Mykonos is a small Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered one of the most expensive and prestigious resorts in Greece: the place is very beautiful, very crowded and very partying, comparable to Ibiza in terms of the number of discos and nightclubs.
It is absolutely safe, peaceful and civilized here, but the freedom of morals is quite European. This does not mean that debauchery reigns here, and you cannot come here with children, but keep in mind that all major beaches have official nudist zones, and representatives of sexual minorities do not hide from anyone. However, they are not advertised specifically, but simply rest comfortably, like everyone else: gay bars, in essence, differ little from ordinary ones here. But the rest on the island is mainly designed for adults: there are almost no children's infrastructure, playgrounds and amusement parks.
Despite the fact that it is not cheap here, there are almost no major all-inclusive five-star beach hotels in Mykonos. Most of the island's dwellings are expensive small villas and apartments, often with stunning views and private terraces with pools. There are opportunities for a beach holiday: on the south coast, the beaches are calm, on the north - suitable for surfing and kiting, but still, the priority in Mykonos is not the beach, but the party and dance holidays. In the high season, that is, in July-August, there are a lot of people on the island, so the best time is spring or autumn. You can swim from June to October, and dance all year round.
Areas of Mykonos
The capital of the island is Mykonos Town (or Chora) - this is the only truly large city. In addition to it, there are several more interesting resort villages and beaches, next to which there are hotels.
- Mykonos City (Chora);
- Agios Stefanos;
- Ornos;
- Platis Yialos;
- Psarou;
- South beaches - Paraga Beach, Paradise Beach, Super Paradise;
- Calafati;
- Ano Mera.
Mykonos Town
Chora, or Mykonos, is the capital of the island. It is, in essence, a small city, with only about 7 thousand inhabitants, and tourism is the basis of its economy. The city is very beautiful: if you are driving for the sake of snow-white houses against the background of a bright blue sea and a bright blue sky, then this is the place for you. There are several interesting sights here: the Archaeological Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, the Aegean Museum. The main place for photo shoots is 7 windmills in the western part of the city and an observation deck next to them. The second significant place is the Church of Panagia Paraportiani, a very beautiful white church, standing on the remains of a Byzantine fortress.
There are many bars, nightclubs, discos, restaurants and other entertainments in the city. Pay attention to the Babylon club in the port itself. Not far from the port there is a shopping district with boutiques of leading European companies: there is a place to do expensive shopping here. In addition to boutiques and jewelry stores, the city has both ordinary supermarkets and its own grocery market.
Chora is a great place to hang out and have fun, and not a beach holiday at all. The city has two small beaches: the municipal one in the very center, next to "little Venice", and Megali Ammos, just to the south. But both of them lack any infrastructure: there are no sun loungers and umbrellas, there are only coastal restaurants (on Megali Ammos this is Joanna's Niko's Place, it is considered one of the best in the city). In Chora, it makes sense to relax with your car in order to get out to the comfortable beaches of the southern coast at any time.
Agios Stefanos
Beach village north of the capital with a beautiful sandy beach. It is located very close to the port. It is comfortable and cozy here, but during the season it is the most crowded place in the vicinity of the city, because the beach here is very small and, in fact, the only one on a rather large stretch of the coast. But here it is no less fun than in the capital itself, all the sights are nearby, the noisy nightlife is literally a stone's throw away.
There are a lot of hotels, all of them are located in the interior of the city, almost all of them offer beautiful views of the sunset. Best place to stay near Chora.
Where to stay: Apartments SeaWind, Mykonos Soul Luxury Suites, Adikri Villas & Studios.
Ornos
One of the most interesting resorts in Mykonos. Ornos is located on a narrow lintel between the two parts of the island and has two beaches on different sides. Both beaches are located in bays, so there are no strong waves on either of them. But in the north, the wind is almost always blowing, so this place, with the wind, but without strong waves, is ideal for kitesurfing. South Beach is a traditional sandy beach with a gentle slope, so it is suitable for families. Moreover, both beaches are within a half-hour walk from each other.
The city has a well-developed infrastructure, there are shops and ATMs, all the main attractions are very close from here, so in a sense, this is an ideal place to live. The only thing is that you will have to go somewhere for dancing parties from here, it is quite quiet in Ornos itself.
Platis Yialos and Psarou
These two beach villages in the south of the island are located in adjacent bays. There are sandy beaches, a boat runs from here to all other resort towns, there is a jet ski rental and other entertainment, a bus runs to the city every 15 minutes. Here they go snorkeling and diving: the south of the island is considered suitable for this. There are no corals here, but there are rocky ledges, next to which you can see many beautiful fish, sea urchins, invertebrates, etc. There is a diving center; or you can just take a boat with a transparent bottom.
These are very convenient places: there are really a lot of beach activities, very beautiful, and at the same time very close to the capital, and to the more promoted and partying southern beaches, which, at the same time, have few places to live. But it is not cheap here, for example, the most expensive restaurant on the island N'Ammos, where celebrities often dine, is located in Psarou.
South Beaches - Paraga Beach, Paradise Beach, Super Paradise
The southern tip of the island has several popular beaches. Here are the most famous beach bars, expensive restaurants, there are always a lot of people here, and prices are too high. All three of these beaches have nudist zones and a reputation for gay gatherings.
The main beach is Paradise, it is the noisiest and most cheerful. As soon as the sun begins to decline, music begins to rumble from all the bars: they swim here during the day and dance at night. Parties start from 4 pm and sometimes last until 7 am. Check out Guapaloca Beach Bar for body art parties, and the most popular dance club, Cavo Paradiso, overlooking the sea and its huge pool in the middle of the dance floor. And just out on the hill is the largest club on the island - Paradise Club Mykonos.
Nearby is Super Paradise Beach, with its Super Paradise Beach Club. This beach has no hotels at all, and it is not easy to get to it: either on foot from the bus stop or by boat from the neighboring beaches. Super Paradise is considered the most comfortable and equipped, and the most elite.
All these beaches are sandy, comfortable, and here you can also swim with a mask, especially in the morning. Nearby there are ATV and scooter rental points, so if you wish, you can get to the capital on your own.
There are not many hotels in this part of the island, and they are designed specifically for the party youth who are ready to dance and have fun all night: it is mostly noisy and drunk here.
Calafati
A village on the east coast of the island. It is the quietest and most sporty resort in Mykonos, with winds and waves, making it a center for surfing and other sports. For example, there is a second diving center here. The beach is sandy, quite long and with different sections: there is a piece with a rather slippery stone slab, and there are places that are very comfortable for swimming, even with children. There are several pools with water activities, trampolines and catamarans for rent, many coastal restaurants - but there are no night beach bars here.
In the northern part of the village there is a picturesque pier of the yachting club. And in the southern one there is another beach, Agia Anna, it is separated from Kalafati by a cape, goes out into the bay, and there are no strong waves.
In general, Kalafati is one of those places in Mykonos, which is intended specifically for a calm beach and sports, and not a partying holiday.
Ano Mera
A picturesque village in the middle of the island. It is worth staying here if you are interested in nature and sightseeing. There are two monasteries nearby. Panagia Tourliani Monastery was founded in the 16th century, but later destroyed by the Turks. The church that you can see dates back to the middle of the 18th century, it has a very beautiful carved iconostasis in the Baroque style, and the icon of the Virgin Mary, which is considered miraculous, is kept. A little further away is the Paleokastro monastery near the ruins of a Byzantine fortress.
The closest beach to the village is Ftelia, which faces the northern tip of the island and is great for windsurfing, with strong winds. But for swimming, it is better to go to the southern beaches, they are also not far away.
There are several restaurants, souvenir shops in the village, there is a small Flora supermarket, and in the evening you can only walk in nature or attend monastery services.
