Things to Do in Mykonos

Mykonos is famous around the world for its glamour, its beach clubs and its nightlife, and it delivers all of that better than anywhere else in Greece. But the island has a great deal more to offer than parties. It has one of the prettiest capitals in the Cyclades, a set of iconic windmills, a waterfront district that gives the best sunset in the islands, and just across the water it has Delos, one of the most important archaeological sites in the whole of Greece. Whether you have come to dance until dawn or to wander whitewashed lanes and swim in clear water, here is what to do when you visit.

The best things to do in Mykonos at a glance

• Take a boat trip to Delos, the sacred ancient island and UNESCO World Heritage site
• Watch the sunset at Little Venice, the most iconic experience on the island
• Stroll through Mykonos Town, the maze of whitewashed lanes and the windmills
• Beach hop the south coast, from family-friendly Ornos to the party beaches
• Experience the nightlife, in the bars of Chora and the famous beach clubs
• Escape to Ano Mera, the quiet inland village with its monastery
• Take a sunset catamaran cruise along the coast or a boat trip to Rhenia
• See the sunset from the Armenistis lighthouse, away from the crowds

The main things to do in Mykonos

Take a boat trip to Delos

The single most rewarding thing to do on Mykonos has nothing to do with beaches or nightlife. Just across the water, a 30-minute boat ride from the Old Port, lies the sacred island of Delos, one of the most important archaeological sites in all of Greece and a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Greek mythology, Delos is the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis, and in ancient times the city here was the political and commercial centre of the Aegean, from around 900 BC to 100 BC.

Today Delos is uninhabited, an open-air museum of ruined temples, houses, mosaics and the famous Terrace of the Lions, where you can wander among the remains of a great ancient city with the sea all around. It is extraordinary, and it is visited by far fewer people than it deserves. Boats run daily from Mykonos in the morning, and you cannot stay overnight, so it is a half-day trip. Bring water, a hat and sun cream, as there is no shade among the ruins. You can plan the crossing on our Mykonos to Delos ferry page.

Watch the sunset at Little Venice

Little Venice, known in Greek as Alefkandra, is the most romantic and photogenic spot on Mykonos and the setting for its most iconic experience. It is a row of 18th-century merchants’ houses built right on the water’s edge, their colourful wooden balconies hanging out over the Aegean so the waves lap at their foundations. The houses were built with sea-level basements that once served as loading docks for merchant ships, and today the ground floors are cocktail bars and restaurants.

Watching the sunset from a bar in Little Venice, with a cocktail in hand and the sea glowing gold beyond the balconies, is the quintessential Mykonos experience. Get there in the late afternoon to find a good spot, as it fills up in summer. The nearby windmills catch the last of the light beautifully, which makes this corner of Chora the best place on the island to end the day.

Stroll through Mykonos Town and the windmills

Mykonos Town, or Chora, is the postcard everyone comes for: a dazzling maze of whitewashed Cycladic houses, blue shutters, bougainvillea and narrow lanes deliberately built to confuse pirates, which still confuse visitors today in the best way. Getting lost in the alleys, discovering little churches, boutiques and cafes around every corner, is one of the great pleasures of the island. The main shopping street, Matoyianni, is lined with boutiques and bars.

Above the town stand the famous Windmills of Kato Mili, a row of round white windmills on the hill that are the symbol of Mykonos, built centuries ago to grind grain using the strong island wind. They are the island’s most recognisable landmark and a magnificent spot for photos, especially at sunset. Nearby is the 17th-century Church of Paraportiani, a beautiful whitewashed cluster of five chapels merged into one, one of the most photographed churches in Greece. For more, see our guides to the villages of Mykonos and the best photography spots.

Beach hop the south coast

Mykonos has some of the most famous beaches in Greece, and beach hopping along the sheltered south coast is one of the best things to do. The beaches range from calm and family-friendly to full-on party beaches, so there is something for everyone. Ornos is a calm, family-friendly beach close to town, while Platis Gialos is a long organised beach and the hub for the water taxis that hop along the coast between the beaches.

Psarou is the glamorous beach, home to the famous Nammos beach club, while Paraga and Super Paradise are the party beaches with daytime beach club scenes. For a longer, quieter stretch, Elia is the longest sandy beach on the island, and Kalo Livadi is a relaxed sandy bay. On the wilder north coast, Agios Sostis and Fokos stay quiet and undeveloped. The full Mykonos beaches guide covers them all.

Experience the nightlife

There is no getting around it, Mykonos has the best nightlife in Greece, and for those who want it, it is one of the great party destinations in the Mediterranean. The scene has two centres. In Mykonos Town, the bars and clubs around Little Venice and Matoyianni Street offer cocktail bars, wine bars and dancing in the lanes. On the beaches, the famous beach clubs run daytime parties that continue into the night, with legendary names drawing international DJs and crowds through the summer.

Even if all-night partying is not your thing, a wander through the buzzing lanes of Chora on a summer night, or an early evening drink at a stylish bar, lets you experience the glamour that has made the island famous, without committing to dancing until dawn.

Escape to Ano Mera

For a complete change of pace, head inland to Ano Mera, the island’s only real village and the counterpoint to everything else on Mykonos. About 7 kilometres east of Chora, it is built around a village square and the beautiful 16th-century Panagia Tourliani Monastery, with its ornate carved marble and painted interior. The tavernas around the square serve traditional Greek food at a fraction of the prices in town, and on a Sunday morning, with the church service audible from the square and local families filling the kafeneions, Ano Mera gives you the authentic, everyday Mykonos that the beach clubs hide. It deserves an hour or two of anyone’s time, and it is a favourite of second-time visitors who want the island behind the glamour.

Take a boat trip or catamaran cruise

Beyond the Delos trip, the sea around Mykonos offers plenty. Sunset catamaran cruises along the south coast are hugely popular, pairing swimming and snorkelling stops with on-board food and drinks as the sun goes down. Boat trips also run to the uninhabited island of Rhenia, next to Delos, which has beautiful quiet beaches and clear water for swimming, a lovely escape from the crowds. The south coast beaches are also linked by water taxis, which makes hopping between them by sea one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to spend a day. For those who want to explore beneath the surface, there is good scuba diving and snorkelling, and the island’s sea caves are best seen from the water.

See the sunset from the Armenistis lighthouse

While Little Venice is the famous sunset spot, the Armenistis lighthouse on the northern cape offers an equally beautiful sunset well away from the crowds. A short drive and a 30-minute walk bring you to the lighthouse, with sweeping views across the water to the neighbouring islands of Tinos and Syros and out over the open Aegean. It is one of the most dramatic and peaceful sunset vantage points on the island, and a lovely alternative for those who want the view without the crowds.

Learn to cook Greek food and taste local wine

For a different kind of experience, a Greek cooking class with a local is a wonderful way to spend a morning, learning to make traditional dishes with fresh island ingredients. Mykonos also has its own wineries and wine tastings and cheese making experiences, a reminder that behind the glamour this is still a Greek island with a farming tradition. The local Mykonian cheeses, including the soft kopanisti, are worth seeking out, and there are good tavernas serving fresh seafood all over the island.

Best things to do in Mykonos for…

First-time visitors

For a first visit, the essentials are a wander through Mykonos Town and the windmills, sunset at Little Venice, a day trip to Delos, and a day or two beach hopping the south coast. Three to four days covers all of it. Start early in Chora before the crowds and the cruise passengers arrive, and you will see the town at its most beautiful.

Couples

Mykonos is a classic romantic destination. Watch the sunset from Little Venice or the quieter Armenistis lighthouse, take a private sunset catamaran cruise, dine on fresh seafood on the waterfront, and spend lazy days at a stylish beach. For a quieter romantic moment, the beach at Agios Sostis on the north coast is beautiful and undeveloped.

Families

Despite the party reputation, Mykonos works well for families who choose the right beaches. Ornos and Platis Gialos have calm water and facilities, the Delos day trip fascinates older children, and Ano Mera gives a quieter, more local experience. The water taxis along the south coast are a fun way to get around. Check the Mykonos weather page, as the island is one of the windiest in the Cyclades.

Party lovers

For those who came for the scene, Mykonos is unmatched. Spend your days at the beach clubs on Paraga and Super Paradise, your evenings with cocktails in Little Venice, and your nights in the clubs of Chora and the famous beach venues. Book beach club day beds in advance for July and August.

History lovers

The day trip to Delos is one of the great archaeological experiences in Greece and reason enough to visit Mykonos. Combine it with the Folklore Museum in Chora, the Church of Paraportiani, and the Panagia Tourliani Monastery in Ano Mera for a fuller sense of the island’s history beyond the beaches.

Planning your visit

Mykonos is compact, and getting around is easy. Mykonos Town is walkable and pedestrianised in its centre, a good bus network connects the town with the main beaches and Ano Mera, and in summer water taxis run between the south coast beaches. This matters because taxis on Mykonos are famously scarce and expensive in peak season. A hire car, ATV or scooter gives you the freedom to reach the quiet north coast beaches and the Armenistis lighthouse. See our guides to getting around Mykonos, the bus timetable and taxi and car hire for full details.

To decide where to base yourself for the things you most want to do, read our guide on where to stay in Mykonos. To plan your arrival, see how to get to Mykonos and the main ferry page. To see how everything on the island fits together, use the Mykonos map, and for the wider region, the Greek islands map shows how Mykonos connects to the rest of the Cyclades.