Agia Sofia

Panaghia Portiani & Saint Haralampos
In the center of Zefyria, you will see the church of Panaghia Portaitissa or Portiani, an old Melian cathedral. The church of Panghia Portiani, united with the church of Saint Haralampos is the only preserved church in the Old Hora of Zefyria.

The name “Portiani” possibly comes from the castle’s gate that existed near the church. The destruction of the city from an earthquake in the 18th century (during the Turkish occupation) signaled also the abandonment of the church. So, in 1864 the icon of Panaghia Portiani, other icons and parts of its inner rich decor were placed in the new church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (or Saint Haralampos church) in Adamantas.

The Sacred church of Panaghia Portiani (Panaghia=the Virgin Mary) is part of  the 2nd Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities of the Ministry of Culture and it is protected as preservable monument. In it you can see remarkable old frescos and amazing relics.

Zefyria is located in the center of East Milos within a distance of 5,5 km from Adamantas and 9km from Plaka.
It was created by the Venetians in the 13thcentury, it prospered and became the capital of the island due to the existence of pirates and it was deserted in 1767 as it was destroyed by earthquakes and by epidemic caused by the gasses from the cracks which forced its inhabitants to emigrate.

Today Zefyria constitutes a lively rural settlement of about 150 residents and passing from there you can go to Agia Kyriaki beach and Palaiohori beach.

In this settlement, the old cathedral of Milos is preserved: Panaghia Portiani, with the church of Saint Nikolaos built on the same wall, and every fifteenth of August one of the most important festivals of the island takes place in honor of the Virgin Mary.