Trypiti Catacombs and the Roman Theatre

What it is and what you see

The catacombs of Milos are the underground cemetery of the ancient city of Melos, dug into the soft volcanic tuff next to the village of Trypiti, about 150 m above the sea. They were used from the mid-1st century to the 7th century, and are the oldest Christian monument on the island: besides being a cemetery they were the first meeting place of the early Christians of Milos.

The complex has about 200 m of galleries: three large underground galleries, five corridors and a burial chamber, with about 126 arcosolia, the arched tombs carved in the walls. The galleries are between 1 and 5 m wide and between 1.6 and 2.5 m high. Only gallery B is visited, the so-called catacomb of the Presbyters, along a lit wooden walkway. In it you will see a two-storey tomb, unique in the complex, remains of an inscription in red letters and a central rock thought to be a bishop's tomb and which the early Christians used as an altar.

Opening hours

The hours change a lot between seasons, and in winter it opens very few days:

• Summer (1 April to 31 October): Monday and Wednesday to Sunday, from 8:30 to 15:30. Closed on Tuesdays.
• Winter (1 November to 31 March): only Thursdays and Sundays, from 8:30 to 14:00.

The last entry is 20 minutes before closing. The timetables are those published by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades; confirm them before you go, especially in winter.

Tickets and price

General admission costs €10 and reduced €5. It is bought at the ticket office or through the official state ticketing system, tickets.hh.gr. As at all state-run sites, EU citizens under 25 get in free with ID. The visit is short: allow half an hour inside, and an hour and a half if you add the theatre and a stroll round the area.

What else is nearby

About 200 m to the west is the ancient theatre of Melos, from Roman times, with marble seating facing the bay of Milos. Between the two is the field where in 1820 a farmer found the Venus de Milo, which is now in the Louvre; a sign marks the spot. A copy of the statue is in the archaeological museum in Plaka, €5, in the old neoclassical Katastimata building.

From the catacombs, the road runs down to Klima and its coloured boat houses. And Plaka, with the Kastro and its viewpoint, is ten minutes' walk uphill.

How to get there

The catacombs are signposted on the road that goes down from Trypiti to Klima. There is a small car park next to the entrance, but the last stretch of road is narrow and steep: in August, park in Trypiti and walk down. By bus, the Plaka and Trypiti lines leave from Adamas: you have the timetables on the Milos buses page.

With children and accessibility

With children from about six years old it is a visit they like, because of the mysterious feel of the place, and it is short. Inside it is cool, which is welcome in summer. The walkway is narrow, and the access from the road has steps: with a pushchair or wheelchair it is complicated.

For lunch, Barrielo, on Trypiti's square, is a few minutes away.