Mykonos – Overhyped Destination or Not to be Missed?

After a surprisingly wonderful couple of days in Athens, it was time for Kelli and I to set sail (or ferry) for Mykonos. Mykonos would be the first of 3 Cyclades island destinations. When we created our itinerary, we were skeptical about dedicating time to Mykonos because it gets such mixed reviews. Many travel bloggers say to skip it, it’s crowded, touristy and overhyped. Others list is as one of their favorites for it’s beauty, activities and nightlife (after all, it is the most visited of the islands). Well we weren’t looking for nightlife but we could not skip it either…so one night it was!

How to Get From Athens to Mykonos

The most common way to get to Mykonos is the ferry, although flights are readily available. We opted for a ferry, mainly for ease, but also for the Aegean views and to see other islands along the way. This would be our first ferry experience in Greece. We had a very early (still dark) departure from Piraeus Port in Athens on WorldChampion Jet. We had no way of knowing at this point, but this would be the easiest, most efficient embarkation of the trip.

If you want to know all things ferry, go read this fantastically informative blog by our friend Steven, The Thorough Tripper: Riding the Blue Star Ferry to a Greek Island. Spoiler alert…we will find out after trying 4 different ferry lines, that Blue Star was indeed, the best.

Where to Stay in Mykonos

Mykonos is the most visited of the Cycladic Islands and it really is quite a large island (relatively speaking, of course). When looking at hotels, it is a bit overwhelming. I’m going to narrow it down to 2 locations you’ll be choosing from – Chora (or Mykonos Town) or any of the beach towns along the southern/southwest coast. Of course there are some 5*, insanely gorgeous hotels nearer Tourlos/Agios Stefanos (close to the port) and in Elia, on the South/East coast.

Since we were only spending one night, we chose Chora. We wanted a hotel in town with a fairly quick and easy walk to the sights. Additionally, we had a sunset cruise out of Ornos, one of the picturesque southern coastal villages so we were able to see that as well.

We chose Vencia Boutique Hotel and it was perfect. The service was impeccable, the room was amazing and the views were incredible.

Exploring Mykonos Town (Chora)

Our ferry arrived in Toulos (the new port) fairly early and we had a driver (arranged by the hotel) waiting for us. Tip: most hotels will arrange transportation upon request and for a small fee. We did this every stay and it took so much stress away – ferry terminals are chaotic (at best) so having pre-arranged shuttles just made it easier.

We dropped out bags – and our jaws when we saw our room and the spectacular views! It was tempting to stick around for the hotel pool but we only had the day and the entirety of Chora to explora, haha.

The walkway from the hotel was downhill and well-marked. But whew, it was already hot!

Keep in mind that we had only seen Athens until this point. So the charming alleys with their cobblestone streets, overhanging bougainvillea and colorful shutters were captivating. In the back of my mind, I wondered if all of the beautiful Instagram photos were exaggerated or if they would be ruined by crowds? Needless to say, I was not disappointed. I fell immediately in love with this little town.

Mykonos Windmills

We made our way to one of the most iconic spots in Mykonos, the Mykonos Windmills. These flour mills are the most notable landmark in town – visible from most every point. They are very cool architecturally (and it turns out they have a version of them on most of the Cyclades). There are windmills available to stay in and I really, really wanted to do this but none were available during our stay.

After some requests…this is the hotel I was interested in but there are some Airbnb opportunities as well. Absolute Mykonos Traditional Windmill

Little Venice

I already mentioned it was hot! And it was September…I can’t imagine how August was! We stepped into a little seaside bar to have a drink and get out of the heat. It turned out to be a wonderful break. The views of Little Venice and the Windmills were wonderful. We chatted with people around us and then there was a visit from a local celebrity! Petros the Pelican. So much fun!

Back to the Hotel

After a delicious lunch, unfortunately, we were running short on time. We didn’t have time to get to the one other “must see” on my list. The Panagia Paraportiani – the whitewashed complex of 5 churches, built between the 15th and 17th centuries.

We had reservations for a sunset cruise and we were excited for our first Mykonos sunset.

Sunset Cruise

Now, I have done many, many sunset cruises and this was a unique experience. After a bit of confusion about which port we were leaving from, we arrived at Ornos beach to meet our tour group. I would say there were 25 people or so, and the boat was not yet there. We waited a bit before an old fishing boat pulled up and they ushered us onboard. Were they shuttling us to a bigger boat? What was happening?

As people started getting on board, it was very clear that there were not seats for everyone. So…you sit on the “roof” of the below deck quarters. Really!! Not sure how the captain was going to see around the 10-ish of us on the roof in front of him but we were there to trust the process. People were silent. I’m not sure anyone thought this was what they signed up for.

Not long after we got going, the tour guide started popping corks and pouring champagne. Then people loosened up. Chatting (Kelli made a new friend who spilled his life story), singing along to the music, moods were definitely improved.

We cruised out of the bay at Ornos and around the coastline. It was spectacular. The sun was setting, the island was beautiful, the water was relaxing and everyone was so happy (could have been the champagne at this point)!

Late Dinner in Ornos

After the cruise, we had some time before our driver came back for us and we needed to eat! This part of Mykonos was very beach club and resort-y. These hotels would be amazing if you were looking for some relaxation and beach time. And I’m sure these places are super fun at night, in season. It was pretty deserted on this night. We found a sushi place, Kuzina. It was delicious and just the right bite after a beautiful evening on the water.

Goodbye to Mykonos and Vencia

We arrived back at our hotel and decided to grab some drinks and soak in the view before we left in the morning. I cannot say enough good things about the Vencia hotel, and I can wholeheartedly say I loved Mykonos. I know there was a lot we did not experience and I think another night would have been the perfect amount of time.

The next morning we would be heading back to the ferry, onward to Paros. It was a horrible experience, so I’m going to leave this here and finish that story in the next post!

More Adventures in Greece

• Athens
• Paros