Best things to do in Milatos in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Milatos is a coastal village in the Lasithi region of Crete, about 16 km east of Hersonissos on the western fringes of the Mirabello province. Milatos has kept many of its traditional features, and the coastal settlement of Paralia Milatou, the Beach of Milatos, sits 1 km north of it. Ancient olive groves cover the ground around the village, and the shoreline is speckled with small rocky inlets, some of them suitable for swimming.
Heraklion airport lies 35.2 km west and Agios Nikolaos 18.8 km south-east. The village holds a significant fishing port, the cave where the Ottomans carried out a massacre of local people in 1823, and a shoreline of quiet inlets rather than a resort strip.
Things to do in and around Milatos
Six outings sit within 7 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Visit the cave. Milatos cave lies 1 km from the village and is the site of the 1823 massacre of local people by the Ottomans, which the area is known for.
- Swim from the rocky inlets. The shoreline 1.3 km away breaks into small rocky coves, and the Milatos beaches page sets out which of them work for swimming.
- See the Minoan settlement. The Sissi (Boufos) Minoan settlement stands 3.4 km from Milatos.
- Walk the Selinaris gorge. The gorge lies 3.5 km away on the eastern slopes of Selena Mount and comes out near Milatos itself, so the walk finishes close to the village; the Selinaris gorge page describes the route through its dense vegetation.
- Stop at the monastery. St George Selinaris monastery sits 3.5 km out, the same distance as the gorge that shares its name.
- Spend an afternoon in Neapoli. The town 6.9 km away stands in a valley of olive groves and served as the administrative centre of the Lassithi Prefecture under the Turkish Occupation, as the Neapoli guide explains.
Beaches in and around Milatos
Milatos has no single main beach, because its own shoreline is a run of small rocky inlets, some of which suit swimming. Milatos sends most swimmers to the beach settlement of Paralia Milatou a kilometre north, or to 4 larger beaches that lie between 3 km and 11 km along the coast.
- Sissi lies 3.3 km west, a seaside village with a natural harbour of deep green water and taverns in narrow streets. The coast here is mostly rocky and the sea usually choppy, so the small beach inside the harbour, Limani, is the one calm swimming spot, with a few umbrellas and showers.
- Potamos sits 7.8 km west, a quiet sandy beach 3 km east of Malia named after the small river beside it. Its eastern end stays undeveloped because the Minoan Palace of Malia and a protected wetland sit behind it, and it draws far fewer people than Malia’s main beach.
- Malia is 9.7 km west, the eastern end of a 6 km bay that starts at Stalis. Fine sand, shallow clear water, sunbeds, water sports and beach bars make it one of the busiest and most developed resort beaches in the Heraklion area.
- Skotini lies 10.7 km away, at the exit of the Skotini gorge north of Finokalias village, in one of the most secluded parts of Crete. Reaching it means following the canyon down from Finokalias to the sea, past bare rock, sparse vegetation and wild herbs.
Where to eat in Milatos
Eating in Milatos means a small group of restaurants around the village and the beach settlement, with more choice 4 km away towards Vrachasi.
- Socrates Apartments & Restaurant has rooms and a kitchen, 1.2 km out.
- No Name Restaurant & Bar sits 1.3 km out, by the beach settlement.
- Sergiani Milatos is 1.3 km from the village.
- Gyroscopio Cafe Snack Bar sells quick food, 3.5 km away.
- Kivernitis Taverna serves taverna cooking, 3.9 km away.
Getting to Milatos
Leave the National Road between Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos where it comes out of the Selinaris gorge, and Milatos lies just beyond. That road runs along the gorge floor and follows the old natural passage from Lasithi to the north coast of Heraklion, which is why the gorge is known to Cretans across the island. Hersonissos sits 16.2 km west, Agios Nikolaos 18.8 km south-east and Ierapetra 36.5 km away.
Heraklion airport is 35.2 km from the village, reached on the same national road. The quiet village of Sissi lies 4.4 km west and Neapoli 6.9 km inland, so a car opens up both without much driving.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Milatos in Crete?
Milatos lies on the north coast of Crete, about 16 km east of Hersonissos and 18.8 km north-west of Agios Nikolaos. The village belongs to the Lasithi region and sits on the western fringes of the Mirabello province.
What happened at Milatos cave?
The Ottomans carried out a massacre of local people at Milatos cave in 1823. The cave stands 1 km from the village and is what the area is known for.
Does Milatos have a beach?
Milatos has small rocky inlets rather than one long beach, and some of them are suitable for swimming. The coastal settlement of Paralia Milatou sits a kilometre north of the village, and sandy beaches begin at Potamos, 7.8 km west.
How far is Milatos from Heraklion airport?
Heraklion airport sits 35.2 km west of Milatos, most of it on the national road. Hersonissos, 16.2 km west, is the nearest large resort on the same route.
Can you walk a gorge from Milatos?
The Selinaris gorge comes out near Milatos, 3.5 km from the village. Walkers can follow it on foot or drive it, and the old National Road winds through the gorge parallel to the new one. The Skotini gorge, 9.9 km away, is the wilder alternative and ends at its own beach.
Is Milatos a quiet place to stay?
Milatos keeps a traditional village character and a fishing port rather than a resort strip. The nearest busy resort beach is Malia, 9.7 km west, and the nearest quiet village of similar size is Sissi, 4.4 km along the coast.
Where Milatos is
Best things to do in Milatos in 2024 is located at Milatos. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
