With mega-yachts moored in its harbour, modern-day Croesus traipsing its skies with helicopters and tons of champagne bottles getting uncorked every minute, Mykonos is luscious, glamorous and extravagant in equal amounts. But there’s more than the dazzling sands, pounding bass lines and insatiable revellers. If you are planning an escapade here this summer, here are the dos and don’ts when visiting Mykonos.
Do’s of visiting Mykonos
- Though Greece’s answer to Ibiza is tailor-designed for the party animals of this world, it is also perfectly suited to romance – with a cluster of impossibly scenic spots and heaps of pristine Cycladic charm, Mykonos is just the place to celebrate new beginnings, rekindle old flames or fall in love irrevocably and forever. Make sure to take your partner or latest darling to catch the sunset from Armenistis Lighthouse.
- With a gastronomic scene that rivals those of the planet’s greatest metropolises, Mykonos is foodie heaven. Experience candlelit Greek fine dining at Krama – a renowned Mykonos restaurant that blends reimagined traditional flavours with an atmosphere that’s part sophisticated cocktail party, part proposal dinner.
- Speaking of culinary delights, make sure to taste Mykonos’ one-of-a-kind local products, like louza or kopanisti cheese. The sumptuous breakfast spread at Semeli is the best way to experiment with local flavours.
- Antiquity’s most important commercial and religious centre, Delos is just a few nautical miles away and well worth the day trip there, since its remarkably well-preserved archaeological site is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Likewise, the neighbouring isle of Rhenia is an unspoiled paradise of blue waters and ancient monuments in their natural habitat – for a sun-soaked adventure that will linger long in the memory rent a boat and visit both.
- Shake your booty like it’s 1999 at least once. Visiting Mykonos means that you’re on Greeces’ most legendary party island, so live it up! There are over 100 bars and clubs here, but everyone who’s anyone heads to the epic Bao’s Bar and Toy Room in Little Venice.
- Watch the mythical sunset – cocktail in hand, as tradition mandates – for a life-affirming experience. Grab a friend – or loved one, and venture to uber-popular Little Venice; or if you’d rather skip the all-seeing-and-being-seen phase, head to Oniro bar at Mykonos View – this gorgeous hotel bar is perched on a hill overlooking Mykonos’ sugar cube houses and serves some of the island’s most delicious concoctions, making for the perfect spot for next level sunset watching.
- An ultra-glam destination in which you absolutely wanna look and feel your best, Mykonos sports top-class shopping: Lined with Haute designer boutiques, quirky souvenir shops, high-end jewellers and exclusive art galleries, the labyrinth streets of whitewashed Chora everyday turn into an all-day and all-night playground for the world’s fashionistas.
Don’ts of visiting Mykonos
- Mykonos elevates the concept of glamour to a wholly new level. And this means that it is expensive. If you’d like to avoid over-spending, give summer a miss, and come during the shoulder season instead, when prices are a bit lower and the tourist hordes aren’t as thick. Easter in Mykonos brings together spring’s sunny weather with age-old traditions and mystique, and it’s an experience you’ll dearly remember in the years to come. Likewise, visiting Mykonos in October means balmy weather and having the fabled sites and attractions, like the iconic windmills or the church of Paraportiani (almost) all to yourselves.
- Mykonos Town is post-card perfect quintessence, but it gets packed with hordes of fame-hungry Instagrammers and cruise ship visitors, especially between 11:00 am – 20:00 pm. If you really want to experience the beauty of the whitewashed buildings and the pristine cobblestone streets, get there early. Aside from the morning deliveries, you’ll pretty much have the place all to yourself. Take photos of the sparkling white buildings smattered with bursts of bright colours and enjoy a coffee and some yoghurt with fresh fruit at Semeli the bar – a fabled Mykonian institution that’s the stomping ground of the cognoscenti. Staying in Chora– the Semeli best luxury hotel in Mykonos Town is ideally located in a quiet, but central corner, close to the action, but removed from the bruhaha – shall give you a head start in your early morning escapades.
- Taxis are sparse and unnecessarily expensive in Mykonos. Don’t ride them, rent a motorbike, ATV or 4×4 instead, and explore the less crowded northern side of the island. Merchia and Fokos beaches are serene, remote and distinctly beautiful – and a tangible proof that there’s more to Mykonos than bronzed goddesses and gods giving their all in the island’s famous beach bars.
- Mykonos is not called accidentally the “island of the winds”. Don’t forget to pack a hat and a cardigan, or a leather jacket for those chillier nights, when visiting Mykonos.
