Is Kimolos Worth Visiting?

Kimolos holds a medieval castle, a sunken ancient city visible while snorkeling, and a rock formation found nowhere else in the Cyclades, all on an island small enough to cover by scooter in a single afternoon.

Kimolos centers on Chorio, the island's only real village, built around a medieval castle known as Kastro, likely constructed in the 14th or 16th century in two concentric sections, Exo Kastro and Mesa Kastro, with the outer ring of houses doubling as the fortress wall. The Archaeological Museum, housed in one of the village's oldest two story homes, traces island history across from the Metropolitan Church of Panagia Odegetria.

At Mavrospilia beach, the remains of Ellinika, a Mycenaean era settlement destroyed by an earthquake, sit submerged just off the coast along with ancient tombs visible in the water, making it one of the more unusual snorkeling spots in Greece. Skiadi, a rare mushroom shaped rock formation carved by wind and weather in the island's northwest, pairs well with a sunset view over Milos across the water.

Aliki, Bonatsa, and Kalamitsi line the island's southern coast with calm, sheltered water, and Prassa, the most developed of the group, runs the island's only real beach bar. A short boat ride crosses to Poliegos, the largest uninhabited island in the Aegean and a protected habitat for the Mediterranean monk seal, where clear water and quiet coves draw day trips from Kimolos.

Kimolos works well for travelers who want real beaches, a working village, and unusual sights like a sunken city and rock formations without crowds, and it connects to Milos by a short local ferry in around 10 to 15 minutes.