Papafragas, the fjord between cliffs

What it is

Papafragas is a narrow inlet of sea between cliffs of pale rock, on the north coast of Milos, next to the ruins of the prehistoric city of Filakopi. It is really three sea caves, one of them deep, opening among large grey and white rocks. The water enters from the open sea along a passage between the walls and forms, at the end, a tiny tongue of sand with turquoise-green water.

The name has a history. In Byzantine times the cove served as a base for pirates, and it is said to owe its name to the island's last Frankish priest, the "Papa Frangos", who kept his boat here.

How to get there and get down

It is next to the Adamas to Pollonia road, on the north-east coast, a few minutes before reaching Pollonia. You park by the road, and from there a short path leads to the cliff edge, from where you see the arm of the sea from above.

To reach the water you have to go down steps carved in the rock, steep and uneven. It is not a technical descent, but it is slippery in places: wear shoes with grip and keep your hands free. It is not for a pushchair or wheelchair, or for anyone with vertigo or knee problems.

If you go without a car, the Pollonia buses leave Adamas along this road: check stops and timetables on the Milos buses page.

Swimming

The tongue of sand is very small: only a few people fit at a time. Swimming along the channel to the mouth, between the walls, is what makes the place special, but the water gets deep quickly and there is no lifeguard.

There are no facilities: no bar, no shade, no toilets. Bring water and don't leave anything down there.

When to go

First thing in the morning, on a calm day, is when the water is stillest and the cove has fewest people. In July and August, by mid-morning, it fills up quickly, because the sand is very small. With a north wind, which on Milos blows hard for much of the summer, the town council's tourism portal recommends choosing beaches in the south or inside the bay.

Filakopi, next door

Next to the cove are the ruins of Filakopi, one of the most important cities of the Cycladic culture, inhabited throughout the Bronze Age. Its finds are displayed in the archaeological museum in Plaka. Check on the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades website whether the site is open to the public when you go.

Combine with

Papafragas fits on the way to Pollonia, the fishing village in the north-east, with tavernas on the promenade. There you can try the try dive, and sleep at the Kapetan Tasos Suites, close to Papafragas and Sarakiniko. For fish on the same coast, Medusa is on the rocks of Mandrakia.