Mykonos
Mykonos Chora — Little Venice, the Windmills & the Labyrinth of the Old Town
Mykonos (the island of 10,000 permanent residents in the central Cyclades, the most internationally recognizable Greek island after Santorini, the combination of the iconic white-cubist architecture of Chora with the internationally oriented party culture and luxury beach club scene making it the most expensive destination in Greece) is built around Chora — the old town — whose labyrinthine street plan was deliberately designed to confuse pirates.
Mykonos Food — Kopanisti, Loukoumades & the Local Taverna Tradition
The Mykonos food tradition (historically one of the most distinctive in the Cyclades, the island's cheese, bread, and honey products developing their specific character from the island's endemic animal breeds and the thyme-oregano-covered hillsides) survives alongside the international restaurant scene at the traditional tavernas of Chora and the food shops of the old market.
Mykonos Beaches — Paradise, Super Paradise, Elia & the Beach Club Circuit
The beaches of Mykonos (25 beaches distributed around the island's 35km coastline, ranging from the party beaches of the south coast to the wind-exposed but uncrowded north coast, the south coast beaches consistently protected from the meltemi north wind that makes the north coast uncomfortable in July-August) are organized around a transportation network of water taxis and regular buses connecting Chora to the main beach destinations.
Mykonos Nightlife — Cavo Paradiso, Scorpios, the Chora Bar Circuit & Gay Mykonos
Mykonos nightlife (the reason the island attracts approximately 30 percent of its summer visitors specifically for the club and bar scene, the nightlife infrastructure the most developed in the Greek islands and comparable to Ibiza in scale and DJ programme quality) follows a consistent evening circuit from 8pm to 7am.
Delos — the Sacred Island of Apollo, UNESCO World Heritage & the Aegean's Greatest Ancient Site
Delos (the tiny island 5km west of Mykonos, 3.4km squared in area, uninhabited since the 1st century BCE, the most sacred site in the Aegean — the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, the twin children of Zeus and Leto — one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990) is the essential half-day excursion from Mykonos.
Mykonos Practical Guide — When to Visit, Transport, Accommodation & Photography
Mykonos receives approximately 1.5 million visitors per year on an island of 85km squared. The combination of the 3-5 daily cruise ship calls (each discharging 2,000-6,000 passengers for 6-8 hours), the airport receiving direct flights from 40 European cities in summer, and the ferry connections from Athens and the other Cycladic islands creates a logistics challenge that is entirely manageable with the correct preparation.