Milos ferry docks fill by 9am in summer 2025. Tour groups queue for Sarakiniko’s moon rocks. Hotels in Plaka charge $220 a night in August. Twenty minutes away by ferry, Kimolos offers the same volcanic cliffs, whiter sand, and rooms for $90.
The island sits 1 nautical mile northeast of Milos. Population 900, most living in Chorio village. Thirty-six square kilometers of volcanic coastline. Ferry tickets cost $2-10 depending on season.
Why Milos became overcrowded
Instagram discovered Sarakiniko in 2019. The white volcanic formations went viral. By 2024, over 500,000 visitors arrived annually. Kleftiko boat tours book weeks ahead in summer.
Plaka’s narrow streets can’t handle the crowds. Adamas port sees 15 ferries daily in peak season. Beach parking costs $8-12. Taverna prices climbed 40% between 2020 and 2025.
The South Aegean region led Greece in tourism receipts for 2024. Milos absorbed much of that growth. What worked for decades stopped working when everyone showed up at once.
Kimolos delivers the same landscape without the wait
Volcanic drama at Prassa Beach
Prassa’s sea caves mirror Kleftiko’s formations. White pumice cliffs drop into turquoise water. The beach stretches 500 meters with fine white sand. Water visibility reaches 30 meters on calm days.
Skiadi rock arch stands 30 meters tall inland. The trail from the road takes 25 minutes. No entrance fees. No tour buses in the parking area.
Aliki offers twin coves separated by a narrow isthmus. Snorkeling gear rents for $8. The taverna there charges $15 for grilled octopus, $12 for Greek salad. Same volcanic geology as Milos, one-third the people.
What accommodation actually costs
Giannis Studios near Chorio: $65-95 per night depending on season. Thalasea Kimolos with pool: $120-150. Stelia Mare beachfront boutique: $180-220. All rates 30-40% below comparable Milos properties.
Scooter rental runs $20-25 daily versus $35-45 in Milos. The island’s 36 square kilometers fit on one tank. Chorio to Psathi port: 2 kilometers. Chorio to Prassa: 7 kilometers. Everything’s reachable in 15 minutes.
How daily life feels different
Chorio’s castle rhythm
The medieval Kastro walls date to 1264 under Venetian rule. Marble-paved alleys wind through the fortification. Panagia Odigitria church inside the walls was built in 1592. Byzantine frescoes still visible on interior walls.
Brachera cafe operates from a restored castle house. Locals gather there after 7pm. No tour groups. No souvenir shops. The Archaeological Museum charges $3-5 entry, displays prehistoric tools and classical sculptures from the island.
Walk these streets at dusk and you hear Greek conversation, not camera shutters. The pace matches what Milos offered 20 years ago.
Beach culture and fishing port
Every beach maintains informal book libraries. Borrow a paperback, read it, leave it at another cove. The system works on trust. Visitors report finding novels in six languages.
Psathi port serves working fishing boats, not tour operators. Morning catch arrives by 8am. Tavernas buy direct from boats. Sardis taverna at Aliki sources fish this way, charges $18-22 for daily specials.
Rema Beach stays empty even in August. No facilities, no parking lot. Just volcanic pebbles and clear water. The kind of place Milos used to have before the crowds found it.
The practical comparison
Ferry from Milos takes 20-60 minutes depending on vessel type. Service runs multiple times daily May through October. Athens to Kimolos direct: 4-6 hours from Piraeus, $40-60. Same routes that serve Milos.
The island has under 50,000 annual visitors versus Milos’s 500,000-plus. Ten times fewer people experiencing the same volcanic Cyclades landscape. Beaches stay accessible without advance planning.
Meals cost 30% less across the board. Fava (split pea puree): $8. Grilled octopus: $15. Fresh fish by weight: $35-45 per kilogram. Manoura cheese, aged on the island, sells for $12 per 200 grams at Chorio shops.
May through June and September through October offer ideal conditions. Temperatures 72-82°F, calm seas, even fewer tourists. Winter brings 54-61°F and solitude for those who want complete quiet.
Your questions about Kimolos answered
How do I get there from Athens?
Direct ferry from Piraeus takes 4-6 hours, costs $40-60, runs seasonally. Alternative: fly Athens to Milos Airport (45 minutes, $80-120), then 20-minute ferry to Kimolos ($2-10). Ferry schedules increase May through October.
What makes it different from other quiet Greek islands?
The volcanic geology creates dramatic white cliffs and sea caves found nowhere else in the Cyclades except Milos. Chorio’s medieval castle remains inhabited, not converted to hotels. Beach book libraries exist on every major beach. The island never developed mass tourism infrastructure.
Is it worth visiting if I’ve already seen Milos?
Kimolos offers what Milos was before social media discovered it. Same geological formations, similar beaches, but with 1990s-level tourist density. If you liked Milos but wished for fewer people and lower prices, Kimolos delivers exactly that. If you need nightlife and resort amenities, stay in Milos.
Morning light hits Prassa’s white cliffs around 7am. The water turns from dark blue to aquamarine. A few early swimmers. One fishing boat heading out. The quiet that Milos used to have before everyone learned its name.