The villages of Milos
Fortunately the population on Milos has been stayed well in bounds. There are only a few places where you could call anything, strictly speaking, a small village and these are also restricted by and large to the eastern side of the island. By contrast, you could confidently describe the western side (Chalakas) as almost uninhabited since here you will find only small settlements and therefore also only very rudimentary infrastructure. There are almost 5,000 inhabitants in total registered on the island but the number of them that live here permanently is probably lower.
The two main opposite poles are the villages of Adamas (also: Adamantas) and Pollonia. Adamas is the strategically located port in the Bay of Milos, forms a proper traffic node and provides plenty of accommodation for holidaymakers. Pollonia, formerly a rustic fishing village in a remote location, has become a hotspot for excellent dining and offers all kind of accomodation, from basic rooms to luxurious hotels.
North of Adamas, on a kind of high plateau, are situated the villages of Triovasalos, Pera Triovasalos, Plakes, Plaka and Tripiti. They have more or less merged over time and form a whole. The transition from one village to the next is not always clearly identifiable and if you rely on a map or even try to find out where you are by the village signs, instead the confusion becomes greater. Here one might mention the name of Karodromos (the "cart road") which occurs quite often but which does not appear in any travel guide. This is a part of Triovasalos which extends along the main road. You often come across such names for parts of villages or remote settlements used as names of independent villages in Milos.
Tripiti and Plaka are distinguished from the other villages by their exposed positions since they cluster almost on the western scarp of the high plateau and therefore dominate the route into the Bay of Milos. Here many locations offer an impressive panorama and sunsets in particular create a unique postcard backdrop when the sea between Fourkovouni, Cape Vani and Antimilos sparkles red in the evening and everything else blurs to a dark silhouette.
The villages on the high plateau with a total of about 3,000 inhabitants are the true heart of Milos. Here you find public authorities and schools, specialist shops of every kind, the hospital and some original tavernas and coffee bars that are favoured by the locals. Because of its typical Cycladic architecture and its special location under the Kastro Hill, only Plaka is increasingly orientated towards tourists and takes this into account with a large number of souvenir and jewellery shops, restaurants and modern cafés.
Lastly, I would like to mention two more villages which you should visit, for different reasons. In any event, you must see Klima with its colourful sirmata (traditional boathouses). Zefiria, on the other hand, doesn't provide much to look at but with its large Church of St. Mary it also offers a good reason for a visit.
Update 07/26