Seaside resort Milatos - characteristics and facilities

The resort of Milatos consists of two parts - the original village of Milatos at the top of the hill towards the inland and the newer, more touristic part of Milatos Beach (Paralia Milatou in Greek) built close to the sea. If you see "Milatos" in travel agents' listings, then you'll surely head for one of the local seaside hotels. The Milatos area is famous for the eponymous Milatos Cave.

The peaceful resort of Milatos lies about 8 km east of the bustling seaside resort of Sissi and about 15 km east of the large popular holiday resort of Hersonissos - Stalida - Malia. Milatos is a small resort in size and accommodation for visitors is mainly apartments, family-run guesthouses and smaller hotels. There are several restaurants and tavernas, and especially those near the local harbour specialise in freshly caught seafood. There is also a small supermarket for tourists.

Old village Milatos

A pleasant walk towards the interior of the island takes you to the "upper" Milatos, a traditional Greek village with old stone houses and narrow streets. It's a very quiet village with a small taverna and café, but otherwise don't expect any major facilities, although a few new holiday homes have sprung up in recent years. The village has a beautiful Panagia church.

The surrounding area of the old village of Milatos is mostly fields with olive trees.

Coast and beaches of Milatos

The coastline of the resort is very rocky and creates a number of small coves that can be used for swimming in peace and privacy. Near the local marina is the larger, unorganised, sand and shingle beach of Milatos, and in general the local beaches tend to be smaller and quieter, but often affected by strong winds that bring with them large waves. This has created a tiny sandy beach called Limani right in the harbour, equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas and protected from the big waves.

Towards the west, in the Volaki area, there is a nice sandy beach with sunbeds and umbrellas. The beach here was artificially created and belongs to the popular Minos Imperial Hotel.

However, the beaches of Milatos are by no means exceptional and tourists often head further west towards the neighbouring resort of Sissi with their towels. There are three beaches between Milatos and Sissi, equipped with umbrellas and sunbeds.

Milatos Cave

The nearby Milatos Cave (also known as Rapas) is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area, but it carries with it a rather sad historical legacy. Milatos Cave is famous for the tragedy that took place here during the Turkish occupation in February 1823, when the Turkish soldiers moved on to Mirabello Bay after the sacking of the Lassithi plateau and the inhabitants of Milatos and its surroundings took refuge in the cave in an attempt to save their lives. It is said that a Turkish resident of Voulismeni brought this information to the Turkish commander, who sent several thousand of his men to the cave. The siege lasted several days, but ended badly for the Greek citizens, including men, women and children - those who were not killed were sold on as slaves.

The Milatos caves are outside the populated area, you have to drive through the old village of Milatos and follow the signs that will lead you to the parking lot. From there it is about 200 m walk to the cave itself. The cave has several entrances, is more than 2 thousand m2 in size and more than 70 meters deep. If you go through the main entrance, you will reach a large room where a chapel dedicated to the Apostle Thomas was built in 1935. Near the cave there is also an ossuary with the remains of the victims from 1823.

The cave is easily accessible and open to the public. However, due to its size, it is recommended to bring a torch, as the more remote parts of the cave are quite dark. There are several cave rooms and corners, and at different levels.

Who is the centre suitable for?

The resort of Milatos is small and quiet, so we recommend it more to those tourists who want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of their everyday life. On the other hand, if the quiet is too much, there are several larger and busier seaside resorts close to the village, such as the resorts of Sissi or Agios Nikolaos, or the entire holiday area of Hersonissos - Stalida - Malia.

More touristic destinations of Crete

Close resorts: Agia Varvara (Malia), Sissi

Most favourite resorts of Crete: Adelianos Kampos, Agia Marina, Agios Nikolaos, Heraklion (Iraklion), Hersonissos, Chania, Ierapetra, Kalamaki (Matala), Malia, Platanias (Chania), Rethymno, Stalis

Resorts, beaches, sights or trips - clearly listed on the map of Crete.