Mykonos Travel Guide

This past week, Jeff and I returned from the most incredible little getaway to Mykonos, Greece. We went with our good friends, Carol and Nigel and had such a special time. We all love Greece and Jeff was dying to see what all the fuss is about so we planned a visit. Our friends stay on the islands during the summer months as often as they can and I haven’t been back since I have been married… A return trip was overdue. Plus, I just knew Jeff would fall in love. How could he not? Greece, with it’s warmer temperatures and beautiful views beckons all of Europe every summer.

This trip was thrown together very last minute and I think that’s what made it even more special. Jeff had to go to London for work so we decided to add a few extra days on the tail end for fun. My girlfriend, Carol and I planned the whole thing. We knew we wanted to visit Mykonos but that was all. We had no clue where to stay and literally winged the entire vacation over a WhatsApp conversation and google lookup. Isn’t that when some of the best trips happen?

Mykonos is the perfect location with it’s beautiful scenery and beaches and having just a few days to spare, it worked wonderfully. We had relaxation on the brain and this trip was perfect for that. Personally, I think 4-5 days is more than enough time to visit an island. If you are planning to jump around from island to island you don’t even need that much time. I can’t tell you how many times Jeff and I have hopped from place to place after 3 short days. It’s not as in depth a trip but sometimes that’s all we want.

About Mykonos ~

I was surprised to learn while researching Mykonos that it’s one of 6,000 islands or islets scattered in the Aegian and Ionian Seas. I had no idea there were this many islands. Only 200+ are inhabited but that’s still so many more than I was aware of. I was more familiar with the more popular islands… Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, and Crete.

Through Instagram, I’m always stumbling upon beautiful images of white painted buildings, blue rooftops, and colorful doors. I have always wanted to visit Mykonos for this reason alone. It’s known for alleyways full of shops, friendly people, and yummy restaurants.. Most everyone speaks English which makes it very easy to get around and with it’s large windmills and it’s own Little Venice, there is always something to do.

Where we stayed ~ My Mykonos Hotel

When looking at accommodations we chose a sweet little boutique hotel that opened just 4 months ago. My Mykonos Hotel sits above Mykonos town with views of the sea, hills and town below. (This is not a sponsored post)
My friend Carol and I found this hotel online through Booking.com, but you can also reserve a room through their website here. It was reasonably priced, the amazing breakfast is included and their customer service was incredible. From the moment we arrived, the staff was so welcoming! It felt like a home away from home with how attentive and polite everyone was.

The restaurant and pool is the first thing you see as soon as you walk up the steps to the entrance of the hotel. The pool area is full of little cabanas, hanging chairs, and lots of lounge seating. The entire property has a decorated vibe completely different than my own home, which I loved. Everything felt so fresh and cool with the bamboo stacked walls to the intricately woven basket lights. I loved the contemporary details.

Image via My Mykonos Hotel
Image via My Mykonos Hotel
Image via My Mykonos Hotel
Image via My Mykonos Hotel

Walking vs Taxi or Scooter

Mykonos has only 32-35 taxis on the entire island. Because of this, many rent cars. My friend used e-mietwagenkreta when she was in Crete since she had the same problem with taxis. If you do plan to use a taxi just remember that because of the short supply, you may have to wait awhile for a cab on both ends. Scooters are also available but be prepared to navigate between crazy drivers and narrow alleyways. I warned you. Lol
Our hotel, while lovely, is situated high above town. The incline to journey down to town is extremely steep and not for the faint of heart, young children or elderly. None of our party minded but I have to mention… it was a tough climb back to the hotel. Something to consider when deciding on where to stay or whether to rent a car. We loved the hike and approached it like a workout every day.

One of the nice parts of our hike to town is that this walk introduced us to the real Mykonos. I would have missed some of the churches, beautiful homes and neighborhoods had we driven down the hill. You also get a beautiful view of the harbor at sunset as you are walking down… definitely worth the huffing and puffing on the return.

Shopping ~

As to the shops in town, you run into everything from the typical tourist spots full of handmade handbags and shirts that say ‘Mykonos’, to the luxury Louis Vuitton, boutiques and favorite linen shops. Make sure to be adventurous and explore all the side streets when you are there to experience every corner. That’s how we found everyone’s favorite linen shop, Haris.

Fashion on the island ~

Summer days on Greece dictate that most wear very little. With high humidity levels, I’m reminded of summers in the South. Bathing suits with stylish coverups, summer dresses and shorts are the staples most days and while ‘less is more’ is still the approach during the evenings, it’s elevated just a bit. I love seeing what everyone wears. It’s a popular port for cruise ships so the town is lively and full of action, both day and night. You see it all while out.

Most of our days consisted of laying by the pool/beach then heading to town in the evenings to shop, eat and explore. Prepare to take lots of pictures… I can’t tell you how many times I held the group back just to take another shot of a unique door or draping bougainvillea. Every time I turned a corner there was something more beautiful and colorful than the last.

Food ~

One of the greatest parts of visiting the islands is the vast amount of fresh seafood available. Mykonos has an abundance along with a large variety of brightly colorful vegetables. We ate at different restaurants every night and winged it every time. We used Yelp to help us make our choices as we were lost half of the time from wandering aimlessly. That was the story of our trip. :)

Kostas had great Greek food and Jeff and Carol loved the oysters at Mamalouka. While incredibly good, (Jeff’s words) the oysters were expensive so prepare if you are planning to eat there. We also loved having cocktails upstairs at the Veranda Bar for sunset. This bar has the perfect view of the windmills and little Italy. I’m so happy we asked to take a peek at the view. We ended up ordering and staying awhile.
One of my favorite things I ate at least once a day was a fresh Greek salad. Our hotel made my favorite. (see below)
It was incredible!

Archeological Half Day Trip – Delos

To help break up our days we purchased tickets on the local ferry to the nearby island of Delos. Delos is the mythological birthplace of Apollo and a major religious center and port during the 1st millennium B.C. The island’s ruins encompass Doric temples, markets, an amphitheater, houses with mosaics and the iconic Terrace of the Lions statues. The Archaeological Museum displays statues excavated from the site. I loved walking around the ruins and museum. Definitely worth the time. We simply purchased tickets for the boat ride over at the harbor for a tour the following morning. Mornings are better temperature wise and it left us with enough time to hit the pool and relax before heading out to dinner.

We had such a wonderful time visiting Mykonos… With so many islands to explore who knows where we will go next!