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Mykonos
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Mykonos is the cross-roads of the hip universe. Everybody goes there, from Keith Richards laying on his back floating in the sea with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, to your favorite TV or movie star and their entourage, moving from club to club in search of action. Famous politicians, designers, newscasters, basketball players and coaches, kings, queens and commoners all make Mykonos their first choice in holiday destination. |
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Mykonos is easy to get to. There are many flights a day from Athens and more ferries from Pireaus or Rafina, then to any other island. The ferry boat ride is about 5 hours with stops in Tinos and Syros. Avoid any boat stopping in Tinos a few days before the 15th of August if you are going to Mykonos, and after the 15th when you return. This is because thousands of Pilgrims go to the Holy Icon in Tinos for the Panagiri and unless you have a ferry ticket in advance you probably won't get on and if you do you will wish you hadn't as it can be very crowded and uncomfortable. There are also connections to Mykonos from Santorini and the other Cyclades islands so if you find yourself in a position where you have to travel on these days, ask your travel agent for help with another route. There are now highspeed boats from Pireaus and Rafina as well as Lavrion that can get you to Mykonos in about two hours.
The Island of Delos is uninhabited but is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. It was once a thriving port and commercial center. Said to be the birthplace of Apollo, the Delian games were held here and the ruins of the city are quite extensive and well worth a visit, especially in the spring when wildflowers are in bloom. There are numerous taxi boats and tours to the island advertised in the port of Mykonos. See www.greektravel.com/greekislands/delos
If you are coming to Greece on a budget vacation your money will go a lot further on other less popular islands then it will on Mykonos. If you are traveling with your children you may want a more traditional island that is a bit more family oriented like Lesvos, Sifnos or Naxos. (though there are plenty of families that come here and have a wonderful time and you can find budget hotels and food) But if you are young, have money to spare and want to have a wild time, meet new people and possibly have sex with them, you will love Mykonos.
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To call Mykonos a 'gay
island' is like calling San Francisco a 'gay
city'. Sure there are gay bars and
homosexuality is not hidden, but unless you
are looking for it you may not even notice it
because above all, Mykonos is a destination
for all types of people. From jet setters to
college students and families, Mykonos is
Greece's most well known and popular island
and the people you see are from all walks of
life, from every country, and sexual
preference...even priests. My experience with Mykonos
began in the early seventies when I was a wild
high school student and 1000 drachma (around
$30 back then) would last me two weeks
sleeping on Paradise beach or in the caves on
the peninsulas that create the beautiful
sheltered beaches the island is known for. At
the time there was one restaurant, George's
and no rooms. The only way to get to Paradise
was by taking the bus to Platyialos and
walking a couple miles down the coast. There
were rooms to rent in Platyialos but nothing
beyond besides a couple tavernas.
Times have changed and a
thousand drachma now will barely buy you a
souvlaki if you can find one. (Souvlakis you can
find. Drachmas are gone). Mykonos town in
the twenty or more years since I spent my last
teenage summer there, has changed dramatically
with clubs, bars, boutiques, internationally
known restaurants of various ethnic styles and
so many visitors that a summer night in town
is like Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. Mykonos is
not cheap. But if you are on vacation, with
money to burn and willing to pull out all the
stops the nightlife compares favorably to any
major city or party town in the world. The
discos stay open till dawn and there is no
nicer place to nurse a slight hangover then in
an umbrella shaded beach chair a few feet from
the sea where one can slowly build up his
strength to face the next evening's
festivities.
I recommend booking a room
before you come to Mykonos. It is
possible to find rooms on your own when you
arrive in most circumstances though difficult in
July and September and almost impossible in August, particularly during the
August 15 holiday. By booking a
room in advance you will have more choice of
where you are and what kind of place you stay
in. Plus it's a nice feeling to know you have
something waiting for you when you get off the
boat, rather then having to walk around trying
to find something. Like many islands there
will be people at the boat waving pictures of
their rooms and if not there is a tourist
information office (or there was) but this is usually hit or
miss. Again, book your accommodations with a
reliable travel agency like
The town of Mykonos is one
of the best examples of Cycladic architecture
and is a maze of streets and alleys so that
you never know where you will end up. But
along the way you will see things that may
surprise you, from a branch of your favorite
boutique that you assumed only existed in
Manhattan, to expensive french restaurants,
traditional churches, gold shops, tavernas, an
internet cafe and a pelican named Peter who
would be in his mid sixties had he not been
replaced so often. (One incarnation bit me, in
fact he nearly swallowed my entire head. Don't
ask.) It is quite easy to get lost here but chances
are you will find your way out before morning. My favorite shops,
which are incidentally the two most practical are the Fruit
Center, which of course sells fruit and the International Press
Center where you will probably be able to find your favorite
newspaper, magazine or book, no matter where you come from.
Coming from Kea where the only newspapers you can find are in
Greek or Albanian this was like finding paradise.
Check out the Gallery of Yiannis Galati, one of Greece's most famous designer-artists and a lover of the island. Thousands of celebrities have visited his little shop. Across the street at Lalaounis jewelry museum they give away the best maps of the island and in the evenings have a wine tasting.
The best beaches are found
by taking the bus to Platyialos, which is more
of a family beach, with rooms to rent,
restaurants, beach umbrellas, and the small
boats that can take you to the other beaches.
The first beach you will come to is Agia Ana (and
most likely pass without stopping),
which is usually quiet and still relatively
undeveloped. The next stop is Paraga and then Paradise beach
where there is a campsite, music, water sports
and a restaurant or two. The next beach is
Super Paradise which was a gay nudist beach.
The last beach is Elia which was also a nudist
beach and now has a couple luxury hotels. You can
now drive and get buses to all of these beaches. There are other beaches scattered
around the island but these are the most well
known and among the best in Greece. I like Agios
Stefanos (photo) which is where the locals swim. It is small and unpretentous,
close to town and has a couple hotels including the