Mykonos - Magical Mayhem

Greece, May/June 2011

On the one hand Mykonos didn't disappoint. It was everything I imagined it to be. White-washed houses standing out against brilliant blue skies; dramatic sunsets, derelict windmills and trendy beach bars and restaurants. Then there were the high-rise cruise ships that dominated the harbour and the thousands of day trippers swarming the narrow streets; the traffic jams caused by too many mopeds and not enough taxis and an island that I would have explored more if it wasn't so difficult.

not all the woodwork was painted “Mykonos Blue”

not all the woodwork was painted “Mykonos Blue”

The Greek island of Mykonos is large enough to have its own airport, 20 beaches and over 800 churches. Despite this, everything is jam packed into the Western side of the island around the town with the same name.   The rest of the island is surprisingly undeveloped with plenty of space for virtually every house to have its own family chapel with terracotta domed roof.  The hills are covered in granite boulders of all shapes and sizes and terraced fields are held in place by dry stone walls although there is hardly a tree, plant or animal to be seen.   Narrow roads lead down steep hills to remote coves where, depending on the size of the beach, you will find either one or two restaurants as well as a car park and sun loungers for hire.

In contrast Mykonos town is a hotch potch of cube shaped houses, no taller than two floors, that cling to the hills surrounding the bay.  Pots of red geraniums and pink bougainvillea add extra splashes of colour to the predominantly white town standing out crisp and clean against a backdrop of cloudless skies and sea.  Even the concrete surrounding the crazy paving is painted white and will lead you through a maze of narrow alleyways. To my surprise not all the woodwork was the colour of “Mykonos Blue”. There is every shade imaginable and some rebels had even painted their doors, shutters and handrails red, green or brown!   

Not much has changed in the old town although if you view it from further up the hill, the aerials and satellite dishes that cover the flat rooftops tell a different story.   It is still possible to see what Mykonos was like before tourism started in the 1950’s but only if you are up early in the morning or heading home very late.  Down at the harbour fishermen enjoy a cup of coffee after selling their catch and locals take this special time, when they have their island to themselves, to purchase fruit, vegetables and flowers from the back of vans.

Apart from the harbour the town doesn’t wake up until late morning as the small boutiques keep the same hours as the tourists. Walking through the deserted streets when all the shutters and doors are closed you could easily believe you were in a ghost town with no landmarks to help find your way.  Once the shops are open brightly coloured souvenirs, jewellery, sun hats, handmade leather sandals and white cotton beachwear overflow into the narrow lanes and bottle necks happen whenever someone stops to browse.   

Sadly many of the individual shops have now been replaced by high street brands but there are a few local designers where you can pick up something unique to take home such as a piece of stunning jewellery designed by Efharis Nezi.  (NB the name above the door of Efhairs' shop is just a beautiful gold script “E”).

Only a couple of parts of the old town are accessible by car.  In the middle of the square, next to the harbour, is the town’s only taxi rank and a short walk from the famous row of windmills is where the public buses arrive and depart.  It is also where you will find a good selection of moped rental shops and extremely well disguised behind the windmills is a car park.  There are several derelict windmills on this side of the island but it is the four overlooking Little Venice that are the most photographed and have become the iconic image of Mykonos.  

Little Venice is a terraced row of ancient buildings, with colourful wooden verandas, that drop straight into the sea.   It is here, along a precariously narrow walkway, that hundreds of people flock in search of a front row seat to watch the best show in town.  Greek sunsets are arguably the best in the world and mesmerise on-lookers despite their obligatory sunglasses.  As the day comes to a dramatic end and the orange ball slips below the horizon thoughts immediately turn to dinner.  

Greek sunsets are arguably the best in the world

Greek sunsets are arguably the best in the world

There are so many restaurants in Mykonos town that you will be spoilt for choice. However, try to avoid the touristy harbour front restaurants where menus are laminated with colour photographs and the waiters jokingly fight with their neighbours for your custom.   Instead, wander up and down the side streets or head to the residential parts of town and discover some hidden gems.

By the end of your holiday you will without doubt have had your fill of Greek salad, tzatziki and grilled fish although thankfully the same can’t be said for the delicious wine from neighbouring Santorini - one of the other islands that make up the Cyclades.  If that is the case then there are plenty of Italian restaurants to suit all budgets and as you wander around you may bump into Mykonos’ most famous resident. 

Petros the pelican is a poser and likes to appear wherever there is a crowd.   There are in fact three pelicans but only one of them is named after the original who was found injured by a fisherman back in 1958.  As well as these attention seekers you will spot many cats, sitting on stone stairways or stretching out in the shade, who also enjoy having their photograph taken.

Each morning, a quick glance at the harbour will help you decide how to spend your day. If you can see more than two high-rise cruise ships – the most I saw was five - its best to avoid the town completely and instead practise your sun worshipping.  Not surprisingly there are only a couple of hotels in the old town that boast a pool.  All the larger hotels are scattered around the island where space isn’t a premium.  Thankfully, due to strict regulations, there are no buildings taller than two storeys anywhere on the island and the hotels appear almost invisible, replicating small villages laid out in terraces stretching down to the sea.

Although you can’t beat spending the day beside a beautiful pool, in the evening “the” only place to be is in town but getting there, or in fact anywhere on the island, isn’t easy.   There are reportedly 30 taxis on the island but it certainly didn’t feel that many.   It can easily take up to 40 minutes for one to arrive at your hotel and typically they will appear just as you have ordered your second cocktail.   Getting back to your hotel after dinner takes even longer and the taxi queue at the harbour front can be quite stressful especially as not everyone understands the concept of queuing.   

By far the best solution is to base yourself in town (we stayed at the Belvedere) and if your hotel doesn’t have a pool then head to one of the island’s many beaches. Mykonos’ beaches are extremely well organised and after you have hired your sun-lounger you are set for the day as staff from the adjacent restaurant provide a “lounger service” fetching cold drinks and food.    

Petros the pelican is a poser and likes to appear wherever there is a crowd

Petros the pelican is a poser and likes to appear wherever there is a crowd

Every beach is different and which one you choose will depend on the wind, how far you want to travel and your personality.  The excellent Solymar restaurant on Kalo Livadi beach has a very local Greek crowd; Psarou beach is very much the glamorous place to hang out as is its restaurant Nammos. Paradise Beach has a restaurant, take-away shop and fast food counters to suit every budget and predominantly attracts students.   The “Shirley Valentine” beach – Ayios Ioannis – which sits below the 5* Mykonos Grand hotel has a couple of restaurants with the one featured in the film easy to spot thanks to the “as seen in the movie” sign.

Mainly due to the lack of taxis, the island does a booming trade in moped hire despite the fact the roads are busy, narrow, winding and steep.  The best option is to make use of the cheap and regular public buses but even they are not for the faint hearted.  The beaches of Mykonos are famous for their bars, DJ's and party scene.   We left Paradise Beach late afternoon and despite it being early the journey back into town was an adventure.   The highlight was when the bus driver made an impromptu stop to eject some recently opened beer cans out the back door and have words with their owners.   What it must be like on the last bus home I can only imagine.

If lying on a beach all day isn’t your scene then there is a daily (except Mondays) ferry service to the nearby island of Delos but don’t forget to check how busy the harbour is first.  Delos is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece being the birthplace of the twin gods Artemis and Apollo and in 1990 it became a UNESCO world heritage site.  However, if you are expecting to see a Pompeii or well preserved temples as in Egypt you will be disappointed.  

There are a few columns still standing as well as the famous “Terrace of the Lions” that date back to 600 BC but apart from that you will need lots of imagination to visualise what this Greek town would have been like. You can either wander yourself admiring the poppies and wild flowers growing in what would have been rooms and streets or even better hire a guide who can translate the ruins for you.  The museum, which doesn’t look much from the outside, is well worth a visit and has many fabulous statues, mosaic floorings and wall frescos discovered on the island. 

Mykonos is as beautiful as you see in postcards and magazines but what was surprising was that apart from the incredible colour of the Aegean sky and sea, the beauty is predominantly man made - the whitewashed houses, colourful woodwork, the narrow streets with their crazy paving, terracotta domed churches and abandoned windmills.  However, what was not surprising was that all the frustrating parts were also created by man!  It could be argued that if you want to avoid the crowds the best time to visit is early or late season when the beaches, roads, restaurants and clubs aren’t too busy but then you would be missing out on half the fun. So come for the magic but be prepared for a little bit of mayhem – it wouldn’t be Mykonos without it!