Mykonos

Mykonos is one of the most popular islands in Greece, and it is also one of the most famous islands. Many people think that the pictures from Mykonos Town are the symbol of Greece: tiny narrow alleyways lined by whitewashed houses with blue doors and windows. It is no wonder that the Greek Tourist Office often use photos from Mykonos when they promote Greece. Mykonos needs no sales promotion, visitors will come anyway. People from all over the world come here to swim and sunbathe at the fabulous beaches, to shop in luxury shops, to see and to be seen and to enjoy the rich night life.

When I came here the first time (early 80s), Mykonos was one of the hottest destinations in Greece. It was then that Mykonos began to attract attention in the gay spheres and the island went from being a beach paradise to a chick island with exclusive hotels, fashionable boutiques, trendy restaurants, bars and discos. Even today, Mykonos is an arena within gay culture, but not by a long shot as it was in the 1980s.

Paradise Beach.

Agios Stefanos beach.

GETTING HERE
Mykonos has an international airport so it is possible to fly directly to Mykonos. You can also go by air to Athens and continue by ferry or domestic flights. Another option is to fly to Samos or Santorini, both islands have boat connection with Mykonos.

GETTING AROUND
You can go by bus to many of the beaches, and to the small village Ano Mera. Bath boats to the beaches Paraga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Elia and Agrari beach starts out from Ornos beach and Platis Yialos beach. Excursion boats to Delos depart from the south pier in the small port in Mykonos town. There are moped and car rental services in Mykonos town.

VILLAGES
There are two villages on Mykonos: Mykonos Town and Ano Mera, which lies in the middle of the island. Some of the tourist resorts are certainly larger than villages on some other islands, but only during the summer season, when the tourists have gone home, the villages turns into ghost towns.

Mykonos town is so beautiful that it almost feels unreal. Almost no other Greek village can be compared to this architectural masterpiece. Certainly there are many fine villages in the Greek archipelago, but few of them come close to the dazzling beauty that meets you in Mykonos town.

Mykonos town.

But decades of heavy tourism have made deep marks on Mykonos. If you want to experience the real Greece, you have to go somewhere else; for example to, Andros or Tinos, which is the nearest islands to Mykonos. Indeed there still are some Greek every day life in miniature in Mykonos town: sometimes a woman dressed in black sits on a doorsteps, an old man with donkey sells vegetables in the alleyways early in the morning and the fish market in the harbour is still in operation; but otherwise the commercial reality dominates. But you gladly will forgive that and continue to stroll into the narrow alleys.

The labyrinthine alleys feels endlessly, to not get lost is almost impossible, after just a few minutes you will be disorientated. But what does it matter, you will always find your way out somehow, and maybe you will meet one of the cute pelicans one your way. The absolute best part of Mykonos town is Little Venice (see picture on top) with its beautiful houses with wooden balconies. To the left of Little Venice, a couple of pride windmills watch over the gathering of people and the tavernas. From the windmills, it is a splendid view of Little Venice and the sea in front.

Alleyways in Mykonos town.

Ano Mera is a sleepy little hamlet in the middle of the island that is barely worth a visit. The villagers do what they can to attract tourists. In the centre of the village there is a square lined with tavernas and a few tourist shops. What still may make Ano Mera worth a short stop is the beautiful monastery of Panagia Tourliani.

BEACHES
Mykonos greatest gift to humanity is the lovely beaches. Few islands can compete with Mykonos over the selection of high quality beaches.

The closest beaches to Mykonos town are Agios Ioannis, Ormos and Psarou. Of these, Agios Ioannis is the one that I prefer. It was here that they produced the movie Shirley Valentine. Platys Gialos is a popular tourist destination with many package tour hotels. The beach is filled to the brim of sunbathers and the sun beds are closed packed together. From here, the bath boats depart to Paradise Beach and Super Paradise beach. Paradise Beach is a very popular beach with coarse grained sand in a very appealing cove. The water sparkles between blue and green and it really attracts to long and enjoying bathe. There is really everything you could wish for, or not wish for, in the form of entertainment. Bars pumping out music, self-service restaurants with mediocre food, water sports of all kinds, sun beds with palm umbrellas and discos.

Super Paradise Beach is, for sure, the best beach on Mykonos and by Greek standards it is a golden beach. Or a super paradise, as its name says. The beach is well protected in a beautiful bay; the sand is fine grained and the water is crystal clear. Super Paradise beach is not only a great beach, it is also one of the Mediterranean's most popular gay beaches. Here it is to see, and to be seen, that counts. The beach is divided by an invisible borderline; on one side the gay people hang out and on the other side the heterosexual are to be found. Of course, Super Paradise Beach is also much frequented by non-gays, you do not have to be gay to go to Super Paradise.

Other beaches on Mykonos: Paranga, Agnari, Elia, Kalo Livadi, Agia Anna, Kalafatis, Panormos, Agios Stefanos and Agios Sostis. The last one is one of Mykonos least-exploited beaches.

SIGHTS
Mykonos town is the big attraction; otherwise there is not much that you have to see. The greatest attraction is not really on Mykonos, but on the neighbouring island Delos, which in ancient times was the centre of the Greek world. The whole island is one big archaeological sight, and of course, it is listed in the United Nations World Heritage List.

ACCOMMODATION
Since Mykonos is a popular island, there are lots and lots of hotels and pensions. Therefore there are not difficult to find a place to stay; the problem is to find something that has reasonable prices. But do not be intimidated, there are cheap places even at Mykonos, at least if you avoid high season. People that have rooms to let will meet up all ferries in the port; it is a good idea to follow one of them, because the port is located a few kilometres from Mykonos town.

Super Paradise Beach.

MORE ABOUT MYKONOS
Geographical location »
Map of Mykonos »
Ferry timetable »

OTHER LINKS
Tinos - nearest island »
Weather in Greece »

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