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The Island of Venus - Milos
8-day walking tours on Milos+Kimolos to discover its fascinating geology and history
The pumice bridge (c) Tom Pfeiffer
The pumice bridge (c) Tom Pfeiffer
Volcanic colors of the coast (c) Tom Pfeiffer
Volcanic colors of the coast (c) Tom Pfeiffer

The Island of Venus - Milos

8-day walking tours on Milos+Kimolos to discover its fascinating geology and history
Tour type
Walking & study tour: geology & volcanism - archaeology - nature & culture
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate
Group size: 4-10
Duration
8 days / 7 nights
18-25 May 2025
Price per person
2370 € $£¥
The Mediterranean island of Milos is one of the most beautiful and photogenic islands of Greece.
Known as the birthplace of Venus de Milo, one of the most famous Greek statues from the classical era, Milos is exceptionally rich in mineral deposits, boasting a particular scenic beauty that leaves visitors breathless. It also offers a great number of superb and uncrowded beaches, as well as spectacular coastal cliffs with multicolored volcanic rocks of all types on display. Luckily, its millennia-old history as an economic base in mining has prevented it from becoming a mass tourism destination. The island is ideal for both active and laidback holidays. You'll also be happy to know that traditional Greek hospitality is still very much alive here.

Geologically, Milos is a wonderland packed with picture-book volcanic features. Embark on a series of different excursions by land and sea to explore the faceted volcanic history of the island through its rocks, guided by a trained geologist. No previous knowledge of geology is required, and the excursions represent a vibrant mix of hiking, sailing, observation, and holidaymaking. Great local Aegean cuisine and good company round out this tour.

Kimolos Island
Note: you might end the tour on Milos, making it a 6-day trip if your time is limited. In our new program proposed here, we add two days on Kimolos:
The nearby island of Kimolos, just half an hour's ferry ride away, is similarly in geology and similar in beauty, but much smaller than Milos, and with its own charm. There are only very few tourists visiting it, which makes it even more attractive. We will spend two days on this island in the beautiful capital Chora, a stunning Cycladic town overlooking the sea, and from there explore the island including the half-day hike to the famous mushroom rock Skiadi,- certainly one of the best hikes on the Greek islands!
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  • Spectacularly varied scenery
  • Colorful volcanic deposits
  • Rich mining history (obsidian, perlite, kaolin, sulfur, manganese, baryte)
  • Prehistoric and Ancient Greek ruins
  • Active hydrothermal activity, fumaroles, hot springs
  • Breathtaking coastal sceneries to discover by boat
  • Delicious local cuisine
  • Competent geologist guide

Milos + Kimolos - 8 days

Day 1: Meeting in Milos at the evening
Meet in a wonderful seaside tavern over dinner and plan the next days in detail.
Day 2: Phylakopi - Sarakiniko - Plaka
Half-day walk along the spectacular north coast (ancient obsidian trading center of Phylakopi, Papafrankos and Sarakiniko). Lunch and swim break at Sarakiniko.
In the afternoon, transfer to the capital, Plaka, visit of the charming medieval village, its fortress, the Ancient Acropolis with the Greek theater, the place the famous Venus statue was found, early-Christian catacombes.
Optional scenic hike back to the hotel (or transfer by taxi).
Day 3: Abandoned sulfur mine and mineral beach
In the morning, visit of an abandoned sulfur mine on the western coast (spectacular scenery).
Transfer to the paradise-like beach of Paleochori, with its hot springs, fumaroles, colorful rocks.
Lunch in a wonderful beach restaurant. Afternoon: swim break, optional 2 hour walk in the area.
Late afternoon: return to Adamas. Visit of the interesting Mining Museum before dinner.
Day 4: 4x4 safari: Tsingrado, Kalamos and Vani baryte mine
Visit of Tsingrado explosion crater, Kalamos lava dome with active fumaroles.
Lunch and swimming break at a beach. Short hike and 4x4 drive to Cape Vani, visit of the abandoned manganese-baryte mine.
Day 5: Spectacular boat trip around Milos and to Kimolos Island
Free day - a great option is to take full-day boat tour around the island with its spectacular volcanic coastline (approx. 120 EUR per person). Delicious lunch on board.

Note:
If your time is limited, you could end the tour today or the next morning, making it a compact 5-6 day tour to get to know Milos in depth only although we highly recommend to continue with the extension to Kimolos.
Day 6-7: 2 days on Kimolos Island
At around noon, we transfer to the nearby island of Kimolos, the smaller sister of Milos and equally beautiful. Compared to Milos, Kimolos is still undiscovered by tourism and has its own charming character. Depending on weather and other circumstances we will spend two days to explore the island, including a spectacular hike to the famous mushroom rock Skiadi.
Day 8: Return to Milos - end of tour or extension
After breakfast, we return to Milos island, and it will be time to say goodbye... We bring you in time for your flight or ferry to the airport or port.
Dates and details
Booking inquiry

Arrival info:

There are several possibilities how to get to Milos. You can get a direct flight to Milos airport or you can take a ferry boat from Piraeus and many other islands (about 4-7 h to Milos Island). It is possible to get earlier to Athens and to stay one or more nights there for sightseeing. Please contact us if you need assistance!

Tour guide

The tour is normally guided either by German volcanologist Dr. Tom Pfeiffer or photographer and amateur geologist Tobias Schorr. Both have been traveling on the Greek volcanic areas (Methana, Milos, Santorini, Nisyros) for more than 20 years and know the islands better than even most local people do.
Tom completed his PhD studies on the topic of the great Minoan eruption of Santorini. He made the important discovery of a 3600-year-old olive tree buried alive in the pumice deposit that now can be seen in the small geological museum in Perissa.
This allowed the most precise dating of one of the most significant natural event in the Bronze age (to 1613+-13 years BC) so far.
His colleague Tobias, with whom Tom alternates on this tour, is a true specialist for Greece in general, boasting in-depth knowledge about its culture, history, people, flora, fauna and of course geology. He is known for his good eye and discoveries of rare minerals, plants, animals, or hidden archeological artifacts during the various excursions.
Tom and Tobias on Santorini

Additional info

Physical requirements

This tour is recommended for those who are used to walking for about 3-6 hours with normal condition. If you are used to walking and hiking for up to several hours on moderately steep and uneven terrain, it should be no problem to take part in all of our excursions.
The tours include frequent and sometimes longer breaks and the pace of walking is very relaxed. However, individual tours (i.e. the total time spent outside the hotel, including all breaks and transfers etc.) can range between 3 and 5 hours, depending on the season (longer days in May!), the weather and the program.

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