Paleochori Beach, Milos: Hot Springs, Coloured Cliffs and Food Cooked in the Sand

Paleochori, also spelled Paliochori, is the beach on Milos where the volcano is still at work. Warm water bubbles up through the sand in the shallows, the cliffs behind the beach are stained red, orange and sulphur yellow, and one of the tavernas on the shore cooks its dishes by burying pots in the hot volcanic ground. It is a long beach with space for everyone, it is sheltered from the summer north wind, and it lies a short boat ride east of our base at Agia Kiriaki. Here is what to expect and how to plan a visit by road or by sea.

Where Paleochori is and what makes it different

Paleochori lies on the south east coast of Milos, below the old inland village of Zefiria, which was the capital of the island for centuries. The name means old village, a reminder of the settlements that once stood in this part of the island. The road from Adamas crosses the island through Zefiria and drops down to the coast, where the beach stretches out in a wide arc.

What sets Paleochori apart is colour and heat. Milos was built by volcanoes, and here the minerals in the rock have stained the cliffs in bands of deep red, rust, orange and bright yellow from sulphur. The water in front of them is clear and changes from green to deep blue as the day goes on and the sun moves.

The beach faces south, so the meltemi, the north wind of July and August, passes over it. When the north coast beaches are rough, Paleochori is one of the calmest and most comfortable places to swim on the island.

The hot springs in the sea

Paleochori is one of the few beaches in Greece where you can feel geothermal heat while you swim. In the shallows, especially near the rocks at the edges of the beach, streams of small bubbles rise from the sea bed and the water around them is noticeably warmer. Dig your feet into the wet sand at the waterline and in some spots it becomes hot within a few centimetres. Measurements of the sand have recorded temperatures around 100 °C a little below the surface, which is why you should never dig deep with your hands.

A few sensible rules:

• Test the sand with your foot before lying on it in the hottest spots near the rocks.
• Keep small children away from the areas where the ground is visibly steaming.
• Snorkel slowly near the rocks: the bubbling vents in clear water are one of the strangest sights in the Cyclades.

The underwater vents and warm patches are part of the same volcanic system that shaped the whole south coast. Our guide to snorkelling in Milos explains where else you can see volcanic features underwater.

Three beaches in one

Paleochori is really three beaches joined by rocks and short paths.

• The middle beach is the organised one, where the road arrives. It has sunbeds and umbrellas to rent, showers and changing cabins, a beach bar, water sports and several tavernas and cafés along the shore. It is the easiest choice for families and for anyone who wants lunch without moving.
• The two side beaches, to the left and right of the main one, are reached on foot along the rocks and short paths. They have no facilities, fewer people and the most dramatic cliffs. Bring water and shade.

The sand is mixed with small pebbles, and the sea bed is sandy near the shore in the main section. The water gets deep quickly at the edges, where the snorkelling is best.

Arriving by boat you pick the section you want and anchor off it. Most of our guests choose one of the quiet ends for the swim and then move to the middle beach for lunch.

Food cooked in volcanic sand

The best known table on the beach belongs to a restaurant that uses the island’s geology as its oven. Pots of marinated meat or fresh fish are sealed and buried in pits of hot volcanic sand next to the taverna, and left to cook slowly for hours, sometimes overnight. The result is a very tender, slow cooked dish that you will not find anywhere else in the Cyclades. Lamb, fish, squid and lobster are among the dishes, and the menu changes with the season.

A few tips:

• In July and August, book a table or arrive early for lunch; the sand cooked dishes sell out.
• If you are coming by boat, anchor off the middle beach and swim or wade ashore for lunch, then return to the boat for the afternoon.
• The other tavernas on the beach serve classic Greek dishes and fresh fish, and they are also a good option for a long lunch in the shade.

Milos is proud of its food, and a lunch at Paleochori is one of the easiest ways to add a local story to a beach day.

Getting there by car

From Adamas, follow the road towards Zefiria and continue south to the coast. The route is asphalt all the way and takes about 20 to 25 minutes. There is a parking area near the middle beach, which is enough outside the peak hours, but in July and August it fills by late morning and cars line the road down. The local bus serves the south coast in high season, with a stop close to the beach; check the current timetable in Adamas, as it changes each year.

The side beaches are only a short walk from the parking area, but the paths over the rocks are uneven. Wear proper sandals rather than flip flops.

If you are staying in Adamas, Plaka or Pollonia and want to combine Paleochori with other south coast beaches the same day, driving means parking several times in busy lots. That is where a boat saves hours.

Getting there by boat from Agia Kiriaki

Our boats leave from the floating platform at Agia Kiriaki beach, on the same south coast. Paleochori is a short run east along the shore, past cliffs and small coves that have no road at all. You anchor in clear water off the beach and swim in.

Our three boats:

• Compass 150cc, Yamaha 30 hp, up to 5 people, no licence needed: 180 € for a half day, 300 € for a full day. A full 30 minute training is included before you leave the platform, and snorkelling gear is on board free. See renting a boat in Milos without a licence.
• Compass 165cc, Mercury 115 hp, up to 6 people, with a speedboat licence or one of our skippers: 250 € half day, 450 € full day, soft drinks and water included.
• Compass 7s, 250 hp, up to 7 passengers with our captain: 550 € half day, 950 € full day, with drinks, snacks, fruit, local wine, snorkelling gear, towels and GoPro photos included.

Fuel and taxes are not included in any of the prices, and a skipper can join the 150cc or the 165cc for 60 € for a half day or 120 € for a full day. For a detailed comparison of the three, read which boat to rent in Milos.

From the sea you also see what the road hides: the coloured cliffs from end to end, the small inlets between the three sections, and the rock formations along the coast towards the east.

Best time of day and the wind

Mornings are the calmest and clearest time at Paleochori, and the colours of the cliffs are strongest in the soft light before noon and again in the late afternoon. The middle beach gets busy between 12:00 and 17:00 in high season, while the side beaches stay quieter all day.

The wind is the main factor. On meltemi days, which are frequent in July and August, the south coast is sheltered and Paleochori is flat. On the rarer days of south wind, waves roll straight in, the water turns cloudy and the north coast becomes the better choice. For month by month conditions and water temperatures, see our guide to the best time to visit Milos.

A south east coast day by boat

A relaxed half day in the Compass 150cc, 09:00 to 14:00, could look like this:

With a full day you can combine the east and the west: Paleochori in the morning, then Firiplaka and Tsigrado around midday, and in the faster Compass 165cc or the skippered 7s, Kleftiko in the afternoon. All the routes are compared in Milos boat trips: half day vs full day, and our private captained routes are on the Milos boat tours page. For every beach on the island in one guide, see Milos beaches by boat.

What to bring

• Sandals with grip for the rocky paths between the three beaches.
• Water and snacks if you are heading to the side beaches.
• Mask and snorkel for the bubbling vents near the rocks.
• Sun protection: there is little natural shade outside the organised section.
• Cash or a card for the tavernas and the beach bar.
• By boat: an umbrella and a cool box, which stay on board all day.

Want to swim over the hot springs from your own boat? Send us your date and group size and we will suggest the right boat. Contact us.

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