Inside the ultimate Greek island: There are no direct flights to Milos – but that makes it extra special

The armless statuette, with its bare torso and inscrutable gaze, looks familiar as it looms over a muddy path.

On closer inspection it turns out to be Venus de Milo, the figurehead of ancient Greek sculpture and the star of countless pub quizzes.

But what is she doing here, alone, on a windy hill on the Greek island of Milos? Instead of in the Louvre in France?

George, our guide from ‘We Bike Milos’, quickly points out to us in a loud baritone that we are actually looking at a replica.

This body double marks the spot on Melos (modern-day Milos) where, one afternoon in April 1820, a farmer discovered the original marble masterpiece, created sometime between 150 and 125 BC, which he had initially placed outside his house.

Catch of the Day: Angela Epstein and her husband explore the island of Milos, Greece

Do the locals want Venus brought back to the island, my husband Martin wonders. ‘Look,’ shrugs George with an easy smile, ‘these are not the Elgin Marbles.’ (The subject of controversy between Britain and Greece.)

Our exchange with the friendly George is a snapshot of the Milian psyche. And it might explain why more and more people are visiting Milos.

But then again, it could also be the azure sea, the pristine beaches, the historic architecture, the geological wonders and the picturesque, whitewashed fishing villages (with doors and window frames in striking, bright colours) where fish are caught every day.

Angela says that Plaka Village, the old capital on the hilltop, has a ‘360 degree view of the sea and the neighbouring islands’

Sarakiniko, with its white rock formations, is the most ‘striking’ beach on the island, says Angela, who adds that it ‘looks like a moonscape’

There are no direct flights to Milos from the UK – although it does have a domestic airport with flights from Athens – so it takes some effort to get here. But the rewards are great.

Our own journey begins with a flight to neighboring Santorini and then a two-hour ferry to Milos.

A car is essential if you want to get around. Although the island is only 19 kilometres long from east to west and 13 kilometres from north to south, you can’t just assume you’ll find a taxi.

The boat docks in the port town of Adamantas, one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean and also the commercial centre of the island.

Angela takes a boat to Kleftiko, a vast chain of rocky coves and sea caves accessible only by boat

There are about 1,200 people living in the town, so “hub” is a bit of an exaggeration. (There are only 5,000 people on the entire island.)

From there it’s a 15-minute drive to Noma, an adults-only boutique hotel that seems to blend into the landscape with its high ceilings, earthy tones and wood and clay furnishings.

Milos is hilly and therefore an e-bike is an easy and efficient way to explore the island.

The roads are quiet and nowhere is far away – it takes no more than 40 minutes to drive anywhere. And there is a lot to see.

A room at the adults-only Noma hotel, Angela’s base for the trip, which “seems to blend into the landscape”

Fresh fish is caught daily on the island, Angela reveals

Our favourite spots include Plaka, the old hilltop capital, where we wander through narrow, cobbled alleys, festooned with bougainvillea and flanked by whitewashed houses.

Here we find the church of Panagia Korfiatissa, built in 1820 with materials taken from the abandoned churches in the old town.

Considering the height of Plaka, about 254 meters, the highlight is the 360 ​​degree view of the sea and the neighboring islands.

Another interesting place, not least because it seems so unusual, is in the village of Tripiti where we come across catacombs (ancient underground Christian burial places used in Roman times). They were discovered in 1844 and are estimated to have been built towards the end of the 1st century AD.

Milos has a prevailing northerly wind, which our bike tour guide George calls the ‘air conditioning of the Aegean’. This wind provides cooling in the scorching heat as we continue cycling.

The island has over 70 beaches, the most striking of which is the white rocky moonscape of Sarakiniko.

Here we clamber like ancient astronauts over volcanic rock formations, which undulate down to the shallow, refreshing aquamarine water.

One of the most characteristic places on Milos, however, is Kleftiko, a vast chain of rocky coves and sea caves, accessible only by boat.

We join a tour and drop anchor so we can dive into the cooling, clear sea and slip through large, arching rock formations.

Kleftiko is, like so many other places on this island, a wonderful place. For us it is a true Greek discovery.

Unlike the real Venus de Milo, we definitely want to return.