Climb to the Kastro above Plaka on Milos Island
Great Views from this Ruined Fort on the Greek Island of Milos.
Apr 24, 2009
There are many interesting sites to visit on the Greek Island of Milos, and the Kastro on the hill that overlooks the capital (or more properly, the principal township), Plaka, is one of the most spectacular.
What is the Kastro?
Kastro simply means castle. In Plaka, it refers to the ancient Venetian fort above the town. The Red Guidebook for Milos offers a brief but useful history. It indicates that the Venetians occupied Milos during the 13th Century and established the fort to survey and control the shipping lanes into the island. A small village developed inside the walls of the fort. By the end of the 13th Century, as traders, including buccaneers and pirates, brought wealth to the island, the settlement spread outside the walls of the fort and became a town known as Milos.
Over the centuries of war and revolution, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the fate of the settlement vacillated. The Kastro was abandoned after the Revolution against Turkish rule in 1821 but found brief use again by the German occupying forces during WWII.
Only a shell of the kastro remains, as much material was taken away by villagers to build homes further down the slope in what is present-day Plaka. Nevertheless, a climb to the kastro is rewarding for the view alone.
How to Get to the Kastro
The hill on which the Kastro stands looms above the township. If the tourist catches a bus from the port town of Adamas, the last bus stop offers the closest ride to where the walking trail starts. Signs in the streets and lanes point to the kastro so it is not hard to find. The start of the climb leads past many lovely white homes with bright gardens and flower pots. Eventually, the homes peter out and a rough weed-overgrown flight of steps becomes the clear path. There are some patches where the natural sloping rock becomes the stairway, and these should be negotiated with care, especially after rain, as they can be smooth and slippery.
The Panagia Thalassitra
A good resting place about half way up the hill is the church commonly known as Panagia Thalassitra. Thalassa means ‘the sea’ and this is the patron church of sailors. According to the Red Guidebook for Milos, It was built in 1839. However, Greeka.com places the construction date at 1738, a considerable discrepancy. The church hangs on the edge of a cliff and has a broad, low-walled courtyard from which to take in the magnificent views of the surrounding area and watch ferries, like little toy boats, come and go to the port of Adamas.
The visitor needs to exercise caution on the steps, there are small patches of loose rubble, and there are no handrails, but the climb is by no means dangerous. The author is 63, overweight, and no fitness freak, but managed the climb without undue stress in less than half an hour. Clearly, good mobility is required and a head for heights.
The kastro itself doesn’t have much to offer (bar the fact that it is 700 years old), but to stand under the fluttering Greek flag and gaze at the 360 degree views from the top gives the visitor a great sense of achievement.
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