5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mykonos

In this Mykonos Travel Guide, you’ll uncover the most unforgettable things to do in Mykonos, from amazing food, beautiful sunsets to the lively nightlife and beach clubs.

Visit Mykonos and experience what life was like as a law-dodging pirate weaving through the white cobblestone streets of Little Venice, dine on gyros and sip cocktails by the ocean during the glow of the Greek sunset. Mykonos is a beautiful island full of vibrant history, a never-ending nightlife and beautiful architecture fit for an influencers Instagram feed.

I visited Mykonos in October when the days were getting shorter and the temperature was getting cooler, which in my opinion was the best time to visit. The streets were not crowded and accommodation was slightly cheaper. I already had my endless nights of parting throughout Europe so I wasn’t too guttered that some bars and clubs had closed for the off season. I was there to enjoy the history and the gorgeous anti-pirate streets of Little Venice without having the dodge the crowds.

Quick Facts About Mykonos

• Do not drink the tap water, it is extremely salty! I made the mistake of guzzling down a liter of tap water after a night on the booze, and before I realised it was undrinkable. My stomach forced a quick U-turn before I could say “Well…shit”.
• Mykonos has 15,000 permanent residents, but during summer this increases to a whopping 50,000.
• Mykonos has a strict colour law where doors and windows must be painted blue, green or red. The white exteriors are to help keep the buildings cool during the summer heat.

Best Time to Visit Mykonos

• Summer (June – Aug) Hottest and sunniest with temperatures reaching above 30 degrees Celsius. The most crowds, events are in full swing and costs are at their highest.
• Winter (Dec – Feb) More rain, can be windy. Far less crowds and daily costs are at their cheapest.
• Spring and Autumn (Mar – May, Sep – Nov) Pleasant, with mild temperatures during the day and fewer crowds. Accommodation and transport costs are usually cheaper.

I visited Mykonos in early October and it was certainly the best time for me to visit. The beach clubs may have been quieter and the clubs in Little Venice may have shut for the season, but as I had just spent 4 months over indulging in alcohol and experiencing plenty of sleepless nights, the forced break away from partying was welcomed with open arms. This was also the best time to capture the magic of Mykonos without having to avoid the crowds.

Mykonos ferry from Athens

To visit Mykonos you can take a ferry to Mykonos from Athens which departures from two ports in Athens;

• Piraeus Port: A main port serving Athens, it is the departure point for Blue Star Ferries and Seajets. (We departed from this port on a Blue Star Ferry)
• Rafina Port: This port is closer to the Athens airport and is used by ferry companies like Seajets and Golden Star Ferries. 

Different ferry options are available with travel times ranging from 2.5hrs to over 5 hours, this all depends on the vessel type and route. During the high season I highly recommend booking your ferry to Mykonos well in advance to secure your preferred date and travel times.

Where to Stay in Mykonos

We easily found a place to stay in Mykonos by scrolling on Airbnb and Booking.com. Their systems make it easy to locate and book accommodation that is best suited to your needs. We stayed at Morfoulas’ Studios which was perfect for 3 female backpackers as it was a 6 minute drive from Little Venice or a easy 15 minute walk.

Petros the Pelican

When you visit Mykonos you might get a glimpse of a great white Pelican meandering through the town center and canoodling with locals. Petros the Pelican is a national treasure of Mykonos, a symbol of hope of the avian variety. In 1958 a local fisherman located this great white Pelican injured off the coast and the fisherman nursed him back to health. However, instead of flying away, Petros chose to stay on Mykonos calling this once pirated island, home.

Tragically in 1985 Petros was hit by a car and passed away, the locals deeply mourned his death so have allowed his legacy to live on through 3 more Pelicans that thrive on the island, one Pelican will always be named Petros to honour the original mascot of Mykonos.

Fun Facts about Petros the Pelican

• One of the three current Pelicans was gifted by Hamburg Zoo
• A female Pelican, Irene, was gifted by first lady Jackie O, to keep Petros company.
• Petros was once “kidnapped” by locals of a neighbouring island, sparking a fierce custody battle.

Windmills of Mykonos

If you have seen any photos of Mykonos you would have noticed several windmills sitting proud above Little Venice. 28 windmills were built across Mykonos island in the 16th century by the Venetians to mill wheat and barley which played a pivotal role in the local economy. Now home to only 16 windmills with the oldest dating back to the 18th century, the Mykonos windmills have become a beacon for tourism and sunset photography.

Little Venice

The Greek Islands are most famously known for their crisp white buildings with baby blue trim, and Mykonos is no exception to the rule.

Originally built between the 14th and 18th centuries, Little Venice was once a pirate hideout. The island of Mykonos made it the perfect location for pirates to load and unload stolen goods from their ships. And to better conceal this illegal activity, homes were built on the waters edge with strategically built balconies overhanging the sea so this pirate loot could be quickly moved between ships and shore.

When you visit Mykonos you will notice the famous white and blue street tend to fade into a labyrinth, with no rhyme or reason as to how these streets are laid out is more strategic than it is accidental . The famous narrow alleys and winding walkways of Mykonos were purposely designed like a maze to confuse and disorientate any rival pirates who tried to invade Mykonos, these days the famous streets of Little Venice are used to confuse drunk tourists who can’t find their hostel.

Mykonos beach clubs

“Good girls go to heave, bad girls go to Mykonos” as the saying goes.

Mykonos is home to several beach clubs with majority of them being on the southern shores of Mykonos. Paradise and Super Paradise are the most well known beach clubs in Mykonos. Each club hosts a raft of DJ’s throughout the year and has music blaring from early afternoon until the wee hours of the morning. Don’t inadvertently head to a beach club thinking you’re going to have a relaxing afternoon, the MC’s are trained to get everyone up and dancing no matter what time of day it is or how hungover you may be.

So grab your dancing shoes, swimwear and a beach towel and experience some of the most vibrant

Enjoy a Gyro

Yes you can get gyros anywhere in Greece, but they taste so much better when you are sitting seaside watching the orange glow of the Mykonos sunset light up the windmills in Little Venice. If you don’t know what a gyro is, think of it as the exact meal you would get at 3am after a night of heavy drinking. A gyro is rather comparable to a Turkish kebab in the sense that various vegetables and thinly sliced meat are all wrapped lovingly in a piece of flatbread or pita. The main distinction between the two post partying meals is that gyros often come stuffed with hot chips, allowing a perfect harmony between crispy and soft textures.

Gyros can be found almost everywhere in Mykonos, so find your perfect picnic spot before you pick one up.

More Experiences for your Mykonos Travel Guide

Mykonos is full of wonderful experiences but of course I haven’t indulged in them all. The following list of things to do in Mykonos are worth adding to your Mykonos travel guide, but you may need to do further research yourself as I am not lucky enough to share my experiences!

• Holy Church of Panagia Paraportian
• Monastery of Tourliani
• Ornos Beach
• Armenistis Lighthouse
• Agios Sostis Beach

Other Things to do in Greece

Visit Athens

If you are any part of a history nerd then Athens is a city you should not avoid. Athens is a living encyclopedia of Ancient history with architecture dating back to 5th millennium BC. Athens is the home of the marathon and Olympic games; buildings like the Zappeion Hall are an integral part of modern Olympic history, being the first purpose built building for the 1896 Olympic games, where as the refurbished Panathenaic Stadium which is still used today for concerts and sporting matches, can be dated back to 556BC. Witness the incredible views across Athens from the Acropolis and enjoy a gelato or two while you roam the street stalls and gift shops which flood the main streets.