Introduction

I spent five days in Milos in late October (October 21–26). I wouldn’t say Milos was dead at that time, but it was definitely winding down for winter.

There were still restaurants, hotels, and tours operating during my visit, but the options were more limited. Some restaurants had already closed for the season, so there were fewer choices overall. Tours were also beginning to shut down. The week I was there, I joined a boat tour and was told it was the last week of operations for the season.

Because the island was winding down, hotel prices were significantly cheaper and there were far fewer crowds. For my travel style, October suited me perfectly. I really enjoyed the peace, quiet, and calm that the shoulder season brings. If I were planning another trip to Milos, I would definitely choose October again.

That said, it’s definitely not for everyone. Below, I’ll describe what Milos was like in October to help you decide whether it’s worth planning a trip so late in the season.

Who Should Visit Milos in October?

October is great for:	October is not great for:
No crowds	Nightlife
Budget-conscious travel	Lively, social energy
Sunset viewpoints to yourself	Many restaurant and hotel options
Peaceful, relaxing atmosphere	Lots of guided day tour options
Quiet, island retreat	Beach weather and warm water

Cost: Visiting Milos in October Saved Me a Lot

Accommodation prices were significantly cheaper in October.

I stayed in a boutique hotel (Melagrana) for about $475 USD for 5 nights in 2025. When I checked the pricing for the exact same room for the following summer, it was around $1,400 USD for 5 nights. 

If the Greek islands feel financially out of reach during the summer, visiting during October can offer dramatic savings.

Note: There aren’t any hostel options in Milos if you’re looking for a truly budget accommodation option. But boutique hotels are much more affordable this late in the year.

I can’t say whether restaurant prices change much seasonally, but there were definitely both budget and bougie options available.

You can get:

• Gyros for around €5–6
• Spanakopita from bakeries for €1–2
• Açaí bowls for around €10
• Fresh seafood dinners at upscale restaurants for around €30-40

Many restaurants had already closed for the season, so the selection wasn’t as great as during the summer months. But there were still a good number of options available.

Weather in Milos in Late October

The weather was honestly ideal for me.

During the day, temperatures were around 25°C (77°F), which felt warm without being unbearably hot. Evenings stayed comfortable — probably around 20°C (68°F).

Out of the five days I spent on the island, two were rainy, but the other three were sunny and perfect for exploring the beaches, going on bike rides, and taking boat tours.

During the boat tour, I needed a light sweater because the wind made it chilly out on the water, but when the boat was anchored, it was still warm.

The water was definitely cool-to-cold, but manageable. I personally skipped swimming, but almost everyone else on my boat tour jumped in and still had a great time.

If you like warm — but not unbearably hot — temperatures, October is an ideal time to visit Greece. Summers in Greece can be intensely hot, so I avoided traveling during the summer because of that. In October, the weather was pleasantly warm, so it was much more comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor activities.

But if your priority for a Greek island vacation is hot sun, sunbathing, and swimming in warm water, October probably isn’t the best time.

No Crowds: The Best Part of Visiting Milos in October

This is where October really shined. The island felt peaceful, calm, and uncrowded. 

There were no packed streets or crowds of tourists pressing in from every direction. 

Everything felt relaxed. There were even moments where I had entire viewpoints completely to myself — something that would be hard to experience during peak season.

Boat Tours Were Spacious Instead of Packed

The boat tour I joined only had 12 other passengers.

In the summer, these boat tours can feel packed and cramped. But during my trip, everyone had space to spread out, lounge, and relax. We each basically got our own corner of the boat.

The whole experience felt calm instead of chaotic, which made the views and tour more enjoyable.

There Was No Traffic

I rented an e-bike and explored the island on my own. Because traffic was so light, biking felt incredibly safe and stress-free. Even if you’re driving a rental car, the minimal traffic would make the experience feel just as easy and relaxed.

By late October, most seasonal workers and tourists had already left, so the roads were no longer packed with cars, scooters, and ATVs.

There were even stretches of road where only one or two cars passed me during the entire ride. The empty roads made it easy to slow down, take in the scenery, and pull over whenever I wanted to enjoy the views. Honestly, I don’t think I would have felt comfortable biking around the island during the peak summer season with cars everywhere.

No Restaurant Reservations Needed

Because of how quiet the island was, I never needed dinner reservations.

I walked into restaurants — including nicer ones — and always found a seat immediately.

Pollonia Was Incredibly Quiet

I biked all the way from Adamantas to Pollonia and found long stretches of coastline with nobody around. The ride itself felt peaceful, with quiet roads and uninterrupted sea views the entire way.

I soaked in the silence, the sunshine, the stillness, and the view of the sea. Moments like that are rare during peak travel season, and it ended up being one of the most memorable parts of my trip.

Sarakiniko Was Surprisingly Empty

I visited the famous Sarakiniko Beach twice, and both times, there were only a handful of tourists scattered around.

There was no queuing for photo spots, no long wait for viewpoints, and no noisy crowds.

Plaka Was Relaxed

Plaka still had shops, cafés, and restaurants open in late October. It was definitely quiet, but it didn’t feel deserted. 

There was still a number of people sitting around cafés and restaurants, but the jewelry and souvenir shops were quite empty. Most stores were still open, though, and many were offering steep end-of-season discounts.

I spent my time in Plaka wandering through the small winding streets, exploring quiet corners of town, and stopping at different viewpoints along the way.

There are two incredible sunset viewpoints in Plaka: one at the lower plaza and another by the church at the top of the hill. At the lower viewpoint, I was completely alone. At the church viewpoint, there were only two other solo travelers there with me. 

That became one of the defining parts of my October experience in Milos — constantly finding moments of peace, quiet, and solitude that would be impossible to experience during peak season.

Sunsets in October 

Visiting in October meant earlier sunsets. Rather than waiting until 8:30 or 9:00pm like you would in the summer, the sun set around 6:30pm — I didn’t mind it at all.

I didn’t have to stay out all day just to catch the sunset. With the earlier October sunsets, the evenings felt more relaxed. I could watch the sunset, enjoy dinner afterward, and still have time to unwind for the night — I didn’t have to force myself to stay out until late evening to watch the sunset. That was especially nice on days that started early with sightseeing.

Because there were few tourists on the island, I often had sunset viewpoints to myself. The quiet atmosphere made the sunsets feel almost magical — like they were meant just for me.

For me, that was much more enjoyable than overcrowded sunset spots where hundreds of people are squeezed together trying to take photos. That was actually one of the reasons why I didn’t enjoy Santorini as much. The scenery in Oia was beautiful, but I couldn’t even find a spot to watch the sunset because everyone was packed elbow-to-elbow around Oia Castle waiting for it.

Milos felt completely different. In Adamantas, I could sit alone on a bench or at the end of a pier with nobody else around, watching the sky change colors over the water. In Plaka, I often had entire viewpoints to myself or shared them with only one or two other people. Those moments ended up being some of the most memorable parts of my trip.

Where I Stayed in Milos

There were still a number of accommodation options available in late October, although there aren’t any hostels on Milos. 

I stayed in Adamantas, which was a convenient base for my trip. I arrived by ferry late at night, didn’t rent a car, and the town was only a 5-minute walk from the port. It was also the most practical choice for tours — many excursions, including the boat tour and the land-based tour I joined, departed from Adamantas.

You can choose to stay in other towns, such as Plaka or Pollonia, but Adamantas felt livelier and more central during October. For that reason, I’d recommend staying there, especially since Adamantas offers more options for restaurants, rental car companies, and tour departures.

I stayed at Melagrana, a boutique hotel I found online. I enjoyed my stay there. The staff was helpful and friendly, and the room was clean, modern, and comfortable.

When I arrived, the hotel receptionist mentioned that occupancy had dropped to around 12%, so I was even given a complimentary room upgrade. I was moved to a spacious room with a large outdoor patio. I don’t know how common that is, but traveling in the off-season may increase your chances of upgrades. I had a similar experience in Santorini in October as well.

Do You Need a Car in Milos?

If you want to explore Milos, you’ll definitely need some kind of vehicle. 

The bus system is limited, even during the summer. But by late October, some routes—including the one serving Sarakiniko Beach—no longer operate. 

Buses still ran between places like Plaka, Pollonia, and Adamantas, but with limited hours.

The good news is that traffic in October was incredibly light, so driving around the island would feel relaxed and easy.

Note: Access to some beaches is only possible with an off-road vehicle

Some beach roads are unpaved, slippery, and quite rough, so rental cars aren’t allowed on them. If you want to visit these beaches, you’ll need to rent an off-road vehicle.

If beach-hopping is your top priority, an ATV might be a better choice than a standard rental car. I recommend figuring out which beaches you want to visit first—that will help you determine whether a rental car is enough or if an ATV is worth it.

If you’re planning to rent a car (or ATV), I recommend getting an eSIM so you can easily use Google Maps to navigate around the island. Google Maps directions worked well for me and got me everywhere I wanted to go.

Renting an e-Bike in October

At the time of my trip, I didn’t have a valid driver’s license, so renting a car or ATV wasn’t an option for me. 

Because traffic was so minimal in October, biking around Milos felt easy and stress-free. In many stretches, there were no cars at all, so I never felt anxious about traffic or cars passing closely.

However, by late October, there was only one shop still renting e-bikes. I paid €25 for a full-day rental, plus another €20 after I accidentally lost the bike lock key. (I had left the key in the lock, and it fell off during a bumpy patch.)

I also made the mistake of not asking for a battery charger. I couldn’t stay out as late as I wanted because the e-bike battery started running low. If you rent an e-bike, definitely ask for a charger.

I really enjoyed exploring Milos on an e-bike, and I didn’t have to worry about parking. If you can’t rent a car or ATV, it’s a great alternative for getting around the island. That said, fewer companies offer e-bike rentals, especially in October. There were still plenty of car rental companies operating at that time, though.

Tours & Activities in Milos in October

By late October, tour availability becomes much more limited because seasonal workers head back to mainland Greece.

I caught the last boat tour of the season

The boat company mentioned that I had arrived during their final week of operation before they shut down for the season and returned to mainland Greece.

If you’re planning a trip to Milos during the last week of October, there’s a good chance boat tours will have already finished for the year. That said, I was able to join a boat tour on October 22, so if you visit before then, you should still have a chance to catch one before the season ends.

I had a great time on my boat tour. It was sunny all day, but it did get a bit chilly once we were out cruising on the water. We saw pirate hideouts at Kleftiko, unique geological formations, and incredibly clear water.

Land tours were still running

Unlike boat tours, some land-based tours continued operations until the end of October, and even into November. 

I booked an Archaeology & Culture Tour around Milos through GetYourGuide. A guide picked me up and drove me around the island to historical sites. Because there were so few tourists in late October, no one else signed up for the tour. It turned into a private tour, and the tour went at my pace.

We visited Sarakiniko Beach, Papafragas (a cluster of deep-sea inlets and sea caves), an ancient Roman theatre, Phylakopi (a prehistoric settlement), Mandrakia, (a fishing village), and Plaka. The guide shared local history and context that I wouldn’t have learned on my own, which helped me appreciate the history and beauty of Milos a lot more.

There were fewer day tour options and activities in late October, but there was still enough going on for me to enjoy both a boat and a land-based tour around Milos.

Tours that are still available in late October include:

Is October a Good Time to Visit Milos?

Yes — if you want:	No — if you want:
Lower hotel prices	A lively, social atmosphere
No crowds	Hot weather for beach days
Being the only person at sunset viewpoints	Warm swimming water
Peace and quiet	Full tour availability
Relaxed travel	Lots of restaurant choices

Milos in October felt calm and peaceful. It never felt over-touristed or crowded.

Milos was one of my favorite Greek islands because I got to experience incredible sunsets almost entirely on my own — no crowds, no competition for viewpoints, and no need to squeeze in elbow-to-elbow with other people. It was often just me, my bike, and the sunset.

That kind of atmosphere isn’t for everyone, but it was perfect for me.