Myloi · Argolida · Peloponnese
Ancient legends, authentic flavours and the warmth of Greek village life.
Photo: Fred Kok
Welcome to Myloi
Myloi lies at the head of the Argolic Gulf, between Argos and Nafplio. Its name means “mills”: the springs of ancient Lerna once drove the water mills that stood here.
Today it is a quiet seaside village. Tavernas line the waterfront, fishermen come in to the small harbour, and in the evening people gather on the pier by the lighthouse. Above the houses rises Pontinos hill, crowned by the ruins of a medieval castle.
Read about our villageFour reasons to come
Ancient Lerna, the Hydra, a Frankish castle and the Battle of Myloi.
Fresh fish on the waterfront and the souvlaki Myloi is known for.
Guesthouses, rooms and apartments within walking distance of the sea.
Pharmacy, shops, parking and practical help during your stay.
History & Mythology
Few villages carry as many layers of the past as Myloi. Here we keep what is known separate from what is told.
Just south of the village lies the prehistoric mound of Lerna, inhabited from the Neolithic to the Mycenaean period. Excavations by the American School of Classical Studies under John L. Caskey (1952–1958) uncovered the House of the Tiles, a large Early Bronze Age building with some of the earliest roof tiles known in Greece.
Greek myth places the many-headed Hydra in the marshes and springs of Lerna. For every head Heracles cut off, two grew back, until his nephew Iolaos seared the wounds with fire. It was the second of his twelve labours.
Stories
Two families from Myloi and Kalamaki, two routes to America, and what the Ellis Island passenger lists tell us about them.
Read the story : From Kalamaki to ChicagoEvery autumn the classic car rally Tour du Péloponnèse comes through Myloi, and the pier fills with rally cars.
Read the story : Tour du Péloponnèse: classic cars on the pierFrom the first farmers and the Venetian watermills to the 1960 pumping station with Heracles on its wall: the story of the spring that gave Myloi its name.
Read the story : From spring to pump: how the water of Lerna made MyloiMyloi Food Village
When you say Myloi, many Greeks say souvlaki. The story goes back to the railway: when trains from Corinth stopped at Myloi on their way to Kalamata, souvlaki sellers walked alongside the carriages offering their skewers. The trains no longer run, but the souvlaki stayed.
Along the waterfront, fish tavernas serve what the local boats brought in that morning.
Seafood taverna on the harbour, next to the lighthouse.
Family fish taverna on the coast, founded in 1965 by Dimitris Maragos and now run by his grandson Andreas.
Where time stands still: a traditional seaside taverna for fresh fish, good wine and warm hospitality.
Known for its live Greek music: grill house and café-bar by the old railway line, with a terrace at the water’s edge.
Stay a Little Longer
Myloi is a calm base for exploring the Argolid, with guesthouses, rooms and apartments close to the beach. You book directly with each host.
Book directly with the host
Book directly with the host
Book directly with the host
Explore Myloi
Walk from the lighthouse past the springs of Lerna and the old railway stations, up to the castle on Pontinos hill. Further afield, the great sites of the Argolid are close by.
Ruins of a medieval castle on the hill above the village, first mentioned in 1347. The white chapel of Profitis Ilias now stands on the summit.
Settlement mound inhabited from the Neolithic to the Mycenaean period; best known for the Early Bronze Age House of the Tiles.
Pebble beach along the village; beach shoes recommended.
The evening meeting place of the village and the start of the Visit Myloi walking route.
Small white chapel inside the castle on Pontinos hill; feast day 20 July.
First capital of modern Greece, Venetian fortresses
Ancient theatre and the Larissa castle
Bronze Age citadel, UNESCO World Heritage
Ancient theatre and Sanctuary of Asklepios, UNESCO
Interactive map
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Events
There are no confirmed upcoming events at the moment. Follow Visit Myloi on Facebook for news about village celebrations and summer evenings.
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Plan Your Visit
Myloi is on the coast road between Argos and Nafplio, in the regional unit of Argolida.
Directions to Myloi (opens in a new tab)
