As legendary beginnings go, few can be better than being named after a hero whose father was the king of Delos and grandfather who was the Greek god Apollo.
Right at the heart of the Cyclades, Mykonos is also at the heart of Mediterranean luxury escapes. Although only 33 square miles in area, it’s able to offer vacationers the chance to shop in a wealth of luxury stores, visit art galleries hanging with the art of some of the greats of the moment, experience laid back nights in high-end beach bars, and long nights of dancing in the island’s chic clubs.
But there’s another side to ‘the island of the winds’ too, where age-old traditions continue inside small, whitewashed homes and historic chapels at the end of vehicle-free alleyways paved with stone.
Whether you fly into Mykonos or take one of the multitude of ferries which serve its port, the island’s majestic beauty soon reveals itself. The island’s capital, Chora, is typical of the Cyclades, in comprising whitewashed buildings with sea blue (and sometimes fire truck red) window frames and balustrades.
Overlooked by the historic windmills which have become the island’s symbol, Chora oozes with the scent of flowers grown on balconies. Its harbor area in particular buzzes with the sound of locals and visitors enjoying the shopping and dining options. For culture, don’t miss the Venetian-era castle on the hill overlooking the harbor, or the Aegean Maritime Museum, which includes a nineteenth-century lighthouse in its gardens.
Beyond Chora, the town of Ano Mera is known for Panagia Tourliani monastery, a five-hundred-year-old structure within which resides an important religious icon. The town is an ideal detour from the island’s northeastern beaches, since it also hosts a pick of traditional style tavernas. Even more sand can be found a short distance from Psarou, the seaside village that has long drawn the attention of the rich and famous.
Top Greece Travel Destinations
Athens / Crete / Delphi / The Peloponnese / The Cyclades / Paros / Santorini
