What is there to do In Mykonos?
Walk through the Old Town Of Mykonos
Watch the sunset in the Town of Mykonos
Take a boat ride around Rhenia Island & a Guided Tour of Delos. There are many boat tours to choose from but we decided to go along with "Mykonos on Board". This tour was one of the most affordable boat tours during high season and very professional. Our tour guided name was Artemis Skipper and he gave us a brief history background of the islands. On the boat ride we stopped at the two islands and were allowed to take a plunge and snorkel. They do provide life jackets if needed, such as for our 3 year old daughter. We were also served traditional Greek food on the boat and I have to say the food was delicious! I wish I could have brought back the food after the boat ride it was so good!
Delos Island- If you have the time, a day trip to the nearby island of Delos is a must. Delos is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday. There is no entry fee, but you will need to pay for the ferry ride there and back.
Raceland - Go cart racing.
Beaches in Mykonos
Psarou Beach- A luxurious and calm beach. Its a very trendy beach and known for its partying at night.
Platis Gialos Beach- Wide and beautiful with many restaurants and several hotels. There’s a mini-market and direct buses to Mykonos Town.
Ornos Beach- Its’s a beautiful beach with lovely surroundings and many tavernas. One of the most family-friendly beaches on Mykonos.
Paraga Beach-Paraga is has many place to eat and drink. The beaches are beautiful with clear waters. There are direct bus from Mykonos Town to Paraga.
Elia Beach-One of the longest beach on Mykonos. This beach offers lots of parking if you rented a car and great for families.
Paradise Beach- A young lively party-beach with many bars. After the sun goes down the party just gets crazier. Buses go directly from Mykonos Town to Paradise Beach.
Super Paradise Beach- There are no direct buses but there are small boats from Platis Gialos and Paradise Beach to Super Paradise Beach. Probably the most gay-friendly beach on Mykonos.
Agrari Beach-Agrari is a quiet and secluded beach with good sand. There is no bus from Mykonos Town to Agrari so you have to take a bus to Elia and then walk 15 minutes. There’s 1 restaurant at Agrari. This beach is definitely family friendly but only accessible if you rent a car.
Fokos Beach- Fokos is a quiet and secluded beach. You'll need to rent a car if you come to this beach because there are no public buses that go to Fokos. There is only about one restaurant to choose from in Fokos as well!
Where to stay in Mykonos?
You can stay anywhere on the island and pretty much reach all locations by public transportation or taxis. Staying close to Mykonos town is ideal for most visitors for the wide range of food and shopping options. If you want more of a quite stay, then choosing to stay away from the town is your best bet. The only concern about staying far from the town is that you may have to rent a car if there is no public buses that run where you stay or pay for expensive taxis.
Mykonos Town- The town is where you'll find the most nightlife, shopping, and restaurants. There is also a beach located in the town.
Platis Gialo- Is a great location for families and young travelers. The beaches are calm, white, and sandy. This trendy location has many hip beach bars and restaurants.
Elia- has a long, white, sandy beach on the south coast of Mykonos. There is only one restaurant here but great for a quiet stay.
Prague beach- Is the perfect stay for backpackers for hostels and a party central with many beach bars.
How to get to your destination from the airport?
Taxis are available but expensive. However, you might consider using one to get to your hotel from Mykonos Island National Airport.
You shouldn't pay more then 15-20€. If your worried about getting over charged set up an airport transfer with the hotel your staying at. Hotel transfers can be free or set at a fixed price.
How to get around Mykonos?
Bus- The buses in Mykonos is the most efficient and cheapest way to get around the island. Buses run abut every 15-30 minutes depending where and when your taking the bus. The buses do run about till 1 am but don't run as frequent. The fare for the bus is 1.60€ .
The only down side to taking public transportation is that there is no direct bus to other parts of the island. You have to take a bus to Mykonos town and take about 10 minute scroll through the town to the next bus stop. Chora(the town) actually banned motor vehicles, so everyone walks or rides a bike through town.
Rent a car- They're expensive to rent and parking is a pain but convenient for a larger group/family if you plan on traveling to other parts of the island and you don't want to take multiple bus transfers. Our family rented a car for a day to travel around the island to give my pregnant back a break! Walking to multiple bus stops and pushing a stroller through the town definitely took a toll on my back. Depending on the season renting a car cost from 50-75€ a day for a basic car manual or automatic.
Major Tip: Before arriving to Mykono and renting a car be aware that the Greek laws have changed! You now need a international license to rent a car in Greece! This law is very new! Lucky we were able to find a car rental place that still allowed us to rent a car but if we were caught driving without one, we would be fined 1000€ and so will the company your renting from! I think the only reason we got lucky was because it was high season and they wanted the money.
Obtaining a international license is very easy. You can go online a month before your trip and apply for one online. Send in the application fee with two passport photos and a copy of your license. It takes about 1 to 2 weeks to receive your license and last for a whole year. If we knew this piece of information we definitely would have applied for one before coming to Greece! Click on the link to apply.
Tip: Be sure to take a map from your hotel or find one before renting a car. There will be no GSP available in the car when renting one. The island is small enough to go around in one day. Take the joy in finding your destination and getting lost in the beautiful scenery.
Taxi- Taxis are one of the most costly transportations on the island of Mykonos. I was actually very surprised! I never spend so much money on taxi rides while traveling. A taxi ride under 10 minutes can cost you 15-20€. At night the taxis are even more expensive! We paid a 25€ taxi ride from our hotel to Mykonos town when we first landed at night to get food and the ride was literally 5-7 minutes away. You could see why our family decide to then rent a car or walk to most destinations. We left the hotel frequently to go to different beaches so renting a car for the day saved us some money and gave us flexibility.
On Foot- Traveling on foot in one of the most common ways too get around Mykonos and cost you nothing. If your staying close or in Mykonos town you won't have to worry about walking far. Our hotel was about a 10 minute walk to town which wasn't bad but did tire us out frequently after walking through the town shopping and dining.
Scooter- Biking is faster than walking and much more cheaper than renting a car. A scooter is only suitable for two people but if your comfortable riding on the edge of the cliffs of Mykonos, then enjoy the thrill! The cost of a scooter can start from 20€ a day.
Quad Bike(Four wheeler)- Just like a scooter, the Quads are faster than walking and much more cheaper than renting a car. Although the quad offers many benefits, inexperience drivers should take caution with the bumpy and winding roads/hills in Mykonos. A quad is also only suitable for two people but available at the cost of 20€ a day.
If your curious on how to reach the island of Mykonos, you can get to this island by a ferry boat or plane to island hop. The're both normally almost the same price so we took a short flight to Mykonos, rather than taking over an hour ferry ride.
When to travel to Mykonos?
The best time to visit Mykonos is September and October. While the weather is still warm & pleasant, you'll save a ton a money coming to Mykonos in these months. Plus you'll avoid the over crowded tourist.
We traveled to Greece in August which is one of their prime months! High season is considered starting late May through August. The hotels are sky high priced and everything goes up. The summer for Greece is a great time to visit if your into the partying life/sunbathing/swimming but can break your pockets if you don't come prepared. Even the airbnbs in high season can start at 200 per night for a standard room!
Where to eat in Mykonos?
You'll find a variety of street food walking through the town of Mykonos. The street food, gelato, and dining options are endless.
Belvedere poolside lounge- This rooftop and cocktail bar cannot be missed at sunset.
Scandinavian Bar- Is a very popular bar that gets packed! Expect to see the upstairs area overflowing with dancing busy bodies.
Sea Satin Market- Located just under the famous windmills. The Sea Satin is known for its amazing shellfish. Its terrace is beautiful place to watch the sunset or enjoy the splashing of the waves when the tide is high.
Lohan Beach Bar/Restaurant- When your tired of eating gyros over the next few days, go try Lindsay lohan's beach restaurant. The food is dieclious with amazing vibes. You might even catch a glimpse of Lindsey Lohan there! We sure did and enjoy the time there!
Trio Bambini- If you want the worlds best gelato and nutella covered crepes, you'll have to try this spot out! It can get pretty crowded but its sure worth the wait!
What language is spoken in Mykonos?
Greek
Learn Basic Greek.
Hello: Γειά σου (YAH-soo)
Nice to meet you: Χάρηκα πολύ (HA-ree-ka po-LEE)
How are you?: Tι κανείς (tee-KAH-nis)
Good morning: Καλημέρα (kah-lee-MER-ah)
Good afternoon/evening: Καλησπέρα (kah-lee-SPER-ah)
Goodnight: Καληνύχτα (kah-lee-NEEKH-tah)
Thank you: Ευχαριστώ (eff-kha-ri-STOE)
How much: πόσο (póso)
Toilets: τουαλέτα (toua-léta)
Currency?
€ Euro
Check out Google Currency Converter for current rates.
Things you should know when traveling to Mykonos?
Mykonos is a top friendly gay destination.
Mykonos is a windy island. The wind actually feels delightful in the summer time when its reaches 80-90 degrees out. This island is the perfect paradise for wind surfers! The times where the wind can be unpleasant is when your at the beach and the sand smacks you in the face or even when you get out of the water it gets a little chilly. Bring a jacket for nighttime. I brought a jean jacket and wore it day/night and I felt comfortable.
The town of Mykonos is actually called Chora
The shops in Mykonos town shops normally close between 2 and 5pm but will stay open till 1 in the morning, due to intense heat in the summer.
Don't expect beach chairs/umbrellas to be free. Depending on the beach you are at the can start the cost of 25€ to 75€ a day!
Is Mykonos kid friendly? Things to do with kids?
Mykonos is very kid friendly! Everyone we met loved our daughter and would give her attention. She also wasn't the only child in Mykonos during the prime party month(August) on this island either!
Mykonos beaches are unspoiled with sandy and shallow shorelines! Perfect for young kids that don't know how to swim and can't just plunge in the water.
The old town is like a maze and gave some relief for us parents that allow our daughter to run and walk more freely. The Mykonos town roads were also more scroller friendly than the island of Santorini. There are a few bumps along the path but nothing too crazy. You won't have to pick up the stroller every step you take.
Take a traditional Greek cooking class.
Be a farmer for the day on the island of Mykonos.
Zoo Zoo Nakia- Is an inside jungle gym with slides and a ball pit for your kids to run freely
Best beaches for families?
Agrari Beach- This beach offers calm waters, water sports, a cafe and bar, and a little playground.
Kalafati Beach- Crystal clear waters with soft sand.
Kalo Livadi Beach- Crystal clear waters with soft sand. This beach is located where The Lohan Restaurant (Lindsay Lohans Bar) is located where there is a diverse of food on the menu to try from.
"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."
-Jimmy Dean
