Tucked away in the corner of the Cyclades, Kimolos is a small island just off the coast of the Milos. Unlike its touristic neighbour, Kimolos is mostly frequented by locals and maintains its authentic greek village charm. While it’s not ‘internationally’ known, the hidden gem is still in demand, and the prices reflect it.
Explore the best of Kimolos with these travel tips and must-visit spots:
LOGISTICS
GETTING THERE:
There is no airport on Kimolos, so unless you charter your own yacht, the main way of reaching the Cycladic island is by ferry. The beauty of this part of Greece is that it is:
(1) relatively close and accessible from Athens, and its multiple ports (although Piraeus is the most popular) offer quite a few trip options, and
(2) quite close to other islands so is perfect to visit as part of an island-hopping holiday.
Alternatively, one could fly to Milos and ferry across.
GETTING AROUND:
I’ll be honest, we arrived in Kimolos at the start of August – peak season. There where we’ve paid €20 for a bike in Serifos, we were charged €100 (for 2 days, excluding petrol) in Kimolos. The gent renting us the bike said he charged €75 for the same bike just a few days before (when it was still July). Irrespective I will say that I love having the freedom to travel around the island independently, and so this was great for 1-2 people on a trip.
WHERE TO STAY:
If you’re looking for a unique AirBnB for a few days, check out Aria’s ‘Thalassa Beach House’. This is part of a boutique hotel group that do have premium stays across Greece, but since we booked the day before, we were able to secure the spot at a discounted rate. Our place was on our own little beach and not too far from the villages (still required a bike to move across), and the hotel did offer a free transfer to/from the port.
🏠: Aria Hotel
HOW LONG TO STAY FOR:
We chose to stay for 3 days/2 nights, which allowed us to ‘see’ everything. But (honestly) if the weather didn’t get windier, and we were able to stay at our beautiful accommodation longer, I could have stayed for 5-6 days happily.
EAT
For transparency: we opted for an AirBnB that had a kitchen, so we made our own breakfasts and packed lunches and beach snacks. But for the other memorable meals eaten out:
Stavento, gelato
This is probably the only gelateria on the island but we absolutely loved it – it’s situated in the corner of the old town, and it’s so wholesome to sit outside with all the families and enjoy a late night gelato. I also tried the ‘goat milk mastixa’ flavour; a double whammy in uniqueness, and it was so delicious!
Palaia Agora, souvlakia and gyro
Situated right under the castle, tucked into the old cobble streets, this takeaway spot is made the best gyro and souvlakia on the island. It’s a self-service ‘simple’ spot, with very tasty flavours and in such a beautiful environment.
Tip: there is a staircase opposite that has views of the sunset and town below.
Prasonisi, fish restaurant
A beautiful dinner spot on the water’s edge; this restaurant is a little further from the main towns but the food was absolutely delicious, with the most incredible service and view of the sunset – it was so worth it!
To Kima, beach restaurant
Located in the main port, on the beach, this popular award winning restaurant did not disappoint. Not cheap, but very tasty and would highly recommend for your last day on the island (since it’s right by the ferry).
Lostromos, cafe
It would be wrong if I didn’t include the spot I ended up working at a few time: it’s a very pretty spot right under the trees with a view of the beach, in the port town. Honestly, nothing wildly special in coffee, but a very cool spot to chill at or work.
Meltemi, restaurant bar
So this place did come highly recommended: a ‘fine dining experience’ in the Meltemi hotel. While I easily had the worst cocktail there, I do think the spot is beautiful and worth going past for a small snack before dinner (elsewhere).
BEACHES
Rema, quaint beach
I loved this spot so much, we came past for a swim on all 3 days. It’s akin to Milos’ little beaches and bays, with white pebbles and unique rock formations (there’s one known as the elephant) and brightly coloured doors. Absolutely adored this spot and nicely sheltered from the wind.
Prassa (Agoios Georgios), incredible waters
A popular beach with multiple little coves- this spot is further north on the island but is definitely worth a visit. Many of the yachts doc here because of the beautiful waters and the view of the Agios Georgios church and mini island. Very cute with sweet beach bars (semi-organised beach).
Unknown, private beach
I have no idea what the beach name is but if you search ‘Thalassa Beach House’ on Google Maps, you’ll find the coves in front of the accommodation – hop over a few rocks and you’ll have some of the most beautiful and clean waters to enjoy quietly.
Paralia Mavrospilia, organised beach
This isn’t my favourite ‘type’ of beach, but for the travellers who prefer to rent an umbrella + sun chairs set for the day, this is the spot for you. With a grand total of 26 chairs across the whole beach, be sure to arrive early and claim your spot for the day (I have no idea how much the go for, we were on the sand). It’s a calm spot with a great view of the sunset. There is also a cute beach bar shack across the road, and a bookcase with free books to read too.
(bonus)
I’ll be honest, I always look at blogs, Instagram and Google Maps to help guide me in places I havent visited before, nor know anyone there. However, while every single blog mentioned the weird rock formation known as Skiadi, and some beach called Makropounta, both require a trek to get there, and for a beach holiday, I’m just not convinced that a rock in a mushroom shape is worth ruining your Birkenstocks.
ISLAND HOPPING
Since this is a Cycladic island, it’s an ideal stop as part of an island hopping holiday. Here are some nearby favourites that I absolutely loved:
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