Adamas Milos

Adamas or Adamants, call it whatever you like, it is the nerve center of the surprising of Milos island and we find it in the north east. Its name Adamas which in Greek means "diamond" is a real gem set in a splendid bay considered one of the largest in the archipelago of the Cyclades Islands. Its origins date back to the period of the unsuccessful revolution of the Cretan refugees against the Turks, who settled right here to start a new life.

A small village of white houses that are lost in narrow and quiet alleys overlooking the sea and sheltered from the Meltemi by the inlet in which it is located. Adamas in an hour you can go around on foot and you can find everything from souvenir shops rather than food, hairdressers, bars, cafes, typical taverns, restaurants offering Greek and Mediterranean cuisine revisited in a modern way and places where to stay late in the evening.

Adamas always arrives when you decide for a holiday in Greece to visit this beautiful island, here is the port where boats from Athens and all the neighboring islands arrive and depart. However, despite the maritime traffic (if we can call it traffic, there are about six or seven ships that arrive daily), it is always quiet and pleasant. Its wide and large promenade is perfect for those who want to keep fit, its five kilometers will make you burn a lot of calories, for those who love to walk and decide in which place to stop to taste the local dishes or to spend a nice evening drinking a cocktail and chatting with old and new friends.

For those who want to explore the island perhaps independently with a rubber dinghy, Adamas offers various rental agencies, those who want to venture on a guided excursion can choose between various destinations such as the Kimolos Island or towards the magical cliffs of Kleftiko from do not miss absolutely and include among the things to see in Milos. Also you can always discover with a boat tour the islets of Glaronisia, Polyegos and the roofless cave of Sykia.

Let's start by saying that Milos was one of the first islands of the Cyclades archipelago to be inhabited since the Neolithic period, flourishing for its mineral wealth of obsidian which was used to make weapons and tools for hunting and fishing. Given its position exactly between Crete and mainland Greece it became an important center of the Aegean civilizations. In fact, the most important event linked to the town of Adamas is the naval battle against the Turks in 1821 which took place right in the bay where ships from the island of Septses arrived to help the inhabitants of Milos thus managing to defeat the usurpers. In 1830 the island of Milos was also annexed to Greece. In the period of the first world war, Adamas became the base for the control of the eastern Mediterranean to oppose the German marine fleets, while during the second, it was occupied by the German troops for about four years.

The 1870s Greek Orthodox Agios Halambros Church which dominates from the hill just above Adamas. Through an uphill road passing between small shops and labyrinthine alleys (in the evening it is particularly suggestive), you arrive at this basilica in white lime and with blue domes that presents itself with a large bell tower and a mosaic that surrounds it. The view from Agios Halambros is spectacular, the whole bay and the surrounding area will be within reach of your eyes making you realize how beautiful Milos is. A place of peace and tranquility and if you are lucky you can also visit its interior in the classic Orthodox style with precious icons and a multitude of flowers, a tribute to the inhabitants of the island.

On the road that crosses Adamas, you can also see monuments dedicated to the Second World War. A beautiful park, among other things, little known where you can rest during your walk.

The church of Agia Triada. A small and particular church dating back to 842, although some rumors say that the religious movement of the Byzantine Empire of the eighth century was erected before the iconoclasm (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconoclastia). From the austere and whitewashed facade it does not have tiles, arches but a basilica with three naves with architraves decorated with traditional religious motifs. Inside there is the Ecclesiastical Museum where you can admire sacred icons including the most solemn dating back to the sixteenth century, representing the hagiographic of the island. Almost all the finds come from the now abandoned basilicas of Zefiria capital of Milos in the medieval period and form a rich collection of jewels, ecclesiastical objects, wooden lecterns of the 18th and 17th centuries and beautiful mosaics.

The Thermal Center right in the cave "Ta Loutra Mou Lakkou" where from a well with a sodium chloride base, water flows with a temperature ranging between 35 and 41 degrees, ideal for treating osteoporosis, muscle pain and many other diseases related to bones and muscles. This unusual spa is managed directly by the municipality of Adamas and you will find it open from June to October in the morning at a cost of € 2 per person.

Mining Museum. We find it about six hundred meters from the port and it is a very interesting visit that will give you an idea of the important geological history of Milos. A model that tells the volcanic explosion with a map will be the first things you will notice and that you will need to better understand the conformations of the island. Fragments of rocks and minerals such as the famous obsidian and bauxite are exhibited. A series of photographs also representing the old sulfur and manganese mines present in Milos and a rich library where scientific and cultural events are organized. And again, objects such as a cedar trunk found from a quarry about thirty meters deep of bentonite dating back to 2000 years ago, as well as a sander from the Roman era. The Museum is open to the public from 10.00 to 14.00 and from 17.00 to 20.00 at a cost of € 5 per person with a reduction for children. To find out more, visit the website: https://www.milosminingmuseum.com/en

If you don't feel like wandering around Milos for a day, Adamas offers a couple of comfortable beaches where you can spend a nice sunny day. The first is Lagada beach, in a pretty and tiny bay made of sand mixed with pebbles about six hundred meters from the town center. Equipped with umbrellas and loungers, it is wrapped like a hug by trees and also features a bar for something cool to drink or quick to eat. If you want a full meal, just return from the seafront towards the village and you will be spoiled for choice.

In the southern part of the capital, about twenty minutes on foot, is Papikinou beach with its five hundred meters of coastline. Sheltered from the winds thanks to its favorable position, it is also a beach of sand mixed with pebbles with always calm waters and a seabed that descends slowly, perfect for families with children. Equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, it has a nice parking lot where you can leave your vehicle and a typical tavern where you can find food and drinks.

We end with the beautiful Adamas talking about the nightlife. First of all, forget a transgressive and sparkling nightlife like the nearby Mykonos, here everything is very quiet and refined. You can find numerous clubs with a mainly adult clientele where to stay up late in front of a sophisticated cocktail or with some live music performances, nothing more ', but let's face it, even so it is perfect and above all it avoids wasting entire days with the headache or sleeplessness.

Here this is Adamas or Adamants, an elegant and sought-after seaside resort where you can savor the exciting and inimitable spirit that can only be breathed in the archipelago of the Cyclades Islands.