Mykonos is a popular tourist destination in the Greek islands of the Cyclades group, situated in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Mykonos is located south of Tinos, east of Syros and north of Paros and Naxos.
Mykonos is famed as a cosmopolitan destination amongst the Greek islands and widely recognised as one of the great travel meccas. It is one of the most touristed islands in the Aegean. This means that any visitors should be prepared for loud dance clubs, English breakfasts and over-priced merchandise. Mykonos, along with Santorini, is more expensive than other Greek islands.
Mykonos tends to be extremely crowded with visitors in July and August. The best time to visit Mykonos is May through June (early season, accommodation is much cheaper and it's not that hot), or September through mid-October (post season).
PLACE TO VISIT
The Windmills - Mykonos Town, From as early as the 16th century, the windmills are one of the most recognized landmarks of Mykonos. Once this island was a great producer of wheat and bread. The area of the windmills has a splendid view on Little Venice and is the most popular place in Mykonos to watch the sunset.
Little Venice - A district located at the sea, famous for its picturesque medieval two and three storey houses, which stand like a wall above the sea, and their colourful wooden balconies. Little Venice is one of the most beautiful and romantic places in the whole of Mykonos and offers a fantastic sunset. A favourite activity is drinking a cocktail in one of the many bars and cafes while watching the sunset. You will reach Little Venice walking from the windmills down the stairs.
Panagia Paraportiani - This whitewashed church, which building dates back to 1425 and was not completed until the 17th century, is the most popular and most photographed of the 400 churches on the whole island of Mykonos. It is made up of four chapels at ground level with another one above. Only one of the chapels on the ground floor is open to visitors, from early morning until sunset.
Petros the Pelican - the island's mascot, can sometimes be found at the waterfront or even up in town. Originally the pelican was found wounded off the coast of Paranga shore after a storm back in the 1950s by a local fisherman.
Archaeological Museum of Mykonos - The exhibition of the museum includes a large number of vases, ranging from the prehistoric to the late Hellenistic period (25th-1st century B.C.), grave statues, stelae and funerary urns from the nearby island of Rheneia (Delos' necropolis). There are very few finds from Mykonos. Admission € 2.
The Boni Mill - Open daily from June to September, from 4PM to 8PM. A 16th century windmill, overlooking the town. The mill has been maintained and is fully functional featuring it's customary wood-burning stone oven.
Psarou - (south coast, 5km from Mykonos Town). This upmarket beach is popular amongst Greeks. Lots of hotels, apartments and restaurants. Psarou is easily accessible by bus from Mykonos town. Get off the bus one stop before Platys Gialos.
Platys Gialos - (south coast, 6km from Mykonos Town). Busy family and tourist beach. Lots of hotels, apartments, restaurants and beach bars, lining the long sandy beach. Jet ski rentals are available. Bus service from Mykonos town is very frequent and takes about 15 minutes. Platys Gialos is the starting point for regular boat services to the other southern Mykonos beaches.
Paranga - (south coast, 6km from Mykonos Town). There is a camping, some hotels and some nice beach bars and restaurants. Also popular with gays. Nudity is quite common, especially on the right end (facing the sea). The beach gets a little noisy in the late afternoon with a beach bar.
Paradise - Probably the most popular beach on the island. Camping, self-service restaurant, cafeteria, snack bars, beach bars, mini shops and discos. Nudity is quite common. Paradise Beach is known for its parties. At about 4PM the music wil get really loud.
Super Paradise - Restaurants, beach bars and some hotels. Also very popular with gays, especially the right part (facing the sea). Nudity is quite common. At about 4PM the music wil get really loud; for some time to leave, for others time to party.
Agrari - Agrari Beach is less popular than its neighbour Elia and much calmer. Well organized with sunbeds and umbrellas, with many watersports. If there are enough passengers, the boats from Platys Gialos will make a stop at Agrari. Otherwise, it is an easy 5 minutes walk over the rocks from Elia Beach.
Elia - Elia is one of the larger beaches on Mykonos. It is a well organized beach with sunbeds and umbrellas, and various water sports (ski and jet-ski). Three restaurants and taverns. Also popular with gays, especially the small rocky beach between Elia and Agari. Nudity is permitted but not as common as at Paradise, Super Paradise and Paranga. Nudity is concentrated at the right and nicest part of the beach.
Kalo Livadi - A quiet, long stretch of sandy beach. It offers some taverns with good food, and a few small hotels and villas. Best reached with your own transport, but you can get there by bus. Take the bus to Elia and get off the bus at the top of the hill where it turns to go to Elia Beach and walk about ten minutes downhill to your left.
Kalafati - A very large, beautiful and less developed beach and a favourite with windsurfers due to the offshore breeze. A variety of water sports are available here. Kalafati can be reached by bus from Mykonos town, but this bus only runs a few times a day. Immediately next to Kalafatis are the sandy beaches of Draoumia and Tafarnis.
Lia - An uncrowded, sandy beach. Some tiny houses of fishermen from a little settlement, with only a small fish tavern. To get there you need your own transport or you can walk from Kalafati.
Ftelia - This beach faces the north and thus it is affected by the strong summer northern winds (meltemia), which make it ideal for wind surfing, but not for swimming or sunbathing. Ftelia is an isolated, very tranquil place and even during the busy Mykonos months of July and August it is not very crowded, because it is often quite windy and dusty.
Panormos - On the north side of the island and facing east onto Panormos Bay is the long and beautiful Panormos Beach. Two restaurants, one hotel and a trendy beach club serve this otherwise remote area. Panormos Beach is nudist beach mostly in the right side. To get to Panormos you need your own transport.
Agios Sostis - This beach faces the east of Panormos Bay. Agios Sostis is one of the more remote beaches on the island. Void of accommodation and crowds this beautiful beach offers not only peace and quiet, but also a very good small restaurant. Nude bathing tolerant. To get there you need your own transport. Take the road beyond Panormos beach.
Agios Stefanos - A well developed, sandy beach next to the new harbor. Agios Stefanos is very popular and gets very crowded during summer time. This beach is about the length of a soccer pitch. Agios Stefanos is reachable by bus from Mykonos town.
Ornos - Busy family and tourist beach. It gathers many for its sunbeds and umbrellas, and bars and restaurants. The sandy beach slopes gently into the sea.
Agios Ioannis - Agios Ioannis is a small beach with snorkeling opportunities. The beach never gets over crowded and deck chairs are available to rent. Great tavern and cocktail bar very close. Not a tourist beach. With a small nude section.
Delos - a small uninhabited island close to Mykonos, is known for its important archaeological sites. There are daily excursions from Mykonos Town except Monday, when the archaeological site is closed. Boats leave at 9AM, 10AM and 11AM from the pier at the west side of the harbour, right behind the little church of Agios Nikolaos.
Watermania - A popular water park. Watermania consists of many water games, from waterslides of all sizes and shapes, pools, a mini club for children and a diving school.
HOW TO REACH
By boat - From the Greek mainland ferries and highspeed catamaran services run daily from Piraeus and Rafina.
The journey between the port of Piraeus (Athens) and Mykonos takes between 4h 30min and 5h 15min, depending on the type of ferry you are taking. On a slow ferry a seat in economy class will cost € 30,50. All the ferries to Mykonos depart from Port Gate Ε7. Most of the ferries connecting Piraeus to Mykonos stop working by end of October and resume by April.
By plane - Mykonos has an airport about 4km away from the main town. There are daily flights from Athens airport (35 minutes) by Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines. In high season there are also less frequent flights from Rhodes, Santorini and Crete (Heraklion) by Sky Express.
