So, you’re setting off to the Greek Isles to explore there many different sites and vibes? One of Greece’s most famous islands, Mykonos is a must when visiting Greece for the first time. Being one of the closer islands to Athens, it’s the perfect place to kickoff an island hopping adventure!
After our adventures in Athens, we boarded a small twin prop plane for a short 20 min flight to Mykonos. While you can definitely take a ferry in between the islands to save a bit of money, getting through the airport and the flight end up taking just about the same amount of time so it just depends on your preferred method of travel. I do recommend taking the ferry between islands at least once so you can see the beauty of the Aegean, but you do you boo!
The airport at Mykonos is small, and booking an uber in advance will mean that you have someone waiting there to pick you up or you may have to wait a bit for a driver to return to the airport. Mykonos is known as a party island and there are many great hotels, restaurants, clubs, and activities to do on the island. It is, however, highly seasonal and if you’re there in the off-season the entire island becomes a bit of a ghost town.
When booking stays, choose one of these three locations: Mykonos Town, Ornos Beach, or Platis Gialos. While there are beautiful stays all over the island, and renting a scooter can get you around the entire island in about an hour and a half, these three locations are the prime spots to stay. Mykonos town offers a quaint stay with lots of bars, restaurants, shopping, and history. If you’re looking for a great party scene, Ornos Beach is the place for you and also features some of the most high end resorts on the island. If you’re looking for a more laid-back experience with some amazing restaurants and beautiful beaches Platis Gialos is your best option. We opted for Platis Gialos, as this was a honeymoon trip, and we couldn’t have been more pleased. We did rent a scooter to tour the island. Being just about 15-20 min from the airport, it makes a great base to explore the island.
If Mykonos is your first stop on an island tour, it’s also likely your first run in with amazing food that you get on the islands. Don’t get me wrong, one of our favorite things about Athens was the incredible food, but something about sitting in the warm sand with a cocktail in hand while a server is bringing over plates of absolutely gorgeous and delicious coastal cuisine just hits differently. Grilled octopus, oysters, and greek salad are an absolute must. Trust me, even if you’re not a fan of oysters, or you’ve never had them. Now is your chance. Again, being a honeymoon trip, we were ready to splurge a bit so we also enjoyed a perfectly cooked 32oz wagyu tomahawk ribeye that was delivered to our lounge chairs on a still sizzling platter and carved off the bone right in front of us, served alongside crispy potatoes, grilled prawns the size of my whole hand, and glazed halloumi. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.
When exploring the island, drive around the entire coast line and explore the various beaches and shopping areas, but also be sure to visit the 16th century monastery, Panayia Tourliani, in Ano Mera. It’s stunningly beautiful and a quite part of the island that’s oftentimes overlooked.
Wherever you choose to go or stay on the island, you’ll be taken aback by the sheer beauty of the place and so eager to explore the many other islands that make up the cyclades. If Mykonos is your first stop, just wait until you see some of the other islands.
Make Me a Jetsetter 