The beautiful Greek island of Mykonos Greece is one of the most visited and top locations of all the Greek islands. With pretty white buildings with blue shutters to pink summer flowers growing up the sides. This post shares the top things to do on Mykonos, including a historical day trip to Delos!
Arriving in Mykonos Greece
Arriving by airplane to Mykonos is the easiest, being only a short distance from the main town of Chora. You can also arrive by boat depending on your travel itinerary.
For me, flying was best as I arrived from Athens (post coming soon!), and then flew home directly with Transavia to the Netherlands. This was part of my 2 week itinerary travelling around Greece!
Where Is Mykonos Greece?
Firstly, where is Mykonos? This island is located in the South Aegean region and as part of the Cyclades islands. The Cyclades islands make up the area, with Naxos and Paros neighbouring Mykonos. The main town of Chora lies next to the Aegean Sea. Which is the most busiest location on the island during summer months. This is due to the island having sunshine for on average 300 days a year and its luxury appeal.
Mykonos Greece Facts
To keep things short, here are 5 facts about Mykonos in Greece:
- The pretty blue and white neighbourhoods include the colour blue as that represented where sailors once lived, whereas farmers painted their doors green
- The original name of the famous ‘Little Venice’ area is Alefkandra – which was changed to attract more tourists
- Mykonos has a nickname called “The Island of the Winds”
- Wonder why the streets are so narrow and like a maze? This was to confuse pirates!
- The neighbouring island Delos became a Unesco World Heritage site in 1990
Where To Stay – Vencia Boutique Hotel
One of the prettiest places to stay that I can recommend in Mykonos Greece is the Vencia Boutique Hotel. This luxury location is perfect for 3 nights stay for relaxation from this touristic location. I had booked a lovely double room with lounge area. It had a large bathroom with shower too. This room also had a cute balcony overlooking the cosy restaurant. Looking further down I had a good view of relaxing sun beds (which were comfy!), infinity pool and sunset every day.
Mykonos Greece Activities
Beach Day
Mykonos has many beaches that you can visit with transportation. There are plenty of options to get around, like as renting your own scooter or car to get around. I never visited any myself while there, but to list a few for those who would want to, here are the top beaches:
- Elia Beach
- Agios Sostis Beach
- Kalafatis Beach
- Kalo Livadi Beach
Windmills
Mykonos has a total of 16 windmills on the island. The most famous ones being the 7 that are overlooking the village of Chora. Positioned on this landmark hill was strategically built in the 16th century, once providing income to the island residents. You can visit one of the windmills, which has been converted to a museum.
These windmills are all over the Cyclades islands, such as also shared on my post about Patmos.
Chora Center
If you are looking for the pretty blue and white buildings, Chora is the perfect (but busy) place. Find yourself getting lost in this beautiful village. Walking from the hotel down was like entering a maze with multiple ways. Around every corner you were greeted with a little shop, a cosy restaurant or a pretty house of a local. Not to mention the cute cats to be sitting around enjoying the breeze through the streets.
Tip: All islands that I have visited during my 2 weeks in Greece have areas of pretty blue and white buildings. So it is not limited to Mykonos.
Walk Along The Old Harbour
Take an evening stroll along the old harbour of Mykonos. From here there are day trips for boats, such as to the historic island of Delos. You can also find yourself doing some shopping for souvenirs to bring back home. Else, stop off at one of the relaxing restaurants for a bite to eat or an evening drink.
Little Venice
Once named as Alefkandra, Little Venice got its name to attract tourists to the area. This totally worked as it it now a lovely spot for us tourists. This cute location in Mykonos is a pretty coast side spot of houses and restaurants. Some call it the most romantic spot on Mykonos island, but I personally find the whole island has a sense of romance. Stay for sunset for a picturesque photo opportunity, else head to the one of many bars in the area for a night of fun!
Tip: Keep in mind to reserve a table for a restaurant if you have limited time, as they can get fully booked here quickly.
Mykonos Greece Boat Trip
There are a few boat trips you can take, to enjoy the local sea or visit something specific. I took a boat trip to the island of Delos, mentioned in my next paragraph. It was nice to be out on the Greek sea and enjoy the sea breeze. The boat was rather busy, but I was on first so had a nice spot outside to enjoy the weather.
Delos Historical Site
Since it was October, I could buy a day trip ticket in the morning for the first boat. If you are visiting during summer months, this may be a little more busier.
Arriving at the historical site was lovely after the boat ride in the Aegean Sea. The island is an inhabitable place, with the ruins having many routes to follow. They are marked well on the map that you can follow for different distances, such as 4km, 8km or 12km. It was a pretty hot day so I ended up following the 4km route, as well as wandering off to different sections and visiting the museum.
You can spend a whole day with the first boat going to the last boat coming back if you wish. This is possible as your day ticket is flexible to the boats. But of course keep the time in mind to not miss the last boat.
Tip: During my visit, the ticket booth on Mykonos only accepted cash. So good to check this if you plan to arrive 10 minutes before the boat leaves without cash. Else the closet cash machine isn’t too far away.
Delos Archaeological Museum
The Delos Archaeological museum is open for all who choose to visit the historical island of Delos. Inside they had some large rooms showing the beautiful ruins left from Delos. For example, the original lion statues pictured below have the most amazing history of the island. Most of these were damaged over time from the weather, so it is nice to see some details on the ones they could clean up and show.
The museum is combined with your day trip ticket to the island. So take a break from the heat outside and discover more history inside!
Mykonos Restaurants To Try
Food on Mykonos is pretty broad due to the amount of tourists. There are restaurants for everything. One of my favourite places was this lovely Italian restaurant down in the city center. It was always busy but with a really good atmosphere. I went twice during my stay, one night for pizza and the other night for pasta!
- Casa di Giorgia (the Italian place pictured below)
- If you stay at the same hotel, you need to order the caesar salad
- A place to try Gyros (of course!)
Check out our other Greece posts here
More Coming Soon!
Mykonos Greece Summary
In summary, staying for 3 nights on this beautiful island of Mykonos Greece was really lovely. There was indeed a different atmosphere to other islands such as Rhodes and Patmos, due to the amount of tourists. But with a luxury hotel like the Vencia Boutique Hotel gave enough perfect relaxation space I needed after my 2 weeks exploring Greece.
Tips:
- Visit the Armenistis Lighthouse for stunning panoramic views
- Book a table in advance for top restaurants, as they get fully booked quickly!
- Take your time to explore the maze of blue and white streets in Chora
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Thanks for sharing my Mykonos Greece post!