The Magic of Mykonos – What to See, Where to Eat, and Instagram Photo Spots

Mykonos was the first of the Cyclades islands we visited when we went to Greece and it was definitely unique by comparison.  Think, quiet but glamorous fishing village by day and Pleasure Island from Pinocchio by night.  During the on-season, this town is known for it’s partying 25 hours a day, 8 days a week.  Since we went during off-season, we didn’t have to step over any drunk party-goers in the street or fight for a table to admire the sunset by the windmills.  Being first time visitors to Mykonos Town, that also afforded us the opportunity to explore the sights on our must-see list, eat at the perfect seaside spots, and, of course, discover the best IG photo locations.  This windmill-dotted island is a short, 2-hour ferry ride over from Athens and a must-see if you’re going to Greece.  To help you make the most of your trip, I put together my top picks for a Mykonos itinerary!

After you check in at your hotel, head down to Old Port and sign up for a walking tour of Mykonos Town.  The town itself is not that big but the streets are winding and doing a walking tour will give you a chance to acquaint yourself with the seaside village so you know what you want to come back to later at your leisure.  Three areas to know:

• Little Venice.  The narrow streets form a labyrinth, originally designed to confuse pirates in case they attacked the town.  Now they confuse tourists so stick with your guide and if you lose your way, ask for “Old Port” and you’ll find yourself back where you started.  Either that or look for the sea and stop at one of the many oceanside bars/restaurants and count your blessings that your lost in Mykonos and not at work.  In Little Venice you’ll find some of the high-end stores like Gucci and LV and you’ll also find the famous windmills up on the hill.
  • Tip: Quite a few of these ocean front restaurants only serve drinks so ask for a menu before you get comfortable and think you’re somewhere you can get a gyro.
  • Tip: If you see Pete the Pelican don’t pet him.  He bites.

• Mykonos Town.  This is the main part of the town and the between part of Little Venice and Old Port.  It’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins but if you’ve made it from Old Port to Little Venice, you’ve ventured through Mykonos Town.  The narrow streets can fit max 2 people through them at a time but you’ll be too busy looking at the colorful staircases, doors and shimmering white houses to notice.  Trendy boutiques and art shops are sprinkled throughout the town. Matoyianni Street is the main shopping street where you’ll find souvenir shops mixed in with known retailers like Sephora and Victoria’s Secret. Make sure you stop in the square for a shot with the flags and red church door!
  • Tip: Don’t worry about tripping on the cobblestone.  It’s all hand-painted onto the streets!

• Old Port.  Unwind in the sunshine while walking along the shore of the Aegean Sea.  Even though this is a port and there is a decent amount of boat traffic here, the waters are still crystal clear. Old Port is the tourist hub so you’ll find plenty of restaurants, souvenir shops and the taxi stand here.  You can’t drive your car through the streets of Mykonos Town so if you are being shuttled or taxied in from your hotel, this is where you’ll be dropped off and picked up.  On the opposite end of the port is also where you can see the famous Paraportiani Church.  This 17th century, white-washed church literally means “Our Lady of the Side Gate” in Greek because its entrance was found in the side gate of the entrance to the Kastro area.  It’s made up of five churches: the four churches are at ground level and constitute the base of the fifth church that has been built above them, which is what you see when you walk up to it.  After visiting the church and taking in the views of the sea, grab some gelato at one of the restaurants in the port and watch the boats come in.
  • Tip: You can actually get free WiFi here.  It’s municipal wifi that’s accessible around the Old Port.  The login and password are both “free”.

I also recommend adding on a tour of one of the most important archaeological sites of Greece to the ancient, sacred island of Delos.

Only a 45 minute boat ride away from Mykonos, Delos was the center of the Cyclades of the ancient world, the island of light, birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, home to the first multicultural civilization and trade.  Having been inhabited between 2500 and 69 B.C., Delos boasts of many treasures remaining from these times like the ancient marketplace Agora, the famous terrace of the Naxos lions, the holy lake, the ancients living quarters and theater that give you a lively vision of the daily life then.   The houses of Dionysos, Kleopatra, the Trident, the Masks, and the Dolphins are a fantastic experience of art not to be missed.

We stayed at San Marco Luxury Hotel & Villas which was about 15 minutes away from the main town.  If you’re going for the parties, I definitely recommend staying directly in the town because it’s going to be easiest (just keep in mind you can’t drive into the streets so you’ll need to wheel your luggage), but if you want a more low-key visit, stay at San Marco.  They have free shuttles every hour to and from the town and if you’re adventurous you can rent an ATV for like $30/day and explore the coast on island on your own.  There’s a private beach, elevated pools, restaurants, bars and beautiful little villas.  The accommodations are luxurious and you can easily access the town activities without being in the dead center of it.

There are so many great restaurants in Mykonos and you’ll find fresh and authentic food and seaside dining where you can watch the sunset at so many of them.  Just remember a light jacket because the sea breeze will be cool the closer you are to the water at night.  Here are a few of my picks:

• Kounelas fish tavern
• Veranda Bar
• Gelarte Ice Cream *it’s actually gelato
• Niko’s Taverna
• Mourayio Family Restaurant

I haven’t eaten at these next three but have heard from other bloggers and the hotel that these are great options too:

• Scorpios
• M-eating
• Interni

Take it from a Social Media Influencer, put these locations in your Google Map to get those perfectly Instagrammable moments:

• Pandora Boutique
• Windmills
  • Tip: Go behind them!  Everyone is trying to get a shot in front of them but behind is just as nice and the lighting from the sun won’t be blocked by them depending on the time of day.
• Kastro’s Bar.  This is a secret shot on a little side alley with the perfect cozy view of the sea.
• Veranda Bar or any of these Little Venice waterfront restaurants.  Veranda Bar will have the most direct view of the windmills but they all have a perfect sunset view and the beach area there will have the best shot of the houses built right on the sea’s edge with the balconies over the water.
• Hotel Philippi
  • Tip: There’s a hidden garden inside if you walk past the registration desk.  There’s lemon trees, rose bushes, fountains, etc.  Just walk in like you’re a guest there, take your picture and go before you get kicked out.  Or you could actually stay there, there’s that too.
• Paraportiani Church
• The square on Matoyianni Street with the flags hanging.

Hope you all found some helpful spots and tips to add to your Mykonos itinerary.  Make sure you check out my post on 10 Things to Know Before You Go to Greece before you head out and I can’t wait to hear about your travels as you discover the magic of Mykonos for yourself!

*besitos*