The Greek islands are a true tourist paradise. In fact, Greece is a very complete vacation destination as it offers history and culture and the chance to enjoy days of sun and beach.
There are many Greek islands, but undoubtedly one of the most popular internationally is the island of Mykonos. Let's see today what to do in Mykonos.
Mikonos
As we said at the beginning, Greece has many island groups and Mykonos is located within the so-called Cyclades Islands, on the waters of the Aegean Sea. It is inhabited permanently by just over ten thousand people, but that number grows when the European summer holidays arrive.
Mykonos has an area of 85.5 square kilometers and its highest point does not exceed 364 meters of altitude. Is a smooth profile island, just some not very high hills. Now, you are already in mainland Greece and you want to go to Mykonos, how do you do it?
Getting to Mykonos is not difficult: on the one hand there are direct flights from many cities in Europe . You can fly from Madrid, Amsterdam, Vienna, London, Munich, Paris, Lyon or Barcelona, for example. Yes indeed, They are not direct flights so you will have to go through Athens and take a domestic flight heading to the island, or a ferry from Rafina or Piraeus.
Ferries from Athens run every day. The companies that operate this route are Blue Star Ferries, Golden Star ferries, Hellenic Seaways and SeaJets, and they complete the route in a trip that can last from two and a half hours to five and a half hours. Tickets can cost between 30 and 90 euros, depending on the type of boat and class. Most of the ferries leave from Piraeus, which you reach from the center of Athens by metro.
Getting to Mykonos by ferry is the cheapest and most popular option to get to the island. If you go in high season, buy tickets quickly.
What to see in Mykonos
Mykonos is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful islands in the Aegean. It is located north of Santorini and is a tiny island, easy to cover in a day or two of travel, although if you have more time you will enjoy it much more.
In principle you can choose how you are going to tour the island. A good option is rent a motorbike, But remember to bring a license. If you don't know how to drive a motorcycle, the options are: taxis or buses. In the summer months the frequency of the buses is very good. The terminal is in the yacht port, in the center of the city.
Alternatively rent a kaiki, a small boat which can bring you closer to more remote areas, such as the beach of Platis Yialos or beyond, to the Island of Delos. Taxis are obviously always more expensive.
The second thing is to decide what to see in Mykonos and here begins the interesting and fun part of the trip. My advice is walk a bit the capital city starting the walk in the morning. The center has little streets and passages, many places to eat, have breakfast or sit and watch the people go by. And the one of beautiful photos that you are going to take! When lunchtime arrives, you can line up your steps towards the Puerto Viejo and eat fish and shellfish. For example, in one of everyone's favorite restaurants, Katerina.
If there is any classic postcard of Mykonos, it is its mills. Mykonos windmills are beautiful, almost on cliffs, white, high, are the monuments of the island. You find them on the coast of Mykonos Town and they are always in plain sight. For centuries the mills were used to refine grains, but the advancement of technology made them obsolete. The most famous mills are those of Kato Myloi, which overlook the waters of the Aegean from a hill.
Of all the mills that some dotted Mykonos, there are only seven well preserved. The best is to climb up the hill in Chora and visit the Boni mill that today works as a museum. The views from the top are fantastic and the sunset is great.
The second most popular site on Mykonos is Little Venice. It is a very colorful neighborhood that borders the sea. It is called that because it looks like Venice, but today the old houses have been turned into elegant restaurants and bars. Obviously, it is a very popular place to watch the sunset.
Shopping It's also something to do, although it's not the cheapest island in Greece. You can buy clothes, jewelry, costume jewellery, leather goods, souvenirs and some local art. I have a couple of linen summer dresses that are really beautiful and I bought them at a very good price.
The excursion that no one misses while in Mykonos ands visit the island of Delos. It is a World Heritage archaeological site, famous for the del's oracleos and for supposedly being the birthplace of Apollo of Artemis. No one lives there, but you can get there by one of the many boats that link the old port of Mykonos with Delos every day, except Mondays when the island is closed.
He calculates that the boat costs about 20 euros per adult and that the entrance to the Archaeological Site of Delos costs 12 euros. It is best to take a guided tour so as not to miss any detail. And when you return, you can take advantage and walk through the Old Port of Mykonos which is a very picturesque place to walk, especially at night. There are cafes, restaurants and pelicans, all looking out to sea.
All the churches of mykonos They can also be protagonists: there are many, it is said that around 800 and 60 of them can be seen from the center of the city. Some of the most famous are Agios Nikolaos, in Chora, and the Panagia Tourliani Monastery, in Ano Mera.
And of course, Mykonos is synonymous with beaches. The beaches are famous for their golden sands and crystal clear waters. There are beaches for all tastes. If you like the people and the party you can go to the Playa Paraíso and the Super Paraíso. If you are more of a family vibe, you should go to the Kalo Livadi beach, Ornos, Lia or Elia. For more remote and quiet beaches you can try Agios Sostis or Kapari. For a well famous beach, go to Psarou.
Note that if the beach is famous it is expensive: Paraga or Ftelia have beach bars where you are going to spend a lot of money on your fun. If tours don't bother you, you can try signing up for the all-day tour of the coast, which includes lunch.
We are reaching the end but we cannot forget the armenistis lighthouse, which is situated at Cape Armenistis. It is an old lighthouse, built on the edge of a cliff facing the Aegean. It still works: its octagonal tower and its brilliant light shine on the sea every day.
Nor can we forget the Mykonos Archaeological Museum. It will be small but it is interesting and it is open every day from 8:30 am to 3 pm, except Mondays and holidays. Another museum is the Mykonos Maritime Museum, with old maps and naval documentation, tools and ship models through time.
Mykonos is not only the center and the city, there are also villages. There is the village of Ano Mera, in the heart of the island, with its white houses. It is close to the Panagia Tourliani Monastery, it is actually a small complex of churches and cloisters. I always recommend visiting the villages if you stay more than two days. The same goes for the cruises around Delos and the Rhenia Islands, islands where no one lives but have super blue waters.