Firopotamos, a cove with a chapel

What it is

Firopotamos is a small fishing settlement on the north coast of Milos, with a sandy cove at the end. It is one of the island's postcards: the white church of Agios Nikolaos on the rocks, at the edge of the village, and around the cove the syrmata, the boat houses cut beside the water, with the ground floor for keeping the boat and painted doors. To one side are the remains of an old loading ramp, abandoned.

The beach is small, sandy, with tamarisks that give some shade. The water is clear and shelves gently, good for swimming and for snorkelling by the rocks.

How to get there and park

It is about 10 minutes by car from Plaka, along the road that goes down to the north coast, well signposted. The last stretch is narrow and the car park by the cove is small: in July and August it fills up by mid-morning. Arrive before ten or after five.

Without a car, check the Milos buses page to see whether any line passes nearby, or hire a small vehicle: you have the options on the car, quad and motorbike hire page.

Facilities

The beach is small but organised, with a beach bar in season. There isn't much else: bring water and something to eat if you plan to spend several hours.

Swimming and the wind

Firopotamos is on the north coast, open to the meltemi, the north wind that blows hard for much of the summer, especially in July and August. With a north wind the cove gets rough and swimming stops being comfortable. The town council's tourism portal sums it up this way: with the meltemi, choose beaches inside the bay or in the south of the island. With a south wind or in calm weather, the cove is sheltered and the water still.

With small children it works on calm days: the sand shelves gently into the water. Keep an eye on them near the rocks and the boat-house ramps.

When to go

From June to September for swimming, checking the wind forecast first. At sunset the light on the church and the boat houses is what photographers look for, and there are fewer people than at midday.

Respect the village

The boat houses belong to locals. Don't go onto the ramps or porches for a photo, and don't park in front of doors.

Combine with

On the same north coast is Plathiena, another sandy beach. And to the south, a quarter of an hour away, you reach Plaka and the Kastro to see the sunset from above, or go down to Klima, the other boat-house village.