and arches stand around your anchored boat, and you swim from the deck into the sea caves cut through them.

What makes it special

Kleftiko is a cluster of enormous greyish-white rocks rising straight out of the sea, threaded with caves and sheltered coves. In Greece it is known as the Meteora of the sea.

Milos is a volcanic island, and its cliffs show white, red, yellow and black stone. Here the sea has worn the pale rock into sheer pillars, tunnels and narrow inlets where boats can anchor out of the swell.

The caves run back into the rock in a maze. Visibility is good, and you will see a few small fish, though this is not a reef for snorkelling.

Pirates are said to have hidden here, using the caves to stash loot and keep out of sight of passing ships.

Visiting

Most trips leave from Adamas on a sailing boat, a catamaran, a motorboat or a speedboat. Day-long boats make three or four swim stops and often serve a Greek meal on board.

One sailing meets at 09:45 in Adamas, leaves at 10:00 and is back about 17:00. A typical route passes Sikia Cave, anchors at Kleftiko, then calls at Gerakas beach and the Blue Lagoon off Poliegos island.

Boats give you at least an hour in the bay, and often two, to snorkel under the arches.

Tips

Pack as for a beach day: swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, plus a dry bag for your phone and belongings.

At either end of the season, bring a windproof layer for the ride home, when the breeze picks up. Keep watching the water between swims: travel writers report Mediterranean monk seals, sea turtles and the occasional dolphin around Milos.

Know before you goOperators change the route with the weather, and travellers report days when the sea was too rough to reach Kleftiko.The bay has no toilets, bar or loungers.