Kleftiko

Kleftiko is a cluster of white volcanic stacks, arches and caves rising out of very clear water at the south-west corner of Milos, named for the pirates who used the coves as cover. No road goes anywhere near it: the only way in is by boat from Adamas, either on a shared day trip or a private charter, and the round trip takes three to four hours.

On the water the light is best from late morning to mid-afternoon, when the sun is high enough to reach into the arches and turn the shallows luminous — the opposite of the usual golden-hour rule, and worth planning around. Frames are shot from the boat, from the water, or from the low rock shelves where a skipper can put you ashore.

The honest caveat is the wind. The summer meltemi closes this coast regularly, and trips are cancelled the morning of, not the day before, so Kleftiko belongs in a stay of several days rather than a single booked afternoon. Bring a dry bag, expect spray on the way out, and agree with the skipper in advance how long the boat can hold position.