What to do in Mykonos, from sunny sailing trips to open-air film screenings

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic.

While Mykonos’s main attractions are, largely, its profusion of pretty beaches and the twisting, maze-like allure of strolling through the capital, Chora, look a bit deeper and there are some interesting cultural experiences to be had. The island is close to one of the most famous archaeological and mythological sites, Delos, where you can still see the remnants of some traditional pastimes and industries. Pleasures are to be had in discovering quiet squares and browsing around avant-garde galleries, following pathways and streets that were once trodden by the pirates who used to patrol the island’s waterways.

Delos

Transport yourself back 5,000 years to the time of the Greek Gods

It’s said to be the birthplace of twin gods Apollo and Artemis; a small speck of rocky land just 30 minutes from the Old Port. Delos evolved to house a thriving community, who built temples, houses, agorae and wells, adorned with statues and sculptures that paid tribute to these people’s deities, many of which remain (if not all intact).

Insider tip: Today you can also visit a purpose-built archaeological museum, filled with remnants which have been excavated from the site.

Contact: 00 30 28890 28603; delostours.gr
Opening times: Daily, 10am–7.30pm, until 31 October 2019
Price: ££ 

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Mykonos Town / Chora

Explore emerging artists at a contemporary art gallery 

Curator Marina Vranopolou, who also runs the acclaimed DESTE Foundation in Hydra, founded the contemporary, three-storey art gallery, Dio Horia, in 2015. She runs an annual programme of events, exhibitions, pop-ups and residencies, championing international emerging artists. This summer’s influx includes Sam Friedman from New York, California-based sculptor and painter Amir Fallah and Dominican artist Hulda Guzman.  

Insider tip: There’s a rooftop bar on the third floor if you want to sit and contemplate the artworks after you’ve browsed them – you can also hire it for private events. When artists are in residence, you’ll be able to talk to them about their work over a drink. 

Contact: 00 30 28890 26429; diohoria.com
Opening times: Summer, daily, 6pm-1am (in winter by appointment only)
Price: Free

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Watch the sunset behind the island’s few remaining windmills 

While it’s lovely to sit at one of the many chic cocktail bars which line the waterfront by Little Venice as the sun goes down, the colour of the sky set against five of Mykonos’s remaining wheat mills (one of the most iconic symbols of the island), is well worth viewing. Take a seat by the small square across the road from the Windmills of Kato Mili, bring a bottle of prosecco and toast the lilac, pale orange and pink shades as they fade to dusk.

Insider tip: You might get a prime view of one of the island’s three pelicans, as they often take their daily evening passeggiata from here.

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Settle in for an open-air film screening

What could be nicer than watching one of your favourite movies outdoors, under the stars? Cine Manto is tucked away in a quiet square, with an all day café-restaurant set in an inviting, 11,300sq ft, tree- and cactus-lined garden. It shows a programme of late-night films (screening at either 9pm or 11pm) all through the summer; some of this season’s highlights include Rocketman, Toy Story 4, The Lion King and X-Men: Dark Phoenix. 

Insider tip: Come here for dinner and time it so the film starts just as you’re finishing dessert.

Contact: 00 30 28890 26165; cinemanto.gr
Opening times: May to the end of Sept, 12pm until the end of the film
Price: ££

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Immerse yourself in Chora’s labyrinthine streets

If it’s your first time to the island, you might want some orientation to navigate round the town’s fiendishly maze-like streets – an Old Town guided walking tour will help. History has it that its impenetrable-seeming layout was due to the inhabitants, who wanted to make it difficult for any invaders, namely pirates, to find their way in to the centre, or indeed get back out. They’ve done a remarkable job of making it tricky to walk around, but that also means you slow down and take in the charming alleyways, back streets, squares and doorways. 

Insider tip: Don’t be afraid to ask your guide if you can spend more time in one of the shops or sample a delicacy. Most are locals who are proud to show off their island.

Contact: 00 44 20 3318 0421; viator.com
Opening times: Daily, morning or afternoon
Price: ££

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Watch some of the island’s only remaining weavers at work

Mykonos was once an island of weavers, as well as an island of fishermen and millers. Up until the 1930s, knitwear was widely produced and sold. However, with the advent of technology, such skills have fallen into decline; today there are barely any women using looms any more. However, carrying on the tradition are Nikoleta Xidakis and her daughter Anna at their shop Nikoleta. You’ll find their small workshop and store not far from Paraportiani church, where they still make colourful scarves and shawls, and you can see them at work.

Insider tip: If you ask nicely (Anna will translate), Nikoleta might let you try out what it’s like to use the loom.

Address: Mitropoleos Street, Little Venice
Opening times: Variable
Price: Free

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Learn about ancient Greek civilization

The attractive Archaeological Museum was founded primarily to house artefacts which were discovered in 1898 on the islet of Rheneia, not far from Delos. You’ll see vases, storage jars, statues, jewellery and even cooking implements, many of them beautifully decorated. One of the highlights is a (headless) statue of Heracles, dating from the 2nd century BC, and naked but for a lion skin and his trusty club.

Insider tip: There is free admission on 18 May (International Museum Day), national holidays and the last weekend of September. 

Contact: 00 30 28890 22325; odysseus.culture.gr
Opening times: Nov-Mar, Tue-Sun, 9am-4pm. Apr-Oct, Sun, Mon & Wed, 8.30am-4pm; Thurs-Sat, 9am-9pm
Price: £

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Central Mykonos

Find a slower pace in the countryside

Ano Mera is the second biggest town on the island after Chora, but its position inland, 30 minutes’ drive away, means it feels more sheltered and quiet. It’s great to escape to if you tire of the beach or the nightlife, with some fascinating sites, including the ruins of 13th-century Venetian castle, Gyzi, and a couple of handsome monasteries. Panagia Tourliani has a beautiful, well-preserved belltower, while Paleokastro Monastery is simpler but offers beautiful views from its elevated position.

Insider tip: Stop for a photo-op by the beautiful red, yellow and blue painted Sun of Mykonos apartments, scattered with oversized, primary coloured pots, just five minutes’ away in Klouvas.

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Get set to cook like a Greek

Yes, it’s great to go a restaurant and order your favourite Greek food – but what’s it like to try your hand at cooking it yourself, while learning about the culture behind the cuisine and Greek traditions? Immerse yourself in all this and more with a Mykonian cookery class, such as the one at Mykonian Spiti. Spend the day at the home of a Greek family, where matriarch, Teta, will tell you more about the history of the island, what daily life is like for locals, and share typical Mykonian meze. Then, using ingredients from her garden, you’ll learn how to make a variety of traditional dishes such as tzatziki, beef with orzo pasta and spinach pie. The atmosphere is convivial and relaxed – helped by the free-flowing ouzo.

Insider tip:You can combine this with a visit to the family’s nearby farm estate and vineyard to learn about their organic farming practices.

Contact: 00 30 22890 78704; mykonianspiti.com
Opening times: Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm or 4pm-10pm
Price: £££

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 Southern Mykonos

Take to the waves on board a classic yacht

What could be more pleasurable than feeling the breeze in your hair as you sail from one side of Mykonos to other, skirting its beautiful southern coast? This, after all, is where most of the island’s best and most beautiful beaches are located, from Agios Ioannis – the starting point – past Ornos, Paradise, Paraga, Elia and more. This six-hour boat trip (Mykonos: South Beaches Cruise) makes a couple of stops for snorkeling and swimming in the crystal clear Aegean waters, followed by a barbecue lunch on-board, and skirts past tiny Dragonisi island – popular with divers – before returning to port. 

Insider tip: Leave high heels and fancy clothes at your hotel; you’ll be barefoot on board and spending most of the day in your swimsuit anyway.

Contact: getyourguide.com/mykonos
Price: £££

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