Milos Day 5: Pollonia, Kimolos Day Trip, Papafragas Caves, Adamas

Sunday 12th May 2024

The Sun is Shining!

I woke at 7 a.m. to my early alarm, keen to begin a busy and exciting day of sightseeing. Peering around the curtains of my balcony doors, I was glad to see some clear blue sky! It looked like the good weather had finally arrived, and I hoped it was here to stay.

Cycling to Pollonia

If you missed the previous trip planning posts, my itinerary for today involves taking a short ferry to the neighbouring island of Kimolos (check out the Kimolos ferry timetable here). As the ferry departs from Pollonia rather than Adamas, where I’m staying, I first need to get across the island. Fortunately, Milos isn’t vast: it’s only 10 kilometres between the resorts. Google suggests it’s a 16-minute drive, so I estimated it would take me about half an hour on my e-bike, hopefully without too many hills.

The first ferry to Psathi, the port town in Kimolos, departs Pollonia at 9:45 a.m., but I wanted to arrive early enough to explore a bit of the popular tourist resort and have breakfast there before the boat arrived. I had a quick shower and packed my rucksack full of my equipment, plus suntan lotion and water. It was jam-packed, but I managed to create a bit more space so I could store the long-sleeved top and bodywarmer I was wearing to start the bike ride–although it was sunny, I anticipated it not being that warm this early in the morning, especially with the wind-chill factor on the bike.

Setting off at 7:30, the first couple of kilometres were a breeze, heading east through Adamas and around the bay. A left turn then took me inland and uphill, though it wasn’t too steep, and the bike handled it well. I kept the battery on economy as much as possible, keen to save energy for my time on Kimolos and hopefully with enough remaining for me to return.

As predicted, I reached Pollonia in exactly 30 minutes. My Strava data, pictured above, shows that there are not too many hills involved, and it turned out to be quite a pleasant journey, with almost no traffic and very little breeze. It was warmer than expected, though: my body warmer was back in the rucksack shortly after leaving Adamas!

Breakfast and Exploring Pollonia

I arrived in Pollonia hungry for breakfast. I’d seen a few cafes on Google Maps and settled on one called Alesta, just across from the beach and main bus stop. I parked my bike outside and sat at a table by the roadside.

My good mood improved further when I spotted my favourite breakfast combo: yoghurt with honey, coffee and orange juice! When it arrived, the portion size was a little small, but it was deliciously creamy and tasted amazing. The coffee was excellent, too, and the cold orange juice quenched my thirst after the bike ride.

I still had about an hour before the ferry arrived, so I moved my bike across the road, parked it next to a wall, and set off on foot to explore Pollonia. I’d been here before, back in 2020, but I didn’t do much besides walking along the beach and taking some photos. This time, I continued north past the main beach and through the village. This area is almost entirely made up of tourist accommodation: studios, apartments, and a few small hotels.

At the northernmost tip of Pollonia, you can see Kimolos quite clearly, and it’s meant to be a great spot for catching the sunrise. I was too late for that, but the views were still impressive.

I stopped for a few minutes, taking in the view and enjoying the quiet morning air, then retraced my steps back towards the port. The ferry was on its way, and I wanted to get there in good time.

Ferry to Kimolos

Despite my awful experience on Friday’s ferry across from Santorini, I was looking forward to getting on the boat to Kimolos. The weather had improved significantly, and I knew it would be a short crossing. I could sit outside in the fresh air, enjoying the views.

A few other tourists were already waiting by the time I’d wheeled my bike around to the port, and more joined us as the departure time grew nearer. Shortly after 9:30, I got my first glimpse of the boat as it came into view:

I’d never taken a bike onto a Greek ferry before, but it was very straightforward. Once the boat had docked and its passengers and vehicles disembarked, the staff gestured us onto the vessel. I wheeled my bike onto the main deck and left it on its stand close to the railings on one side. As I continued up to the passenger area, I could see one of the crew tethering it to the railings so it wouldn’t move around.

The ticket to Kimolos cost €2.40, which is pretty reasonable. I didn’t have to pay anything for the bike, but I think all motorised vehicles are €10.

Kimolos First Impressions

As the boat docked in Psathi port, I could immediately tell that Kimolos was a very quiet and traditional island. The harbour had a sleepy, tranquil air about it, with little activity besides me and my fellow passengers as we disembarked.

Kimolos is the only island I’d never been to on this trip, making it the 32nd Greek island I’ve visited! It seemed only right to celebrate this milestone with a selfie as I stepped off the ferry.

Kimolos Chora and Prassa (Agios Georgios) Beach

I had a few destinations I wanted to visit on the island but hadn’t decided how to tackle them until I arrived. As the sun was in the east and the weather was perfect for the beach, it seemed sensible to visit Prassa Beach (also known as Agios Georgios) first, as it’s on the eastern coastline.

I set off on my bike, heading inland towards Chora, following the directions on my phone. It was all uphill and a bit steep in places, but I went slowly, in no rush to reach my destination and keen to conserve battery where possible.

Rather than pass straight through Chora, I decided to stop and have a walk through the village while it was quietest, with the intention of grabbing a coffee and snack at the same time. I parked my bike on the outskirts of the village, next to a tiny cafe called Sweet Mug, and headed uphill toward the village centre.

The streets are of a typical Cycladic design: painted stone pathways, narrow, whitewashed walls and brightly painted woodwork. It’s very pretty.

I was surprised to find that nearly all the shops and cafes were closed, even those Google Maps suggested would be open. It was so quiet, too; I only saw one or two pedestrians as I strolled through the narrow streets.

My need for caffeine was growing, and I didn’t want to hang around too long, so I headed back to where I’d parked my bike, knowing that the little cafe was open. Inside, I ordered a Freddo Espresso and spotted a tasty-looking pastry. I asked what it was and was told it was a marmalade tart, which sounded great. Ordering a slice, I grabbed a bottle of water and went to pay. The owner was very friendly and asked where I was from, which sparked up quite a long conversation, during which he gave me some excellent advice on getting around the island.

I took my drinks and snack outside and consumed them under the awning in front of the cafe. Then, I returned to my bike and continued my journey east, then northward towards the beach.

Just before the small marina at Agios Minas, the road turned into a white gravel/dirt track. It wasn’t a problem for the bike, which had fairly chunky tyres, but there were a few hilly sections, both up and down, and the brakes on the bike weren’t the sharpest, so I took it steady not wanting to fall off and injure myself in the middle of nowhere!

The journey had only taken 15 minutes or so, and boy, was it worth it! The beach is absolutely incredible, and it is easily one of the best I’ve seen anywhere in Greece. The sand is pale gold, and the sea a stunning azure blue. It looked like my idea of heaven!

Aside from a family, who were returning to their car as I arrived, I had the place to myself, which made it even more magical. A fellow cyclist did arrive shortly after, but he sat quietly on the sand, and I felt like I had my own slice of paradise.

Taking a Dip

Despite not having room to pack my beach shorts, I couldn’t bear the thought of visiting a beach like this and not feeling the water on my skin. With only one distant stranger in sight, I stripped down to my underwear and waded into the crystal-clear water until I was waist-deep. It was pretty cold and might have shocked a less confident visitor, but I’ve been a swimmer all my life, and it didn’t faze me at all. I took a deep breath and submerged myself up to the neck. It felt exhilarating!

Daring the Drone

Given the previous windy conditions, I debated whether to bring my drone to Kimolos. Having carried it all the way from the UK, it seemed a shame not to have it with me. I was so glad I did because drones are made for this kind of place.

I put on my shorts and shoes again, and after a few minutes in the sun to dry off, I put on my T-shirt, too. Taking a few final photos and videos at the beach, I rode a short distance back the way I’d come, having seen a good spot to launch the drone on my way.

It was a little breezy, but the drone handled it perfectly, and I got several great photos and video clips, the best of which are shown above and below. If you want to see the videos, check out my Milos Island Guide video on YouTube (coming soon).

Mavrospilia Beach

I wanted to visit three more destinations during my time on Kimolos: Marvospilia Beach, Skiadi, and Profitis Ilias. The beach is on the far side of the island, a few kilometres west of Psathi, while the other two sights are inland. While these would be slightly closer, I wanted to see more of the coastline first. I also wasn’t sure whether the battery would last well enough to climb the hilly terrain, so I decided to leave them for later and decide whether to do them based on how much charge I had left.

Reaching Mavrospilia was fairly straightforward. I retraced my route back to Chora, then turned away from Psathi and headed southwest towards the coast. I stopped at Aliki, partly to see it but also because I’d spotted a sign advertising Sardis Taverna on the roadside and thought it would be an opportunity to stop for lunch. Unfortunately, when I arrived there, none of the tables were set, and when I asked inside if they were open, they said no.

A bit frustrated at the wasted effort, I got back on the main road and carried on towards Marvospilia. Once again, the road deteriorated into a dirt track, but this time, it was much more uneven, with large potholes and quite hilly patches, making it much less fun to ride on.

Once again, the journey hadn’t taken long (about 25 minutes from Chora, including the detour at Aliki), and the beach, while no comparison to Prassa, was very pleasant. I can imagine it’s a popular spot in the summer when the weather is hotter.

Unexpected Hydration

Shortly after I stopped to take the above photo, a small 4×4 passed me and continued towards the beach. I noticed it stopped right outside what appeared to be a small beach bar (confirmed on Google Maps), and the occupants began moving around inside and around the bar. I decided to try my luck and freewheeled my bike down the hill and up to the premises. I asked if they were open, and they said yes, so I hopped off the bike and walked up to see what was on offer.

Unfortunately, they weren’t serving food, but I got a cold beer and Coke, which was more than enough to satisfy my thirst. The Coke even came with a plastic cup and ice!

I had no intention of getting in the water again, but I did sit for a while, sipping at my drinks and enjoying yet more peace and quiet. This is the life!!

Profitis Ilias (ish)

When it was time to get moving again, I returned towards Chora, stopping for more photos at Kalamitsi and Bonatsa Beaches on the southern coastline–Bonatsa being the nicer of the two. At this point, I knew I had a decision to make. It was almost 2 p.m., and I had a choice of ferries back to Milos: 4 or 7 p.m. I had planned on taking the later ferry to maximize my time on Kimolos, but equally, I didn’t have that much more to see, and the earlier ferry would give me more time back on Milos, allowing me to stop on my way back to Adamas as well as having plenty of time for dinner.

I wanted to see Skiadi and Profitis Ilias: they looked fairly close together on the map, but both required travelling inland, and I knew it would be quite an uphill effort most of the way. I decided to give it a try, and if my battery got too low or the terrain too difficult, I would turn around and head back to Chora.

I rode my bike most of the way to Profitis Ilias until the track split just here. At this point, it got too steep to pedal, even with full power from the electric motor. I was also concerned it would be dangerous to ride back down, so I left the bike there and continued on foot.

The views as I climbed higher were incredible, with Chora visible in the distance and the small island of Kitriana in the background. I passed a small church that wasn’t marked on Google Maps and initially thought this was the summit, but upon checking my phone, I could see the marker for Profitis Ilias was still a short distance ahead. I continued walking until the path ended. I could see the trig point ahead on top of the next hill, but it was the other side of a low wall that had been blocked off by a mesh fence.

Despite going off-track and following the wall uphill, I could see no obvious gate or place where I could safely scale the fence, so I assumed it was there intentionally to prevent visitors from reaching the summit. Either that, or it was only accessible from another direction, and I approached from the wrong angle.

Slightly frustrated but satisfied that I’d climbed as high as possible, I took a few more photos and then began my descent back to where I’d left my bike. I checked the map again to see how much further it would be to reach Skiadi and decided it wasn’t close enough to be worth attempting. It’s meant to be an interesting sight, but equally, it’s just a strange tree-shaped rock formation, so I wasn’t that disappointed at the prospect of skipping it.

Race to the Port

By the time I was back at my bike, it was after 3 o’clock. Having seen all the sights I wanted to, I was suddenly keen to make the 4 p.m. ferry and avoid spending an extra three hours here instead of back on Milos. The question was, could I make it back off the hillside and down to the port in time?

I had gravity on my side and freewheeled my way down to Chora as quickly but safely as possible. Back on the solid road, I made even faster progress to Psathi and was back at sea level well before the ferry departure. In fact, I had nearly half an hour to spare!

I was pretty hungry, having only had the slice of marmalade tart since breakfast, and I could see a beachfront taverna busy with customers. I sat down and ordered a large beer and a plate of chips, hoping they would arrive quickly and with enough time for me to finish before I had to go.

By the time the chips arrived, I’d consumed nearly half the beer, but I made short work of them and even had time to eat the free dessert offered by the staff. I paid my bill and pedalled slowly around the port just as the crew ushered the waiting passengers on board. Mission accomplished!

Pollonia Again

The ferry journey back to Pollonia was blissful: the sun was still high in the sky, a cool breeze blew across the open deck, and I felt a great sense of satisfaction and joy at having had such an awesome day. No doubt, the buzz of alcohol from my beer helped my mood, but either way, I felt glad to be alive and on another Greek adventure!

It’s always interesting on day-trip boats like this, wondering what the other passengers have been up to. I hadn’t seen any of them on my travels around Kimolos, yet many of the same faces from this morning’s early ferry were recognisable as I glanced around the deck. Everyone looked happy and relaxed, though, clearly having had a good day too.

When the boat docked back at Pollonia, we all disembarked, and I wheeled my bike past the row of harbour-front tavernas, many of which were open and serving customers, though it was early for dinner and most were just having drinks or ice-creams. Now that I was back on Milos with three extra hours to fill, I was in no hurry to get back on my bike and leave the resort. Instead, I fancied another caffeine hit and, perhaps, my own ice cream.

This proved more difficult than expected, however. I didn’t want to sit in a restaurant if I could find a good cafe, but most–including my breakfast spot, Alesta–were closed in the afternoon for siesta. I found Deck Milos opposite the bus stop, which was open, and I could see customers sitting upstairs at the windows. It’s quite a posh-looking place, but the prices were reasonable, so I sat down and ordered a latte and a chocolate trifle dessert.

The views from my table, looking out over the beach and harbour road, were excellent for some people-watching. I took my time eating the sickly dessert and drinking the excellent latte, contemplating my plans for the rest of the day.

Papafragas Caves

One of the few remaining sightseeing spots I’d highlighted during my trip planning was Papafragas Caves. A short distance outside Pollonia, just off the main road, I would pass it on my way back to Adamas, so it seemed like an obvious next stop. I got back on my bike, feeling a little full but energised by my coffee stop, and pedalled away from Pollonia. My bike still had 25% battery remaining, and I knew there weren’t many hills to contend with, so I treated myself to full power whenever I felt a slight incline in the road.

I reached the cave site within a few short minutes, parking my bike on the edge of the road just before a small bus stop shelter. I then realised there was a decent-sized car park accessible via a poorly signposted turning a few metres back along the road. I couldn’t be bothered to return to my bike and move it, so I just walked through the car park towards the cave.

The main cave is quite cool. It has a narrow beach and a section of water carved into a deep, partly covered section of rock.

It was possible to access the small beach via a narrow pathway in the cliff wall, but it looked a bit dangerous, and my fear of heights prevented me from trying it.

The landscape along this part of the northern Milos coastline is very rugged, in steep contrast to the smooth and flat interior.

Back to Adamas and Returning the e-bike

With nothing further to see on my day trip, all that remained was returning to my hotel in Adamas and getting the e-bike back to the rental shop. The ride across the northern half of Milos was a breeze, especially with the full assistance from the bike motor. Once I passed the halfway point, it was nearly all downhill anyway, and I zoomed along the quiet roads, enjoying the wind through my hair and the late afternoon sun on my face.

I couldn’t drop the bike back on my way through the village, as I’d left the heavy charger unit at the hotel. Instead, I returned to my room and went straight out again to return the bike. With 7% battery left, I’d done well to make it last the day, but I was still grateful for its assistance on some of the hilly parts.

It felt strange walking back to my hotel, having had the bike since my arrival on Friday evening. I was conscious that it meant my trip was drawing to a close, but I still had the evening ahead of me, with plans for a nice meal and a relaxing stroll around the harbour.

Dinner in Adamas

After a refreshing shower in my room, I relaxed on the hotel bed and copied all of the photos and videos from my drone, GoPro and SLR camera onto my laptop and a backup USB drive (conscious of not losing the valuable content). I had a quick scan through some of the material and was pleased with what I’d captured.

I wasn’t overly hungry after the very filling chocolate trifle earlier, but I was keen to eat out for my last night. It would also be my first evening meal in Adamas since I’d skipped dinner on Friday and eaten in Trypiti yesterday. I got dressed and walked back past the port to the harbour area. I was in the mood for pizza, but my first choice restaurant, Aktaion Pizza Bar, was packed, so I continued walking around looking at menus to find a suitable alternative.

After walking all the way east as far as Nostos Seafood Experience, I concluded that Yankos was my best option. I had hoped to find somewhere offering cheap house wine by the carafe (having consumed a couple of beers already today), but I was out of luck on that front. I sat down at a table by the roadside and ordered a large pepperoni pizza and a glass of rose wine. The food was decent enough, but not the best pizza I’ve ever eaten. It definitely helped to replenish any calories I may have burned during the day’s activities, though!

Reflecting on my trip, I felt it was a great success and highly enjoyable. The weather in Santorini was a little disappointing, meaning my photos and videos wouldn’t look quite as captivating, but I couldn’t do anything about that. I was glad conditions had improved on Milos and that today had been brilliant sunshine and clear skies.