When I am not planning events, I love to travel or do yoga. The positive benefit of my travel love is that I am always on the lookout for great wedding venues, event locations and restaurants. The diverse cultures, food and people serve as my best inspiration.
mykonos travel guide
May 1, 2019
When looking for a spontaneous get away in late May this year, we decided for an island in the Cyclades with whitewashed houses, an old town with a labyrinth of cobbled streets, boho-glam, pink sunsets, and turquoise waters. MYKONOS had been on top of my bucketlist for a long time. I have a very special connection with Greece since I lived and worked at a luxury hotel in Crete in 2007. The food, the amazing people, the weather, the landscape, the donkeys :) I love the Greek islands! It definitely is the perfect island to arrange a destination wedding and not to miss on your island hopping honeymoon. We explored the whole island during those eleven days and I'll share our highlights and recommendations with you.
Sunset spots in mykonos
In Mykonos it's a ritual to watch the sun drop into the ocean. In the evening, tourists and Mykonians flock to find a seat by the windmills, the cocktail bars in Little Venice, Scorpios for a sunset dance, or go on a sunset cruise. Make sure you get your share of sunsets at these magical places.
Of course, we travelled to Mykonos in May and probably our experience is not comparable to August mayhem. We were lucky enough to be the only guests for sunset at KASTRO'S and loved the view over the ocean, the famous windmills and the sailing boats passing by.
Kastro's Restaurant - Bar 1,
Agiwn Anargurwn Paraportiani,
Little Venice
When walking around Chora, I looked up and saw people at an old ruin, fairy lights and imagined the sunset from up there. We put it on our must-see list for the next day and it was breathtaking. The view from the 180° SUNSET BAR is spectacular and a live-singer creates an amazing atmosphere while watching the sun drop into the ocean. This light!! I would love to organize an event up here.
180° Sunset Bar - Mykonos Castle, Epar.Od. Mikonou, Mikonos
The island's famous WINDMILLS OF KATO MILI overlooking little Venice were our first place to watch the sunset. We bought a bottle of wine and sat on a little wall in front of the windmills.
where to sunbathe in mykonos
When it comes to beaches on Mykonos, the choice is yours. Take a quad and travel further away from Mykonos town and you'll get to experience emptier beaches without umbrellas & sunbeds. Stay on Psarou beach and you can watch superyacht tenders arriving at the jetty on their way to famous Nammos Beach Club where waitresses are wearing merely a bikini. The sunloungers are packed tightly and the music is loud. It is an interesting experience, but maybe I didn't feel swanky enough. The WATER TAXI that leaves from Ornos or Platys Gialos Beach will take you around the island with the option of getting out at Paraga Beach, Paradise Beach, Super Paradise Beach, Agrari Beach and Elia Beach. It's the nicest thing to see the island from a boat and the best way to get to know the island. Our choice of dreamy beaches below.
You are looking for a pristine beach in its natural state without sunbeds or umbrellas? AGIOS SOSTIS was our favourite and really close to the famous Kiki's Taverna. There was no bus service, but I think that's the best thing about this beach: its remoteness. It is divided into a really tiny beach right below the taverna and a longer stretch of sand just down a hill next to Kiki's.
Agios Sostis next to Kiki's Taverna, Paralia Agios Sostis
No, you didn't take the wrong turn: a long dirt road leads up to FOKOS BEACH and Fokos Taverna. We had the place almost to ourselves. Only a little church and a few houses overlook this white stretch of sand.
Fokos Beach
Places to eat, drink and party in mykonos
If you love fish, seafood, vegetables, feta, wine or the Mediterranean cuisine in general, you will love Greek food and hence, Mykonos. We enjoyed really good food throughout our trip, although I
must say that I love the Cretan cuisine even more. We tried many places including Scorpios, Niko's Taverna in Chora, Fokos Taverna, Kiki's Taverna, Funky Kitchen, Nikola's Taverna at Agia Anna
Beach, Caesar's, Pepper, Kastro's, 180 degrees Sunset bar, Buddha Bar, Jackie O' Beach Club, Jimmy's Gyros and Nammos Beach Club. We were never disappointed, and it always depends on personal
taste and choice, but some places were even greater than others: we loved Fokos Taverna, Nikola's Taverna at Agia Anna Beach, Scorpios,
Kiki's Taverna and Caesar's. Do me one favour: try meze. The concept is similar to Spanish tapas. Everyone at the table orders 3-4
dishes and you'll eat your way through the meze menu. Meze means taste or bite litterally translated and usually consists of a mix of hot and cold dishes. The following meze are my favourite:
courgette balls (Kolokythokeftedes), roasted eggplant (Melitzanosalata), fried Saganaki cheese with Tzatziki, fish roe
sauce (Taramosalata), oven-baked feta (Bouyourdy) and meat balls (Keftedes). Grab a fork and enjoy!
Imagine a taverna looking over the ocean, a pristine small beach and amazing Meze - yes, KIKI'S is what dreams are made of. Make sure to be there early, have a glass of rosé and wait in line for a table at this maybe too instagrammable little spot.
FOKOS TAVERNA right next to one of the best beaches had a great selection of fresh fish, a Feta from the oven to die for and probably the best service during our trip. It was amazing.
If you are looking for a cozy restaurant in Chora, CAESAR'S is a great spot. The lively atmosphere at Goumenio Square is not annoying, but actually really nice. The restaurants try to top each other with the most creative interior and menus and they did really well.
Caesar's Restaurant, Goumenio Square, Mykonos Town, Mikonos
Beach Clubs in Mykonos
When thinking of Mykonos, everyone thinks of beach clubs. Mykonos offers beach clubs for every taste: the really splashy ones like Nammos Beach Club, the party-all-day-long one like Super Paradise Beach and boho-chic ones like Scorpios. For me, a beach towel on a serene deserted beach is the best I can get, but sometimes you have to treat yourself to cocktails, a soft sunlounger and your very own umbrella.
The moment we entered, I fell in love with the boho-chic beach club SCORPIOS.. It seems like a modern boho-glam interpretation of Greek mythology. Think barefooted waiters wearing linen, leather, free-flowing outfits, an interior with hammocks, a lot of wood. There wasn't anything tacky about this place. We loved spending our days on the sunbeds, eating fish tacos and smoked aubergine meze on the terrace and coming back for their sunset ritual, dinner and drinks. The vibe changes from a relaxed, laid-back vibe throughout the day to a swanky, busy atmosphere at night. This would be a great event location.
Scorpios Beach Club, Paraga, Mikonos
where to stay in mykonos
Mykonos offers something for every accommodation preference: luxury hotels, hostels, campsites, boutique hotels, apartments... we were looking for a stylish, bohemian-inspired boutique place with a kitchen, sea view and a beautiful terrace to enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, and within walking distance to a few restaurants and a beach. I think it always depends on the type of holiday and I wouldn't forgo a weekend at a Spa Resort, but I do love having enough space to do yoga and being able to cook or make breakfast when it's a longer holiday: we found the perfect spot that offered all that we were looking for and even more: a pool, within walking distance to many beaches, a great taverna and Scorpios Beach Club and daily room service: ALMYRA GUEST HOUSES. Neni and Takis really made us feel welcome, picked us up at the airport, even took us places, arranged for our rental car to be brought to the guest house and gave us restaurant tips and other advice. We loved it.
Almyra Guest Houses
Paraga
Mykonos
what Else is there to see in mykonos?
If you have the chance, make sure you get a quad or a rental car for a few days to explore the island. There is a really great bus service on this island, which we used for a few days as well, but it's the best to cruise the little island on your own, take stops, drive to lonely beaches and eat traditional food at one of the little villages. Here are some ideas...
Wander around LITTLE VENICE, CHORA, take the water taxi from the OLD PORT in Chora to the new harbour in TOURLOS.
Go on a day trip to ANO MERA, a village in the center of the island, with the Paleokastro Monastery, the Gyzi Castle and the Panagia Tourliani Monastery, and lots of little cafés and restaurants.
Take the WATER TAXI to the beaches in the South. We also did a sailing cruise, but the boat taxis are a super good alternative.
