What to see on Mykonos and where to go: Milan Bez Mapy’s tips

To me, Mykonos is above all a summer party island, so don’t come expecting peace and quiet or much to explore. I’d see the main town with its windmills, the lighthouse and the village of Ano Mera. To get between the beaches, I’d take the water taxi. If it’s a green island you’re after, I liked Corfu more.

Quick factsby Milan Bez Mapy

When to go

June to mid-September, when the island is busiest and the parties are best

Where to stay

In the town centre, my choice after several visits, with trips around the island from there

Prices

A drink about €15–20, a restaurant meal from €30; August was always the priciest

Best beach

Elia, spacious with a gentle way into the sea; for dinner, head to Ornos Beach

Water taxi

All-day ticket €20, cash only; a boat leaves every beach every hour

Watch out for

Your drink at beach parties; I suspect someone slipped something into ours

What is there to see on Mykonos, and where should you go while you’re there? For years I ignored Greece on my travel map of Europe, then one October I finally gave it a chance. Twice, in fact. Besides Mykonos, I also added a trip to Corfu to my plans. I liked Corfu more, because it’s a green island, but Mykonos deserves an article on my blog too. So here’s what to see on Mykonos, according to Milan Bez Mapy.

Update: I’ve come back to this article several times, because over the years Mykonos has become one of my favourite summer party destinations. Before we start, here are a few of my own tips and advice for Mykonos. They cover how much the flights cost, whether to stay in a hotel or an Airbnb and how to get around the island. I’ll also tell you how much a holiday on Mykonos costs and whether Mykonos is expensive.

Mykonos travel tips: what to know before you go

Why is Mykonos a world-famous party island?

How did Mykonos become a world-famous party island that’s more than just another Ibiza? The answer is history. On the neighbouring island of Delos, a temple city with a statue of Hercules came to light. After that, Greek artists began coming to Mykonos to live the bohemian life. That life has carried on to this day.

These days it’s not Greek painters who come, but celebrities with suitcases full of glitz. They’re drawn by the white lanes lined with boutiques, the sunsets and the beach clubs that like to see a bohemian reflection in the mirror. But as tends to happen, all that glitz stops shining once the sun goes down.

Cheap flights to Mykonos and the best time to go

Thanks to Covid, I managed to buy cheap last-minute flights to Mykonos. A €30 return from Vienna was a bit of a fluke: they usually cost at least a hundred euros or so.

The Mykonos season follows the same summer pattern as the rest of Europe. From about June to mid-September the island is at its busiest, and the parties it’s famous for far and wide are at their best. As I mentioned, I’ve been here both out of season and in high season, and I always found a few good clubs. The one I’d single out is Argo Bar.

Where to stay on Mykonos: Airbnb or a hotel?

Finding accommodation on Mykonos really isn’t a problem. I weighed up Airbnb versus a hotel, but as there were several of us, the hotel won, partly because breakfast was waiting for us every morning. Mykonos has a huge number of Airbnb listings, whether you want a modest little flat or a villa on the beach. Among other places, I stayed at the Mykonos Beach Hotel, which has a pool and breakfast and is a 10-minute walk from the town centre. Over several later visits, though, I worked out that the best place to stay on Mykonos is the town centre. It makes a good base for trips around the island.

Is Mykonos expensive? Prices on the island

Is Mykonos expensive? Well, that depends who you ask. Mykonos surprised me a little, mainly with the prices in restaurants and bars. I’d been on Corfu about two weeks earlier, so I assumed the whole of Greece had prices much like Bratislava’s. And then I got to Mykonos. A drink in a bar costs around €15 to €20. If you want to eat in a restaurant rather than just grab street-food souvlaki, allow €30 or more per meal. At least you can pay by card almost everywhere.

Accommodation prices on Mykonos vary, of course, depending on the standard you’re after. Mykonos is one of Europe’s best-known party destinations, popular with the gay community too, and everything here is geared to that. The season sets the prices, and the steepest I ever saw were in August, when Mykonos is as expensive as Manhattan. A few female friends and I got to know some local Greeks. They told us how the tourist season works on Mykonos, and how they work around it.

‘For half the year we work non-stop. When the season ends and the tourists leave, we do absolutely nothing for the other half.’

Getting around Mykonos by scooter, car and local bus

On Mykonos, local buses run to every part of the island and to the tourist beaches. They’re timed so you can sleep in, head to the beach and get back to town in the evening for the next party. Tickets cost a few euros, and the buses are perfectly decent.

If you want something more memorable, though, I’d hire a scooter for a day and ride it round the whole island. The price depends on the season, so check with the hire shop. The lanes on Mykonos are narrow, and cars sometimes struggle to get through.

Things to do on Mykonos: Milan Bez Mapy’s picks

1. Walk around the island’s main town, Mikonos (yes, the town is spelled with an i)
2. Find Petros the pelican
3. Drive up to the lighthouse
4. See the monastery in Ano Mera and eat at Fokos, a fish restaurant
5. Try the legendary Mykonos Water Taxi and go to a beach party

According to Greek mythology, Mykonos is named after a descendant of Apollo, the Greek god of music. I can’t tell you whether that’s true, but one thing is certain: Mykonos is an island of winds. The wind never stops, whether it’s January or July. Ladies, pack a comb. The island has about 11,000 inhabitants, but in the tourist season another 50,000 workers arrive to look after the tourists.

So it’s not unusual for an island the size of the Slovak town of Trenčín to suddenly hold almost 100,000 people. Preferably all in the same club. Packed, right? The island is also full of cats but has hardly any dogs, and there’s a church for every day of the year. Really, look out for them.

Mykonos Town and its windmills

As you walk around the main town, and the whole island in fact, you’ll notice that every house is painted white. It isn’t the law, just an unwritten rule that everyone sticks to. The town has a harbour, several great bars with superb views and a handful of windmills. The windmills are the first thing you see when you arrive on the island. They once ground the island’s wheat and gave work to most of the islanders.

They face north to catch the strongest winds. Wandering through the lanes, you’re bound to end up in Little Venice, one of the most photogenic parts of town. In the evening I’d head to the 180 Mykonos sunset bar. You need to book, but it has the best view of the sunset over Mykonos, drink in hand.

You’ll find trips and tours on Mykonos here:

Where to eat and drink on Mykonos

My bar and restaurant tips for Mykonos

• Souvlaki Story Mykonos: seriously good souvlaki in the town centre
• Mamalouka: a well-known restaurant with good Greek food, slightly pricier but with a very pleasant atmosphere
• Argo: the best party bar we found on Mykonos. We were there every night. Cash only.
• Cosi: a bar in the same vein as Argo
• Negrita: a pleasant cocktail bar with a sea view
• Aperanto Galazio Cuisine bar: a superb restaurant out of town with a beach bar and great music, best at sunset. I owe this tip to my Greek friends from Mykonos, whom we met by chance on the plane.
• 180 sunset bar: you need a reservation, but it’s definitely worth it. Make it for sunset.

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Petros the pelican on Mykonos

‘Hi, I’m Petros the pelican, and all of Mykonos knows me. I’m named after the first pelican on the island. Fishermen rescued him from the sea in 1958, and he decided to stay and live here. Later he was hit by a car. These days there are two of us, and in honour of the original, they call us both Petros. But Mykonos isn’t a pelican’s natural habitat, and nobody knows why we decided to stay. And we’ll never tell you.’

That’s what I wrote on Instagram under my photo with the pelican who lives on Mykonos. It’s hilarious to be walking through the narrow white lanes of Mykonos and suddenly bump into a bird bigger than the average dog.

There’s a flip side, though. Petros smelled and looked half dead. I don’t think he’s in good shape, especially with flies buzzing around him.

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Armenistis Lighthouse on Mykonos

One of the best-known sights on Mykonos is without doubt Armenistis Lighthouse (Faros Armenistis). It has been working since 1891 and went up after the British steamer Volta was wrecked nearby. What surprised me was how the lighthouse used to produce its light. It used a special patented system, I assume something to do with paraffin, which won a special award in Paris. Since 1983, though, it has run on electricity, and it still reminds passing ships that the waters around the islands are always treacherous.

You can only get there by car, as it’s a bit out of the way, but I’d definitely go at sunset. The view of the open sea and the sun sinking into it was worth every cent. Bring a jumper, though: it’s even windier up here, because the lighthouse stands on a hill so that it can be seen clearly from every direction.

Ano Mera village and Fokos restaurant

Ano Mera is a sleepy inland village. It’s home to the restored Panagia Tourliani Monastery, a complex of white 16th-century buildings with religious icons, an imposing bell tower and a marble fountain. The area is full of cake shops, tavernas and cafés with terraces, which give its cobbled lanes a rustic feel. Footpaths lead from here through the rocky, hilly countryside and down to the nearby beaches.

While you’re here, stop at the Fokos restaurant for excellent fresh fish. It’s in a very remote spot, and the only way there is by car along a dirt road.

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The best sandy beaches on Mykonos

As I’ve said several times already, Mykonos is about two things: parties and beaches. Ideally you spend the whole day on the beach and the evening in a club. Mykonos is a dry, parched island, but at least the beaches are nothing to sniff at. Here’s my pick from the beaches I’ve been to myself.

• Kalafati Beach: a lovely long sandy beach
• Kalo Livadi: I made a note of this one but can’t remember why, so go and see for yourself
• Elia Beach: very spacious, with a bar and shallow water that goes out a long way; there’s also a nudist section and a gay area
• Megali Ammos in town: the town beach of Mykonos. If you don’t have time for any other, at least stop here. It’s about a 10-minute walk from town, opposite my hotel.
• Aperanto Galazio Mykonos on Ornos Beach: come here at sunset. There are sunloungers, a restaurant and a bar, and of all the beaches I liked this one best.

If you’re short on time and want me to name just one, head to Elia Beach. I found it nicely spacious, with an easy way into the sea. For dinner, go on to the Aperanto Galazio bar on Ornos Beach for the full Mediterranean experience. They really know how to cook fish here.

The Mykonos water taxi: beach hopping by boat

Honestly, whoever came up with the water taxi on Mykonos has earned a gin and tonic from me. My one piece of advice: forget about all the beaches above. An all-day water taxi ticket costs €20, and a boat leaves every beach once an hour. Cash only, and no receipt. Once you’ve bought an all-day ticket, the captains pass the word along to each other.

I’d start at Elia Beach, where the sea is beautiful and which you can reach by bus. From there, take the water taxi to Super Paradise Beach and have a drink at the Jackie O bar. Then carry on to Paradise Beach. The Guapa Loca club, where happy hour ran all day (two drinks for the price of one), has closed for good.

The beach parties here start around noon and finish around 9pm. That leaves plenty of time to get the bus back to town, have a shower and go out again. Just watch your drink: I have good reason to suspect that someone slipped ecstasy or something similar into ours.

Mykonos water taxi timetable and departure times

1. Departing Elia: 11:45 • 12:45 • 13:45 • 14:45 • 15:45 • 16:45 • 17:45
2. Agrari to Super Paradise: 11:50 • 12:50 • 13:50 • 14:50 • 15:50 • 16:50 • 17:50
3. Super Paradise to Paradise: 12:00 • 13:00 • 14:00 • 15:00 • 16:00 • 17:00 • 18:00
4. Paradise to Paraga: 12:15 • 13:15 • 14:15 • 15:15 • 16:15 • 17:15 • 18:15
5. Paraga to Platis Gialos: 12:20 • 13:20 • 14:20 • 15:20 • 16:20 • 17:20 • 18:20
6. Platis Gialos to Ornos: 12:30 • 13:30 • 14:30 • 15:30 • 16:30 • 17:30 • 18:30

These are the 2026 season times. Check them with the skipper, as they can change with the season.

Is Mykonos worth visiting?

If I had to sum up what to see on Mykonos, I’d put it like this. At first the prices in bars and restaurants threw me a little, and so did the fact that the explorer in you won’t find much here.

Later, though, I slipped into holiday mode. I ordered a gin and tonic at Argo, practised my Australian accent (don’t ask), put everything back in Slovakia out of my mind and fully tuned in to the Greek vibe. Then I came home to a lovely lockdown. So do stop by Mykonos.