Things To Do in Mykonos

Ask anybody who has visited the Greek islands and they will tell you that apart from the beaches, nothing compares to the early evening stroll in the islands' towns. The light of the late hour, the pleasant buzz, the narrow streets filled with locals and tourists alike, and the romantic ambience in the air as you stroll along can lead you to anything from a modern restaurant, a pleasant taverna, a fortress, or an ancient, unassuming site.

Despite its commercialism and seething crowds in high season, Hora is still the quintessential Cycladic town and is worth a visit in itself. The best way to see the town is to venture inland from the port and wander. Browse the window displays, go inside an art gallery, a store, or an old church that may be open but empty inside. Keep in mind that the town is bounded on two sides by the bay, and on the other two by the busy District Road, and that all paths funnel eventually into one of the main squares: Plateia Mantos Mavroyenous, on the port (called Taxi Square because it's the main taxi stand); Plateia Tria Pigadia; and Plateia Laka, near the south bus station.

Hora also has the remains of a small Venetian kastro and the island's most famous church, Panagia Paraportiani (Our Lady of the Postern Gate), a thickly whitewashed asymmetrical edifice made up of four small chapels. Beyond the Panagia Paraportiani is the Alefkandra quarter, better known as Little Venice, for its cluster of homes built overhanging the sea. Many buildings here have been converted into fashionable bars prized for their sunset views; you can sip a margarita and listen to Mozart most nights at the Montparnasse or Kastro Bar, or check out the sunset and stay all night at Caprice.

Another nearby watering spot is the famous Tria Pigadia (Three Wells). Local legend says that if a virgin drinks from all three, she is sure to find a husband, but it's probably not a good idea to test this hypothesis by drinking the brackish well water. After your visit, you may want to take in the famous windmills of Kato Myli and enjoy the views back toward Little Venice.

Save time to visit the island's clutch of pleasant small museums. The Archaeological Museum (tel. 22890/22-325), near the harbor, displays finds from Delos; it's open Wednesday to Monday 9am to 3:30pm. Admission is 3€ (free Sun). Nautical Museum of the Aegean (tel. 22890/22-700), across from the park on Enoplon Dinameon Street, has just what you'd expect, including handsome ship models. It's open Tuesday to Sunday 10:30am to 1pm and 6 to 9pm; admission is 3€. Also on Enoplon Dinameon Street, Lena's House (tel. 22890/22-591) re-creates the home of a middle-class 19th-century Mykonos family. It's usually open daily Easter through October; admission is free. Museum of Folklore (tel. 22890/25-591), in a 19th-century sea captain's mansion near the quay, displays examples of local crafts and furnishings. On show is a 19th-century island kitchen. It's open Monday to Saturday 4 to 8pm, Sunday 5 to 8pm; admission is free.

When you've spent some time in Hora, you may want to visit Ano Mera, 7km (4 miles) east of Hora near the center of the island, a quick bus ride from the north station. Ano Mera is the island's only other real town, and we especially recommend this trip for those interested in religious sites -- the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani southeast of town dates from the 18th century and has a marble bell tower with intricate folk carvings. Inside the church are a huge Italian baroque iconostasis (altar screen) with icons of the Cretan school; an 18th-century marble baptismal font; and a small museum containing liturgical vestments, needlework, and woodcarvings. One kilometer (1/2 mile) southeast is the 12th-century Monastery of Paleokastro, in one of the island's greenest spots. Ano Mera also has the island's most traditional atmosphere; a fresh-produce market on the main square sells excellent local cheeses. This is the island's top choice for Sunday brunch.

Mykonos has a lot of shops, many selling overpriced souvenirs, clothing, and jewelry to cruise-ship day-trippers. There are also a number of serious shops here, selling serious wares -- at serious prices. Soho-Soho, 81 Matoyanni (tel. 22890/26-760), is by far the most well known clothing store on the island; pictures of its famous clientele (Tom Hanks, Sarah Jessica Parker, and so forth) carrying the store's bags have been in publications around the world. Maria will help the female clientele find the perfect outfit while just across the street, at the men's store, Bill will recommend the latest men's arrivals.

Luxury fashion boutique Scoop NYC (tel. 22890/25-122; www.scoopnyc.com) opened its first European location in the Belvedere Hotel. Its exquisite jewelry line by native Mykonian designer Ileana Makri sets this store apart from its New York counterpart. The finest jewelry shop on the island remains LALAoUNIS, 14 Polykandrioti (tel. 22890/22-444), associated with the famous LALAoUNIS museum and shops in Athens. It has superb reproductions of ancient and Byzantine jewelry as well as original designs. When you leave LALAoUNIS, have a look at Yiannis Galantis (tel. 22890/22-255), which sells clothing designed by the owner. If you can't afford LALAoUNIS, you might check out one of the island's oldest jewelry shops, the Gold Store, right on the waterfront (tel. 22890/22-397).

Delos Dolphins, Matoyanni at Enoplon Dimameon (tel. 22890/22-765), specializes in copies of museum pieces; Vildiridis, 12 Matoyianni (tel. 22890/23-245), also has jewelry based on ancient designs. Also be sure to check out Karkalis, 17 Matoyanni (tel. 22890/24-022; www.gold.gr), the newest arrival in town, with striking original and contemporary designs. Mykonos is also well known for its house-designed sandals in many colors and styles; perhaps no better selection can be found in the entire island than at Eccentric by Design, 11 Fiorou Zouganelis St. (tel. 22890/28-499), where you can even find sandals encrusted with Swarvoski crystals. For more traditional sandals, check out Kostas Rabias, on Matoyianni Street (tel. 22890/22-010).

Mykonos has lots of art galleries, including some based in Athens that move here for the summer season. Scala Gallery, 48 Matoyianni (tel. 22890/23-407; fax 22890/26-993; www.scalagallery.gr), is one of the best galleries in town. All the artists represented are from Greece, many of them quite well known. There is a selection of jewelry, plus an interesting collection of recent works by Yorgos Kypris, an Athenian sculptor and ceramic artist. Nearby on Panahrandou is Scala II Gallery (tel. 22890/26-993), where the overflow from the Scala Gallery is sold at reduced prices. In addition, manager Dimitris Roussounelos (tel./fax 22890/26-993; scala@otenet.gr), of Scala Gallery, manages a number of studios and apartments in Hora, so you might find lodgings as well as art at Scala.

Mykonos was once world famous for its vegetable-dyed hand-loomed weavings, especially those of the legendary Kuria Vienoula. Today, Nikoletta (tel. 22890/27-503) is one of the few shops where you can still see the island's traditional loomed goods. Eleni Kontiza's tiny shop Hand Made (tel. 22890/27-512), on a lane between Plateia Tria Pigadia and Plateia Laka, has a good selection of hand-woven scarves, rugs, and tablecloths from around Greece.

The best bookstore on Mykonos is To Vivlio (tel. 22890/27-737), on Zouganeli, one street over from Matoyianni. It carries a good selection of books in English, including many works of Greek writers in translation, plus some art and architecture books and a few travel guides.

Works of culinary art can be found at Skaropoulos (tel. 22890/24-983), 1.5km (1 mile) out of Hora on the road to Ano Mera, featuring the Mykonian specialties of Nikos and Frantzeska Koukas. Nikos's grandfather started making confections here in 1921, winning prizes and earning a personal commendation from Winston Churchill. Try their famed amygdalota (an almond sweet) or the almond cookies (Churchill's favorite). You can also find Skaropoulos sweets at Pantopoleion, 24 Kaloyerou (tel. 22890/22-078), along with Greek organic foods and natural cosmetics; the shop is in a beautifully restored 300-year-old Mykonian house.

When you finish your shopping, treat yourself to another almond biscuit (or two or three) from Efthemios, 4 Florou Zouganeli (tel. 22890/22-281), just off the harborfront, where biscuits have been made since the 1950s.

Once you arrive on Mykonos you will realize that the day has just as many party options as the night. As such, I've organized this section to give you party options for both day life and nightlife. Drinks in Mykonos are expensive; rarely less than 9€, but the good news is, if you are planning to head out at night, there are many supermarkets where you can buy a decent bottle of wine for no more than 6€ and begin your own party before hitting the town.  I do not give phone numbers or addresses for clubs and bars, as phones are never answered and the clubs and bars are located virtually on top of one another in Mykonos town.

Day

Beach parties dominate the scene during the day. The most famous parties happen at Psarrou beach, where a hopping bar/club keeps the (mostly) Athenian crowd joyful. On Paradise beach, the Tropicana Bar and the Sunrise Bar cater to a more mixed crowd, and at Super Paradise, two loud bar/clubs on opposite sides of the beach cater to gay and mixed crowds, respectively. All three beaches have sunset parties, starting around 6pm, but it is Paradise Beach's Paradise Club, with its gigantic swimming pool in the middle of the club, that steals the show with its nightly fireworks and a wild party that lasts until midnight.

Sunset

Back in town, things are less wild and more sophisticated around sunset. For over a quarter of a century, Caprice has been the island's sunset institution, with chairs lined along its narrow porch overlooking Little Venice, the windmills, and the sea. It is extremely popular with the Athenians (but it has caught on with the rest of the tourists as well). It isn't rare to come straight from the beach for the sunset and spend the entire night. The indoor area (set like a series of caves, with candlelit corners and a window opening up directly to the sea) is intimate and romantic.

Another must-visit sunset destination is the Oneiro Bar perched on a beautiful deck overlooking the sea. Coming here will also give you a chance to check out the bar scene at the Mykonos View hotel. The CBar Lounge, set in the Belvedere Hotel, offers breathtaking sunset vistas with menu, drinks, and decor by renowned wedding designer Colin Cowie. Back in Little Venice -- or "Sunset Central," as it's sometimes called -- Kastro, near the Paraportiani Church, is famous for its classical music and frozen daiquiris. This is a great spot to watch or join handsome young men flirting with each other. Montparnasse is cozier, with classical music and Toulouse-Lautrec posters. At night this becomes a very popular (mostly with a gay crowd) piano bar. Veranda, in an old mansion overlooking the water with a good view of the windmills, is as laid back as its name might imply. Galeraki has a wide variety of exotic cocktails (and customers); the in-house art gallery gives this popular spot its name, "Little Gallery." After dark, it turns into a loud and fun bar/club.

With sunset out of the way, most head back to their rooms for a quick shower and change of wardrobe before heading out to dinner and then for after-dark fun.

After Dinner

Aroma bar is popular day and night, as it occupies one of the finest people-watching locations, right on busy Matoyanni Street. It's a great place for an after-dinner drink. Astra is a legendary bar and elegant lounge, with groovy modernist rooms with wonderful indoor and outdoor seating, and the perfect place to begin the night -- or stay all night, as it morphs from a casual lounge to a pumping dance club when some of Athens's top DJs take over. Right in the entrance of town from the old harbor, the Athenian hot spot, Spanish restaurant/bar/club El Pecado (The Sin), moves to Mykonos in the summer and takes over the old space occupied by the infamous Remezzo. El Pecado has a great tapas bar and very good cuisine, but it is the sangria and the rum-based drinks, combined with the Latin beats (with some Greek as well), that make this such a fun place. Just follow the music.

Uno, a tiny bar on Matoyanni, is a popular destination for Athenians -- peek inside to see why, or join in the fun. New Faces, formerly known as Down Under, is popular with a northern European and American crowd under 25, in large part because the happy hour extends from 9pm to midnight. On busy Matoyanni, Pierro's (www.pierrosbar.gr) is extremely popular with gay visitors and rocks all night long to American and European music. Adjacent Icarus is best known for its terrace and late-night drag shows. During the early evening hours, both bars are so popular that sometimes just walking by is difficult. In Taxi Square, another popular gay club, Ramrod, has a terrace with a view over the harbor and live drag shows after midnight. Even though the island used to have a loud and large gay club, it no longer does, so Pierro's (after 2am) is the closest you get, which quite frankly, is pretty close, as is Yacht Club. Porta (tel. 22890/27-807), a popular gay cruising spot, is busy from 9pm onward.

The Anchor plays blues, jazz, and classic rock for its 30-something clients, as do Argo, Stavros Irish Bar, Celebrities Bar, and Scandinavian Bar-Disco. They draw customers from Ireland, Scandinavia, and quite possibly as far away as Antarctica. If you'd like to sample Greek music and dancing, try Thalami, a small club underneath the town hall. For a more intense Greek night out, head to Guzel -- at Gialos, by the waterfront and near Taxi Square -- the place to experience a super-trendy hangout, populated mostly by hip Athenians, with Greek and international hits that drive the crowd into a frenzy, with people dancing on the tables and on the bars. It's the sort of place that by the end of the night, you feel like you have partied with a group of close friends. Don't be intimidated if you aren't Greek. Go and have a blast! If you're looking for a club before 4am, try Space Club, by Lekka Square. It's extremely popular with the under-30 crowd, with a large dance floor and theme nights. The 10€ to 20€ entrance fee includes a drink.

If having a quiet evening and catching a movie is more your speed, head for Cine Manto (tel. 22890/27-190), in the Municipal Garden of Meletopoulou, a small oasis of green on this arid island. Films show nightly around 9pm. Many films are American; most Greek films have English subtitles.

After Hours

To continue late into the night, head for Paradise beach (take the bus from town), to either Cavo Paradiso (www.cavoparadiso.gr), on the hill (cover 25€-50€ depending on DJ and event; nightly 2-10am), or to Paradise Club, a large club by the beach (cover 15€-20€; nightly 2-6am). Both clubs are extremely popular, with rotating international DJs, theme nights, huge pools, and great views. If you last until they close, you can just go for a swim and begin the day all over again. After all, sunset is only a few hours away.

For those who want to continue their partying after 4am but don't want to go all the way to Paradise beach, there is Yacht Club, which is really the cafe by the old port that, for some reason, turns to a popular mixed bar/club after hours. Wild flirting, drinking, and dancing ensue -- this is the perfect place to end the night and to finally get together with the object of your affection. Being a mixed place, there is something for everybody here.

If you're visiting between July and September, find out what's happening at Anemo Theatre (tel. 22890/23-944), an outdoor venue for the performing arts, in a garden in Rohari, just above town. A wide variety of concerts, performances, and talks are usually planned.