Exploring Milos Island: Ancient Theater and Prophet Ilias Chapel

One of the places we wanted to revisit on our September 2025 trip to Milos Island was the Ancient Theater and Prophet Ilias Chapel on the overlooking hill. We loved both of these places during our 2018 trip and felt they were worth another visit! Both times we explored this area ourselves. Although we did not take a tour, if you prefer, Viator offers several tours of the Ancient Theater and other great surrounding areas which you can check out at this link.

Location

The Ancient Theater of Milos is located just below the village of Tripiti and it is about a five minute drive from the village of Plaka.

The Ancient Theater

Like so many other theaters in Greece this theater is situated on a hillside and constructed of white marble. It dates to the 3rd century B.C. This well preserved theater looks out onto the sea for some amazing views. I was impressed with how much restoration has progressed since we were here last in 2018. The theater is made with a beautiful white marble and its tiered seating has the capability of holding 5000 spectators. There is also a stage and orchestra area. This must have been quite the place in its day.

Nearby is where the famous statue of Venus de Milos was found. Also just down the hill you will find the ancient Catacombs. Although we did not visit the catacombs this trip, we did so in 2018 and they were very impressive. You can click on the link to read about the Catacombs and our 2018 trip.

The Prophet Ilias Chapel

This little chapel sits high on a hill, and is dedicated to the Prophet Ilias (Prophet Elijah), who is a prophet from the 9th century BC known for his personal faith as well as being a defender of the faith. He is known as the “Prophet of Fire”. The Chapels and churches which are dedicated to this prophet are frequently found on the tops of the highest hills in the area to symbolize ascension into heaven. This particular chapel, overlooks the Aegean Sea and has such a beautiful peaceful view.

The Trek Up

There are a couple of ways to hike up to this chapel. Basically we found the hard way this time. We hiked here back in 2018 and thought it was an easy straight forward path, and it is, if you go the right way.

The first way, which we did this year, is to follow a path just a bit to the north of the Ancient Theater. This path is not bad for a bit but then you end up walking through a rocky, very overgrown, area as you wind around the large hill towards the east and then towards the back of the hill. Lots of brambles which do not feel great on your legs.

We did not remember the path being this way. Although it had been 7 years since our last visit so things may have changed. You will try to follow this until you come across some steps which lead to the chapel. This is where our “ah ha” moment kicked in. As we looked to the right, down the hill and were able to see a clearly discernible, easy to follow path to follow and walk on down to the base of the hill. And then we remembered. At this point we both agreed, feeling a bit foolish, that yes, this was where we came up in 2018, not through the brush.

The best way to climb up to this chapel is to follow the road behind the theater, that leaves from the parking lot. This road curves around the hill and narrows to a path and stairs up to the top. Easy peasy, well accept for the part that you are going up!

The Chapel and its View

The chapel is very typically Greek Orthodox. We stepped inside for a moment and marveled at how well kept this chapel is despite despite its isolated location way up on this hill. There are some beautiful paintings and artwork here. Like so many Greek Orthodox chapels and churches, there is a lot of love, reverence and faith evident.

The View from the chapel is absolutely worth the climb up! We remembered how much we loved this view in 2018 and we felt it was worth the climb to again see this view. Gazing over the sea with the brilliant blue sky in front of me, the wind blowing steadily and the fresh smell of the sea is a wonderful way to experience the grandeur of nature.

Ancient Ruins at the Chapel

We noticed columns and other ancient architectural pieces when we were here last time and again this year. It is believed during the building of the chapel, pieces from an ancient temple were used in its construction. It is also believed that this hill was once an acropolis for ancient Klima. I can just picture myself standing in a temple on this acropolis and looking down at the busy town and theater below.

The Walk Down

The walk down was much easier than the trek up. We followed the path to the road and back to our car. It is a lovely area. I did notice even though the buildings were still there, I did not see chickens, hear roosters crowing or a dog barking which I distinctively remembered last time. I was looking forward to reliving that sensory moment. Regardless, I still loved the walk through the countryside and remembered well all of the short stone walls . I am not sure if the walls are for terracing or mark boundaries. Either way, they add to the ambiance of the area.

Conclusion

I believe the Ancient Theater and Prophet Ilias Chapel are must visits when on Milos Island, Greece. Not just for the archaeological aspect but also for the spectacular views. In both 2018 and this year, the theater was not at all crowded and we were the only ones hiking up to the chapel the entire time we were here. It is nice to have moments like this to ourselves. This is one area I seek out to visit again if we return to Milos.

Again, we did explore this area on our own. both years If you prefer a group tour, Viator offers several tours of the Ancient Theater along with other great areas on Milos Island which you can check out at this link. We have enjoyed other Viator tours although we did not personally take this tour.

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In Addition to this post on the Ancient Theater you can also check out my other posts from our 2025 trip to Greece, my 2018 trip to Milos Island, and also previous years Itineraries by following these links!

Sulfur Mines at Milos Island – Sept 2025

Kleftiko Boat Tour on Milos Island – Sept 2025

Discover the Quiet Beauty of Folegandros, Sept 2025

Hike to Livadaki Beach at Folegandros, Sept 2025

Hike to Agios Nikolaos Beach at Folegandros Sept 2025

Delos Island; A comprehensive Self Guided Tour September 2025

Mykonos One Day Itinerary Sept 2025

Great Places to Eat in Plaka, Athens and Nearby. Updated Sept 2025

Self Guided Tour to Acropolis Sept 2025

Tower of the Wind, Athens Sept 2025

The Roman Forum in Athens, Sept 2025

National Archaeology Museum Athens, Sept 2025

Milos 2018

Three Day Guide to Milos, Oct 2018

5 Great Beaches in Milos-Oct 2018

My First Greek Wine Oct 2018

Greek Time-A Short Story

Greece Itineraries

8 Days in Greece, Athens, Milos,Santorini. Oct 2018

10 Days in Greece Athens ,Crete, Santorini Sept 2019

14 Days in Greece Crete, Naxos, Santorini, Athens Sept 2021

2 Weeks in Greece, Delphi, Meteora, Corfu, Santorini Sept 2022

10 Day Peloponnese Itinerary August/September 2024

The Gen-X Travels recommendations for hotels, restaurants, activities or tour companies are based on our own experiences unless noted. We are not sponsored by any business or company and all trips are at our expense. All photos are by myself or my husband unless otherwise noted. We are affiliates of some companies such as Amazon,Viator, and others which we do receive a small commission from, at no cost to you if you buy or book through one of our links.