A few relaxing days in Mykonos, Greece
Back in February, I started planning my time abroad for Summer 2026. I always prefer travelling to the warm countries of the South of Europe during shoulder months (May/June or September/October). The temperatures are milder, there are less crowds and the weather is still warm enough to swim in the sea and enjoy exploring landmarks. When I planned my 3 weeks in the Greek Islands, I still had a full time corporate job and I had to discern holidays from time used to work abroad. For my longer stay, with full Wi-Fi and a more comfortable flat, I chose Syros as the home base. Syros doesn’t have an airport though. The easiest way to reach Syros is to fly to Mykonos and take a 45 minutes ferry ride to Syros from Mykonos. Before moving to Syros for 2 weeks, I decided to spend a few days off in Mykonos. Although Mykonos was not my first choice, I am so happy I decided to spend some days on this fancy and lively Greek island.
Although Mykonos is best known for its vibrant nightlife and world-famous beach clubs, I found it to be a surprisingly relaxing destination. Visiting in June probably made a big difference, as the island was much quieter than I had expected.
Most of the daytime crowds came from cruise ship passengers visiting Mykonos Town for a few hours. During my stay, there were usually two or three cruise ships docked each day, which made the town feel much busier while they were in port. Since I stayed in Mykonos Town, I experienced this firsthand, but outside of those peak hours, the island had a much calmer atmosphere.
If you enjoy travel videos, I've also created a full Mykonos travel vlog on YouTube. Simply click the image below to watch it!
In this guide, I'll share the main landmarks to visit in Mykonos Town, along with some great places to eat.
What to see (not to miss!)
Wander through the small and picturesque alleyways of Mykonos Town
Chora is the main town in Mykonos, also called Mykonos Town. It is easily reachable by car or taxi transfer from both Mykonos Airport and Mykonos Port, so if you arrive by ferry or airplane, this is probably the easiest place to stay at in Mykonos island. However, if you are more interested in the beaches and the lively party atmosphere of the South, you might prefer to find accommodation in one of the resorts there. I chose to stay in Mykonos Town, to keep it easy and also to experience the town life in Mykonos. In addition, there are buses operating from Fabrika station in Mykonos Town connecting Chora with the most relevant beaches on the island.
Having said that, I really enjoyed wondering around the cosy, small alleyways of Mykonos Town and I was able to relax and make the most of this cute town during my four days in Mykonos. Below, you can find some of the main landmarks not to miss when in Chora.
Windmills of Mykonos
The iconic Mykonos windmills were originally built by the Venetians in the 16th century to grind wheat. There are only sixteen remaining on the island and some of them have been renovated to maintain their original charm. These whitewashed structures face North to take advantage of the region's strong winds. Mykonos is in fact known for its strong winds and I can confirm that this is indeed a very windy place! The windmills sit on a hill south of Mykonos Town and overlook the picturesque Little Venice.
Mykonos Little Venice
Little Venice was originally built by wealthy sea merchants in the 18th century, who constructed their elegant homes right on the water's edge to get direct access to the sea. The district gets its name from its unique design characterised by the closeness of the buildings to the sea reminding the Italian city of Venice. Today, Little Venice houses art galleries, shops and cocktail bars but also restaurants. It’s a great spot for picturesque and romantic photos, especially during sunset.
Mykonos Town local beach - Paralia Choras Mikonou
Mykonos is home to some incredible beaches, many of which are easily accessible by car, bus, or water taxi from Mykonos Town. However, if you're short on time or simply prefer to stay close to the town centre, Chora has its own small local beach that's well worth a visit.
Paralia Choras Mykonou is a great spot for a refreshing swim or a relaxing afternoon without leaving Mykonos Town. The beach is free to access and offers lovely views of the town and its waterfront. While I can't say what it's like during the peak summer months of July and August, I visited in June and found it pleasantly uncrowded. It was the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploring—or even after getting some work done.
Holy Church of Panagia Paraportiani
Another landmark not to miss is the Holy Church of Panagia Paraportiani. This church is on the way to Little Venice if you keep walking along the seafront from the main town centre. The Holy Church of Panagia Paraportiani is actually a composition of five separate churches built into one single, asymmetrical structure. It is made of four chapels at ground-level, with a fifth chapel (dedicated to the Virgin Mary) on top. It was built gradually between the 15th and 17th centuries. Its name translates to "Our Lady of the Side Gate," referencing its original location next to the entrance of an old medieval castle.
Where to Eat Greek Food in Mykonos
Sakis
Something you should definitely try in Greece is gyros and souvlaki. Gyros is a world-famous Greek street food consisting of seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie (like kebab), sliced thin, and typically wrapped in a warm pita. You can also choose to have your meat and all the usual ingredients (salad, onions, tomatoes, french fries, tzatziki sauce) on a plate. Souvlaki is also a staple Greek street food consisting of small cubes of marinated meat grilled on a skewer. They are also usually served with a mix of sides in tasty Greek sauces and oil.
Sakis is a very affordable option, in a cool area of Mykonos Town and the food is simply incredible!
Name: Sakis
Address: Kalogera 7, Mikonos 846 00
Price: This place is affordable and very good quality. We spend €30 for 1 souvlaki plate and 1 pork gyros plate with a bottle of coke.
Niko’s Taverna
For a real, traditional Greek dinner, head to Niko’s Taverna. Niko’s Taverna is located in a picturesque area of Mykonos Town, not far from Little Venice. It’s a pretty big restaurant with numerous outdoor tables and a typical Greek menu. We had two traditional Greek meals: moussaka and orzo (small pasta) with lamb and tomato sauce. Moussaka is considered the Greek version of Italian lasagne. Instead of pasta sheets, it features layers of spiced ground meat and vegetables like aubergine and potatoes, all topped with thick béchamel sauce. Needless to say, the portions were so generous that we were able to eat leftovers for lunch the day after! I highly recommend this restaurant.
Name: Niko’s Taverna
Address: Porta, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Price: This restaurant offers good quality food, traditional atmosphere at a fair price.
Brunch time! Mykonos Brunch Club
There are a few places where to have brunch in Mykonos Town. Mykonos Brunch Club proved to be a very good choice. The location is very central and picturesque, tucked in a small alleyway with pink and purple bougainvillea framing doors and walls. I got Eggs Royal and iced latte. If you go pretty early in the morning, you might find a calm, less busy atmosphere.
Name: Mykonos Brunch Club
Address: Ag Gerasimos Chora 0, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Price: This place is on the expensive side but aligned with general pricing for brunch in Mykonos.
Soulmates Mykonos and Anamnisis Mykonos Pastry Shop
Soulmates Mykonos and Anamnisis Mykonos Pastry Shop work together offering a complete experience for the hungry and curious traveller. They are a coffee shop, bakery and brunch spot all in one. Soulmates offers a cosy seating area with lovely decor, brunch food and drinks, especially coffee based drinks. Anamnisis Mykonos is a pastry shop and if you buy pastries there, you can eat them sitting at Soulmates.
The thing that I genuinely loved the most was the Greek frappé and iced latte with fluffy, cold foam. The Greek frappé was invented accidentally in 1957 at the Thessaloniki International Fair. The story goes that a Nestlé representative couldn't find hot water to make his usual instant coffee during a break, so he improvised by shaking instant coffee, cold water, and ice cubes in a shaker, with the outcome of creating one of the tastiest Greek things you can have!
I honestly, think you should try Soulmates’ iced drinks.
Name: Soulmates Mykonos and Anamnisis Mykonos
Address: Agiou Vlasiou, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Price: This place offers good quality foods and drinks at the average prices in Mykonos, generally a bit on the high end but the experience and the food are worth what you spend.
Scarpa Bar
Scarpa Bar, named after the road it sits on, is the right place to be, both during the day and by night. During the day, you can enjoy tasty drinks like iced chocolate which I loved! By night, Scarpa becomes a night club with soulful house music and cocktails. One of the best feature of Scarpa Bar is the view over Mykonos Windmills and Little Venice.
Name: Scarpa Bar
Address: Scarpa 1, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Sunset Shisha
Just close to Scarpa Bar, there is Shisha Sunset. It is a local restaurant and we really enjoyed food there. We had spicy pork gyros and Greek pizza. I dare to say that Greek pizza is Greek salad on pita bread… It was absolutely delicious!
Name: Sunset Shisha
Address: Scarpa, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Price: Sunset Shisha offers great food and drinks at a good price for Mykonos standards.
Boat tours to the islands of Delos and Rhenia
One of the most popular boat tours from Mykonos Town is the trip to the pristine islands of Rhenia and historical Delos. Click on this link to find out more and to book your experience!
