White-washed buildings, chic cocktail bars and fresh seafood dishes - Mykonos was everything I wanted out of a Greek island. I would go back in a heartbeat! This was our first stop on our isla
nd hopping trip, and we were only there for 2 nights - but it was the perfect little taster.
We travelled there from Athens, which was really easy - you just hop on a ferry from the port of Piraeus (there's usually two a day) and you can choose the faster or the slower one. We opted for the slower one as the ferry was at 7am and we couldn't check in til 2pm anyway (plus it was cheaper) and it took about 4 hours. Depending on when you go, the price can range anywhere from €20-32 - you can fly as well, into Mykonos International Airport, but it's a lot cheaper to fly into Athens and stay there for a couple of nights. Which I'm so glad we did, because I really fell in love with Athens. If you fancy finding out a bit more about our stopover, I wrote a 24-hour travel guide.
Go to a beach club
Yep, I'm about to get super basic all up in here - but you can't go to Mykonos and not go to a beach club. There's so many to choose from: you've got Scorpio's, serving Coachella vibes and epic sunset views, Super Paradise Beach Club for the partygoers, or Kalua Beach Bar on Paraga Beach, which is where we picked. It felt like a place channeling Ibiza; chilled, low-key during the day, and great live music (I am a sucker for a saxophonist!).
Wander aimlessly around the Old Town
Those blue and white-washed laneways draped in bougainvillea aren't going to take photos of themselves! When you walk around the Old Town you literally feel like you've been dropped into an Insta-worthy world, and I fell in love the moment I got there. It's a labyrinth of cute boutique shops, gorgeous family-owned restaurants and chic bars, and I couldn't get enough of the photo opportunities.
Eat at Kastro's
With a quick internet search I found this place, but I didn't bank on just how busy it would be (I didn't reserve a table). Thankfully, the staff were unbelievably welcoming and chatty, and they found us a table surprisingly quickly after seating us at the bar for a bit. It's the sweetest, family-run taverna set up in the grandmother's house, right next to the water, and the atmosphere was just amazing. I'd actually go as far as to say it's the best restaurant I've ever been to (and I eat out A LOT!) - the food was delicious, the staff were attentive, and the diners were all chatty and happy. Turns out there's an Insta-famous alleyway running alongside the restaurant that I had no idea about, so there's that too.
Sunset cocktails
Greek islands and sunsets are a dream combination, and there's a handful of cocktail bars set up perfectly for watching the sunset on Mykonos. We started off in Caprice Bar - you have to get there early because there's only a small amount of seats right on the water and it fills up quickly, but it's definitely one of the best seats in the house. Then we headed to the the more sophisticated Scarpa bar for a few espresso martinis, before heading to Kastro's to eat then we ended the night in Bao's Cocktail Bar.
Little Venice Mykonos
If you look at this part of Mykonos from the water, you can see why it got its name - colourful 18th-century fishing houses directly look out over the water, flanked on one side by the picturesque windmills. Wandering Little Venice is much the same as the rest of the Old Town - quaint and full of beautiful shops and restaurants to spend a lazy summer afternoon.
So there we have it - it's not the most extensive list of things to do in Mykonos, but that's what I got up to. Plus, I'm a firm believer in island visits being sleepy visits - although, you could definitely go the other way in Mykonos. Scandinavian Bar alone offers a fantastically fun Euro trash kind of night! If you're heading to Greece, have a look at my Greece travel page.
Take me back!! Love Mykonos.