Just past the quiet resort of Sissi you will come upon the fishing village of Milatos.

Tranquil Milatos

The reason Milatos only attracts a handful of tourists every year is the fact it doesn’t really have a main beach to speak of, it has a little fishing harbour where the locals land their catch on a daily basis, there is a little sandy beach to the right of the harbour and it can accommodate maybe 20-30 people.

That’s not to say there aren’t larger beaches in the area, about 1km you have the beach of Sissi, and if you explore the coastline on foot you will find secluded coves with small shingle beaches. These types of beaches are perfect for those who enjoy naturism.

Why visit Milatos

One reason many people come to Milatos is the fact it is so quiet, you can book a self catering apartment locally, and enjoy the town as its always been, there’s a small ex pat community here, and I’m sure you will bump in to a few Brits who now live in Milatos while sitting in its handful of cafes and small Taverna’s.

Colourful Houses on Spinalong Island in Agios Nikolaos

milatos

The main attraction for visitors to the area is Milatos caves, its just above the town on a hill, and driving up there only takes 20-30 minutes or so. You will arrive at the top of the hill to be greeted by a wonderful sight over the Aegean.

There is a stallholder where you can rent a flashlight for a couple of euros and follow the signs to the caves. You will walk along a winding and very narrow path, overlooking a deep gorge with lush Cretan scenery. When you get to the entrance you will see a small church built in 1935, and a small memorial to the people of Crete who were slaughtered here by the Turks in 1823.

The story behind the massacre was that in 1823 when the Turkish troops were pillaging and killing the inhabitants of Lassithi the people of Milatos and surrounding areas took to the caves to hide. The Cretan force in the area only being 150 strong tried to fight of the invaders but were eventually overwhelmed and the inhabitants of the caves were either killed or sold into slavery.

milatos caves

Imposing beauty

Once you enter the caves you will be confronted by pretty much total darkness (I hope you hired a flashlight) and you will see a small shrine to the massacred and church built around 1935, where you can light a candle and pay tribute. You can explore quite deep into the caves, depending on your love of dark small spaces, and of course bats. There are around 8 entrances all varying size so there is a lot to explore.