Understand
Mykonos is famed as a cosmopolitan destination amongst the Greek islands and widely recognised as one of the great travel meccas. It is the most touristed island in the Aegean. This means that any visitors should be prepared for loud dance clubs, English breakfasts and over-priced merchandise.
Mykonos is a grand example of unique cycladic architecture set around a picturesque fishing-village bay. Totally whitewashed organic cube-like buildings fit closely together to form a kind of haphazard maze of narrow alley ways and streets. Many well preserved windmills and hundreds of tiny red-roofed churches adds a flavour of culture and custom to the scene, enhanced even further by many museums and the historical ancient site of nearby Delos.
Get in
By sea
Ferrys and Highspeed catamaran services run daily from Piraeus and Paros. Flying Dolphins Flying Dolphins has a 3 1/2 hour trip for around 50 euros each way.
Mykonos can be reached daily directly from Santorini by catamaran.
Visit Greek Travel Pages and search through all ferry schedules to/from Mykonos and the rest of the Greek islands.
By air
Mykonos has an airport, about 4km away from the main city. The airport has regular flights for Athens and Thessaloniki by Olympic Airways and Aegean Airlines. The airport can be reached only by taxi. In summer - during high season - charter airlines are going directly to Mykonos from many European airports.
Flight duration from Athens to Mykonos is about 30 minutes.
Get around
On Mykonos you can get around by scooter, ATV, car, or bus. A sophisticated bus network, which takes you to virtually any point of the island.
Additionally taxis operate at constant rate. In the evening, it can be nearly impossible to find a taxi. You can wait hours at the taxi queue in town.
There are now two ferry terminals at Hora (Mykonos), the main sea port on the island. If you are on foot and leaving the island, be certain whether your ferry leaves from the old port (the nearest one to the main section of town) or the New Port (about 10 km to the north).
There is also a third "port" from whence boats to and from Delos depart and arrive, but most travellers won't confuse this with the ferry landings.
See
Do
Beaches
Eat
Mykonos Town
Ano Mera
The town square offers several traditional restaurants.
Beach Taverns
Drink
Sleep
Hotel Nazos in Mykonos Town warmly welcomes guests with a friendly Greek atmosphere and hospitality.Located in Mykonos town.
Its hot on Mykonos during July and August, so you may want to ensure your hotel has air conditioning.
Note that there are some exclusively gay (targeted) hotels on the island of Mykonos, while the majority of the other hotels are gay-friendly.
Get out
Delos, an island close to Mykonos is famous for its ancient temples. Daily excursions can be booked in Mykonos. Delos was the most important Panhellenic sanctuary, and, according to mythology, the birth-place of Apollo and Artemis.
The first signs of habitation on the island date from the 3rd millennium B.C., and important remains of the Mycenaean period have been uncovered in the area of the sanctuary. In the 7th century B.C. Delos was already a known Ionic centre because of its religious importance as the birth-place of Apollo.
Mykonos (Greek: Μύκονος; see also List of traditional Greek place names) or Myconos is an island of Greece and one of the top international tourist destinations, famous around the globe for its cosmopolitan character and its intense nightlife. The island is part of the Cyclades, lying between Tinos, Siros, Paros and Naxos. It spans an area of 86 km² and rises at an elevation of 364m at its highest point. The island is composed primarily of granite. It has little natural fresh water and relies on the desalination of sea water in order to meet its needs. There are approximately 6200 inhabitants (2002). The largest town is Mykonos, also known as Chora (i.e. the Town in Greek, a common denomination in Greece when the name of the island itself is the same as the name of the principal town), which lies on the west coast.
It is believed that the island was named after a local hero, who is considered an offspring of the god Apollo and was worshipped locally in antiquity.
History
Archaeological finds indicate that the Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. More recent discoveries have uncovered remnants in Ftelia beach from the Neolithic Kares tribe dating back to as far as 3000 BC.
In Greek mythology Mykonos was the location of the battle between Zeus and the Gigantes, and the island was named in honor of Apollo's grandson Mykons. During these ancient times, Mykonos, due to its proximity to the then highly populated island of Delos (situated about 2km away), became very important as a supply island and possibly as a getaway location for Delian citizens.
Modern Mykonos
Today, Mykonos is one of the world's most cosmopolitan islands, having become increasingly popular especially during the last 50 years due to the numerous international jet set visitors that spend their holidays on the island. It is widely known for its extremely rich, diverse and often intense nightlife featured by a vast number of bars and nightclubs. Mykonos is also distinctive for its sandy beaches, offering everything from crystal-clear waters, windsurfing potential, sea-side tavernas, bars featuring 24-hour loud music and even full nudity in some cases. Many Greek and international celebrities have summer residences in Mykonos and can often be seen walking the white-washed roads or having dinner at a small street-side table of an expensive restaurant or a taverna. The island is also one of the most upscale areas of Greece, and its real estate is very expensive. The popularity of the island has given rise to a wave of real estate development with the construction of private homes, villas, and hotels. This has raised some concerns that the island may be gradually losing its character. In order to prevent this, the island's zoning requires all new buildings to abide by the rules of the Cycladic architectural style.
Nightlife
The nightlife of Mykonos is marketed as among the best in Europe. Mykonos is rated among the top clubbing destinations in the Mediterranean, along with Ibiza, Ayia Napa and Rimini. Mykonos also attracts world-famous DJs to its clubs and beach bars, the most well-known of which are Paradise, Super Paradise and Paranga. In addition, Mykonos is a gay-friendly resort area during the summer, featuring several gay clubs.
Mykonos nightlife focuses mainly on bars rather than clubs, yet a number of notable clubs can be found throughout the island.
Attractions
Communities
Other
Myconos has schools, banks, churches, a post office and squares (plateies). There are also two ports, the "old" port and the "new" one.
External links
See also
