Mykonos is mostly famous for its idyllic town. Many small walking streets in a complete white village with blue doors and the beautiful red and pink bougainvillea flowers everywhere. You can stroll around the town for days to see every corner of it and you’ll still be amazed. And did you know that besides the town there are also beautiful beaches to be explored?!
The beautiful town of Mykonos is also the reason that these streets are packed with tourists every day. Big cruise ships go for anchor in the harbor of Mykonos, and when they offload the people the streets are packed. In our opinion, this was a downer for this island, but it was still great to see, especially when the cruise ships were not there. In this Mykonos travel guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about Mykonos and how to make your visit extra special.
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Things to Know
Visa
Mykonos is a Greek island and Greece is part of the Schengen Agreement. Citizens or residents from other Schengen countries, EU or EEA don’t need any visa to enter. As a non-EU/non-Schengen resident, you will have to check this website to see if you are on the visa exemption list. In that case, you don’t need a visa and you can stay for a visit up to 90 days. You can also find the countries that do need a Schengen visa.
Climate
Mykonos has warm and dry summers and mild rainy winters. During the warm season, there is often a strong northern wind which makes it feel a little less warm. The temperature varies from 13ºC (55ºF) in winter to 27ºC (81ºF) in summer.
Best time to visit
The best months to visit are May-June and September-October. The weather is great from May till mid October. July and August are are the hottest months but it’s also peak season and there will be big crowds all over the island.
Money
The currency in Greece is the Euro.
At the time of writing (December 2019) 1 USD is approximately 0.91 Euro.
The price for a hotel room starts from about €50 but expect to pay at least double that during high season. Dinner for two starts around €20 for a budget meal.
You can count on a budget of about €100-200 per day on a reasonable budget.
Language
The official language of Greece, and so in Mykonos, is Greek. It’s a difficult language, especially to read, because of the different letters that are used. Most of the Greeks in Mykonos speak English very well so it’s really easy to make yourself understandable.
Internet
Most accommodation options and restaurants offer free wifi. There is also good phone coverage on the island. Roaming with an EU sim card is at the standard costs of your abonnement.
Culture
Mykonos has, like most Greek islands, a pretty western laidback vibe. Most of the Greeks are Orthodox Christian and it isn’t hard to see because there are so many white churches with blue domes all over the island. It’s an important part of Greek culture.
Getting to Mykonos
There are 2 options to get to Mykonos. The first one is by ferry, which goes daily from Athens, but also from other island. The ferry from Athens to Mykonos takes about 2.35 hours and costs €60 at the time of writing (December 2019). You can easily book you ferry here.
The second option is to go by plane. There are some direct international flights from several European countries, or you might need to do a stop-over in Athens. There are daily flights from Athens, starting from €42 euro (without luggage) but these costs might rise the later you book. From Athens the flight to Mykonos takes 40 minutes.
Find cheap flights to Mykonos here!
Getting Around
Mykonos is a relatively small island, with a width of 15km and a length of 10km. To visit Mykonos Town the best way is by foot. There are many walking streets, and traffic/parking is chaotically. When you want to explore the other towns and beaches we would recommend to rent a scooter or quad. You can only rent a scooter when you have a motorbike driver license, or a moped driver license for a light one. A quad can be driven with a car license. Renting a scooter starts from €17 per day.
There are also busses which you can take to get to the beaches. Prices vary from €1-3. You can pay for the tickets in the bus.
Must Sees in Mykonos
Mykonos Town
Mykonos town is one of the main attractions of Mykonos island. Many small walking streets make their way in between the complete white houses. The red and pink flowers (Bougainvilleas) and the blue doors really stick out on the white walls.
Some of the streets we really liked are Agias Paraskevis Street, Apollonos Street and the alley of the Scandinavian bar.
Besides these streets there are also cute shops, like the instafamous #Happiness store, Decor Mykonos Chora Art Home & Design, Anamanesia and many more.
We would also recommend to visit the Panagia Paraportiani church, the Panachra church, and Niko’s Taverna Square.
The Windmills
The most famous view of Mykonos are the 7 windmills on landmark hill in Mykonos town. These icons are wonderful to see, and if you want to take photos without people in it we would recommend you to go early (7am).
Little Venice
Little Venice is a part of Mykonos town where the houses are built very closely to the sea. It’s a great view especially during sunrise and sunset. The place can get pretty crowded during sunset though.
Mykonos Old Port
To handle all the tourists Mykonos has a new port north of the town. The old port is in the heart of the town and offers beautiful views over the town.
Boni’s Windmill
Not only the windmills on Landmark Hill are a nice sight, Boni’s Windmill offers a great view too! Located a bit higher in the town you can enjoy the view over the town and the see from here.
Mykonos Beaches
Did you know that Mykonos has many beaches?! Of course, you won’t be able to visit them all but we will tell you what the most beautiful ones are.
In the North:
- Panormos Beach
- Agios Sostis
We would recommend you to only visit the northern beaches when it’s not so windy because the wind in Mykonos often comes from the North. The beaches in the North are therefore less visited so a great way to escape the crowds.
In the South:
- Ornos Beach
- Psarou Beach
- Platys Gialos Beach
- Paradise Beach
- Super Paradise Beach
Must Do’s in Mykonos
Rent an ATV or motorbike
We already mentioned it in the ‘Getting Around’ section, but the best way to see the island is by renting a ATV (quad) or motorbike. This gives you all the freedom to explore the island and its beautiful beaches! Besides the freedom, it’s also fun to drive around on a scooter or quad.
Go shopping
When you walk through the town you will notice there are many shops everywhere. They sell beautiful clothes, souvenirs, jewelry, art, and much more. The best place for shopping is Matogianni which is probably the busiest alley of the island.
Watch the sunset from an amazing viewpoint (over the old port)
To have the best sunset view we would recommend you to go up a bit higher in the hills behind the town. There is a viewpoint which you can reach through steps from at the north side of the town. The steps start from ‘Mykonos Town Villas’ and if you follow the path you will have a great view at the end of the steps. Exact location is here. If you continue following the road you will find a small church on the side of the road with spectacular views. Instead of taking the steps you can also drive around.
Have a sundowner at 180 Degree Sunset Bar
If you’re a fan of enjoying the sunset with a cocktail or a glass of wine in your hands than the 180 Degree Sunset Bar is the right place for you. It’s located pretty high above the town in the hills and the views over the town are spectacular!
Ostraco Suites
When we visited Mykonos we stayed at the amazing Ostraco Suites and they did not disappoint! We had a spacious suite, with many small details and even our own Marshall speaker to play some tunes. Next to our suite and veranda we had a private infinity pool faced towards the sunset! Many of the suites come with a private pool or hot tub, but there is also a large communal pool with a pool bar and a top-end restaurant which served delicious breakfast and diner. We can totally recommend this place.
Where to Stay
Mykonos town is the biggest attraction of the island, and often chosen as a place to stay during your visit. The town itself mainly consists out of walking streets. We would suggest to stay somewhere in the center or close to the town.
Prices start from €60 euro in shoulder season, but are easily doubled in Juli and August. We would recommend to book months in advance to have the best choice.
Find all hotels in Mykonos here
‘Budget’ Hotels in Mykonos:
LIANA ROOMS
Liana rooms offers some off the cheapest stays in the center of Mykonos Town. The rooms are pretty basic but the location is great.
Double room from €60 per night
PENSION KATERINA STUDIOS
This pension is located close to the new port, not too far away from Mykonos town and is a lovely place to stay.
Double room from €65 per night
Middle Range Hotels in Mykonos:
SOURMELI GARDEN HOTEL
A 15 minute walk away from the town centre and with a supermarket close to the hotel the location is great and a nice place to stay.
Double room from €80 per night
VILLA PINELOPI
Villa Pinelopi is located in the town center and is with its traditional interior a beautiful place to stay.
Double room from €100 per night
Luxury Hotels in Mykonos:
OSTRACO SUITES
As mentioned above, we really liked our stay here! The hotel is beautiful and we really loved the pool!
Double room from €200 per night
BELVEDERE MYKONOS – HILLTOP COMPLEX
Located on the edge of town on a hill this hotel is a great place to stay with amazing views over the town.
Double room from €300 per night
Where to Drink
- Kastro’s Bar: Hidden away in a beautiful alley
- Super Paradise Beach: Here you can find one of the most popular beach clubs of the island
Where to Eat
- Masa Xapsa (Masa Hapsa): Lovely Greek food for a reasonable price.
- Popolo: A great place for breakfast or lunch.
- Souvlaki Story Mykonos: If you like Gyros or Souvlaki in the city centre this is the place to be.
What to Bring
- Swimsuits
- Lightweight clothing – it gets hot in summer!
- Blue and white clothing – because it fits so well with the houses!
- Sunscreen & after sun lotion
- Camera to capture all the cute streets and houses
Read all our other blogs about Greece here!
We sincerely hope that this information helps you to have an amazing time in Mykonos. If you liked the information or have some more tips, you can leave your comment below.
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