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Mykonos hotels, suites, studios & other places to stay 2022

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Photos of hotels and other accommodations on Mykonos

Photos showing just a few of the myriad accommodations available on Mykonos, from top row (left to right): Villa Konstantin; Rochari Hotel; Mykonos Charming House; Katerina Studios; Olia Hotel; Hotel Tagoo; Amazon Mykonos; Hotel Alkyon; Habitat Mykonos; Agia Anna Studios.

 

Where to stay: For some people, Mykonos can be an overwhelming place to visit in summer. Though it’s a fairly small island, it can seem as busy, bustling, and bursting with energy as any big city.  Selecting a place to stay on Mykonos can be equally intimidating, since there are so many options — everything from airbnbs, rental rooms, studios and apartments, to villas, holiday houses, hotels, full-service luxury resorts, posh suites, and exclusive vacation retreats. 

Repeat Mykonos visitors have their favourite places to stay, or are familiar with alternatives should they wish to try somewhere new. But for people planning a first-ever holiday on Mykonos, the range of choices can leave their heads spinning.

 

 

 

If you’re going to the island this year for the first time, we hope you can use this post as a starting point to assist your search for the holiday accommodations that best suit your tastes and travel budget. We can’t show you all the possible places to stay on Mykonos, since there are thousands, at all price ranges. Instead, we have collected photos of many of the island’s most popular lodgings and the spots we personally like, so you can simply scroll through the top options without having to click your way through multiple online booking sites or look up individual hotel or vacation rental websites. We have provided a link to the website or an official social media page for each place pictured, though, so if you see something that strikes your fancy, you can click for detailed information and photos. 

And here’s a tip to keep in mind when you do find a place that interests you: book direct either through their website’s online reservation system, or by calling or emailing the property. Most Mykonos hotels offer discounts or extras if you book direct with them instead of through a third-party reservation site.

On this page, we have posted snapshot profiles of some of the island’s most dreamy and impressive places to stay, including premier 5-star hotels and resorts and other outstanding or unique accommodations. If you’re going to Mykonos to celebrate a wedding, honeymoon, anniversary or other special occasion, one of these properties might be perfect for you, especially if you’ve got an urge to splurge or pamper yourself in special surroundings.

Page 2 spotlights many of the island’s perennially popular hotels and resorts, along with some new arrivals; while

Page 3 shows a variety of rental apartments, rooms, studios, suites and holiday houses.

This post is still a work in progress … we will be adding more properties regularly, so check back for updates.

 

 

 Premier luxury hotels & accommodations

 

Aerial view of Bonzoe Homes & Villas on Mykonos

Designed to give its guests a luxurious “home away from home” experience, Bonzoe Homes & Villas is a collection of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom villas and homes that opened last year near Megali Ammos beach on the outskirts of Mykonos Town.  Each of the accommodations has a sea view, and boasts a private heated pool. Bonzoe began its season this year on April 1.

 

Branco Mykonos hotel seen in an image from its social media pages

April 7 was season opening day for Branco Mykonos, a 5-star beachfront hotel and resort at Platis Gialos

 

A suite at Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge hotel on Mykonos

April 8 was season opening day for Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge, situated on the hillside above Megali Ammos beach on the edge of Mykonos Town

 

Amazon Mykonos Hotel at Agios Ioannis on Mykonos

The opulent Amazon Mykonos Resort & Spa at Agios Ioannis opens on April 14

 

The Wild Hotel by Interni, seen in a cinematic video by Vasilis Barahanos, is a stunning retreat of 40 rooms, suites and villas perched on a cliff above a private beach at Loulos near Kalafatis.  The hotel, which boasts a seaview swimming pool and restaurant, has been profiled in and praised by numerous international design, fashion, hotel and lifestyle publications. 

 

Belvedere Mykonos seen in an aerial photo from the hotels social media pages

April 20 is opening day for the iconic Belvedere Hotel in Mykonos Town. “Framed by a verdant garden, the Belvedere Hotel is a universe of transformation: 35 luxury rooms, 9 suites and 1 Mansion unlock endless possibilities, played out against the turquoise backdrop of a mesmerising pool,” says the website for the legendary 5-star hotel.

 

Kalesma Hotel on Mykonos

It was the most-talked-about new hotel on Mykonos in 2021, receiving rave reviews from design, lifestyle and travel publications around the world. It’s now being recommended as one of the top hotels to experience in Greece during 2022. Kalesma Mykonos will open its doors this year on April 21.

 

the pool bar at Mykonos Earth Suites

Mykonos Earth Suites has been getting lots of attention this year from hotel and design publications, and it recently won gold  in the Adult-Only Hotel category at the Greek Hotel of the Year Awards 2022.  Situated above Megali Ammos beach, Mykonos Earth starts its season on April 28.

 

 

 

Aeonic Suites & Spa on Mykonos

New to the island last year, the 5-star Aeonic Suites & Spa near Korfos beach recently was awarded the Silver honour in the All-Suite Hotel category at the Greek Hotel of the Year Awards 2022. Aeonic will start its season on April 29. 

 

View from the pool at Saint John Mykonos Hotel Villas & Spa

April 29 is opening day for Saint John Hotel Villas & Spa, one of the biggest luxury beach resort complexes on Mykonos

 

Aerial view of the Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort

May 1 is opening day for Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort at Agios Ioannis. One of the island’s premier 5-star resorts for two decades, the Grand boasts luxury rooms and suites, the award-winning Althea Spa Retreat, Nama Restaurant, a wine cellar and several bars, a fitness center, tennis court, 500 sq meter saltwater swimming pool, and a beachfront area reserved exclusively for its guests. 

 

Aerial view of Casa del Mar Mykonos Seaside Resort

Situated on the Aleomandra peninsula in southwest Mykonos, Casa del Mar Mykonos Seaside Resort is a complex of 11 spacious, luxury villas. The property includes a spa and wellness center, a gym, and the fine dining  Miramar Cocktail Restaurant. Casa del Mar also boasts easy access to what it describes as “semi-private” Glyfadi beach, a secluded sandy cove visited mainly by families staying at the luxury hotels and villas in the immediate area. Casa del Mar’s opening day this year was May 2.

 

Aerial view of Cavo Tagoo hotel on Mykonos

Popular for its huge sea- and sunset-view infinity swimming pool and bar, and its luxurious cave-style suites with private pools, Cavo Tagoo is the most famous Mykonos hotel on Instagram and social media influencers’ sites. It starts its 2022 season on May 6.

 

Kivotos Hotel at Ornos bay on Mykonos

Noahs Villa at the Kivotos hotel on Mykonos

May 6 is opening day for the Kivotos Mykonos luxury suites, villas and spa/wellness hotel at Ornos (top) and its unique waterfront Noah’s Villa with private pool and beach (bottom)

 

Aerial view of Panoptis Escape luxury villas on Mykonos

May 10 is first day of the season for Panoptis Escape, an exclusive luxury villa retreat perched on a mountaintop overlooking Elia beach

 

A suite at the O by Myconian Collection luxury hotel on Mykonos

O by Myconian Collection is a luxury beachfront hotel with 63 rooms and suites opening at Ornos on May 10.  It’s the 11th property of the Myconian Collection, a chain of 5-star hotels owned and operated by the Daktylides family of Mykonos (some of their other hotels and resorts on the island include the Myconian Ambassador, Imperial, Avaton, Panoptis Escape, Utopia and Myconian Villa Collection).  Myconian O’s facilities will include a spa, the Oasis pool and its beach & pool bar, Obar, and the Baloo fine dining restaurant.

 

Aerial view of the Santa Marina Mykonos luxury resort beachfront

May 6 is opening day for the Santa Marina Resort, a 5-star complex of rooms, suites, villas, spa, restaurants and a private beach on Ornos Bay. The resort is home to two of the island’s signature dining spots, the Buddha-Bar Beach Mykonos and Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton’s first restaurant in the Mediterranean, Mykonos Social.

 

Great scenery from Mykonos abounds in this promotional video for the 5-star Mykonos Riviera Hotel & Spa, located at Tourlos above the New Port. The Riviera will start its season on May 9.

 

Mykonos Theoxenia hotel on Mykonos

One of the island’s most iconic and historic hotels, Mykonos Theoxenia, has been undergoing an extensive and “daring” renovation this year.  The hotel website describes the transformation as follows: “The mythic Mykonos Theoxenia reinvents itself to realign with its timeless heritage and the essence of ultimate hospitality.” Located near the landmark row of windmills in Mykonos Town, the Theoxenia is expected to start its 2022 season in July.

 

 

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Mykonos restaurants, bars, clubs & more: What’s new for 2021

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Baboulas Ouzeri on Mykonos

Baboulas Ouzeri has returned to the Mykonos Town harbourside alongside one of the island’s most-photographed landmarks — Mathios, the oldest hand-hewn fishing boat on Mykonos

 

Updated on August 25 2021

 

Island unlocked:  After a long winter of Covid-19-related lockdowns ended and Greece reopened its borders to international tourists in the spring, Mykonos quickly bounced back to life.

Visitors arrived on Mykonos to find many familiar faces — their favourite bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels and shops — open and anxiously waiting to welcome them back.

Also eager to greet them were dozens of newly-established businesses opening their doors for the very first time — bakeries, cafes, coffee shops, bars, cocktail lounges, street food and casual eateries, fine dining restaurants, live entertainment venues, retail stores, hotels, rental accommodations, and more.

These new traveller-focussed enterprises further expand the already vast variety of drinking, dining, leisure and lodging choices on Mykonos, further cementing the island’s solid position and reputation as one of the top summer holiday destinations in the world.

In this post, we will introduce you to many of this year’s newcomers, along with some of the noteworthy newbies from last year. (We’re including them since this is essentially their first full summer of operation — the 2020 season started late and ended early due to disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic, while few people were able to visit Mykonos because of international travel restrictions.)

 

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Azul Condesa

Azul Condesa modern Mexican restaurant in Mykonos

With its “modern Mexican cuisine” and sweeping patio views of the sea and sunset, Azul Condesa has been drawing crowds since it opened on May 28.  The menu includes nachos, soups, salads, starters, ceviche, tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, fajitos, burritos and main courses, along with beverage list ranging from classic and frozen margaritas to sangria, tequila, shots and a  selection of popular cocktails.  The restaurant takes pride in its homemade corn tortilla flours for tacos and burritos, and in its picanhas, beef tagliata and other meats seasoned in “unique and exceptional marinades of our Mexican chefs.”  You’ll find Azul Condesa in the Argyraina area, along the peripheral highway above Mykonos Town.

Facebook: @azulcondesamykonos

Instagram: @azulcondesamykonos

Web:  Azul Condesa Modern Mexican Cuisine 

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Mykonos Social by Jason Atherton

Mykonos Social restaurant on Mykonos

Michelin-starred British chef Jason Atherton has chosen Mykonos as the location for his first restaurant in the Mediterranean. Designed as “a bespoke, all-day dining destination,” Mykonos Social opened June 16, and boasts impressive sea views from its open-air patio perched above the private beach of the luxurious  Santa Marina Resort at Ornos. When they’re not mesmerized by the views, guests will be gobsmacked by the food — the menu features Atherton’s creative interpretations of  Mediterranean and Greek cuisine. The restaurant bar serves Tiki-style cocktails and fine wines, while an in-house DJ plays the perfect tunes to match the clientele’s mood and the sublime resort atmosphere.

Facebook: @MykonosSocial

Instagram: @mykonossocial

Web: Santa Marina Restaurants & Bars

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Platis Souvlaki Grillbar

Platis Souvlaki shop on Mykonos

People staying in the Platis Gialos beach area won’t have to travel into Mykonos Town anymore to get a taste of Greece’s favourite fast food treats — gyros and souvlaki. With the June 11 opening of Platis Souvlaki Grillbar, at the Argo Hotel, visitors can now grab a budget-friendly gyros on their way to or from the beach. The grillbar menu includes gyros and souvlaki served in either pita sandwiches or meal portions, vegetarian pita, sausage and kebab pita, chicken skewers, salads, appetizers and more, all at reasonable prices. Platis Souvlaki joins three other shops that opened at the Argo Hotel last summer — a bakery, fashion boutique and hair & nail salon, which you can read about on page 2 of this post.

Facebook: Platis Souvlaki Restaurant

Instagram: @platissouvlaki

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Woba Street Food

Woba Street Food Project on Mykonos

The Lakka area of Mykonos Town is always bustling with pedestrian traffic since it’s home to the Fabrica bus station and dozens of cheap ‘n cheerful cafes and bars.  Woba Street Food Project by Haris Papazoglu has been drawing even more people to the area since it opened on June 12.  Woba’s handmade, steamed bao buns have practically been flying out of the kitchen since opening day.  The buns come with a choice of main ingredients including chicken, port, tempura shrimp, creamy mushroom, Caesar, rib eye and duck. There’s even bao buns with hot dog or chicken nuggets, and sweet boa with Buenno or banofee.  The menu also offers buckets of chicken wings, nuggets and fried chicken; four varieties of fried potatoes; shrimp chips, crap popcorn and other finger foods; and Thai chicken or crispy duck salads.  

Facebook: Woba Streetfood Mykonos

Instagram: @woba_streetfood_mykonos

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La Barran

La Barran Bar on Mykonos

Owned and operated by a couple of young lads who were born and raised on the island, La Barran  cocktail bar quickly captures attention with its slick and curvaceous white bar and its distinctive illuminated ceiling. It’s situated on Enoplon Dinameon Street, which winds through one of the busiest bar and nightclub districts of Mykonos Town. (Regular visitors will know the location as the premises previously occupied by the Replay clothing store.) La Barran opened in late  April, and has been a popular hangout for locals and visitors alike ever since.

Facebook: labarranmykonos

Instagram: @labarranmykonos

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JackieO’ Cantina

JackieO Cantina on Mykonos

 Mykonos welcomed a new arrival to the JackieO’ family on June 21. The JackieO’ Cantina is a casual  eatery situated right next door to its eldest sibling, the highly popular JackieO’ Town Bar on the Mykonos Town seafront. (The middle child of the family is the JackieO’ Beach club at Super Paradise.) The cantina menu includes a selection of dosas, gyros, souvlaki, salads, sides and beverages. Customers can either dine indoors or sit at tables on the open-air patio overlooking the harbour — a great spot for people watching.

Facebook: JackieO’ Mykonos

Instagram: @jackieomykonos

Web: JackieO Mykonos

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Koozen

Koozen restaurant on Mykonos

For summer 2021, Aeolos Resort has opened a new in-house fine dining restaurant, Koozen, which offers a menu of Greek and Mediterranean “comfort cuisine” created by renowned Greek chef Athinagoras Kostakos, culinary director of the Meraki restaurants in London and Riyadh, as well as Scorpios and Noema on Mykonos. For Koozen’s a la carte menu, Kostakos has conceived dishes that will take diners “on a trip to the traditional flavours of Greece, with modern touches,” says the Aeolos Resort website.  Guests seem to be enjoying their culinary journeys; in reviews posted on TripAdvisor, they have praised the service, flavours and high quality of the food, and have commented that Koozen’s prices are very “reasonable” and “affordable” by Mykonos standards.  Koozen opened in May, and operates from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Instagram: @koozen_mykonos

Web: Aeolos Hotel Restaurant

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Drunk Monkey

Drunk Monkey bar on Mykonos

The Covid pandemic forced restaurants and bars around the world to add delivery and take-out service options to keep their businesses afloat during lockdowns. On Mykonos, two young entrepreneurs saw a promising opportunity and  established Drunk Monkey, a take-away cocktail bar that also offers delivery service. The bar opened in early July of 2020, inviting visitors to “explore the island with a cocktail” and reminding them: “Cocktail first — Because no great story ever started with a glass of water.” The bar’s distinctive take-out containers and logo were soon spotted all over the island. You’ll find Drunk Monkey next door to Niko’s Taverna, behind the Mykonos Town Hall.  This year the bar opened July 20 for its second season.

Facebook: @drunkmonkeymykonos

Instagram: @drunkmonkeymykonos

Web: Drunk Monkey Mykonos

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PERE UBU Mykonos

Pere Ubu Mykonos restaurant at Kalesma hotel on Mykonos

PERE UBU, the in-house restaurant at the new Kalesma luxury hotel, has been making its mark as one of the island’s top destinations for fine dining under the direction of Chef Costas Tsingas, whose gastronomic philosophy “blends fresh local produce with high-end culinary craft”  to take diners on a refined journey through flavour.” “From Athens to New York, he watches, listens & tastes, creating a culinary tapestry that touches on the best of global gastronomy. Connected to the world, rooted in Greece, PERE UBU Mykonos is a journey into contemporary dining,” the restaurant’s social media pages say. “We serve small ‘mezes’ plates, full meals or light lunches by day, and by night PERE UBU transforms into a vibrant social hub with innovative cocktails and gratifying menus,” the Kalesma website states. Indeed, the restaurant has regularly hosted sunset entertainment by DJs Yiannis Mitsokapas and Evridiki from Zucca Radio, and on July 22 held a special summer barbecue feast “guided by the culinary craftsmanship of Beastalis.”

Facebook: @PereUbuMykonos

Instagram: @pere_ubu_mykonos

Web: Kalesma Mykonos Fine Dining

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What a Ride

A collage of photos of the What A Ride toasteria in Mykonos

The take-away shop What A Ride quite literally became the toast of the town when it opened in early July, offering a satisfying and scrumptious street food alternative to burgers, gyros and souvlaki. Its signature toasted sandwiches — “no ordinary toasties,” as the shop proudly proclaims — have been taking its customers’ tastebuds on a deliciously fun ride.  The menu includes such tantalizing toast fillings as steak, cheese, and lobster, and What a Ride sells a selection of craft beers and wines to complement its custom toasties-to-go. You can find the toasteria on Polikantrioti Street near the harbourside promenade. It operates from early evening until the crack of dawn, so it’s a perfect place to grab a late-night bite to eat while clubbing and bar-hopping (or an early breakfast if you manage to party until daybreak).

Facebook: What a Ride Mykonos

Instagram: @whataride.mykonos

 

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Farma House

Farm House music club on Mykonos

A “new concept” venue spotlighting the “experimental sound of Mykonos,” Farma House is an open-air lounge where guest DJs play sets from sunset until late at night. It describes itself as “the other place” of the after-hours Sanctus club in Mykonos Town, and features some of the artists who perform there. Farma House opened on June 25, and  its DJ lineup so far this summer has included Brina Knauss, Patrice Baumel, Arodes, Ivory and Joy Rapotez. The club is situated at Ftelia beach on the site of the former Farma restaurant.

Facebook:  @farmamykonos

Instagram: @farmahouse_mykonos

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Baboulas

Baboulas Ouzeri on Mykonos

There’s always plenty of new things to discover on Mykonos, but occasionally something old is suddenly new again on the Island of the Winds. Like Baboulas Ouzeri, for example.  Long-time visitors to Mykonos will remember Baboulas, which is situated on the harbourfront area of Mykonos Town called Kaminaki. With its traditional tables and chairs positioned on the rocky shoreline alongside a brightly painted fishing boat named Mathios, Baboulas was one of the most picturesque places in town — a veritable magnet for photographers long before Instagram existed. Mathios was an island icon, attracting tourists eager to snap pictures of octopus hanging from its sail ropes against a stunning backdrop of shimmering turquoise water and the whitewashed buildings lining the opposite side of the harbour.  Starting around 2012, the Baboulas location began operating as a restaurant called Salparo Seafood. But this year Baboulas is back, offering simple and authentic Mykonian cuisine, ouzo and Greek spirits — and friendly service — “just like the old days.”  And while much has changed on Mykonos during its hiatus — especially the island’s culinary scene, which has seen the arrival of scores of high-end restaurants — Baboulas is proud to call itself “the least gourmet restaurant on the island.”  Baboulas re-opened on June 14 and will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. 

Facebook: @baboulasmykonos

Instagram: @baboulasmykonos

 

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Parthenis Cafe

a collage of photos of Parthenis Cafe in Mykonos

The Parthenis men’s and women’s clothing shop at Alefkandra Square has been a Mykonos retail icon since it was opened in 1978 by internationally-recognized Greek fashion designer Dimitris Parthenis.  The boutique has long been a must-visit shopping stop for fashionistas, who appreciate the Parthenis  aesthetic  that combines “comfort with simplicity, enveloped through a timeless twist of elegance, deeply linked to the essence of Greek summer.” This summer, the shop added a cafe and lounge, which has been designed to exude the same characteristics — “simplicity, comfort and elegance” — as the clothing brand and the historic house in which its flagship Mykonos is situated. The outdoor space offers visitors a place to enjoy the Little Venice scenery and sunsets while relaxing with a cocktail,  glass of wine or a meal, with a DJ playing music curated to follow the local mood, rhythm and flow.

Facebook: @partheniscafe

Instagram: @partheniscafe

Web: Orsalia-Parthenis

 

Please click on the link below to continue reading on page 2, where we preview more of the exciting new places to drink, dine, party and relax on Mykonos.

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All ferries to and from Mykonos now docking at the New Port

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This photo from one of our Mykonos holidays shows four charter yachts docked at the island’s Old Port at Mykonos Town (foreground), and a cruise ship berthed at the New Port in Tourlos, nearly 2 kilometers away by road.

 

Ferry straightforward: Where does my ferry arrive at  / depart from on Mykonos?

That question has vexed visitors for years, since the island has two ports — the original one at the Mykonos Town harbour (commonly called the Old Port) and a newer, substantially larger facility in the island’s Tourlos district (regularly referred to as the New Port, of course).

The standard answer used to sound simple enough: ferries that carry passengers and vehicles sail to and from the New Port, while smaller ferries that just carry passengers operate from the Old Port.  But since most travellers didn’t have a clue if the ship they were booked on carried vehicles or not, that advice wasn’t always helpful. Not surprisingly, many people missed their ferries because they arrived at the wrong port and didn’t have enough time to get to the right departure point.

Thankfully, the reign of ferry port confusion could soon be history:  As of Saturday April 6 2019, all ferry traffic to and from the island will use the New Port only.

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I shot these photos of travellers queuing to board passenger-only catamaran ferries at the Old Port in Mykonos Town several years ago. As of April 6 2019, the Old Port will no longer handle ferry traffic.

 

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One of my Mykonos holiday photos of the New Port at Tourlos.  All ferry ships will now arrive at and depart from this harbour.

 

I learned about this development from Mykonos news websites, but the reports were all in Greek and Google Translate offered an awkward translation. To make certain I wasn’t misinterpreting what I had read, I contacted the top ferry booking agency on Mykonos, Sea & Sky Travel, to confirm if the news was accurate. 

“Yes, it’s true. All the boats, including the small passengers ones , will be leaving from the new port from now on,” a Sea & Sky representative told me.

The news reports said the change was implemented by the Mykonos port authority, upon request by the Greek government ministry responsible for shipping and marine regulation, to eliminate confusion and help prevent passengers from missing their ferries.

It’s a welcome change, but I think some confusion may persist for awhile. For one thing, many repeat visitors have travelled to and from Mykonos on passenger-only catamarans that operated in and out of the Old Port. If they don’t hear the news, their travel plans could get screwed up if they head to the Old Port, out of habit, when leaving the island. For another, many first-time visitors won’t be aware of the change, or may have read outdated posts on the TripAdvisor travel forums, or other online travel sites, that describe the old distinction between the two Mykonos ports. Hopefully word will get out and fewer people will miss ferries this year. 

Greece, Greek island, Cyclades, Mikonos, Mykonos,Mykonos ports, Mykonos ferry ports, ferry, ferry travel, ferry travel to Mykonos,

This Google image shows the Mykonos New Port (top) and the Old Port at Mykonos Town (bottom), a 2 kilometer walk or drive apart. Also shown are the main pick-up and drop-off points for the Mykonos SeaBus, an inexpensive water taxi service that operates between the two ports.

 

Which leaves the next most popular question about ferry travel to Mykonos: How do I get from the port to my accommodations?

For a list of transport options, please click on the link below to continue reading on page 2 of this post, and to view photos of things visitors will see if they travel along the coastal road between Tourlos and Mykonos Town.

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What’s new on Mykonos for summer 2016

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~ updated on Monday September 5 2016 ~

 

Mykonos Town and harbourfront

Overlooking the Mykonos Town harbourfront from one of my favourite vantage points on a hill behind the Remezzo area of town

 

Boom town: Many of the tourists who visited Mykonos last summer must have been wondering why they didn’t see obvious signs of the economic crisis that has ravaged the country for more than five years.  

Seemingly unscathed by the financial problems that have plagued the rest of Greece, Mykonos was absolutely thriving in 2015, with more than 100 new travel-related businesses opening up on the island last summer alone. The unprecedented renovation and building boom saw the arrival of new hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, galleries and personal services, many of which were aimed at the island’s rapidly growing luxury travel market.

 

 

It would be hard to top 2015’s astounding array of brand-new businesses again this year, but recent announcements about more upcoming new openings suggest the resilient Mykonos economy is poised for even further prosperity and growth.

So far there have been announcements on social media to herald the imminent debut of several new restaurants, retail shops, beach clubs, hotels, bars and nightlife venues, while rumours abound that many more are in the works.

Please click on the link below to read about the new businesses that have opened or been announced so far. I will update this post regularly as I receive more information about the newcomers.

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Mykonos set for 2015 season with over 100 new places to eat, drink, shop, sleep and party

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Cayenne Mykonos restaurant logo

Located at Tourlos, just a short walk from the New Port, Cayenne is among dozens of brand-new businesses on Mykonos this year. 

 

[Updated October 30 2015]

 “Crisis? What crisis?” That’s a question many regular visitors to Mykonos will probably ask when they see the more than 100 new and completely-renovated businesses that have opened on the island this year.

While Greece shudders through its sixth straight year of devastating economic turbulence,  Mykonos appears to be in a different world altogether, virtually unscathed from the recession that has ravaged the rest of the country.

Last year, the island enjoyed a record year for tourism — receiving more than 2 million visitors — and some longtime local residents told me they could not recall ever seeing the island as crowded and busy as it was during July and August. Hotels were filled to capacity, flotillas of luxury yachts were common sights at many beaches, and champagne flowed by the caseload at bars and restaurants across the island. As I reported in a July 16 2014 post, hotel rates reached higher levels, too, with the international online travel firm Trivago noting that prices had soared as much as 61% over the previous year.

 

 

International brands flocking to Mykonos

In anticipation that even more tourists with thick wallets will arrive in 2015, local and international companies have been pouring millions of Euros into the construction of new hotels, shops, bars, clubs and restaurants, as well as the renovation or upgrading of existing properties. Indeed, since late last autumn, Mykonos has been experiencing an unprecedented building boom as small armies of contractors swarmed around the island in a rush to finish dozens of projects. Global business brands flocked to the island in droves, scooping up any available real estate for their new Mykonos outlets.

With many of the new enterprises aimed at affluent travellers, Mykonos mayor Konstantinos Koukas has told local media he’s confident that the island is now well-poised to compete for a bigger share of the the world’s luxury travel market, and will successfully lure big spenders who usually flock to other Mediterranean hotspots like St Tropez, Monaco and Ibiza.

To see what’s new on Mykonos this year, please click on the convenient quick links below:

Click here for page 2 to read about new and newly-renovated restaurants in Mykonos Town,  Tourlos, and the Ano Mera area.

Click here for page 3, which describes  new and renovated beach restaurants, as well as the island’s two big new beach clubs, Monarch and Scorpios.

Click here for page 4, which highlights new and renovated nightlife venues in Mykonos Town, including bars, nightclubs, and shisha lounges; and

Click here for page 5, which introduces you to the island’s new spas, retail shopping establishments, and hotels.

 

Food Mall Mykonos image from the restaurants' Facebook page

More than two dozen new restaurants opened on Mykonos for 2015, and five of them can be found under one roof at the Food Mall Mykonos on the highway between Mykonos Town and Ano Mera.

 

Aerial view of Scorpios Mykonos

Widely recognized as the hippest new beach club on Mykonos for 2015, the Scorpios Beach Restaurant and Bar became one of the most popular places on the island within weeks of its opening in an “idyllic haven” on a peninsula between Paraga and Platis Gialos. 

 

Monarch Restaurant & Beach Club at Kalo Livadi Mykonos photo from its website

Another new beach club and restaurant is Monarch at Kalo Livadi, which boasts cuisine designed by a Michelin-starred chef, comfy beachfront lounge chairs, and occasional special events and big parties. 

 

Buddha-Bar Beach restaurant and bar at Santa Marina Resort Mykonos photo from the resort Facebook page

The world’s first Buddha-Bar Beach restaurant, bar and beach club opened on May 20 at the Santa Marina Resort at Ornos. 

 

Ling Ling Mykonos entrance

One of the most eagerly awaited new arrivals on Mykonos was Ling Ling, a Hakkasan-branded Cantonese fine dining restaurant and  uber-chic nightspot.  It opened in July in the premises that had been occupied for decades by the famous Philippi Garden Restaurant, which closed a few years ago after its owner died. 

 

Bonbonniere Mykonos nightclub

June 27 saw the launch of yet another new nightclub when Bonbonniere Mykonos threw its opening party in the ODE Mykonos club in the Tria Pigadia area of Mykonos Town. It’s a summer “pop up” version of the world-famous Bonbonniere club in London whose owner, Joe Fournier (wearing the white polo shirt) is pictured after signing a contract to bring Bonbonniere to the ODE space for the season.

 

Caprice Bar Mykonos photo from inmykonos dot com website

Mykonos residents and visitors weren’t just buzzing about new business openings this spring — people were also chatting about the abrupt closure of the enormously popular Caprice Bar (pictured above) and its surprise reopening a few weeks later as Caprice, a restaurant-bar located just a few doors down from its old place at Little Venice. 

 

Mykonos No 5 Villas luxury apartments photo from the hotel website

Mykonos No.5 Villas is one of the island’s newest hotels, offering a selection of seaview apartment residences, lofts and maisonettes in the Kanalia district 3.5 kilometers from Mykonos Town.

 

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2012 Greek holiday: Mykonos visit winds down

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Mykonos Town panoramic view

The view from the hill: A panoramic view of Mykonos Town and its harbourfront and Old Port areas on May 21 2012. Click on the photo to view the image in a larger format.

 

 

Monday May 21 2012

 

Familiar patterns: Things weren’t looking very promising for my final full day on Mykonos. The weird up-and-down weather hit another “down” cycle, bringing overcast skies in the wake of a gorgeous sunny Sunday. Good thing I had not been planning another beach day, because I would have felt pretty bummed out by all the clouds and the threat of light rain. But I didn’t need more beach time and was content just to start walking and see where I would wind up.

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2012 Greek holiday trip report: Mykonos Part 2

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Tourlos new port area of Mykonos

Mid-morning view from Hotel Tagoo of the Mykonos New Port at Tourlos …

 

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Norwegian Jade cruise ship

… where  the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Jade is docked for the day

 

 

 

 Here’s a videoclip showing the morning views from Hotel Tagoo

 

 

Wednesday May 16

 

I awoke to an absolutely gorgeous Mykonos morning. Sunny skies and warm temperatures promised perfect weather for a beach day. From the terrace outside the hotel breakfast room, I could see four cruise ships including the Norwegian Jade docked at the New Port and the Azamara Quest, Windstar Wind Spirit, and Seabourn Quest, all anchored near the Old Port. I made plans to hit the beach for the afternoon then spend the evening in Mykonos Town where, I assumed, the streets would be lively and teeming with tourists from the cruise ships.

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2012 Greek holiday trip report: Mykonos Part 1

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Air Transat logo

Air Transat logo on a winglet of the Airbus jet that flew me from Toronto to Athens

 

My Mykonos, Paros and Attica/Glyfada trip report

 

What follows is an edited and significantly expanded version of a trip report I posted on TripAdvisor.com shortly after returning from my holiday in Greece this past spring. I have added more extensive details to the text, and have included dozens of photographs to illustrate the report.

 

Sunday May 13: Flight from Toronto to Athens

I flew Air Transat, the Canadian charter airline I have flown on all of my trips to Greece. The flight was about two-thirds full when it left Toronto just past lunchtime on Sunday May 13. It stopped in Montreal for 90 minutes to collect more passengers and load the food and beverage carts for our 9-hour overnight flight to Athens. During the stopover, a flight attendant told a passenger sitting behind me that, with the additional passengers from Montreal, the flight was nearly full. (On all of my previous flights to Greece, except one, we flew direct to Athens; this year, Air Transat’s May flights stopped in Montreal because fewer people were travelling to Greece at the time and there wasn’t enough passenger demand to justify direct flights from both cities.)

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