Hike to Kleftiko

Although tourists almost without exception visit Kleftiko by boat, there is still another way of getting to this pirate’s bay at the southwestern end of Milos. A very easy-to-follow hiking route, partly on paths, partly over open countryside, leads down from the road between Xylokeratia and Agios Ioannis Monastery to the western edge of Kleftiko Bay. I don't at all see the boat trip and hike as necessarily being in competition with each other. Both options have their merits and have their own completely different character.

The starting point of the hike has at times been marked by various objects: A nice wooden sign (that was destroyed), a flag (that disintegrated) and various cairns and wooden posts (that nature has recycled). In the end, you find the start of the path by paying a bit of attention or by trusting the geocoordinates shown via the link below.

The footpath is indicated by white-painted signs and although they weather, they are occasionally repainted. One stretch is apparently exactly 3 km and is estimated to take an hour. The path starts by the road at a height of 185 m above sea level and first climbs to 225 m. From then on, you can already see the sea and you’re constantly walking downhill.

Opportunities for bathing at the destination of the hike

The footpath ends on flat rocks from which you can easily get to the water. But there isn’t really a proper beach. Since the entire bay of Kleftiko is mostly framed by high cliffs, there is no opportunity to continue along by the water on foot. So the end point of the hike serves mainly as a bathing spot and from there you can have an excellent swim across the bay and in particular through the spectacular natural arches. Depending on the time of the year and the time of day, when doing this you are mostly alone or you are swimming around between all the boats – often to the amazement of the people on board because you have emerged practically from nowhere. Because walking to Kleftiko is in fact a fairly uncommon occurrence.