Mykonos is one of the most cosmopolitan, and visited, islands in the Aegean. A favourite for celebrities and members of the rich list, it’s one of the smallest of the Cyclades islands, at just 12 to 15 km wide and 10km long. Although only small, there is plenty to see and do.
As you fly into Mykonos airport you’ll see many beaches surrounded by deep blue crystal clear waters. The town is around 10 minutes drive away, however our hotel driver was waiting to pick us up and take us to the Andronikos Hotel – a mere 5 minutes drive. Before we knew it we were sitting by the pool having a refreshing welcome drink before being shown to our room.
Andronikos Hotel is a lovely 4* hotel and I’d recommend it to anyone. Our room was spacious with a king size bed, modern amenities and a large balcony overlooking the sea. Our balcony had a large comfortable sofa and was perfect for watching the sunset and having a few drinks in the evening. Chilling out around the pool was made ultra easy with a great selection of calm chilled out music being played from the bar, complete with a selection of food to be ordered from the menu.
In the evening the hotel also houses the renowned ‘Lady Finger’ restaurant which has won a number of awards for its gourmet food and is frequented by people travelling from far and wide. The restaurant has been compared to Michelin star restaurants for its unique take on the Greek classics. There was a great selection of things to have for breakfast, plus made to order eggs anyway you liked them with all the trimmings.
Mykonos Town is a 10 minute walk from the hotel and, along with the many beaches around the island, is one of the main attractions. Almost every day you’ll see cruise ships docking and bringing in tourists from all over the world.
We rented a quad bike during our stay which was great for exploring the island’s many beaches and getting down into town. Due to the island’s strict building regulations you won’t find many buildings more than a storey or two high, tucked away in a maze of tiny paved streets, whitewashed buildings, narrow passageways and pastel coloured shop fronts. Although relatively small it is really easy to get lost and become disorientated. Don’t worry though as this is all part of the experience and you will come across some great shops and photo opportunities on your travels! The streets are lined with souvenir shops, boutiques, art galleries, stylish bars, restaurants, and the all-important cafes selling Gyros kebabs.
On one side of the town you will find ‘Little Venice’, named for obvious reasons. There are many bars and restaurants overlooking the sea and all have a perfect view of the windmills, which are one of the most recognised landmarks of Mykonos. On the other side of town is the sweeping harbour, with a great selection of shops, ice cream parlours and restaurants. There is a buzzing atmosphere both in the day and night and it’s perfect for people watching. In the morning you will be able to see the fisherman selling their early morning catch to the locals and restaurants. Wandering around you will more than likely stumble across the island’s mascots which are a couple of Pelicans.
The best time to visit is in May or June as it tends to be quieter and the temperatures are just right. July and August can get crowded and, as with all the Greek islands, the temperature soars.
Jumping on the quad it was time to explore. The map of the island provided at most rental shops is not the best and can be difficult to navigate. As the island is so small you can soon turn round and find your way. Deciding to first try out the beaches on the far side of the island, we headed to Ano Mera in the centre, where you can also carry on to Kalafatis, Elia and my favourite, Kalo Livadi Beach.peratures are just right. July and August can get crowded and, as with all the Greek islands, the temperature soars.
Deciding to head north we ventured to Panormas Beach which in my opinion was one of the best beaches in Mykonos – not only due to the picturesque view and quiet atmosphere, but mainly because the sand is so soft and fine. Many beaches on Mykonos tend to be course sand.
Panormas beach is lovely and stretches around about 1km. There are two great beach bars/restaurants which are highly rated and have large bean bags and beds to lie on whilst enjoying a Mythos. Private yachts will weigh anchor and tender in on a dingy to have a meal or relax on the beach. Located on route you will pass the Marathi Water Reservoir on you right, just over the hill you will then descend to Panormas.
If you continue past here in a few minutes you will reach an equally attractive beach at Agios Sostis. Although there are no beach bars at this one, there is a fantastic restaurant set back on the hill down to the beach. Kiki’s is a small beautiful restaurant situated under the trees with the most amazing view of a small private beach. With no signage or obvious clues to its location you will easily find it due to the alluring smell of BBQ travelling through the heat haze. Compared to other eateries, Kiki’s offered good value for money and lovely salads. The barbeque pork chop was the biggest Flintstones sized chop I’d ever eaten or seen for that matter. Be prepared to wait a short while for a table and note that there is no indoor seating.
In the South, Paradise and Super Paradise Beach are considered as ‘the’ party scene popular with the hip and trendy and beach parties in the evening. It’s also not uncommon to have sections of the beach frequented by nudists. On the other end of the scale in the west, Agios Ioannis is a calm and quiet beach with a couple of restaurants. This beach is also famed for its appearance in the 1989 film classic ‘Shirley Valentine’.
Mykonos is becoming more widely available and has only this year become available to fly to, from Manchester whereas previous years you could only reach the island from London airports. Get a great deal and get your flights early. For those of you wanting to explore that little bit more, many people choose to island hop and visit Santorini for a few days, too. Whether you choose to do this or not, this is an amazing part of the world and should be on everyone’s list.
About Howard: A Customer Feedback Advisor at On the Beach, I work to travel and explore the world, experience new things, eat local specialities and relax in the sun.
