Ano Mera village in Mykonos

At a glance: Central Mykonos, around 8 kilometres from Mykonos Town. The island’s second largest settlement, yet one of its least visited, built around a pedestrianised square and a 16th century monastery. Best suited to travellers who want a genuine, unhurried side of Mykonos, away from the beach clubs and nightlife of the coast.

Is Ano Mera worth visiting

Ano Mera is easy to miss on a first trip to Mykonos, and that is precisely what makes it worth the detour. Despite being the island’s second biggest village, day to day life here carries on much as it always has, largely undisturbed by the crowds that fill the coastal resorts. Whitewashed houses with blue shutters and flower filled balconies surround a central square, pedestrianised in 2001, where locals and visitors share tables at tavernas known island wide for their grilled meats. It suits travellers who want a slower, more traditional afternoon inland, built around one of the most important religious sites on Mykonos.

Highlights

• The Monastery of Panagia Tourliani, founded in 1542 and restored in 1767, the island’s patron monastery
• The monastery’s carved wooden iconostasis, made by Florentine artists in 1775, alongside a small museum of Byzantine and Renaissance icons
• The pedestrianised main square, surrounded by traditional tavernas known for their grilled meat and fresh fish
• The marble fountain in the monastery courtyard, a quiet spot away from the square’s activity
• Easy access to Kalo Livadi Beach, just a short drive from the village

The island’s patron monastery

The Monastery of Panagia Tourliani has stood at the heart of Ano Mera since 1542, when it was founded, according to tradition, by monks who had fled here from Paros seeking asylum. Restored in 1767, it takes its name from an icon of the Virgin Mary found nearby at Tourlos, and it has served as the island’s tutelary monastery ever since, celebrated each year on 15 August. Inside, an elaborately carved wooden iconostasis made in 1775 by Florentine craftsmen sits alongside a small museum holding vestments, Byzantine and Renaissance icons and the monastery’s earliest bells, making it one of the richest religious sites anywhere in the Cyclades.

Where Ano Mera is

Getting to Ano Mera

From Mykonos Town: Ano Mera is about 8 kilometres away, around 15 minutes by car.

By bus: Regular municipal buses run from Mykonos Town to Ano Mera, stopping close to the monastery entrance. Check current routes and times on the Mykonos bus timetable.

By car or taxi: See getting around Mykonos and Mykonos taxi for prices and booking details.

Arriving on Mykonos: For ferry routes and flight options to the island itself, start with how to get to Mykonos.

Where to eat

Ano Mera’s main square is flanked by tavernas on three sides, well known across the island for grilled meats cooked on the spit, fresh fish, Greek salads and mezedes. It is a genuinely local place to eat, generally better value than the busier restaurants in Mykonos Town.

Where to stay

Ano Mera suits travellers who want a quiet, traditional base away from the beach clubs, with a smaller choice of accommodation than the coastal resorts. For a private villa with a pool elsewhere on Mykonos, see Mykonos villas with a private pool.

Beaches near Ano Mera

Kalo Livadi Beach is around 2 kilometres away, a short drive with hotels, tavernas and beach bars along the sand. Fokos Beach, a quieter, more remote option, lies further along the island’s northern coast.

Best time to visit

15 August brings the biggest celebration of the year, when the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani marks its feast day as the island’s patron site. Outside of that date, spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for exploring the village and monastery on foot, with fewer visitors than the peak summer months.