Is it even possible to mention this island without the words glamorous & fun being thrown around?
Seriously. This is one FUN, beeeeeeeeautiful place! And there is most definitely a reason why it’s dubbed Greece’s most famous “cosmopolitan island”!
Greece has over 200 inhabited islands, so how does one plan a trip to Greece? Where do you start?? When is the best time to go??
If you’ve asked yourself these questions……then hello, I am here to assist! But before we get into the trip planning, let’s get familiar with a few things regarding Greece first!
Check out the Greece International Travel Info for visa info, passport validity & more!
The best times to visit Mykonos: the best weather is from June – September (temps are in the high 70’s & 80’s). The best time for all the crazy partying, late June – mid September. The best time to save money & avoid the crowds, April, May & September.
It will definitely be more expensive to visit the Greek isles in the Summer months due to high tourism!
Make sure to pack COMFORTABLE clothing/shoes while visiting Mykonos! There is a lot of walking involved. Many of the streets are cobblestone and can become a bit uneven at times.
The best way to get around Mykonos will be by bus. More on the Mykonos bus system, here! Taxis are also available at the airport and are plentiful in the center. Other options will include mopeds, bikes or just footing it (walking). Renting a car is an option, but can get quite expensive and parking will be a hassle.
Below is a map of Mykonos’ cities & villages:
Mykonos is apart of the Cyclades Islands which lies southeast of the mainland in the Aegean Sea. The main town of Mykonos is Chora. This Cycladic village is built amphitheatrically, which may give you the feeling of being in a maze while exploring the town and admiring their unique whitewashed homes!
You’re ready to hop on a plane and get to Mykonos, aren’t you?! I bet! So let’s go!
While planning my 1st trip to Greece, I decided to do everything on my own (which required TONS of research )! But no need for you to get discouraged! I am going to try to give you as much useful advice to make your trip planning as painless as possible. My Greece itinerary is below to give you an idea of how I planned everything out!
My itinerary:
Arrive in Athens 1-way flight to Mykonos | From Mykonos ferry to Syros | From Syros ferry to Santorini | From Santorini 1-way flight back to Athens
Lots of planes & ferries were involved on this trip! I booked my international flight on the ‘Priceline’ app from LAX to Athens, Greece with Scandinavian Airlines. Athens is pretty much the starting point when visiting Greece. Flying directly to the outer islands will cost hundreds more.
The Greek isles!
Once the flight to Athens is booked, you’ll then need to choose which inter-island airline you’d like to fly with to island hop!
Sky Express | Olympic Air | Aegean Airlines
Depending on the time of year you visit Greece, most flights will be easy to book. However, during the Winter/early Spring months (mid October-late April), routes to certain islands will not be available. And in the Summer months, always book flights + ferries in advance. We decided to go with Aegean airlines. Which was the perfect choice for us!
Island hopping by flight can be quite expensive, so an alternative would be taking the ferry. The ferry is much cheaper, yes, but it can be a tricky thing. They can sell out, and sometimes routes are canceled without much notice. Here are the ferry options:
Greek Ferries GR | Hellenic Seaways | Blue Star Ferries
We booked through Hellenic Seaways. Which was a good choice overall. But….we did run into an issue. We were originally scheduled to visit los island after Mykonos, but the ferry route to los was canceled just a few days before we were scheduled to visit. Luckily we weren’t charged for our room in los, and we were routed to another island, Syros.
The island of Syros!
We arrived in Mykonos from Athens on our 1-way flight which was only 30 minutes! From the airport in Mykonos, we were picked up by a driver which was scheduled by our AirBnB host!
Now the adventure begins!
WHERE TO STAY
IN MYKONOS
Whether money is no object and you can spring for a beachfront property or even if you wan’t to keep things simple and not so much on the expensive side – then Mykonos will have what you need!
★★ star: Ibiscus Boutique Hotel | Studio Eleni | MyCocoon Hostel
★★★ star: Mykonos Moussa Suites | Dionysos Boutique Hotel
★★★★ star: Cavo Tagoo | Hermes Mykonos Hotel
★★★★★ star: Nissaki Boutique Hotel | Mykonos Blu Hotel | Kivotos Mykonos | Tharroe of Mykonos Hotel
If you’re looking for other options outside of the hotels, then check out some of the cool Airbnbs in Mykonos!
We decided to go with Airbnb on our 1st visit to the island and rent one of the Cycladic houses to get an authentic feel of Mykonos. GREAT decision!
You will fall in LOVE with the scenery in Mykonos!
The CLOE Suite is located right in the heart of Mykonos! We were just feet away from all of the fun in the square (the restaurants/clubs/bars, etc.), but still far away enough to not be interrupted by the action of Mykonos Town.
We did get lost the first few times leaving our Airbnb because most of the houses look alike, but it was fun exploring the winding streets and finding our way back to our place!
The CLOE Suite comes with 1 Queen bed + 2 sleeper sofas which slept the 4 of us comfortably for the 2 nights we were there! The suite was clean, cozy & quiet!
The CLOE Suite in the heart of Mykonos! Enjoy navigating the maze of Cycladic houses! So much FUN!
Our Airbnb host, Dimitris, was fantastic! He arranged a ride for us from the airport (about a 10 minute drive) to his Airbnb (the cost for the 4 of us was around €30 euros). He also gave us great tips on things to get into around Mykonos & where to catch the Orthodox Easter celebrations since we were lucky enough to be in town for it!
It was definitely a great experience staying in a traditional Mykonian home! This spot will be at the top of my list when I visit this beautiful island again!
WHERE TO EAT IN MYKONOS
☀️ Fresh, The Mykonos Project – Honestly. If I could’ve eaten here my ENTIRE stay in Mykonos…..I would’ve been absolutely OK with that! This place has amazing burgers and cocktails! The patio and deck area are equally delightful! The customer service here was superb as well!
☀️ Blue Myth Restaurant – Great Greek cuisine found here! But you can also enjoy tasty paella with a great wine selection too! Plus the view is to die for! The portions are generous, but be sure to save some room for dessert!
☀️ Jimmy’s Gyros – This spot is a Mykonos MUST if you’re looking for a quick/cheap bite to eat! It’s located right in the middle of the shops, which makes it a fun little eatery to fill up on food while people watching!
☀️ Funky Kitchen – If you’re in the mood for Mediterranean fusion dishes, then this is the place for you! The rack of lamb & feta rolls = pure deliciousness! Pair it with the “Porn Star” cocktail! AH-MAZING!
THINGS TO DO IN MYKONOS
☀️ ATVs – 1 of these best ways (if not the best way) to explore Mykonos is to rent an ATV to get around the island on. ATVs are priced at €25-30 euros a day (prices subject to change). We rented from a company called ‘Hercules ATV & Car Rentals’. I would avoid renting from them. They gave my son & I an ATV that ran out of gas….while we were actually riding up a hill!! Luckily, we were not injured. But there are several other places to rent from.
Here are a couple of other places to rent ATVs – Quality Rentals | Auto Power
*Tips: Bring your driver’s license and passport when renting an ATV. | Check the gas gauge BEFORE you drive off. | Be sure to fill the ATV back up with gas when you return it! | Please drive responsibly!
The ATVs were sooooooo much F U N! We navigated the glorious streets of Mykonos, rode for miles pass some of the most AH-MAZING beaches and even explored some farmland with goats roaming around!
Beautiful scenery while cruising the island on your ATV!
Watching the sunset from the ATV in Mykonos is magical!
☀️ B E A C H – H O P
Mykonos is home to some of the most beautiful beaches & crazy fun beach parties! But if you’re just looking for a good swim or a nice day out with the family, then you’ll find that too!
☀️ Paradise Beach: located 6 km (about 4 miles) from Mykonos Town. This beach is home to some of the best partying & beach bars (so get a drink in your hand & your toes in the sand )! Buses will run directly from Mykonos Town to Paradise Beach! Or hop on your ATV and ride out!
☀️ Super Paradise Beach: a couple more beach bars can be found on this picturesque beach! And the party here usually gets going in the afternoon! SPB is about 7km (4.4 miles) from Mykonos Town. There are no buses that will connect you directly to this beach. But you can take the Super Paradise Club shuttle to get there. You will catch the shuttle at the bus terminal at Fabrika. More info, here!
☀️ Platys Gialos Beach: some may say that this is the most beautiful beach in Mykonos! And it’s just 5km (3.10 miles) from Mykonos Town. It’s a large beach and you’ll find plenty of hotels/restaurants here. It’s packed with lots of water sports too! The vibe here is more family friendly/young couples.
You can catch water taxis to Paradise, Super Paradise and other beaches as well from Platys Gialos!
☀️ Paraga Beach: this beach is located 6km (3.7 miles) from Mykonos Town and it is within walking distance of Paradise beach. A direct bus from Mykonos Town runs to Paraga. It’s a small beach, but there are sun beds, a bar and a mini market nearby. The vibe here is chill. You can let it all hang out here too (nudity is common).
☀️ Visit “Little Venice” – This is a great place to people watch, enjoy a cocktail….or 2 and watch the sunset – seaside! Get lost in the quirky little streets and check out the unique boutiques in the area!
☀️ Church hop & visit the Windmills – As funny as that sounds, Mykonos has hundreds of unique churches & chapels to photograph. Panagia Paraportiani, Zoodochos Pigis & Agios Nikolaos are the more popular ones!
The iconic windmills of Mykonos can be found in ‘Little Venice’. It’s a beautiful photo op with the beach serving as the backdrop! This is also another great spot to catch the Mykonos sunset!
☀️ Take a day trip to Delos – Interested in ancient Greece? Then check out Delos! Delos is a Greek island and archaeological site in the Aegean Sea’s Cyclades archipelago, near Mykonos. And you can easily visit this island by catching a sea bus from the old & new port in Mykonos for just €20 euros! See more info here!
By now, I hope your bags are packed and you’re headed to the airport to go act up in Mykonos! But seriously, this is one island that does not need to be missed on your travels to Greece. The Cycladic charm, exotic beaches, nightlight, etc. will leave you wanting more! So go!
Happy travels to Mykonos!
