A car-free white town, the sacred island of Delos and beaches that go quiet in October. Three days, planned properly.
Mykonos is the Greek island that became a brand. Venetians built its windmills in the 16th century, pirates raided it for hundreds of years, and the Ottomans held it from 1537 until the Greek revolution. Then archaeologists started digging on neighboring Delos in 1873, the jet set arrived in the 1960s, and by the 2000s it was one of the most expensive islands in Greece. Underneath the glamour it's still a small place: about 86 square kilometers and roughly 10,700 residents, most of them in one whitewashed town.
That smallness is why three days works. You can't do Mykonos in one day, because the town alone deserves an evening and a morning, but you also don't need a week unless the beach is the point. In three days you can walk the whole of Chora, spend a morning on Delos, swim at a south-coast beach, and drive the quiet north and east where the island still looks like a Cycladic farm. It's also an island that's honest about what it is: loud, windy and not cheap, with the wind and the crowds both easing by October.
Day one is Mykonos Town, day two is Delos and the south-coast beaches, and day three is the rest of the island by scooter, taxi or car. Start on any day of the week: Delos is open every day except a handful of public holidays, and none of them fall in October. Greece itself is covered in more detail on the Greece page, and if the island is still undecided, our Mykonos vs Rhodes comparison helps.
Every stop from the plan below, colored by day. Pick a day to see its route.
The old port and the lanes of Chora in the morning, the whitewashed church and sea-front houses after lunch, then sunset at the windmills.
The first boat to the sacred island of Delos, its lions and mosaics, then an afternoon swim on the south coast.
The north coast, the island's main monastery and a quiet east-coast beach, ending with dinner in town.
Everything today is within a 15-minute walk, and getting lost is part of the plan: the lanes are said to have been laid out to confuse pirates and the wind. Keep the sea in sight. Cruise ships dock at Tourlos, 2 km north, and the day-trippers they unload thin out by late afternoon, so the town is best before 10am and after 5pm.
Start where Mykonos always began: the harbor. The Old Port is where the Delos boats leave, the fishing caiques tie up, and Petros the pelican patrols the quay. The first Petros was a wounded pelican a local fisherman found at sea in 1958 and nursed back to health. He became the island's mascot until a car killed him in December 1985. The pelicans you meet now are successors, and one carries the name.
Look for the statue of Manto Mavrogenous in the square near the water. She was a wealthy islander who spent her family fortune on the Greek revolution of 1821. Then walk away from the water.
Matoyianni is the main shopping street and the busiest strip on the island, all jewelers, boutiques and cocktail bars. Walk it once early, then turn off it. The back lanes are what Chora is about: whitewashed walls, blue doors, bougainvillea and churches on nearly every corner. There are said to be some 400 on the island, because islanders were once required to build a church on their land before building a house.
At Tria Pigadia, the "three wells", look for the row of three identical wells built in 1722 to supply the town. They are only 5-6 meters deep because they were dug into sand.
Mykonos is not a cheap island, but lunch is where you can win. Skip the harbor-front terraces and pick a souvlaki shop a few lanes back, where locals queue at the counter. A pita with grilled pork, tomato, onion and tzatziki is the cheapest honest meal on the island, and you can eat it on a step in the shade.
If you'd rather sit, avoid places with a host calling people in from the street.
The most photographed church on Mykonos is really five chapels fused into one lumpy, whitewashed sculpture: four on the ground and one on top. Panagia Paraportiani took about 200 years to finish, from the 15th into the 17th century. Its name means "next to the gate": it stood by the entrance of the medieval castle that the Ghisi family, the Venetian lords of the island, built here in 1207. That castle was demolished in the 16th century and built over, which is why the Kastro district is the oldest part of town.
The church is best from the sea side, below the terrace, where the whitewash glows in the late afternoon.
Little Venice is a row of old sea captains' and merchants' houses built right on the rocks, with balconies hanging over the water. The first was built in the mid-18th century. The little doors at sea level, once used to load goods straight from boats, gave rise to the story that the owners were pirates. That's mostly a myth, but a good one. Today most of the houses are bars, cafes and galleries.
It's the most crowded spot on the island at sunset, and the most expensive place to sit. Come in the late afternoon for a drink close to the waves, accept that it will cost far more than anywhere inland, and move on before the crowd peaks.
The Kato Mili, the "lower mills", stand in a row on a ridge above Little Venice, where the north wind is strongest. The Venetians built them in the 16th century to grind flour, and some kept working until the early 20th century. Several are now private homes. From the ridge you look back at Little Venice with the sea behind it, which is why the whole town comes here at sunset.
Sunset is around 6:50pm now, closer to 6:30pm by late October, and around 5:25pm after the clocks go back on 25 October. Arrive 40 minutes early for a spot on the wall.
Finish with fish. The best evening is the grilled catch of the day, a Greek salad and a bottle of white wine. Whole fish is sold by weight, so ask the price per kilo before it goes on the grill.
Small fish tavernas a few lanes from the harbor, like Kounelas, have long been recommended, but check what's open: in October many places close for the winter.
Delos is open every day, but the boat is the catch: boats can be cancelled in strong wind. Take the 9:00 or 10:00 crossing and be back for lunch. The site closes at 6:30pm until 15 October and at 6pm after that, with last entry 20 minutes earlier.
Boats leave from the small port opposite the church of Agios Nikolaos, at the Old Port, and the crossing takes about 30 minutes (the culture ministry says up to an hour). Departures are at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:30, with returns at 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00. Skip the 17:00 boat in October, because the site closes at 6pm. The booth beside the boats sells the ticket (about 20-25 EUR for adults), separate from the 20 EUR site ticket.
Small boats get cancelled in strong wind, and the meltemi, the north wind of the Aegean, is a regular cause in summer. In October it is weaker, but a rough morning can still stop the first boats.
For about a thousand years Delos was a holy island, and in myth it's where Apollo and Artemis were born. It later became a free port and one of the richest trading centers in the Mediterranean, until the Mithridatic Wars of 88 and 69 BC wrecked it. Athens even declared that no one could be born or buried here, to keep the island pure. UNESCO listed it in 1990, and today almost nobody lives on it.
From the harbor, walk the Sacred Way to the temples of Apollo and the Terrace of the Lions, seven marble lions the people of Naxos dedicated around 600 BC. The ones outside are copies, and the originals are in the Archaeological Museum of Delos, which is included in your ticket.
The best part of Delos is the houses of rich merchants in the Theatre Quarter. The House of Dionysus has a mosaic of the god riding a panther, and the House of the Dolphins shows cupids on dolphin-back. The theatre that gives the district its name held around 5,500 spectators, with a view of the Aegean.
Read the signs, because without them the ruins look like piles of stone.
Kynthos is the low hill at the center of the island, crowned with a sanctuary of Zeus. The climb is short but steep on uneven stone steps, and the view runs across the nearby Cyclades.
Skip it if you are short of time or it's hot.
You will be hungry and sunburned when the boat docks. Walk a couple of lanes back from the harbor and have a late lunch: a Greek salad, a pita and, if you can handle it, a cold frappe (iced instant coffee) or a Greek coffee, served in a small cup with the grounds left in the bottom.
The south coast is sheltered from the north wind, which is why it has the sandy beaches. Psarou is the glamorous one, popular with Greeks, and Platys Gialos, 6 km from town, is a long family beach where small boats leave for the other beaches. Paradise Beach, the best-known party beach, and Super Paradise, where the right side is mostly nude and gay, are a short boat ride or walk beyond. Elia, farther east, is one of the larger beaches.
In July the music at Paradise starts around 4pm. In October the clubs start closing, so do not count on a party. For swimming, though, October is ideal: calm days, a sea of about 21°C and half the people. Ornos is the easier option if you want a gently sloping beach near town.
Today needs wheels. A scooter or ATV is the classic Mykonos way, but a small rental car is easier in the wind, and a taxi for the day works if you agree the price. Buses reach Ano Mera, but the timetable is thin in October. Before you book a scooter, ask the rental company which licence it needs: a car licence often isn't enough. The north-coast roads are narrow and gusty.
The Armenistis lighthouse stands on a bare headland on the north-west tip, about 7 km from Chora and 136 meters above the sea. A French lighthouse company built it in 1891, after the steamship Volta was wrecked in the currents off the coast in 1887. It's still a working light. Go in the morning, when the wind is usually lighter.
The point is the walk around it and the view over the open sea. It's quiet and free, and the easiest way to see the other Mykonos.
Agios Sostis is one of the most remote beaches on the island, on the east side of Panormos Bay: no sunbeds, no hotels, no clubs. The road beyond Panormos is rough, and the beach faces north, so it can be windy. That is the price of the quiet.
Bring water and snacks, and check the wind before you go.
Ano Mera is the island's only other village, 7 km from Chora, and it feels like a different place: a square with a few tavernas, and far fewer cruise passengers. Sit in the square and order the local things: kopanisti (a sharp, peppery cheese), louza (cured pork) and a Greek salad.
The tavernas on the main square have been the traditional choice here, such as Vangelis, but check that your pick is open in October.
The monastery of Panagia Tourliani is the island's most important, and its patron. It was founded in 1542 where an older church stood and rebuilt in 1757-1767, and it has a tall marble bell tower. Its icon of the Virgin is believed to be the work of the Evangelist Luke, and on the first Sunday of Lent it is carried to Chora in a procession.
Inside, look for the gilded Baroque iconostasis of 1775. Opening hours vary, so if the doors are shut, the courtyard is still worth a look.
Kalo Livadi is a long, quiet stretch of sand on the east side, 2 km from Ano Mera and about 10 km from town, much calmer than Paradise. Fokos, a small coarse-sand beach north of Ano Mera with a well-liked taverna, is the wilder alternative.
Swim and stay until the light turns gold. Services may close in October, so bring water and a towel, and keep some cash.
Back in town, order the Greek classics you haven't tried yet: moussaka, a slab of baked pastitsio, spanakopita and a plate of grilled vegetables, all with tzatziki and warm bread. Finish with loukoumades, hot dough balls with honey and cinnamon, or a piece of baklava.
Then walk the lanes one more time. Chora is better at night, when the white walls glow under the lights and the day trippers are gone.
Mykonos is a ferry hub for the central Cyclades. Tinos and Syros have daily boats all year, while Naxos and Paros thin out in autumn, so check the timetable first.
The nearest island and a very different one: a Greek pilgrimage site, the Church of Panagia Evangelistria, plus about 80 windmills, some 1,000 decorated dovecotes and around 50 villages. Both Orthodox and Catholic communities live here, and the island is known for its sculptors.
Getting there: About 18 km north-west in a straight line. Daily ferries all year, 15-35 minutes, from about 9 EUR
Syros is the administrative capital of the Cyclades. Its port, Ermoupoli, was more important than Piraeus in the 19th century, and its marble squares, neoclassical mansions and opera house look more like a mainland city than an island village. It's also a useful hub for other ferries.
Getting there: About 34 km west in a straight line. Daily ferries all year, 25 minutes to 1 hour 20, from about 17 EUR
The largest of the Cyclades, with a mountain interior, ancient marble quarries, a big Chora with a Venetian castle and long sandy beaches. It deserves its own trip of two or three days, not a rushed day out from Mykonos.
Getting there: About 39 km south in a straight line. Ferries take 35 minutes to 1.5 hours, from about 30 EUR; fewer sailings from October
Paros is known for the fine white marble that gave us the word Parian, and for the harbor town of Parikia. It lies 8 km west of Naxos, so the two islands combine well as the next stop after Mykonos.
Getting there: About 43 km south-west in a straight line. Ferries take 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, from about 30 EUR; the season runs March to November
Greek classics everywhere, plus a few Mykonian things worth looking for.
Grilled meat skewers, usually pork, served in a pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki, or on a plate with chips. The cheapest honest meal on the island.
Where to try it: Small grill shops in the back lanes of Chora, away from the harbor.
Tomato, cucumber, onion, olives and a slab of feta with olive oil, never lettuce. Tzatziki is the cool yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip that comes with almost everything. Together with bread, they are a full meal.
Where to try it: Any taverna. Order a Greek salad to share between two.
Moussaka is layered eggplant, minced meat and bechamel; pastitsio is baked pasta with meat sauce and bechamel, essentially Greek lasagna. Both are best in autumn and winter, when tavernas cook them as the dish of the day.
Where to try it: A family taverna in Chora or Ano Mera, ideally at lunch when they're freshly baked.
Spanakopita is a crisp filo pie with spinach and feta. Kremmydopita is the Mykonian onion pie, a local specialty.
Where to try it: Bakeries in Chora and Ano Mera, early in the morning.
Amygdalota are soft almond sweets; baklava is filo layered with nuts and soaked in honey syrup; loukoumades are hot fried dough balls with honey and cinnamon.
Where to try it: Pastry shops in Chora, and tavernas that serve a sweet with the bill.
Grilled sea bream, red mullet or whatever came in that morning, sold by weight. It's the most expensive item on any menu.
Where to try it: Fish tavernas a few lanes back from the harbor. Ask the price per kilo first.
Ouzo is the anise spirit that turns milky when water is added, sipped slowly with small plates. Greek coffee, boiled in a small pot, is served with the grounds in the cup. Don't drink the last sip.
Where to try it: Any cafe or taverna. Order ouzo with meze, not on its own.
A sharp, peppery cheese, spicy and creamy, spread on bread or rusks. It's the thing locals tell visitors to try.
Where to try it: Tavernas in Ano Mera and beach tavernas. Start with a small portion.
Cured pork, thinly sliced and lightly spiced, a Mykonian specialty and one of the island's best meze plates.
Where to try it: With ouzo or wine in any traditional taverna.
Pick the area by what you want to walk to, because there are few taxis and the buses stop early.
Best for: First-timers without a car who want to walk everywhere
You can walk to the restaurants, bars and the Delos boats. The catch: it's the most expensive area, rooms are small, and the nightlife is loud until the early morning.
Best for: Couples who want the postcard view
Sea at your feet and sunset on the terrace. The catch: steps, no vehicle access, and noise from the bars below.
Best for: Families and beach people
Gently sloping sandy beaches, restaurants and frequent buses to town. The catch: it's quiet out of season, and the bus stops late in the evening.
Best for: Travelers with a car or scooter who want quiet
Cheaper, calmer and close to Kalo Livadi and Fokos. The catch: you're 7 km from town, so you depend on your own transport.
The practical stuff that makes the first day in Mykonos easier.
Greece uses the euro. Cards work in most places, but carry some cash for beach tavernas, small bakeries and taxis.
Cars aren't allowed in Mykonos Town. There are two bus stations in the town, with no connection between them, so walking from one to the other takes about 20 minutes. Fares run roughly 1-3 EUR, and tickets can be bought at kiosks or from the driver with exact change. Taxis don't use meters, and there are only about 30 of them.
The meltemi blows mostly from mid-May to mid-September, and gives Mykonos the nickname Island of the Winds. In October it's weaker, but the north coast is still exposed, and boats to Delos or between beaches can be cancelled. Always have a plan B.
October is the end of the season. Many beach clubs, shops and restaurants close during the month, and some don't open until May. The island is calmer and cheaper, but check opening times before you cross it for a particular place. On a rainy day, the Archaeological Museum in Chora (year-round, reportedly closed Tuesdays, so check) is the indoor plan.
Most cruise ships dock at the port of Tourlos, 2 km north of town, and passengers flood the lanes from late morning. Do Chora early and late, and head for the beach or Delos in the middle of the day.
Delos has almost no shade, so bring a hat, water and sunscreen. Wear shoes with grip for the stone steps there and in town. For churches and monasteries, cover shoulders and knees.
Greek is the language, written in the Greek alphabet, but English is widely spoken here. Efharisto means thank you and kalimera means good morning. Greece is in the EU roaming zone and uses the usual European two-pin plugs (230 V).
Yes. The island is only about 86 square kilometers, and three days is enough for the town, Delos, a few beaches and the north and east. Stay longer only if you want beach days or plan to use Mykonos as a base for Tinos, Naxos and Paros.
Little Venice, the windmills, Panagia Paraportiani and the lanes of Chora, the ancient island of Delos, a south-coast beach such as Psarou or Platys Gialos, Armenistis lighthouse and the monastery at Ano Mera. This plan covers all of them.
Yes, if you like ancient history. It's a UNESCO site with the Terrace of the Lions, temples and merchants' houses with mosaics. The ticket is 20 EUR and includes the museum, and the boat is extra. Go early, as there is almost no shade.
Yes, with Santorini it's among the most expensive Greek islands. Eat a few lanes inland and visit in September or October to keep costs down.
It's a good time if you want it quieter and cheaper. The sea is still around 21°C and the air around 22°C, with about five rainy days in the month. The catch is that some beach clubs, shops and restaurants close, ferries thin out and buses run less often.
Not for the town or the main south-coast beaches, which have buses. For the north and east, and for freedom in October when buses are fewer, a scooter, ATV or small car helps. Taxis are scarce, with only about 30 on the island.
Yes. Delos is a half-day by boat, and in season ferries run to Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos. In October, check the timetables before you plan, since schedules thin out.
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