Our Trip to Mykonos
We recently returned home from our time in Greece, and I can easily say that it was the best trip of my life. We really squeezed a lot into two weeks, so I’ve decided to split it into two posts, starting with our trip to Mykonos!
This was our second year to visit Greece since we moved to the states in 2012. Our previous trip was for the sole purpose of reuniting my husband with his friends, family, the food he grew up on, and the sea that will always call loudly to him. (ok, it was to reunite me with those things as well).
But this year we had an especially joyful reason to return. One of our best friends from Greece was getting married in Mykonos!
Choosing which island to visit is always a tough decision, so it was nice to already have a game-plan created for us—and every minute of the 3-day wedding celebration was total perfection, so that was a plus as well π
If you know the name of just one Greek island, it is probably Mykonos. It’s one of the most famous and really popular for tourists. Mykonos is famous for its whitewashed buildings, windmills, and never-ending parties. This is my second time visiting Mykonos, and while we had an amazing experience, it’s honestly not my favorite Greek island.
(Right now my favorite island is Skiathos, but seeing as there are over 9000 Greek islands, that number 1 slot is certainly subject to change!)
The best part of Mykonos (in my opinion) is the town. It’s like you’re walking around in a postcard the whole time you’re there. The stone streets, whitewashed buildings, blue shutters, lazy cats—so, so picturesque and classic “Greek Island.”
The town is what made Mykonos so famous with tourists. That’s my guess at least. But there are a few downsides to extreme popularity:
- Lots, and lots of people want to see Mykonos. That’s cool, and we were lucky to go at the end of the travel season so crowds were lighter. But the island and its narrow streets can become very congested during peak travel times (i.e. June-August).
- The most in-demand locations are always more expensive. And Mykonos is no exception. Everything from hotels, to food, to beach beds will cost you more than many other islands. (and unjustifiably so, in my view).
We ate some incredible food in Mykonos, but as I mentioned it comes with higher prices than you might find on other islands or mainland Greece. Also, Mykonos is a very, very dry island, meaning they don’t grow much of anything there. Produce is shipped in, and can as a result be less amazing than other food you can find in Greece.
I’m pointing that out because one of the first things that I fell in love with when I landed in Athens 6 years ago was the produce. Fruits and vegetables in Greece are INCREDIBLE. I mean, I never knew I could feel so enthusiastic towards a cucumber until I tried a Greek one. And the tomatoes? Oranges? Forget about it.
Food in general is quite affordable in Greece, so even the hiked up prices were manageable—but it’s worth mentioning that a souvlaki that costs around 2 1/2 euros in Athens was 5 euros in Mykonos.
I was really, really happy with our hotel in Mykonos–it was super clean, cute, and convenient. It was called Casa Bianca and if you do wind up in Mykonos I’d definitely recommend it for lodging! The family that runs it is very friendly, we had a nice breakfast each morning, and we could walk to the beach in 5 minutes.
We took this shot on the way to another beach—one that we couldn’t walk to. I’m always more of a fan of the adventurous beaches that take some effort getting to, because once you do get there what you find is usually incredible. (K happens to not feel the same, but he accepts the adventure in the name of love.)
Ok, and at the risk of sounding unsatisfiable (especially as I show you these photos), the beaches of Mykonos are not the best in Greece.
Don’t get me wrong, ALL of the water in Greece is awesome, BUT Mykonos is not known for its beaches. I have been to beaches on other islands that have literally brought me to tears. (and we visited a beach on the second leg of our trip that did just that!)
So what I’m saying is that if you want to have your breath taken away, your heart skipping beats, your eyes bulging out at the view of a beach, I wouldn’t point you to Mykonos.
Even though it was nothing to complain about, clearly….
If you are into great nightlife, higher-end shopping, and celebrity spotting, Mykonos is for you.
The thing that I really love most about the Greek islands is that they all have their own unique personality. If you’ve seen one, you’ve in no way seen them all.
It sort of reminds me of people, and how we’re all different with unique things to offer the world. There are many people who would tell you Mykonos is their favorite Greek island, hands down. What is has to offer spoke to them and made their heart smile.
So even though Mykonos isn’t my favorite Greek island, my heart did do a lot of smiling while we were there. And there were many moments that a camera can’t capture that will stay with me forever.
If you ever want recommendations for my favorite places in Greece, please don’t hesitate to ask!
3 responses to “Our Trip to Mykonos”
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Just wait til you visit Skopelos, I call it now that it will take spot No.1! Love this post & your honesty about what you experienced. Hopefully we will get to introduce you to our favorite island one day! <3
Yes I can’t wait to see Skopekos, I’m sure I will love it!!! Especially with a ‘local’ to show us around ππ
It is very pleasant for travelers to have their feet and the sea but also the restaurants so that they do not have to rent a motorcycle in Mykonos to make their holidays !! I think it’s good at renting a car in Mykonos, because the island is enough to make a tour not only to have the sea near, try renting a boat in Mykonos and boating in the beautiful beaches of Mykonos!