For our one-year anniversary trip, Ben and I decided we wanted to visit Greece. This has been my dream destination for as long as I can remember, and it was an absolute dream come true! I actually always imagined this for my honeymoon (and this is absolutely a perfect destination for that) BUT, after the wedding we knew we would be tired, and Greece requires a lot of touring, site seeing and walking/traveling which we just didn’t want to do. That’s why we choose something secluded and tropical instead and went to my other dream destination – Bora Bora. I still think Greece is perfect for honeymooners, though. It has break taking views, the most beautiful sunsets in the world and a very romantic and intimate atmosphere.
Like I said in my Athens Travel Guide, Mykonos was our second stop of the trip. Mykonos is the perfect mix of relaxation and excitement because of all the night-life.
When to go
Ben and I went in mid-June. We had read that June was the best time for Greece. Tourism still isn’t at its peak and the weather is the best. While we were there, the weather was pretty much perfect all day; it was in the mid-70’s to 80’s pretty much the whole time! There was one day that was especially windy, but other than that, perfect weather. Even though you are seaside, there is practically no humidity in Mykonos which was great!
How to go
We took a domestic flight from Athens to Mykonos. We traveled with Sky Express, and our flight was delayed a couple of hours (this became the general theme with any domestic flight in Greece). It was a short flight (~30 minutes), and most hotels will send a shuttle bus to pick you up and take you straight to your resort.
Where to stay
We stayed at the Palladium Boutique Hotel which we LOVED! It is not directly in Mykonos Town, but it’s right near Platis Gialos – one of the nicest beaches in Mykonos. It’s also nice that it wasn’t in Mykonos Town because it was away from all the craziness and offered a bit more peace and quiet as well as privacy. The hotel was beautiful and the service was great! They also had complimentary breakfast every morning (with probably the most extensive breakfast buffet I have ever seen) and private jacuzzis in the suites. I loved the whole vibe of the resort and we would definitely recommend it anyone.
How to get around
Getting around anywhere in Mykonos was easiest with the public buses. It’s 1 Euro per person and after 10 p.m the price increases to 3 Euros. This is much cheaper than taking a taxi in Mykonos, and the buses move like clockwork! They were always on time which made getting around so reliable and easy. Taxis are available but a bit pricey, and a lot of people actually got around mostly by renting ATV’s which is also an option.
Where to go/what to do
Go to Mykonos Town/Little Venice
Also known as Little Venice, this is the heart of Mykonos, and it’s where all the life is. This is where you will find all the restaurants and most of the nightclubs. We went there everyday, and we just loved walking around at night, laughing and sitting my the water. Little Venice refers to the part right along the waters edge. This is where all the best restaurants are for watching the sunset (PS: go to dinner earlier to snag the best seats right on the waterfront to watch the sunset). The sunsets in Mykonos are among the most beautiful in the world and a definite must see! I also loved Mykonos Town because it’s filled with the most beautiful and picturesque streets and homes.
Shopping
Mykonos Town is filled with TONS of winding streets filled with the cutest little shops and boutiques! We bought all of our little gifts and souvenirs from Mykonos Town, and I bought a small necklace with the Greek key on it to remember our trip by. Also if you have your eye on a designer handbag, I recommend waiting till you get to Mykonos! They have an Hermes, Louis Vuitton, and lots of other designer boutiques. I found a bag I have been eyeing, and it was significantly cheaper than if I were to buy it here in the US.
Visit Paraportiani Orthodox Church
This gorgeous church is right in Mykonos Town, and it’s so unique and special. It’s all white and comes out beautiful in pictures. I knew I wanted to take pictures here, and I chose a pop of blue and a more dramatic dress to contrast the simplicity of the church. I highly recommend seeing it because it’s just so beautiful and different than many of the other churches I saw while in Greece.
Visit the Mykonos Windmills
These are right by Mykonos Town and they overlook the ocean. Fun fact: they were built back in the 16thcentury! They are also right along the cliffs so going up is beautiful and perfect for pictures or just enjoying the gorgeous view of the waters and the town.
Partayyyyy!
Ok, Mykonos is a party town. By day it’s a charming spot for eating and walking – but at around midnight, many restaurants turn into nightclubs and it gets crazy! For Ben and I, it wasn’t for us. I LOVE to dance, but all the crowded clubs played house/techno-type music which I am not crazy for. Personally, if I can’t act out the lyrics of the song I am dancing to then I can’t function LOL! All this is to say, if that is your jam, then you will love partying it up in Mykonos. We also felt that we would have enjoyed the party scene more if we were with a group of friends! Although we didn’t party, I did do my research in case:
Scorpio – loved even by the locals. This is a beautiful spot where they also have a beach club during the day, and at night it turns wild! Going there just for lunch and watching the sunset is amazing on it’s own. It has a great vibe, and is easily one of the best spots in all of Mykonos. We did not go there at night, but I feel like we would have really enjoyed this place if we had! Heads up, it is a bit pricey!
Scandinavian – This one is in Mykonos Town. The party scene there was not our cup of tea, but I highly recommend checking this place out! This is a great place to grab drinks at night and meet new people. It’s also great if you love people watching, which is exactly what Ben and I did when we went there LOL!
What to eat
Saki’s: We wanted BOMB gyros, so we asked 5 locals were the best gyros was made – 4 out of the 5 said Saki’s and we knew we just had to try it. We went the next day, and it was great! We tried the pork and chicken mixed sandwhich.
Captains: This is a great restaurant in a great little spot. We got lucky when we went, and we got a first row table right by the water. The service was phenomenal, and the people were so sweet. I loved that they were also nice and never made us feel rushed. Now, the food was Uh-mazing. Probably our favorite meal in Mykonos. Ben got the sea prawn and orzo dish, and I got the sea bass souvlaki with grilled vegetables. For dessert we decided to try their baklava because we had heard a lot about it, and it was BOMB! I think the best I had on our whole trip! It was warm and topped with vanilla ice cream *drool*.
Nikos: This is also a spot that came highly recommended to us by locals. We went during a busy time, so the service did feel a bit rushed, but it was overall a great experience! I got the seafood risotto – everything was so fresh and delicious! Ben got the lamb shank with orzo.
Nammos: This is a trendy and high-end restaurant/beach club right on Psarou beach, which is one of the best beaches in Mykonos. Apparently it’s where all the celebrities go! Fair warning: this place is incredibly pricey. Sitting in their beach club is about 120 euros per person. It was just a few minute’s walk from our hotel, so we went there one day for drinks and a light lunch. The service was impeccable and the food was great. We ordered the carpaccio and the pesto pasta – the carpaccio was especially amazing! Warning: They charge you for all the water you drink and the bread basket they bring out to you – we did not know this LOL (apparently this is a Europe thing???).
Gelarte – amazing gelato! I always either get hazelnut or pistachio gelato, but they have a Greek yogurt flavor that is to die for! I also tried their baklava flavor which was so good! And, here is a super blurry pic of me with my ice cream cone. If you think I look too excited, you would not be wrong.
Nice’N Easy: This is the perfect spot in Little Venice to watch the sunset. The sunset was at around 8:30 and we headed over there an hour earlier to get a spot right along the water. The food came second to Captain’s in my opinion. I went outside of my comfort zone and tried grilled octopus (tentacles creep me out, so I have always been too scared to try it). My life is forever changed a now grilled octopus is my new favorite thing! It was cooked to perfection and had a delicious grilled/smokey flavor! I tried octopus at other places after, but this was the best one by far. Ben had the lamb shank and potatoes – it was tender, flavorful and delicious. I definitely recommend this place!
What to wear
Mykonos is filled with uneven cobblestone roads, and it involves a lot of walking, so I wore flat sandals every day. It’s a fun town with a chill vibe so I wore a lot of shorts and comfy dresses and shirts. At night, it definitely does get a bit dressier though. Of all the places we went in Greece, the streets of Mykonos were the most adorable and picturesque. It’s exactly what you think of when you think of Greece – white walls, blue windows and doors, and trees with beautiful pink flowers. So I wore a lot of neutrals and white, as well as a lot of blue and pink because I wanted to match the town.
This beautiful island and this magical town truly stole our hearts, and we can’t wait to go back one day. Hope this guide helps y’all on your future travels!
Mykonos truly stole our hearts, and I cannot wait to go back one day! Hope this travel guide helps ya’ll on your travels to this magical place.
XOXO,
Monica
