Pollonia

At a glance: Northeastern tip of Milos, around 10 kilometres from Adamas port. A small, sheltered fishing village built around a single calm bay, home to the island’s second port and the short ferry crossing to Kimolos. Best suited to travellers who want a quieter, more low key base than Adamas, with excellent seafood and easy island hopping to Kimolos.

Is Pollonia worth visiting

Pollonia has stayed genuinely small, a village of only a few hundred people built entirely around one sheltered bay, where the beach, the tavernas, the ferry pier and the shops are all within a five minute walk of each other. It still has working fishing boats sharing the harbour with the small ferries and water taxis that cross to Kimolos, and its waterfront tavernas are widely considered among the best on the island for fresh seafood. It suits travellers who want a relaxed, unhurried base, or anyone planning to island hop across to Kimolos and Polyaigos for the day.

Highlights

• The short ferry and water taxi crossing to Kimolos, only a few hundred metres across the strait
• The sheltered bay itself, with calm, clear, shallow water well suited to swimming
• Waterfront tavernas known for fresh, daily caught seafood, among the most highly regarded on Milos
• Boat trips out to Glaronisia, a striking cluster of volcanic rock islets a short distance offshore
• The working fishing harbour, still used by local boats alongside visiting yachts and ferries

A village named after a temple to Apollo

Pollonia takes its name from a temple to Apollo that is believed to have once stood on the small headland dividing the bay into its two halves, and the village is still sometimes referred to locally as Apollonia. Historically a working fishing settlement, it has grown gently into a low key resort without losing its harbour character, and it now serves as the island’s secondary port, mainly handling the short sea link to Kimolos rather than the larger ferries that dock at Adamas.

Where Pollonia is

Getting to Pollonia

From Adamas port: Pollonia is about 10 kilometres away, around 20 minutes by taxi, bus or car.

From the airport: Around 12 to 15 kilometres, roughly 20 to 25 minutes by taxi.

By ferry to Kimolos: Small ferries and water taxis cross from Pollonia to Kimolos in around 30 minutes, one of the shortest inter island hops in the Cyclades.

Getting around once there: See getting around Milos and Milos taxi for onward travel around the island, and the Milos bus timetable for scheduled services.

Arriving on Milos: For ferry routes and journey times to the island itself, start with how to get to Milos.

Where to eat

Pollonia is regarded as one of the best places to eat fresh seafood on Milos, with a run of waterfront tavernas serving the day’s catch alongside local wine. It is a good choice for an unhurried dinner by the water, generally quieter and less crowded than the restaurants around Adamas.

Where to stay

Pollonia suits travellers who want a calm, low key seaside base away from the busier port town of Adamas, with easy onward access to Kimolos. For a wider look at accommodation across the island, see the Milos villages guide.

The beach at Pollonia

Pollonia’s own sheltered, sandy bay is the village’s main beach, with calm, shallow water that suits families and casual swimmers well. For the full picture of the beach itself and how it compares with the rest of the island, see the Milos beaches guide.

Best time to visit

Pollonia stays relaxed even in peak season compared with Adamas, so it works well as a base throughout the summer. Late spring and early autumn bring warm water and quieter tavernas, along with easier ferry connections to Kimolos before or after the busiest weeks of August.