Catacombs of Milos

Cut into soft volcanic rock on the hillside below Trypiti, the Milos catacombs were in use from around the first to the fifth century AD and held burials in arched niches, arcosolia, carved into the gallery walls, some large enough for several bodies, and in graves cut into the floor; estimates of their number have ranged from a few hundred tombs to two thousand. They are among the most important early Christian monuments in Greece, evidence of a Christian community on the island in the first centuries AD. The catacombs form three groups with five corridors in all, one to five metres wide, and visitors follow a lit walkway through part of them. Traces of painted decoration and inscriptions remain on some niches. The Roman theatre and the findspot of the Venus de Milo are on the same slope.

The main sights

• The burial galleries - corridors lined with arched rock-cut niches.
• The arcosolia - carved recesses that held multiple burials.
• The inscriptions - faint painted marks and lettering on the walls.
• The hillside context - theatre and Venus findspot on the same slope.

When to go

Year-round; the interior is cool and constant, useful in summer heat. Visits are guided at set times in small groups, and the site closes on some weekdays.

Practical notes

Only a short section is accessible, so the visit lasts around twenty minutes and can feel brief for the ticket. Lighting is low and photography is restricted. The passage is narrow and unsuitable for wheelchairs or anyone uneasy underground.

Nearby

The Roman theatre is a few minutes up the path; Klima lies below and Plaka above.

Key facts