Ancient Theatre & Catacombs

Milos


Clinging to a lonely patch of hillside just below Trypiti, this large Roman-era theatre entertained the citizens of Ancient Melos from the 1st to the 4th century AD. It was rediscovered in 1735 but only around a tenth of the original structure has been uncovered and partially restored, including part of the richly carved marble facade of the stage that once faced an audience of up to 8000 people.

The path to the theatre is well signposted, just up from the car park for the catacombs. The flattened oval area beside the road was the site of an ancient stadium. To the right of the path, look out for an information board marking the site near where, in 1820, a farmer discovered an exquisite 2m-high armless Parian marble statue of Aphrodite (c120 BC), still standing in her own niche. She was promptly packed off to the Louvre in Paris, where she's now better known as the Venus de Milo. A campaign has been launched to bring her home (www.takeaphroditehome.gr).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Milos attractions

1. Catacombs of Melos

0.16 MILES

Greece’s only Christian catacombs, on the slopes below Trypiti, date from the 1st century and were the burial site for some of the earliest believers…

2. Syrmata

0.17 MILES

Tiny, photogenic Klima clings to the beachfront cliff face below Trypiti. It offers the best example of Milos’ syrmata (traditional fishers' huts), where…

3. Milos Folk & History Museum

0.39 MILES

Peruse traditional costumes, woven goods and household artefacts in a series of traditionally furnished rooms, right by the main church courtyard.

4. Archaeological Museum of Melos

0.44 MILES

This handsome neoclassical building contains some riveting exhibits, including a plaster cast of local lass, the Venus de Milo, who now resides in the…

5. Kastro

0.55 MILES

Signs mark the path climbing to Plaka's hilltop fortress, built by the Venetians on the ancient acropolis. Little of the structure remains, but the views…

6. Plathiena

1.2 MILES

Sitting at the end of a valley beyond Plaka in the north of the island, this pebble-strewn sandy beach is exceptionally pretty. The water is a vivid…

7. Firopotamos

1.42 MILES

The road is sealed all the way to Firopotamos, a picturesque little cove embraced by craggy limestone cliffs and lined with syrmata (boat-house dwellings)…

8. Ecclesiastical Museum of Milos

1.63 MILES

Housed in the venerable Holy Trinity Church, which has its roots in the 9th century, this collection has rare artefacts and icons, including works by…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "greece/plaka-trypiti/attractions/ancient-theatre-catacombs/a/poi-sig/1623553/1003402",
      "destination": "Milos",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Greece",
      "region": "Milos",
      "position": "superzone"
    }