Walking the Greek Cyclades: Sifnos & Milos

This tour really captures the essence of the Greek Cyclades Islands, with their white-washed typically-Greek cubic houses in the hilltop and seaside villages, the beautiful coves, sandy beaches and small harbours. The walks, which are not too challenging or too long, really offer the chance to take it slow and discover other elements of these islands, such as the ancient sites, monasteries and castles, the delicious local cuisine and the simple pleasure of walking down a tiny cobbled street to stop for a local icecream. Pure bliss!

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

Since this is a Slower Adventure tour the distances on the walks will not be challenging and can be anywhere between 8km and 15km. However, as is typical in the Mediterranean do not underestimate the fact that the trails can at times be quite rocky and you will need to be sure-footed. Take it slow and you will be rewarded with stunning views, both coastal and otherwise. The walks will be on a combination of gravel tracks, countryside trails and at times on quieter minor roads. When walking between Artemonas and Apollonia you will need to take care of traffic as you walk as it can get a little busy. However you do not have to walk along the main road as you can find smaller cobbled streets which connect the two, although the main road is the most direct route.

The accommodations on this tour are hand-picked and charming. They are very comfortable and some have swimming pools. Some are in the centre of the village and others are a short walk away. We will provide transfers from ferry ports where necessary. On Sifnos the accommodations are either in the village of Artemonas or Apollonia which are next to each other. On Milos the accommodations are about a 15 minute walk from the centre of the town. 

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

This trip is available to solo walkers, although there is a supplement due to the fact that some of the costs (such as transfers) are not shared. Single rooms are available on request and a supplement is payable.

Meals

Daily breakfasts will be included at the majority of the hotels. There is just one accommodation in Sifnos (Aleonas Apartments) that does not provide breakfast but there are places close by where you can buy it. At the hotels they are usually buffet-style or continental. Dinners are not included, however there are options to dine out either at your accommodation (if they have a restaurant) or in the villages and towns in which your accommodation is situated. Lunch is also not included, but you can find small stores in which to purchase items for a picnic lunch or stop at a local cafe if there is one en route.

Some of the walks on these islands are sign-posted and some are not. You will find that they are signposted on Sifnos and Kimolos, but not as much on Milos. We provide navigation in the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which you can download for use off-line. See your information pack on how to do this. You will need to use the app to navigate. Simply follow the little blue line (you are the dot) to ensure that you won't get lost. 

The best times to visit the islands of Sifnos and Milos is when we have them available to book, which is in the spring, beginning in mid-April to the end of June and in the autumn in September and October. July and August are too hot and will be much busier too. At the beginning of the season facilities on these islands generally tend to open slowly, so for example there may not be as many restaurants open at this time and the frequency of buses, should you need to take one, will also not be as great. Ferries may also be more limited, so please be prepared for less availability on these too. This can also be said for the end of the season. If you book during these times you will need to be prepared for this and accept that this is the case on these small islands. On the other hand, the colourful spring flowers are wonderful to see at this time! In June you will be able to smell the aroma of growing herbs and in October crocuses will be in bloom and the ferries will be crowd-free.

If you wish to travel in September, this is the busiest month so we recommend that you book at least 6 months or more in advance. These islands get very busy, so it is better to book in advance generally in order to avoid disappointment.

This tour can only be booked up until the third week in October due to end of season hotel closures.

Located in the centre of the Aegean Sea, the Cyclades archipelago is characterized by a mild and dry climate, with winter temperatures that rarely drop below 10°C and with sometimes high summer temperatures but which are often mitigated by the breath of Etesian (Meltem), the characteristic wind that constantly blows in the Greek islands.

The climate is typically Mediterranean with hot and dry summers and mild and rainy winters. The rains fall mostly in the winter months, between November and March, while during the summer months, especially between May and September it hardly ever rains. On average, less than 400mm of rainfall per year falls in the Cyclades.

This tour begins in Athens. It has a large international airport which is served by many airlines from Europe and North America. There may not always be direct flights, but you can connect at larger hubs, such as London, Munich and Paris.  Upon arrival you will be transferred from the airport to your accommodation in Athens, which is an approximate 45-minute drive.  

On your final day in Milos, a ferry will be provided for you to return to Piraeus. Then you will need to either plan your onward journey yourself or ask us about transfers from Piraeus to the centre of Athens or to the airport. There is also a direct bus from Piraeus to Athens Airport. Information and schedules for this bus maybe found here.

Since you will be taking ferries on this tour there is no official baggage transfer. When you take the ferries from Piraeus to Sifnos, from Sifnos to Milos and from Milos to Piraeus, you will need to carry your own luggage on and off the ferries. We highly recommend therefore that you pack as lightly as you can, as there will be slopes and possibly stairs to negotiate. Please limit your luggage weight to 20kg or less.