Mykonos
Mykonos is an iconic Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It is known for it’s incredible beaches and party atmosphere but has a lot more to offer. While here you can also visit Little Venice, the iconic 16th century windmills, Armenistis Lighthouse, and browse fabulous art galleries.
getting to Mykonos
You can fly into Mykonos Greece on a quick flight from Athens to the Mikonos Aiport (JMK). This airport is located centrally on the island is about 3 km from Mykonos Town or about 4 km from Paradise Beach area. This is about 10 minute drive in either direction. There are direct flights from London, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid and Amsterdam to name some or you can take a domestic flight from Athens which is about a 40-minute flight.
You can also get to Mykonos by taking a ferry from Athens. There are two ferry options (Piraeus and Rafina) The ferry takes around 3-5 hours depending on if you elect to take a high-speed versus regular ferry.
You can also take a ferry from some other islands: Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Crete to name some. From Santorini the trip varies from 1 hour 40 minutes to 3 hours 35 minutes depending on ferry speed and leave between 10 AM and 2:30 PM. From Paros the ferry ranges from 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes and leave between 9:55 AM to 2:40 PM. From Naxos to Mykonos the trip duration is between 40 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes leaving from 7:55 AM until 4:35 PM. The ferry from Crete to Mykonos is about 4 hours 30 minutes and leaves early in morning around 8 AM. The ferries depart and arrive from the New Port which is about 2 km from Mykonos town.
getting around Mykonos
You can travel around Mykonos via various means: taxi, motorbike, bus, rental car, and water taxi. My friend and I stayed in the central aspect of Mykonos for a few days and were able to catch bus to main town and to the beaches for relatively cheap. We also used a water taxi to get from Paradise beach to Super Paradise beach. The water taxi stops at Ornos, Platis Gialos, Paraga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia and operates between 10 AM and 6 PM. You can ask for the schedule for return. It stops at every place at the same time on the hour. You can walk between the beaches of Platis Gialos to Paradise also.
where to stay in Mykonos
My friend and I divided our time between staying in Paradise Beach area as we were going to go to a concert there and wanted to enjoy the beach and then at town center. There are so many options to choose from, but I think if you have the time it is a great way to really see two different aspects of the island.
things to do Mykonos
Visit the windmills of Mykonos. I would recommend going around sunset because it is so beautiful. Visiting is free. Other unique buildings to visit on the island include the Armenistis Lighthouse and the Church of Panagia Paraportiani.
Explore the downtown area: You should check out Matogianni Street which is full of little shops and taverns and Little Venice (Alefkandra) area. The Church of Panagia Paraportiani is just north of Little Venice.
Take a trip to Delos which is a UNESCO site. You can get to this small island by boats from Mykonos Town Center which depart at 9 AM and latest return inf evening until 8 PM. Remember the boat ticket doesn’t include the entrance fee to the Island and archeological site. You can do self-guided walk or book a guided tour.
Check out the beaches. In general, the more crowded beaches are on the southern aspect of the island. Paradise, Super Paradise, and Elia are typically busy with bars and partying and sunbathing. If you are looking for a more family friendly beach you can check out Ornos, Agios Ioannis, Agios Stefanos or Kalafatis. If you would like to check out an excellent northern beach, consider Agios Sostis which doesn’t have any beachfront bars but more of quiet scene.
