Mykonos

The best months are May, June, September and early October, when the sea is warm enough to swim, the island is open, and prices and crowds are lower. July and August are the peak, with the highest prices, full beaches and the strongest meltemi, the dry north wind that can blow hard for days, keeping the north coast rough and sometimes cancelling boats. Many hotels, restaurants and beach clubs close from late October to April; winter is quiet, with some services in Chora and Ano Mera.

Mykonos Airport, just outside Chora, has flights from Athens of around forty-five minutes, plus seasonal international flights. Ferries and fast boats from Piraeus and Rafina, and from other Cyclades such as Tinos, Naxos and Santorini, use the New Port at Tourlos, about two kilometres north of town; a sea bus and local buses link it with Chora. Public buses run from Chora to the main beaches and Ano Mera, and small boats from Platis Gialos and Chora serve the southern beaches in summer. Taxis are few and can be hard to find at peak times, so book transfers ahead. Car and scooter hire are widely available, but roads are narrow and winding; take care with quad bikes, which are involved in many accidents.

• Check cruise schedules: on days with several ships, Chora's lanes are packed from mid-morning until late afternoon.
• Pick your beach by the wind: when the meltemi blows, the southern beaches are sheltered and the north coast is rough.
• Prices in high season can be very high, especially for sunbeds and drinks at beach clubs; ask before you sit down.
• Wear comfortable shoes; the lanes are paved with uneven stones.
• Water is scarce on the island; drink bottled or filtered water and use it sparingly.
• Petros the pelican, the island's mascot, can often be seen around the harbour; admire him from a distance.

Mykonos has its own specialities: kopanisti, a soft, peppery fermented cheese; louza, cured pork with spices; and amygdalota, almond sweets. Fresh fish and seafood are good at tavernas in Ano Mera and on quieter beaches, and the island's bakeries sell cheese and onion pies. Chora has everything from simple gyros to fine dining, but prices in Little Venice and at beach clubs are among the highest in Greece.

Chora is the most convenient base, with small hotels and rooms within walking distance of the sights, restaurants and buses, though it can be noisy at night. Ornos, Platis Gialos and Psarou on the south coast have beach hotels for families and couples, and the hillsides above town have boutique and luxury hotels with sea views. Book months ahead for July and August.

Delos lies about two kilometres off Mykonos, and in antiquity it mattered far more than its larger neighbour. Its sanctuary of Apollo drew pilgrims from across Greece, and after it became a free port in 167 BC, it grew into one of the great trading centres of the eastern Mediterranean, with merchants from Italy, Egypt and Syria. By law, no one could be born or die on the sacred island, which is why the Athenians moved its graves to Rheneia. Today, nobody may stay overnight.

Boats leave Chora's old harbour every morning in season, taking about half an hour; check return times, as the last boat leaves well before the site closes. The 2026 official listing gives summer hours of 08:00 to 19:30 with no weekly closing day, and a full ticket of €20, separate from the boat fare. Hours are shorter from late October, and boats don't sail in strong winds, so check the day before. The Terrace of the Lions you see outside are copies; the marble originals are in the site museum. There is very little shade, and summer heat on Delos is intense.

The meltemi blows from the north from about June to September, often strongest in July and August. It keeps the island from becoming unbearably hot, but it can make ferries late or cancel small boats, kick up sand on the northern beaches and send waves over Little Venice. It also shaped Mykonos: the windmills, the sheltered harbour town and the low, whitewashed houses built against it. Build a spare day into your plans if you have a ferry or flight to catch.

Mykonos is one of the busiest cruise ports in the Mediterranean, with ships calling almost daily in summer. Large ships use the New Port or anchor offshore and send passengers ashore by tender, and thousands of visitors can arrive in Chora at once. Greece charges cruise passengers a per-person fee, highest for Mykonos and Santorini from June to September; check with your cruise line for the current amount. If you're staying on the island, explore Chora early or in the evening after the ships have left, and spend the middle of the day on the beach or in Ano Mera.

Mykonos receives far more visitors than its small population and limited water can easily support. Visit outside the peak months if you can, save water, and avoid single-use plastic. Stay on paths on Delos, don't climb on the ruins or take stones, and keep to the marked areas. Respect churches and monasteries, covering up when you go inside, and keep noise down in residential lanes late at night. Drive carefully on the narrow roads, and never ride a quad bike after drinking.