Mykonos is a small granite island in the middle of the Cyclades, 86 square kilometres of dry hills and stone walls with 89 km of coastline, and its name comes with a reputation for beach clubs and late nights. That side is real, and the Greece page already covers the afternoon party at Super Paradise. This page is the rest of the island.
Its parts are very different. Chora, the port town on the west coast, is a maze of whitewashed lanes that ends at Little Venice and the Kato Mili windmills. The south coast is a string of sandy bays from Ornos to Elia, linked by buses and small boats, where most of the beach clubs are. The north coast takes the summer meltemi head on, with emptier beaches such as Agios Sostis and Fokos and the windsurf spots. Ano Mera, the only inland village, has the island's main monastery and its farm food.
The classic half-day trip is the boat from Chora's old port to Delos, the sacred island 2 km offshore, which the Greece page covers with its hours and tickets. Do it early in your stay, because small boats stop in strong wind.
Watch the sunset from Little Venice and the Kato Mili windmills
Little Venice and Kato Mili, Chora
1 to 2 hoursFree
Sea captains' and merchants' houses with wooden balconies hanging over the water, and 16th-century windmills beside them, at sunset.
What it is
Little Venice, or Alefkandra, is the row of captains' and merchants' houses on Chora's western edge whose wooden balconies hang straight over the sea; the first went up in the mid-18th century and many are now bars. On the low hill beside it stand the Kato Mili, the ‘lower mills’, built in the 16th century to grind the island's grain.
How to do it
Together they are the town's sunset spot, and the one decision is where to stand: take a seaside table in a Little Venice bar an hour before sunset and pay for the view with a drink, or watch for free from the windmill hill with everyone else. Sunset cruises from the old port show the same façades from the water.
Good to know
When the north wind blows, waves break against the house fronts and the front row gets wet.
Walk Chora's lanes from Paraportiani to the Tria Pigadia museums
Kastro and Tria Pigadia, Chora
2 to 3 hoursNo booking needed
Walk from a church built as five chapels, one on top of four, to three wells dug in 1722 and two museums.
What it is
Start at Panagia Paraportiani, on the harbour side of the Kastro quarter, where the Ghisi family built a castle in 1207. The church is really five: four chapels at ground level, begun in 1425, carry a fifth on top, and the name means ‘Our Lady of the Side Gate’. A few metres away, the Folklore Museum fills a two-storey sea captain's house. Then cross the lanes to Tria Pigadia, three wells dug in 1722, where Lena's House, a furnished 19th-century middle-class home, sits beside the Aegean Maritime Museum, with ship models and the lamp mechanism of the Armenistis lighthouse.
How to do it
Set off at about 18:00 and finish before sunset.
Good to know
All three open from April to October, mostly in the evening (the Maritime Museum 10:30 to 13:00 and 18:30 to 21:00); the Folklore Museum and Lena's House close on Sundays.
See the Trojan Horse pithos at the Archaeological Museum
Archaeological Museum, Chora
1 hourNo booking needed
A 7th-century BC jar whose reliefs show the Trojan Horse, in a museum that exists because the Athenians purified Delos.
What it is
The Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, begun in 1899 above the old port, is one of the oldest in Greece, and it exists because of Delos. In the winter of 426/425 BC the Athenians purified the sacred island and moved the bones and offerings from its graves to a pit on Rhenia; the museum holds thousands of finds from that Purification Pit and the Rhenia necropolis. Its best-known piece is the Pithos of Mykonos, a 7th-century BC jar from a Tinos workshop whose reliefs show the Trojan Horse with the Achaean warriors and the fall of Troy.
How to do it
Go before your Delos boat, or on a day when wind cancels it.
Good to know
Summer hours, 1 April to 31 October, are 09:00 to 16:00, closed Tuesdays, last entry 20 minutes before closing; tickets are €5, €3 reduced. Winter hours were not yet published on 25 October 2026.
Visit Panagia Tourliani and eat on Ano Mera's square
Ano Mera
Half a day with lunchFree
The only inland village on Mykonos, with a 1542 monastery and a car-free square of tavernas grilling Mykonian meat with spicy kopanisti.
What it is
Ano Mera is the only inland village on Mykonos, about 7 km east of Chora, and the place the island keeps for itself. Its heart is the monastery of Panagia Tourliani, founded in 1542 by two monks who had fled pirates on Paros. Its icon, said to have been found in the sea off Tourlos, is still carried on foot to Chora on the Saturday of the first week of Lent and back on Lazarus Saturday, and the monastery's feast is on 23 August. In front of it, the square, closed to traffic since 2001, is lined with tavernas known for spit-roasted and grilled Mykonian meat with spicy kopanisti, made in a workshop in the village.
How to do it
KTEL buses leave from Chora's old port station; check the last one back on mykonosbus.com before lunch.
Drive out to the Armenistis lighthouse on the north-west cape
Cape Armenistis (Fanari)
1 to 2 hours with the driveFree
Watch the sun set over open sea from the north-west cape, below a lighthouse still working since 1891.
What it is
The Armenistis lighthouse stands at Fanari, on the north-west tip of Mykonos, 6.5 km from Chora, looking across the strait to Tinos. The French Lighthouse Company built it in 1891, four years after the steamship Volta was wrecked in the currents off Tsoukali with heavy loss of life, and its light carried 20 nautical miles. It still works as part of the Hellenic Navy's lighthouse network, so this is a trip for the cape and the view rather than the tower; the original lens is in the Aegean Maritime Museum in Chora.
How to do it
No bus goes there, so drive, ride a scooter or take a taxi north past Agios Stefanos.
Good to know
In must30's view Fanari is the quieter alternative to Little Venice at sunset, since the cape faces west over open sea. Bring a layer when the meltemi blows.
Swim on the undeveloped north coast at Agios Sostis or Fokos
Agios Sostis, Fokos and Myrsini
Half a dayFree
Swim on almost untouched north and east coast beaches with no sunbeds or umbrellas, and a taverna that closes before dusk.
What it is
The beaches the Ephorate of Antiquities still calls almost untouched are in the north and east: Fokos, Myrsini, Merchia and Lia. Agios Sostis, on the east side of Panormos Bay, has no sunbeds, no umbrellas and almost no buildings, only a small taverna on the path down that grills outdoors and closes before dusk because it has no electricity. Fokos, signposted from Ano Mera, is a small coarse-sand beach with no facilities and one well-liked taverna; Myrsini lies next to it.
How to do it
Fokos needs your own transport; KTEL buses reach Panormos. Bring water and shade.
Good to know
The decision is the wind: this coast faces the meltemi, and Ftelia, the bay between them, gets too windy and dusty for a beach day when it blows. On a strong north-wind day, swim on the south coast and keep the north for a calm one.
Hop between south coast beaches on the Platys Gialos boats
Platys Gialos and Ornos
A full beach dayNo booking needed
Hop between south coast beaches by caique on one all-day pass, out to Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia at the far end.
What it is
Mykonos Sea Transfer, running since 1968, sails hop-on hop-off caiques along the south coast every morning from Ornos (first boat 10:00) and from Platys Gialos, its main station, to Paraga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia.
How to do it
There is nothing to book: a €20 all-day pass, sold at the pier, covers every trip in that day's schedule. The decision is how far to ride: Paraga and Paradise also have buses from Fabrika, so the pass pays off for Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia at the far end.
Good to know
On the current timetable the last boats leave Elia at 17:45 and reach Platys Gialos at 18:30; the service runs from late spring to early autumn and stops in strong wind. On calm days the same company runs private caique trips to the Dragonisi sea caves and to Fragkia, a beach reached only by sea.
Swim from a boat off the sandy coves of an empty island whose southern half was once the cemetery of Delos.
What it is
Rhenia is 14 km² of bare hills just west of Delos. It had a handful of residents until the 1980s and is empty now, with no road, shop or ferry. In antiquity its southern half was the cemetery of Delos, once Athens had banned births and deaths on the sacred island, and those graves fill the Archaeological Museum in Chora. Today people come for its sandy coves, reached only by excursion boat or charter.
How to do it
Day cruises leave Chora's old port from mid-April to the end of October, weather permitting, reach Rhenia in about 45 minutes and anchor off a beach for swimming, usually with lunch on board. Many continue to Delos, where the site ticket is normally extra, as is snorkelling gear.
Good to know
Before you book, check how long the boat stays at Rhenia, and pick a day with light wind.
Learn to windsurf in Kalafatis Bay, or ride the Ftelia waves
Kalafatis
Half a dayBook ahead
Learn to windsurf where the meltemi blows most reliably on Mykonos, in a sheltered school area of a wide east coast bay.
What it is
Kalafatis, a wide bay on the east coast, is where the meltemi blows most reliably on Mykonos, and the Windsurfing Mykonos centre has worked on its beach for some 30 years. From May to October the wind reaches force 7 and often strengthens locally, so small sails are the norm.
How to do it
Beginners learn in a school area sheltered from the strongest gusts, best in the morning before the wind builds; experienced riders take the open bay or the small waves off the fishermen's village. Packages must be booked at least 10 days ahead, and the centre also rents by the hour. KTEL buses to Kalafatis leave from Chora's old port.
Good to know
On big north-wind days the centre rents kit for Ftelia, the north coast wave spot. Kitesurfers go instead to Korfos, the north-facing bay just south of the airport, which has a kite centre.
Taste kopanisti and louza, and visit a farm near Ano Mera
Ano Mera
3 hoursBook ahead
Sharp fermented kopanisti on a damp rusk with ouzo, air-dried louza to take home, and an evening on a working organic farm.
What it is
Two products define the Mykonian table. Kopanisti is a sharp, fermented cheese with PDO status for the Cyclades, matured for at least 45 days, and it is not eaten alone: order it on a ‘mostra’, a slightly damp rusk with tomato, olive oil and oregano, with an ouzo. Louza is the island's air-dried pork: lean loin, salted, seasoned with savory, oregano, allspice and pepper and hung for at least 20 days, sold whole or in vacuum-packed slices to take home.
How to do it
To see where the food comes from, book the evening farm visit near Ano Mera: pick-up at 17:00, a stop in the village square, a walk round a working organic farm with its keeper, bread, olives and kopanisti with raki on a stone bench, optional chores with the animals, and back by 20:00.
An open-air club on a cliff since 1993, with the Aegean below the dance floor and headline DJs starting around 01:45.
What it is
Cavo Paradiso has stood on a cliff above Paradise Beach since 1993, an open-air club with the Aegean below the dance floor and international electronic line-ups all summer. It is a night venue, not an afternoon beach party: doors open at 23:00, the music runs until about 07:00 and headline DJs usually start around 01:45, so there is no point arriving early.
How to do it
Buy tickets ahead at the club's official ticket points in Chora. Getting home is the real planning. KTEL buses from Fabrika serve Paradise Beach, with some lines running until 04:00 in peak season; the club also books private transfers, arranged at its reception at least an hour before you leave, and has free valet parking.
Good to know
Entry is strictly 18+ with ID, and the dress code asks for an evening look: no swimwear or flip-flops.
Sunbeds and clear water by day, a beach-club DJ party into the night: Super Paradise is Mykonos at full volume.
What it is
Super Paradise, a sandy bay on the south coast of Mykonos, changes character during the day: sunbeds and clear water until late afternoon, then the beach club's DJ party, which in the summer season starts in the afternoon and carries on past midnight. Parts of the beach are popular with gay visitors, though it is not exclusively gay.
How to do it
The club takes sunbed and table reservations by email at [email protected], worth sending for July and August weekends.
Good to know
The real planning is the ride home. The bay sits at the bottom of a steep, narrow road; boats from Platys Gialos and Ornos come in by day but stop in the early evening and are cancelled in strong wind, and taxis are scarce at night. Pre-book a transfer.
Mykonos airport (JMK) is about 4 km from Chora and the flight from Athens takes around 45 minutes; KTEL buses link it with the Fabrika bus station. Ferries sail from Piraeus and from Rafina, which is closer to Athens airport. Most use the new port at Tourlos, about 2 km north of town, but some fast catamarans use the old port, so check your ticket. A SeaBus runs between the two ports every half hour for €2. Most cruise ships dock at Tourlos, and every passenger who goes ashore owes the Greek cruise fee: €20 from June to September, €12 in April, May and October, €4 from November to March.
Getting around
Cars are not allowed into Chora and parking on its edge is hard in summer. KTEL buses leave from two stations about 20 minutes' walk apart: Fabrika, on the south side of town, for Ornos, Agios Ioannis, Platys Gialos, Paraga, Paradise and the airport, and the old port for Ano Mera, Elia, Kalafatis, Kalo Livadi, Panormos, Agios Stefanos and the new port. In peak season some lines run until 04:00. Buy tickets at kiosks, machines or online before you board; there are no return tickets. Sea taxis link the south coast beaches, and taxis wait by the OTE building and at Fabrika but are scarce at night. For Fokos or the lighthouse, rent a car or scooter for a day.
How many days
In must30's view, three: one for Chora and the Delos boat, one on the south coast by bus and sea taxi, and one with a car for Ano Mera, the north coast beaches and the Armenistis lighthouse. Add a day for Rhenia or a windsurf course. Put Delos and any boat trip early in your stay, so a windy day does not cost you them.
When to go
The season runs from April to October: the folk and maritime museums open from April to October and the sea taxis from late spring to early autumn. In must30's view, June and September are the best months, warm enough to swim without the August crowds. The meltemi, the dry north wind of July and August, is good news for windsurfers and bad news for small boats. In winter only the Archaeological Museum stays open among the museums, and KTEL runs a reduced timetable (its winter schedule started on 19 October 2026).
Where to base yourself
Chora puts you on foot from both bus stations, the Delos boats and the evening museums, but its lanes are loud on summer nights. Ornos and Platys Gialos on the south coast have the beaches, frequent buses to Fabrika and the sea taxis at the door. Kalafatis, Kalo Livadi and the area around Ano Mera are quieter and suit windsurfers and families, but you will want a car.
Questions travellers ask
Do I need a car in Mykonos?
Not for Chora and the south coast: KTEL buses from Fabrika serve Ornos, Platys Gialos, Paraga and Paradise, and the sea taxis link the beaches between Ornos and Elia. Ano Mera, Elia and Kalafatis have buses from the old port station. A car or scooter for a day is the easy way to reach Fokos, Agios Sostis and the Armenistis lighthouse.
How many days do you need in Mykonos?
Three in must30's view: Chora and Delos, a south coast beach day by sea taxi, and a day with a car for Ano Mera and the north coast. Cruise visitors with a single day should choose between Chora with the Archaeological Museum and the boat to Delos, rather than trying to fit in a beach as well.
Is Mykonos worth visiting in October?
For Chora, the museums and quieter beaches, yes. The Ephorate's summer hours, with the Archaeological Museum open 09:00 to 16:00 except Tuesdays, run until 31 October, and the cruise fee drops to €12. The sea taxis stop in early autumn, KTEL moved to its winter timetable on 19 October 2026 and Delos keeps shorter autumn hours, so check before you go.
How do I get from the new port to Mykonos Town?
Take the SeaBus, which runs every half hour between the new port at Tourlos and the old port in Chora for €2 and takes luggage. KTEL buses also link the two ports, and cruise passengers usually get a shuttle bus into town. Walking takes about 45 minutes along a busy road without a pavement.
How much is the Mykonos cruise passenger fee?
Article 27 of Greek law 5162/2024 charges every cruise passenger who disembarks on Mykonos €20 from 1 June to 30 September, €12 in April, May and October and €4 from November to March. Other Greek ports charge €5, €3 and €1. It applies per passenger and per port, and the ship's agent declares and pays it, not you at the quay.
Are the beaches on Mykonos free?
Yes. Greek beaches are public, and only the sunbeds and umbrellas of licensed concessions cost money. The government's MyCoast app shows each concession's location, duration and use, and lets you report a business that blocks access or takes more beach than it is allowed. North coast beaches such as Agios Sostis and Fokos have no sunbeds at all.
