Mykonos Island - Greece

Mykonos is a small island and therefore it is easily explored. It has great beaches with soft white sand and crystal clear waters, made famous in the popular British film Shirley Valentine which was filmed at Agios Ioannis, just a few kilometres from Ornos beach.

The capitol of the Island, Mykonos Town (Hora), with its colourful harbour in which little fishing-boats nestle happily side by side with luxury yachts, presents quite a different picture from the majority of Aegean island towns. Mykonos is famed as being the quintessential Cycladic village, with maze like narrow paths framed by dazzlingly white-washed buildings. While it is usual for island villages to be built on naturally amphitheatrical sites, Mykonos is spread out over a flat area and conveys an impression of solid aesthetic cohesion.

The nightlife on Mykonos is the best in the Aegean, with DJs of great renown coming from all over Europe to perform in the wild clubs. Those seeking a bacchanal holiday of sun and beach in the day and endless partying in the night are perfectly suited to Mykonos.

Little Venice is one of the most charming districts of Mykonos Town and one of the prettiest places in the Cyclades. Its picturesque, two and three storey houses with colorful balconies, windows and doors, built right on the sea, form a unique picture. Little Venice is the perfect spot from which to view the sunset.

Ano Mera is, after Mykonos town, the most important of the older villages of the island. Standing 8 km. (5 miles) to the east of the town, Ano Mera has the interesting monastery of Our Lady Tourliani, ornamented with woodcarvings. The church has a collection of valuable ecclesiastical vessels, vestments and embroideries. The courtyard contains an interesting bell-tower and a marble fountain. The best bus system to be found in all the island’s also helps to make this an accessible place to visit and it combines with a caique system that provides alternative frequent transport to the beaches. The service offered in Mykonos far surpasses that elsewhere in Greece with its sophistication and helpfulness. Mykonos is a busy island with all the amenities of a modern resort with plenty to do by day or night, for those who want to have a lively time. Yet visitors fond of more peaceful holidays will still find quiet corners in which to relax.

Beaches The many sandy beaches of Mykonos are reputed as some of the best in the Cyclades. There is a beach for every taste, from popular family beaches to the more "cosmopolitan" and nudist.

The more popular family beaches include:

Platis Yialos: One of the most popular beaches in the Mediterranean, with a regular bus service to town about 4 km (2½miles) away. This beach is excellently organized and provides a variety of facilities for sea sports such as water-skiing, diving, pedal boat and more. There is also a daily small boat transport from the Platis Yialos pier to all other south coast beaches of Paranga, Agrari, Elia, Paradise and Super Paradise.

Ornos: On the south-west side of Mykonos and about 3 km from town. The sandy beach slopes gently into the sea so it is perfect for families with small children. There are schools for water-skiing & surfing.

Psarou: Another of the more well know beaches of Mykonos, about 5 km (3miles) from town. The wonderful location, clean sea and sandy beach is a combination that attracts many tourists. The beach is excellently organized offering a variety of sea-sports which includes scuba-diving.

Agios Stefanos: The windless sandy beach of Ag. Stefanos is 2km north of Mykonos Town. It has a variety of good services and sea sport facilities such as water skiing, surfing and jet skiing.

Kalafatis Beach - Agia Anna Beach: Two more beaches with a sandy shore and clear water. Between them, a peninsula with fishing port. Beautiful landscape, transportation, surfing and diving school, plus bus transport. Megali Ammos, Kalo Livadi, Tourlos, Agios Ioannis and Korfos bay are other popular family beaches.

Some of the more cosmopolitan beaches of Mykonos include:

Super Paradise: A magnificent beach with crystal clear blue water in a small, deep bay: half the beach is family-oriented, the other half is fully gay with nude bathing permitted, nudists often prefer the rocky paths & coves. Most famous gay beach in this part of the Mediterranean. Regular caiques / boat service from Platis Yialos Beach.

Paradise: A beautiful beach with a mostly younger crowd. Big, well organized camp sites and bus service. Many water sports. As the sun goes down the lively bars get into full swing with electronica, techno music, and parties.

Paranga: A 15-min. walk from central Platis Yialos Beach; small, beautiful beach organized one end and includes a small mainly gay section Good quality taverns nearby.

Elia: A not so crowded, large beach with a mix of sun worshippers: hetero, gay and some nudity at one end. The organized part has 3 restaurants and tavernas. Elia is the last stop of the small boats leaving from central Platis Yialos Beach, there is also a bus service from Mykonos Town, which is 10 km (6¼miles) away.

ACTIVITIES POSSIBLE IN MYKONOS:

SCUBA and snorkeling (SCUBA at Psarou beach near Platy Yialos)Best nightlife in the Greek islandsJeep safarisDay trips to the ancient holy island of DelosMykonos has more then 800 churches to visitMultiple water sports: windsurfing, water skiing, parasailing, pedal boats, jet skiing.Windmill Museum and Traditional Mykonian House MuseumGo Karts on race tracksMascot Pelicans to pose for pictures withSophisticated shopping and dining

Restaurants:Mathios Taverna at the new port is meant to be one of the island’s bestSale and Pepe in Mykonos town is excellent fine Italian diningEdem in Mykonos town is a very romantic restaurant beside a swimming pool in a quiet courtyard and with excellent Mykonian cuisineKatrin’s One of the most famous and oldest restaurants on the island, with classic French and Greek cuisine, excellent service.Caprice in the little Venice area, next to the bar of the same name, with tables on the water’s edge. Serves good traditional dishes

TRANSFER INFORMATION:Central bus station in Mykonos town in area called FabrikaPort has a bus stationOnly 25 taxis and in high season up to 70,000 tourists – TRANSFERS NECESSARYCaiques from the port to the beaches start at 10 AM During the summer months in Mykonos there are an average of 70,000 tourists on the island per day. On the entire island there are only 25 taxis, which means that depending on taxis for transport can be an exercise of great patience. For this reason I highly recommend that for your arrival at least you arrange for a transfer, which entails being met at the port by a person holding a sign with your name on it, who will then transport you to your accommodation. Since there are no street names or building numbers for addresses in Mykonos this is also extremely helpful because you will be shown to your lodging.

All about Delos island.The sacred island of Delos was, in the myths, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Today the island is uninhabited: it is a vast archaeological site whose superb monuments draw thousands of visitors in pilgrimage to what was, for a thousand years or so after the ninth century BC, the political and religious centre of the Aegean.

The archaeological site covers almost the entire island, starting on the west side, where the sacred harbour was. From the harbour, a majestic sacred way led to the Sanctuary of Apollo, where there were temples, altars, votive offerings and other buildings. There are ruins of four temples to Apollo, one of them known as the Temple of the Athenians.

To the east is the Sanctuary of the bulls, an oblong building, and to the north are the Treasuries and the long and narrow Stoa of Antigonns. In the north-west corner is the much smaller Sanctuary of Artemis, with an Ionic temple to the goddess, and the Tomb of the Two Hyperborean Maidens. Still further north is the region of the sacred lake, with the Terrace of the Lions, the Letoon, the Agora of the Italians and the Institution of the Poseidoniasts of Berytos. A little further along are some fine examples of houses and a palaestra. To the north-east of the lake is the Stadium and the Gymnasium. Some of the houses yielded superb mosaic floors with representations of Dionysus, a dolphin and a trident. A narrow channel separates Delos from Rhenia, where there is an important burial ground.

The Museum of Delos has sculptures of the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, together with a collection of vases from various periods. Half Day Excursion to Delos island.This excursion runs daily (except Mondays).The excursion boats depart from Mykonos port at 10:15 (and there is pick up service from your hotel about 30 minutes earlier) and they return at approximately 14:00.