Milos

Milos has been shaped by its volcanic past, which produced the minerals that made it important from prehistoric times; obsidian from the island was traded around the Aegean, and the Bronze Age settlement of Phylakopi lies on the north coast. Hot springs on the island were known in antiquity and were mentioned by Hippocrates. Early Christians carved a network of catacombs at Tripiti, below Plaka, which can still be visited.

In 1820 a farmer uncovered the marble statue of Aphrodite now known as the Venus de Milo, which was taken to France and is displayed in the Louvre; a replica stands in the Archaeological Museum of Milos in Plaka. Above Plaka, the Kastro district holds remains of a 13th-century Venetian castle. Mining has continued into modern times, and the island's Mining Museum near Adamas explains this industrial heritage.

Milos is a working island where fishing and mining have long supported local life alongside tourism. In villages such as Klima, Mandrakia and Firopotamos, boathouses are still used to shelter fishing boats in winter, though some have been converted for guests. Adamas, the main port, is the busiest settlement, while Plaka keeps the feel of a traditional Cycladic hilltop village with churches, squares and small family-run shops.