Mykonos is the Ibiza of the Greek islands. It offers a fantastic nightlife, great cuisine and beautiful beaches as well as stunning scenery. It teems with sugar-cube chalk-white buildings draped in colourful bougainvillaea, atmospheric villages, restored churches, chapels and monasteries, pretty windmills, swanky piano bars, label-laden boutiques, and lots of shops selling leather goods and pretty jewellery.
Elia Beach is one of the many south coast beaches that offer watersports, sun loungers and parasols and cafes. Some of the beaches are much more highly organised and are home to trendy beach clubs where international DJ’s arrive to the party revellers’ joy in the evenings. Others, particularly on the north coast, are quiet little coves offering tranquillity and lots of Greek sun. They also offer a strong breeze which is popular with surfers.
Mykonos Town oozes a warm and welcoming ambience. The maze of narrow, cobbled streets is decorated with colourful bougainvillaea, and everyone’s balconies are adorned with colourful flower boxes. Little Venice is next to turquoise waters with little souvenir shops and buzzy bars. Visitors have their cameras at the ready to catch the glorious, renowned sunsets whilst sipping on a cocktail or glugging a beer. Paraportiani Church and the famous windmills sit perched on the hill above.
The famous Panagia Tourlaina Monastery in the pretty village of Ano Mera has been fully restored and boasts holy icons, paintings and a marble bell tower with intricate folk carvings. The 12th-century Monastery of Paleokastro is also magnificent and just 1km from Ano Mera. Overall there are over 800 chapels and churches in Mykonos. If you want to visit you sometimes have to make appointments so it is best to plan this in advance.
The sacred, rocky island of Delos is the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis and is an interesting, well-preserved archaeological site. The island’s museum has one of the finest collections of ancient Greek sculpture and many artefacts giving an insight into the daily life of the ancient inhabitants.