T+L: Milos Voted Best Island in Europe for 2019

Tripiti, Milos island © Maria Theofanopoulou

The island of Milos in the Cyclades, has been voted as the Best Island in Europe for 2019, by the readers of US travel magazine Travel + Leisure (T+L).

Milos tops the list, which includes three more Greek islands in the top 5: Crete is in second place, Paros in fourth and Santorini in the fifth position. The Azores in Portugal, ranked third on the list.

The four Greek islands are also among the 15 Best Islands in the World for 2019 according to T+L. Milos ranks fourth on the list, followed by Crete in the seventh spot, Paros in the 11th, and Santorini in the 14th place.

“The diminutive isle of Milos — most well-known as the site where the Venus de Milo was discovered in 1820 — is something different from [Greece’s] mainland. It’s a place all its own and one that has remained a closely guarded utopia,” T+L journalist Stacey Leasca said in an extensive article, which was published in the magazine’s online edition.

“Its rocky shoreline gives way to some of the most pristine crystal-blue waters I have ever laid eyes on. Its landscape is one sweeping hillside after another, dotted only by sparse vegetation, white-washed homes, blue-roofed churches, and a rogue goat or two. And its food is divine,” she adds.

Sarakiniko, Milos. Photo Source: Visit Greece / K Kouzouni

Arrivals to Milos on the rise

Meanwhile, Milos’ tourism is on the rise. According to data released by the municipality, 46,192 travelers arrived at the island’s Adamadas port between April and June, instead of 37,386 during the same period in 2018, which is up by 26 percent.

Klima, Milos island. Photo © Maria Theofanopoulou

Furthermore, Milos’ airport received 5,328 travelers during April and May, instead of 4,844 during the same period last year.

The municipality of Milos has been running an advertising campaign for the island’s promotion under the brand name, “Milos Phenomenon”, in collaboration with travel and tourism consultants MTC Group.