Best secrets to discover Mykonos island
Best secrets to discover Mykonos
Tips and useful "paths" to explore Mykonos
Unknown sights, "private" beaches, and hidden spots that offer an alternative perspective of the island.
Numerous images spring to mind when we hear the word "Mykonos". Most visitors associate the island with never-ending parties, famous people, and Instagram. But beyond its glitzy façade, Mykonos has a more sedate, straightforward, and genuine side that will entice you to visit the island again if you're in the mood to explore it.
This summer is a great time to explore Mykonos's varied side, especially since the pandemic will make the holidays very different.
These ten experiences, which range from the unknown to numerous attractions and the most stunning isolated beaches to the ideal hideaway for a peaceful vacation at Adorno Beach Hotel & Suites, will show you the "island of the winds" from a different perspective.
"Island of the Winds."
The "Island of the Winds" is and will continue to rank among the most sought-after Mediterranean vacation spots. Mykonos hotels, beach bars, beaches, and parties are practically synonymous with the summer vacations of thousands of visitors, especially when it comes to Jet Setters and party animals. Critics, on the other hand, have been louder in recent years and have accused the white island of being accurate and overcrowded in every way. However, the most popular searches are for tips from friends and locals to make their stay more comfortable.
In Mykonos, each day can offer a distinct experience. Not only because of what transpired the previous evening, but also because the wind's moods can greatly affect your photographs. It is a good idea to plan ahead for where you will go in order to avoid the very strong winds that "trouble" Mykonos throughout the year, as the island is divided into all corners with excellent beaches, beach bars, and restaurants. Therefore, in order to avoid suffering, waves, and sandblasting, it is preferable to consult the weather report or, even better, a local.
Less well-known, but no less good
When most people hear about Mykonos beaches, they immediately think of Psarrou, Kalo Livadi, Paradise, and Super Paradise. What many people don't realize is that even on an island with so many visitors every summer, there are coasts where you won't be on top of each other. These include Fokos (with its wonderful tavern), the lesser-known Lias (with fantastic waters), and Agia Anna in Kalafatis. Of course, we never leave out Agios Sostis, which, while it has recently gained popularity as one of the most beautiful beaches in the Aegean, the fact that it is unorganized and difficult to access makes it one of the less crowded options.
Solutions to food
In general, Mykonos' food is probably the most expensive in our country. However, there are some well-kept secrets that will allow you to eat well without sighing when you receive your bill. Of course, the value for money of Mykonos food cannot be compared to that of any other island in the country. However, in places such as Fokos, Nikolas on the beach of Agia Anna in Paraga, the Court of Thodoris in Platis Gialos, Karavaki in Chora, and Ameros in Ornos, you can eat honestly without feeling like someone is "undressing" you.
Adjust your expectations
Wherever you go for a swim, wherever you eat or party, Mykonos will give you a sense of precision that definitely stands out from the rest of the country. So it would be good when you decide to visit her to be ready for what you will experience. For example, you cannot want to visit one of the most cosmopolitan islands in the world and wait to sit on the first sun lounger without a reservation or without spending anything more. Similarly, you cannot expect to pay for food and drink at prices equivalent to those in Naxos and Paros. Locals and acquaintances would advise you to be fully aware of what to expect before you even arrive. Especially if you're visiting her for the first time. Otherwise, maybe you'd better go to another destination.
The only village in Mykonos
Ano Mera, Mykonos
If you want to get to know the traditional life of the island, you will go all the way to the picturesque Ano Mera. The only village of Mykonos, at a distance of 8 km. from Chora, has preserved many elements of the Mykonia tradition. In the main square you will find cafes and taverns to taste local dishes, as well as the historic monastery of Panagia Tourliani that is worth visiting.
A different sunset
Armenian Lighthouse, Mykonos
The connoisseurs of the island will assure you that the sunset is not only worth it in Little Venice. It is just as nice from the Lighthouse of Armenist, with the wonderful view to Tinos. This imposing lighthouse, located in fanari area, at the northwest end of the island, was built in 1891 and has been inextricably linked to the history of the island.
A different monument
Few know that the island of winds was famous for its mining activity. The old mines on the northeast side of the island remain witnesses to a time when in Mykonos not only yachts and cruise ships arrived. Dusty structures, rusty machinery and carcasses of industrial buildings are reminiscent of a scene from the film "Mad Max".
Dive into History
Elm Beach, Mykonos
The windswept Elm is the best beach in Mykonos for windsurfing. But there is another reason to visit it: the Neolithic settlement of the region, which dates back to 5,000 BC and is considered one of the most important in the Aegean.
Pictures of another era
You should met the rich tradition of the island with a visit to the Folklore Museum, in the picturesque neighborhood of Kastro, which still has two annexes: the Bonn Mill (restored mill at The Ano Mills) and the House of Lena, an authentic 19th century Mykoniatic house. The Maritime Museum of the Aegean, which tells the story of the island's relationship with the sea, also deserves your attention.
The morning walks in Gialos
Gialos, Mykonos
If you want to discover a different view of the cosmopolitan island, take an early morning walk in Gialos, where local farmers sell vegetables from their bostani, flowers and fresh fish and seafood.
The authentic taste of Mykonos
During your stay on the island, it is worth looking for and tasting the local delicacies: copanist (soft cheese with intense, peppery taste), luza (alternative made from pork fillet), Mykonia sausages, onion pie, but also fragrant almonds. Tastes of a simple island cuisine that will be unforgettable.
Beaches for a few
Kapari Beach, Mykonos
And yet, Mykonos has quiet beaches. If you want to enjoy your bath without crowds, lay your towel on the low-profile Capers (a few meters after Agios Giannis), the huge and sandy Frangia (on the way to Lia), Mergia, Mersini or Pan, under the Mines.
The unknown islets
Rhineia
For even more solitary dives and a little extra adventure, it is worth putting in your program a trip to one of the three small islands around Mykonos: Rhineia, Tragonisi and Ktapova. There you are waiting for private beaches with fantastic waters and impressive caves to explore. Don't forget to take a mask and a ventilator with you!
Mykonos: has another, secret side
Apart from the lively nightlife and cosmopolitan beaches, Mykonos still keeps some places secret, waiting for adventurous travelers to discover them.
Although every year millions of visitors make a landing in Mykonos, there are still places that are unknown to many. Discover the secrets of the mines, the ships waiting on the silent seabed and the magical caves in Tragonisi. On the northeast side of the island, there is a place you would not expect to meet on the island of winds. Shattered walls, rusty machinery and strange geological formations that seem to catch fire under the sun.
Abandoned but enchanting, the old mines of Mykonos whisper their call to anyone who decides to walk among the crumbling buildings that the miners worked the barite from 1956 to 1986. Walking carefully among the rubble, hear the wind howling through the galleys and keep an eye out for the only resident left in the mines today, the little crocodile of Mykonos, also known as the Mykonia lizard!
The next part of the exploration is underwater, in the secrets of the two shipwrecks that remain almost intact at the bottom of Mykonos.
The first is the "Anna II", a cargo ship that sank in 1995 very close to the beach of Lia. It rests at a depth of 20 to 30 meters and acts as an artificial reef attracting many species of marine life.
The other is the "Peloponnisos", which sank in 1926, on the northeast side of Mykonos, next to a reef on the open sea. It is cut in half and is offered for more experienced divers, due to the weather conditions and depth, which reaches 55 meters.
Next stop is Tragonisi, also known as Dragonisi, about a mile from the northeast coast of Mykonos.
Protected area and refuge of the seal Munichs, Tragonisi is a beautiful small rocky island, where the power of the sea created a unique system of caves and caves.
If you explore by walking the island, do not forget to follow the path to Panagitsa, a small chapel hooked on the rock, where once a year there is a festival for men only!
The island is also one of the most popular places for diving in Mykonos, since the underwater tunnels and its chambers host rich life and is the exclusive home of the yellow sea anemone.