Mykonos - Island of Sun, Fun and Relaxation

Dining in Little Venice, basking in the Sun on Ornos Beach, cold smoothies and hot gyros in Mykonos town. Midnight shopping in the town.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

You can take a ferry from Piraeus port in Athens, which takes 6-8 hours depending on wind conditions. We selected flying on Olympic Airways which took just 25 minutes and gave us an extra day on the island

This lovely hotel is a gem. Located approximately 50 feet from Ornos Beach, the hotel features clean, comfortable, air -conditioned rooms. Guests may ask for a room opening up to the pool which is often quiet and empty. Saltwater, not fresh water in the bathroom facilities can wreak havoc with your skin and hair after a few days, but you do get used to it. Small bar area adjacent to pool. Staff very friendly and accomodating. You may request an airport pick-up with their courtesy vehicle. See their facilities at http://www.dionysoshotel.com/ .

Il Parmigiano has two locations on Mykonos, one is in Mykonos proper near the island public bus dropoff and the second location, directly on Ornos Beach, approximately 5 minutes outside of the main town.

Il Parmigiano features light Italian cuisine, pastas, seafood and other mains. The food and service are excellent. We were enchanted by the locale. The Ornos Beach location is on the beach overlooking the sea, at night under the moonlight there are often sailboats lit up with lights. It was a magical view.

Strolling through Little Venice, you will find dozens of Greek tavernas and seafood restaurants. Many have a dining area facing the water, and dining at sunset is stunning. Please keep in mind that ironically, most fish and seafood on Mykonos is not fresh, but frozen, as long ago, the fishing industry here died out in favour of more tourism related enterprises.

Ornos Beach is a lovely small beach with no tide and sandy seabed. Surrounded by charming tavernas and cafes, there is even a small mini-mart to pick up ice cream or cold drinks.

You may select chaise lounges and umbrellas anywhere on the beach; a man will come around to charge you the requisite amount for the use of these amenities. At the time of our visit, the fee was approximately $18/day Canadian for 2 chairs and an umbrella. These were ours to use for the entire day.

As are many beaches in Europe around the Mediterranean, this is a clothing optional beach. However, at the time of our visit, few beachgoers chose to be nude. Those who did were mainly women going topless. There were children at this beach, and for the most part, we didn't even really notice the nudity.

You may also board a caique (small boat) to take you to other Mykonos beaches such as Paradise Beach, which does appeal to the younger crowd. Super Paradise Beach, a separate, smaller beach is popular with the gay male population and is also clothing optional.

Strolling through the narrow walkways in Mykonos town, popping into the many shops, I was enjoying the atmosphere of island life. Suddenly, I started to hear a rapid grunting noise and wondered what is was. All of a sudden, around the corner of one Mykonos' many boutiques came a huge Pelican being chased by a gaggle of tourists. Well, needless to say ,I was quite amused at the sight and knew that this was "Petros" the pelican, the island mascot.

Petros was smart enough to jump into one of the tavernas where he was promptly fed some fish by the staff.

Petros is beautiful and is a charming reminder that even birds live an idyllic life on this lovely island. Rumour has it that Petros has a girlfriend, "Irina". No sign of her, but what a lucky girl!

If you see Petros, don't chase him, try to snap a picture and let him continue in his travels down the many laneways. He is really a treasure.