Milos Yacht Anchorages: The Complete Guide

Milos sits in the Cyclades.

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi (Etesian) northerly, strongest mid-July to mid-August (around Force 5 to 7, gusting higher in open water).

Plan south legs downwind and overnight on lee and south coasts.

May, June and September are calmer.

This guide covers the island's main anchorages with the practical detail charterers and captains actually use: depth where a published cruising source documents it, holding, and shelter direction.

Where a figure was not documented we say so rather than guess.

Ashore: Sarakiniko's white volcanic moonscape, the Kleftiko sea-caves (reached by boat), and the Milos Mining Museum.

Milos was where the Venus de Milo was found.

Milos is the fastest-rising island on the Greek Charter Index ranking, third behind Mykonos and Santorini and the superyacht favourite for Kleftiko and Sarakiniko.

It is 75 nautical miles from Alimos on our distance table, 25 from Sifnos, 50 from Paros and 70 from Santorini, which makes it the western turn of a Cyclades week or the far end of an Athens one.

The four records are chosen by the Meltemi: Adamas in the great bay, five to ten metres over mud and sand, the effective lee and the one anchorage with reliable all-weather holding for a long stay; Provatas on the south coast, three to six metres over sand, sheltered from the north; Tsigrado near Cape Zefyros, sheltered from the prevailing northerlies; Agios Ioannis on the east, solid in sand with weed, for north-east to south-east winds.

A yacht that carries the Cyclades wind gets here comfortably: on the Greek Charter Index 2026 a 26 to 31 metre motor yacht runs EUR 35,900 to 75,000 a week, a 35 to 40 metre EUR 59,900 to 150,000, a 20 to 22 metre sailing catamaran EUR 31,500 to 43,500, per yacht before VAT and APA.

Where can a yacht anchor at Milos?

Milos has 4 anchorages in this guide: Adamas Bay (Milos Bay), Provatas (south coast), Tsigrado (south coast, near Cape Zefyros), Agios Ioannis (east coast). Each entry below gives depth, holding, shelter direction and what is ashore.

Which Milos anchorages are sheltered from the meltemi, the summer north wind?

Adamas Bay (Milos Bay): Effective lee from the Meltemi; the most reliable anchorage on the island. Provatas (south coast): Sheltered from northerlies, open to the south.

How deep are the anchorages at Milos?

Adamas Bay (Milos Bay) 5-10m; Provatas (south coast) 3-6m. Depths are typical sand-bottom anchoring depths; the captain drops on current chart data.

What is the holding like at Milos?

Adamas Bay (Milos Bay): Mud and sand, generally good. Provatas (south coast): Sand, good. Tsigrado (south coast, near Cape Zefyros): Good. Agios Ioannis (east coast): Solid in sand, with weed patches.

When is the best time to anchor at Milos?

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi, the northerly that blows hardest from mid-July to mid-August, around Force 5 to 7 and gusting higher in open water, and Milos has the answer to it in Adamas, the most reliable anchorage on the island. The west and south coasts, Kleftiko above all, are settled-weather mornings. May, June and September are calmer and the whole coast opens up, and on the Greek Charter Index the shoulder months price 15 to 25% below peak on the same rate card with three to four months of lead time rather than a year.

What does the captain plan around at Milos?

Adamas, five to ten metres over mud and sand in the effective lee of the Meltemi, is the base for the island and the night that never fails; Sarakiniko is a car ride from there and Kleftiko a settled-weather morning on the yacht's own tender or the yacht itself when the forecast is light. Provatas on the south coast, three to six metres over sand, and Tsigrado near Cape Zefyros are the northerly lees, both open to the south; Agios Ioannis on the east coast takes the north-east to south-east winds, depth confirmed on the chart. Sifnos is 25 miles and Paros 50, morning passages. Depths and holding here follow published cruising sources; the captain confirms the anchor drop against current charts on arrival.

Cyclades

Saronic

Ionian

Sporades

Dodecanese

Crete