Beach and Hiking Route in Pachena

Pachena can be explored through two specific points of interest: Páchaina Beach and Hiking Route 7. The beach has a wide sandy stretch and several tamarisk trees. At the left end, rocks jutting into the sea form small sandy coves. This brings together a wide sandy area and a more varied arrangement of coves on a single beach. From the beach, you can see the Glaronisia Islands opposite. Travellers who consider coastal scenery when choosing a destination will find specific features here rather than a generic beach scene.

Hiking Route 7 passes through Pachena, among other places. It complements the beach by offering a different perspective on the area: one is about hiking, the other about sand, rocks, tamarisk trees and views of the islands. When deciding whether Pachena matches your travel interests, you can weigh these two themes separately.

Milos: More Landscapes and Activities

To look beyond Pachena, it is worth considering the wider destination of Milos. The island has more than 75 small and large beaches. Its volcanic origins shape beaches and coves with white, red, yellow and black rocks. Sarakiniko offers a markedly different landscape: it has entirely white volcanic rock formations, deep blue water and a small natural harbour enclosed by rocks. This is clearly different from Pachena’s wide sandy beach and tamarisk trees.

Papafragas and Paliorema also represent different beachscapes on Milos. In the Papafragas cave, visitors can swim in turquoise water between grey and white rocks that lead out to the open sea. In the small cove of Paliorema, they can swim at a beach with yellow pebbles and clear water. These landscapes are further features of the destination of Milos, not features of Páchaina Beach.

Culture and History on Milos

The Milos Mining Museum presents the island’s geological character and mining history through objects, photographs and pictures. The museum offers a self-guided museum experience; an audio guide is available in Greek, English, French, German and Italian. The history of mining dates back to the Neolithic period: mining activity on Milos began around 8000 BC with the extraction and trade of obsidian.

The archaeological sites also offer different historical and cultural points of reference. Phylakopi is considered one of the most important settlements of the Cycladic culture and the most important city of the prehistoric Aegean. Visitors can see the Cyclopean wall, the sanctuary and palace remains there. After the restoration work was completed in July 2016, the ancient theatre of Milos can accommodate around 700 spectators.

The island’s culture also includes a culinary speciality: in tavernas and at festivals on Milos, you can find Skoufomakarono, a traditional pasta with myzithra cheese and browned butter. It adds a distinct perspective on the island’s cuisine to the themes of landscape, mining history and archaeology.

Getting Around and Activities on Milos

There are various ways to enjoy water activities on Milos. Guided day trips by canoe and kayak are offered from April to October. Diving highlights include underwater caves, shipwrecks from the Second World War and earlier periods, and hot springs. Boat trips let visitors reach beaches that cannot be accessed from land and explore caves. You can fish from a boat or from shore, as well as underwater.

For getting around on land, it is useful to know that buses serve some areas; during the summer months, services are described as fairly frequent. Achivadolimni Beach is accessible by bus and is recommended for windsurfing and kitesurfing. If you plan a trip there, check the current timetable in advance.

Discover more destinations: Voudia, Livadion, Adamantas, Sérifos, Sifnos, Milos, Vathí, Ganema.

Back to the main travel guide: Milos.