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Greece Odyssey: Mykonos Island

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A Popular Beach Resort Island in the Cyclades

The next leg of Ancient Greece Odyssey was not ancient at all: we drove back to Athens and flew to Mykonos, an island in the Cyclades famed for its beaches, resort hotels and nightlife. Mykonos is also a popular honeymoon destination for mainland Greeks.

What? Are these mythology lovers and classics geeks going to forget about antiquity long enough to be modern tourists? Well, maybe. However, we were mostly interested in the next island over: Delos, birthplace of the ancient Greek gods Apollo and Artemis. I'll cover Delos next. But first, here are my photos and memories of Mykonos Island.

NOTE: For those just joining me, this is Part Nine of Ancient Greece Odyssey, a travel diary by a myth and classics major.

Creative Commons LicenseAbove: Pelicans dozing by fishing boats in the harbor of Mykonos Isle. All photos on this page Ellen Brundige © 2010. Some Rights Reserved.


Mykonos Island, Greece

Memories of Mykonos Island

Travel Diary Excerpts, 8th May 2005, Kouros Hotel

Cat on Kouros Hotel balcony, Mykonos Island, GreeceInland Mykonos is a dry, rugged island whose houses remind me of old pueblos: rundown and a little shabby, but inviting in their curving walls of white plaster or unpainted, aged stone. Sheepfolds and solemn dogs watch over an old world which the tourists don't often notice.

The bustling shore is bracing for development: bulldozers and piles of rubble will probably be more hotels in a few years. For now, the island reaches out gray, empty arms to the sea.

One fine three-masted yacht dominates the view. The guidebooks say pirates once prowled these waters.

The Kouros hotel is Rivenesque, a warren of many levels hugging a cliff, with curving stone staircases and terraces and many alcoves filled with modern kouroi statues. We have our own balcony blessed by cats. The room is light and airy with pale blue walls and fine marble floors and glass doors facing the sea. A pink Aegean sunset promises a beautiful stay.

Mykonos Harbor from Kouros Hotel
Mykonos Harbor from Kouros Hotel. This was in 2005; the bulldozed area down below has since been filled with beaches and shiny new hotels. The town of Mykonos, once a fishing port, now a mix of shops, cafes, mini museums and nightclubs, is off to the left in the distance. The row of beehive-like structures behind the town are windmills, no longer in service except as fun backdrops for photos and paintings.

Wandering the Streets of Mykonos Island

A Labyrinth of White Walls and Brightly Painted Doors

I confess that the attractions of Mykonos were somewhat lost on me: bars and nightclubs are not my style, the beaches of Mykonos Town itself were dirty when I visited (I am spoiled by living near a good beach back home), and I get burned out shopping in little clothing boutiques and art shops. Most people would love it!

I probably should have hired a taxi; looking at Google Maps (see below), the island is larger than I realized, and I see more harbors and better beaches on the south side of the island.

Main street of Hora, capital of Mykonos Island, Greece
The main street of Mykonos Town runs along the inner harbor.

What I did enjoy was simply wandering the tiny, winding streets of the town. Many were so narrow that one could sometimes touch the houses on both sides with outstretched hands-- yes, those really are the streets! It was fun getting completely turned around and then popping out onto an oceanfront cafe. (Don't forget to sample the iced chocolate drinks.) Then I would walk back along the seaside to make sure I could find my way back to the hotel.

The locals say the maze of streets helped to bewilder and keep out pirates. I suspect also it helps keep out the wind whipping across the Aegean Sea.

My Mykonos Isle Photo Gallery

Click Thumbnails Below to Browse Photos

Mykonos' harbor is full of huge ferries and small cruise ships touring the Aegean Isles. Many Greek honeymooners or wedding parties come to Mykonos by boat or jet.

Mykonos' harbor is full of huge ferries and small cruise ships touring the Aegean Isles. Many Greek honeymooners or wedding parties come to Mykonos by boat or jet.

Mykonos' harbor is full of huge ferries and small cruise ships touring the Aegean Isles. Many Greek honeymooners or wedding parties come to Mykonos by boat or jet.
The streets of Mykonos Isle, most of them freshly whitewashed for Orthodox Easter. Tiny shops, cafes, and houses mix in this winding maze.
The (nonfunctional) old windmills behind the "Little Venice" area, which ironically is one of the few areas with streets wide enough for cars.
Left: a pharmacy. Note the mandrake symbol on the sign. Right: a lovely old church with a garlic cart someone had just parked in front of it.
Left: Panagia Paraportiani, an iconic Byzantine church favored by Greek painters for the play of light. Right: Petros (Peter) the Pelican. Mykonos' mascot.
Another view of Mykonos' many winding streets. The grape trellis at left shades the entrance to a tiny art museum.
Cats of the Greek Isles: I didn't get many photos of them, but yes, they're everywhere. The right-hand cat is Broccoli, the Kouros hotel cat.
Upper level of Kouros Hotel, washed by sunlight and birdsong (note swallow). Also a glimpse of the Greek sky which is usually too bright for my camera.
Two views of our hotel, the Kouros Hotel. My room was the blue doors with the stone balcony halfway up on the right. Lots of steps!
Returning to Mykonos on the ferry from Delos (the next part of this travel diary). The Aegean is such a lovely color near land.

Why Theseus Really Abandoned Ariadne

A Mystery of Greek Mythology Explained

Streets of Mykonos Island, GreeceIn Greek myth, the Athenian hero Theseus visits the island of Crete to free his people from an annual tribute of youths and maidens, sacrificed to the fearsome half-man, half-bull, the Minotaur. While being wined and dined in the palace of King Minos, Theseus seduces the king's daughter Ariadne. Fearing for his life, Ariadne gives him a sword and an spool of thread so that he can navigate the labyrinth where the Minotaur is caged. After slaying the monster, Theseus takes Ariadne with him, promising to marry her in Athens. However, he abandons her on the island of Naxos halfway home.

I have always held a grudge against Theseus on Ariadne's behalf. However, after getting completely lost in Mykonos for the third straight day, I realized that I needed to cut Theseus some slack. From my diary:

“If Naxos is like Mykonos, Theseus could have gone to an ATM and never found his way back to her.”

Google Maps: Mykonos Island

Zoom In to View Town

Wow. Mykonos has built a ton of new posh hotels and renovated the beaches (with imported white sand, apparently) since I visited.

Mykonos Island Tourist Information

Useful Links and Websites

Kouros Hotel swimming pool, Mykonos Island, Greece
Kouros Hotel, Mykonos Island. Yep, that's a bar behind the pool. Arched windows overlook the harbor and town. The pool was unheated in 2005; it may be upgraded by now.
Mykonos Web | Hotels & Travel Guide to Mykonos Island, Greece
Mykonos Web, Hotels & Travel Guide to Mykonos Island, Greece. Covers Mykonos restaurants, car and bike rentals, history, geography, population, weather, map, events and more.
Paintings of Mykonos Island
This links to a Google image search showing watercolor paintings of Mykonos Island by many different artists. As you can see, it's a painter's mecca.
Kouros Hotel Website
I adored this hotel. Gorgeous views, lovely rooms with balconies, airy restaurant overlooking pool and harbor, and accommodating cats. Just be sure to make arrangements if you can't handle steps; there are only a few rooms which are wheelchair-accessible.
More Mykonos Tourism and Tourist Information
A world travel website's guide to Mykonos Island. The sidebar at right has links to hotels, attractions, museums, art galleries, beaches and more.
mykonos.gr - Official website of the Municipality of Mykonos
Official website of Mykonos. Click the UK flag for the English version; if it refuses to cooperate, copy the URL into translate.google.com or view this page in Google's Chrome browser.
Getting to Mykonos
Take an island-hopping plane from Athens to Mykonos' small airport, or a ferry from Athens' port, the Piraeus. The ferry from from Piraeus to Mykonos takes about 5-6 hours.

The Journey Continues...

Up Next in Ancient Greece Odyssey...

Up next: The birthplace of the god Apollo and the ruins of an ancient city on Delos Island!


Complete Index of Ancient Greece Odyssey:

  • Ancient Greece Odyssey Updates Blog

    • Guestbook for Fellow Travellers

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    • Susan52 Jul 19, 2011 @ 2:44 pm | delete
      Such a beautiful, beautiful page! Can't get enough of the pictures from Greece!
    • JeremiahStanghini Mar 14, 2011 @ 2:19 pm | delete
      A fantastic journey (through the diary)! I think it's even more spectacular that all of these lenses are "at least" in Tier 2. It just goes to show that you've zero'ed in on a niche that still seems to be drawing traffic from all over the web.

      I rather enjoyed accompanying you on this journey through Greece. Thanks for sharing!

      With Love and Gratitude,

      Jeremiah
    • guardianstar77 Mar 5, 2011 @ 6:29 pm | delete
      Oh! I want one of those grape arbor trellises! What a beautiful way to incorporate nature into modern building. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Mykonos with you. The photos are gorgeous and your commentary very helpful. Congratulations on the Purple Star!
    • franksms Feb 27, 2011 @ 2:39 pm | delete
      My dad was born in Crete, I visit regularly, it too, is a recommended site to visit. Remember --if visiting the ancient ruins, you will be extensively searched on leaving Greece, they want no antiquities leaving the country.
    • Susan52 Feb 17, 2011 @ 4:30 pm | delete
      Beautiful! Congratulations on the purple star!
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    Greekgeek

    Storyteller, former Latin teacher, student of mythology and the ancient world: I've worn many hats, but always I've dabbled in computers and the web.

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