Picturesque coastal town with white buildings and blue roofs along a turquoise bay, featuring boats, hillside windmills, and scenic Mediterranean views.

Chora and Little Venice

Chora, or main island town on Mykonos, is without question the most glamorous of any town in the Greek islands. The white two-storey, cube-shaped houses and buildings of Chora are the very embodiment of that classic Cycladic island “look”. One short stroll along the little streets lined with posh shops and upscale bars, and you won’t be mistaking Mykonos town for anyplace else in the world. Bustling byways like cobblestone Matoyianni Street radiate Cycladic sophistication; you don’t even have to buy anything to feel the island's unique energy, made more intense by the convergence of visitors from all around the world who come here to enjoy the visual pageantry.

You can start at the Old Harbor promenade, lined with the old mansions that once belonged to wealthy merchants and sea captains. In the Alefkandra neighborhood, also called Little Venice, there is a colorful row of tall 18th-century houses with corbelled wooden loggias built right over the sea. Agia Kyriaki square with its little white church is a nice spot for a coffee break. One of the most photographed churches in the world is the dreamlike Panagia Paraportiani, a complex of five churches from the 1600s by the town’s old medieval walls that gets its name from the paraporti, or small gate in the medieval castle. Perfect in its imperfection, the most beautiful part is the flowing, all-white pyramid-style chapel.

Museum exhibit showcasing ancient pottery, tools, and historical artifacts in display cases and wall-mounted frames.

Fascinating museums

As early as the fourth century BC, Mykonos belonged to the First Athenian Confederacy, which was headquartered on the sacred isle of Delos. The small but excellent archaeological museum has numerous displays of pre-Classical and Classical Greek pottery, Hellenistic sculptures, and bronze vases, grave stelae, and ancient jewelry. While many of the relics come from the neighboring island of Rhenia, the relief vase with a depiction of the Trojan Horse was discovered on Mykonos itself.

A visit to the charming Folklore Museum will remind you that there’s more to Mykonos than designer brands! Mykonos also has a proud maritime heritage and its fighting sailors even repelled a Turkish invasion in 1822. The small but wonderful Aegean Maritime Museum is located in a 19th-century Mykonian building in the heart of Chora. Mykonos is an artsy place, too, making the Mykonos Municipal Gallery worth a stop for its thoughtfully curated temporary exhibitions.

Beach scene with a person in a sun hat walking under a thatched pergola, featuring lounge chairs and clear blue ocean waters.

Beautiful beaches

Trendier beaches tend to be found on the south coast of Mykonos and less crowded beaches on the north side, where it tends to be windier. You can take a kitesurfing lesson at Ornos Bay, close to Chora, while just east of Paraga and Paradise beaches. Super Paradise is one of the most famous gay beaches in the world.

Elia beach is another good bet for seaside indulgence, and to the east of this is the sandy curve of Kalo Livadi. Beyond that, you’ll find the village of Kalafati and the beautiful beach of Agia Anna, which is ideal for windsurfing or simply sunbathing and swimming. In the north, Panormos is great for windsurfing, whereas Ftelia and Agios Sostis are perfect for swimming and relaxing. The rocky cove of Fokos has an off-radar but high-end beachside taverna, popular with locals.

Ancient coastal ruins with stone columns overlooking a serene bay, featuring a white yacht and distant hills under a clear blue sky.

Delos

The ancient sanctuary island of Delos, roughly three kilometers southwest of Mykonos, is the mythical birthplace of the Greek god Apollo and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sometimes called the Pompeii of Greece, Delos was one of the most important commercial ports in the Eastern Mediterranean during its heyday.

The island is now home to a local museum and vast archaeological site, where you’ll see the famous Dionysian stone phallus, Terrace of the Lions, and other amazing ruins. Everyone has to leave after sunset, but the sun here is usually very bright during the day, so don’t forget to bring a hat and drink plenty of water.