Chania, the second-largest city on Crete island, introduced its new tourism website and travel promotion slogan — Chania: A City of Many Tales — on September 27 2021
New travel resource: If you’ve been considering a trip to the city of Chania on Crete island, whether for the first time or a repeat visit, there’s a new website you should bookmark for your holiday research and planning. Launched in late September 2021 by the Chania Tourism Bureau, the site — chaniatourism.gr — is chock full of information, descriptions, photos and maps that will assist travellers arriving for either a short city break or an extended vacation.
For people who haven’t yet been to Chania, or haven’t even had it on their travel radar, a few clicks through the website — starting with the “Why Chania” section — will quickly reveal why it’s a must-see destination, and in fact has been such throughout its rich and colourful history of 4,000+ years.
The website notes that, for centuries, Chania “has served as a nautical crossroad between three continents, a pole of attraction for powerful trade transactions and for Empires driven by intentions of conquest and expansion. Romans, Arabs, Venetians and Ottomans have marched, conquered and left a deep footprint, creating a modern, cultural mosaic on the architectural outlook of the city and a cosmopolitan feel at this remote corner of the Mediterranean.”
Chania also has been blessed with incredibly beautiful scenery and spectacular natural landscapes, ranging from stunning beaches, bays and coastlines to imposing mountains, gorges, caves and valleys. These unspoiled natural wonders, combined with the city’s abundant historical and cultural uniqueness, have made Chania an enticing year-round destination for travellers from around the world.
The city’s longevity and its endurance through eras of occupation and governance by foreign powers have left Chania with a richly storied history, which its tourism board’s new slogan — Chania: A City of Many Tales — invites visitors to discover, while creating memorable stories of their own as they explore, experience and enjoy the region.
The website’s Neighbourhoods: Little treasure islands page provides detailed descriptions, maps and photos of key spots in the old city and Chania’s modern suburbs — as well as suggested walking routes.
The tourism website will be informative and useful even to people who have been to Chania before, since it may reveal neighbourhoods, monuments, attractions and other points of interest they may have missed on their earlier visits.
One of the website features we were most pleased to see is the section entitled Neighbourhoods: Little treasure islands, which provides helpful information about nine significant and distinct parts of the city, along with maps and suggested walking routes that lead past important landmarks and points of interest.
“Wandering around the different quarters of the city, feels like timelining backwards as if each decisive point in history is revealed like a layer,” the website says. “The Jewish quarter, the Turkish quarter, the Venetian harbor, the aristocratic neighborhood of Chalepa, the derelict industrial tanneries at Tabakaria, the coastal Koum Kapi and the beach town of Nea Chora, compose a colorful architectural and historical mosaic with complementary and contrasting characteristics, representative of the heritage each culture, era and economic stratum brought to the table.”
We’ve been to Chania twice, most recently in the autumn of 2017, and spent our entire time exploring the city on foot, wandering through streets and along harbour and seafront areas mentioned in a travel guide travel guide we had purchased in a local bookshop. We had a wonderful time, but our meandering definitely would have been far more enlightening and interesting with the website’s walking route maps (which pinpointed some noteworthy places we completely missed seeing.)
Another excellent resource is the website’s Visit / An authentic experience section, which provides information and photos of highlight attractions within and close to the city, including: monuments and top historic sites; beaches; gorges and caves; churches and monasteries; museums and collections; and the Chania suburbs and nearby villages.
Be sure to check out the drop-down menu entitled “Don’t Miss,” which navigates to separate sections concerning such “unique experiences” as activities, local traditions and agritourism. The “local tips” page offers insights into local culture by suggesting things to see and do “where the people around you will be mostly locals.”
Information on sports and both indoor and outdoor activities, as well as the world-famous Cretan Diet, can be found in other website sections.
To learn more about visiting Chania, follow these links to the tourism website and its related social media pages:
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
From cozy studios to spacious designer villas and luxurious hotel suites with private pools, Mykonos offers a vast array of holiday accommodations. Here are the island’s impressive new lodging options for 2021.
Top row: Aeonic Suites & Spa (left) and UBUD. Second row: Soleila and Ethereal villas (left) and Bonzoe Homes & Villas. Third row: Noima Luxury Suites (left) and Destino Pacha. Bottom row: Mykonos Euphoria Suites (left), Aloni Sunset Lounge at Kalesma hotel (center), and Habitat All Suite Hotel.
Decisions, decisions: Where to stay on Mykonos?
The answer is easy for most of the island’s repeat visitors: They’ve already found their favourite accommodations, and keep returning to familiar surroundings, where management and staff feel like old friends or even family.
But for people travelling to Mykonos for the very first time, it can be a daunting task to choose from the sizeable selection of places to stay. More than 1,100 properties are available through booking.com alone, and TripAdvisor tallies 770 hotels and 1,030 vacation properties in its listings. Over 300 accommodations can be found on Airbnb, while high-end management agencies, professional concierges and elite travel planners have hundreds of luxury homes and villas bookable through their exclusive portfolios.
Making a decision gets increasingly difficult each year as dozens of additional accommodation properties enter the market.
For 2021, visitors can choose from a wide variety of new lodgings that include cozy studios, sumptuously-appointed suites, full-service 5-star hotels, and exquisite private villas.
For nervous travellers seeking accommodations where they can enjoy comfort, space and privacy for their first overseas holiday since the Covid-19 pandemic began, there’s good news: choices are plentiful for luxurious, spacious rooms and personal pleasure amenities like private plunge pools and patios.
Here, in the first instalment of a multi-part post, we take a look at 10 of the island’s top new accommodations, providing photos, descriptions and contact information for each property.
The newcomers profiled in this post are:
♦ Destino Pacha Mykonos
♦ The Elaia House
♦ Aeonic Suites & Spa
♦ Soleila Villa
♦ Ethereal Villa
♦ EpicMykonos
♦ Mykonos Earth Suites
♦ Once in Mykonos Luxury Resort
♦ Mykonos Euphoria Suites, and
♦ Kalesma
More new hotels and villas are spotlighted in our post Luxury lodging: More new hotels, which you can find simply by scrolling further down this page.
Please click on the link below to see the profiles on page 2.
Mykonos visitors can choose from a vast array of holiday accommodations, ranging from cozy studios to spacious designer villas and luxurious hotel suites with private pools. Here’s a look at several more of the island’s impressive new lodging options for 2021.
Some of the beautiful new bedrooms where guests will enjoy resting and recharging after a day at a beach or a late night in the island’s legendary bars and clubs. Top row: Agrari Black Villas (left), Soleila villa, and The Elaia House. Second row: Once in Mykonos (left), Noima, and UBUD. Third row: Mykonos Euphoria Suites (left) and Kalesma. Bottom: Mykonos Earth Suites.
Luxury of choice: Each year dozens of new accommodations open on Mykonos to sleep the steadily-rising numbers of tourists who flock to the island for spring, summer and fall vacations. In New hotels, suites and villas on Mykonos, we profiled 10 such newcomers, including Airbnb studio rentals, luxury hotels and vacation villas. Here, in Part 2, we shine the spotlight on 7 more properties that have already opened or will be opening their doors in 2021.
They include:
♦ Agrari Black Villas
♦ Noima Luxury Suites
♦ Bonzoe Homes & Villas
♦ Bill & Coo Villas
♦ Habitat Mykonos All-Suite Hotel
♦ UBUD Mykonos
♦ Panormos Bay Luxury Suites
Please click on the link below to see the profiles on page 2 of this post.
From an impressive airport overhaul to bars, clubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels and villas, there are lots of new things for visitors to discover on Mykonos this summer. Here’s a sneak peak at some.
A 4-year, €25 million project to expand and improve Mykonos International Airport (JMK) was completed recently, just in time for the 2021 tourist season. The terminal building has been completely overhauled and enlarged, and will impress with its striking modern look based on traditional Cycladic island design elements. The terminal now boasts a larger arrivals area, more departure gates, a new baggage handling system, plus new shops, restaurants, washrooms and VIP lounges. Upgrades also were made to the runway, ramps, parking, and terminal curbfront. The terminal entrance is shown in this photo from airport operator Fraport Greece.
Noteworthy newcomers: Spring has sprung, and pandemic-weary people around the world are wondering whether they will get a summer vacation this year. Millions are hoping to holiday in Greece, and many have set Mykonos in their sights. As the most exuberant, exciting and hedonistic island in Greece, it’s quite possibly the ideal holiday destination for anyone looking to let loose and experience unbridled joy, freedom and self-indulgence — something most of us have only been able to dream about during the lockdowns and quarantines that have kept us cooped up at home for much of the past 12 months.
It’s no wonder Mykonos maintains such immense appeal for people desperate to escape the mind-numbing tedium and disruption of the Covid-19 crisis. While the island’s wind-whipped natural landscapes are barren, arid and austere, they provide the perfect backdrop for the bliss and pleasure-focussed activities and attractions that have made Mykonos one of the most desirable summer holiday destinations in the Mediterranean.
Crisp white sugar-cube houses, hotels and villas gleam in the sunshine on rugged, rocky hills. Sparkling turquoise seas splash against craggy coastlines ringed with secluded coves, scenic bays and crescent-shaped sandy beaches. A magical atmosphere pervades in Mykonos Town, where glamorous fashion boutiques, exquisite art galleries, stylish cocktail bars, elegant restaurants, budget-friendly fast food joints and delightful dessert shops sit nestled inside a mesmerizing maze of cobbled lanes and bougainvillea-draped courtyards. Of course, there’s also the allure of the dynamic dance bars, bustling beach clubs and the electrifying late-night party places that have made Mykonos legendary for robust dusk-to-dawn revelry and unabashed adult entertainment. The island’s long-established reputation as a summer playground for the world’s beautiful, rich and famous only adds to its cachet as a great place to get away from the everyday grind back home.
Vacation rental villas are in high demand on Mykonos. This photo shows Soleila (left) and Ethereal, new “twin” villas on a sun-soaked hillside at Kalafatis.
This image shows the Kalesma luxury hotel in the Aleomandra area of Mykonos. Several leading travel and lifestyle publications have ranked Kalesma among the world’s top new hotels for 2021.
Beaches, food, drink and fun are among the top features that draw crowds to Mykonos. Paradise, Super Paradise, Platis Gialos, Psarou and Paraga are among the island’s most iconic beaches, but dozens more — from hidden coves to quiet, pristine shorelines and busy golden-sand strips fully organized with bars, restaurants and water sports amenities — mean there’s a sensational seaside to suit any traveller’s lifestyle, needs and preferences . First-time and repeat visitors also come to dine at the superb restaurants and dance at the notorious party venues they have been hearing about for years. Paradise Beach Club, Tropicana, Cavo Paradiso, Skandinavian Bar, Astra, Caprice, Nammos, Remezzo, Katrin, Kastro and Kiki’s are perenially-popular tourist hangouts, but visitors also throng to newer hotspots that regularly feature in their Instagram and Facebook photo feeds, including Scorpios, Alemagou, Principote, 180 Sunset Bar, JackieO’ Beach Club, Lohan Beach House, Buddha-Bar Beach, M-eating, and more.
Five much-anticipated additions to the Mykonos dining and nightlife scenes in 2021 are the weekly Joker Mykonos dinner and party events; the Bordello Mykonos series of Italian Dinner Show parties, the Lío live cabaret restaurant and club, Nōema restaurant, and the Jason Atherton restaurant Mykonos Social.
Ensuring that Mykonos remains vibrant and enticing is the bevy of brand-new tourist-oriented enterprises and attractions that debut on the island every year. A building boom that began in the mid-2010s has added thousands of hotel and villa beds to the island’s accommodation capacity for overnight guests, and is still going strong with dozens more villas, hotels and rental homes currently under construction and in early stages of development. This has led to corresponding growth in travel-related hospitality and service businesses — retail shops; drinking and dining establishments; personal health, beauty & spa services; transportation and tour providers; and so on. Each new tourist season brings even more things to do and places to discover — an impressive feat for a small island that already boasts an incredibly wide range of options for rest, relaxation and entertainment.
That trend continues in 2021, despite the tremendous upheaval and uncertainty that the Covid-19 pandemic has inflicted on the international travel industry. Mykonos is set to welcome dozens of new establishments whose owners and management expect a good summer for the island’s tourism industry, and see an even brighter future for holiday travel in the forecast.
Among the fabulous accommodations opening on Mykonos this summer are the Destino Pacha hotel at Agios Stefanos (top), new 1-bedroom villas at Bill & Coo Hotel in Mykonos Town; Noima Mykonos Luxury Suites at Agios Ioannis; Aeonic Suites & Spa near Korfos beach; and Agrari Black Villas near Agrari beach.
Food, drink and entertainment newcomers set to make waves on Mykonos this year include live dinner show clubs, elegant restaurants and cocktail bars, cafes and bakeries, and specialty food shops. You can see some of them in our post Hot new places on Mykonos in 2021.
This summer’s new accommodations range from studio apartments to luxury hotels, lavishly-appointed suites, and spacious private villas. You can see them in our post New hotels, suites & villas on Mykonos.
*Photo credit notes: The images, photos and videos included in this post were sourced from websites and/or social media posts published by the respective businesses.
Now open: If you’re a regular Mykonos visitor, this post will show if & when your favourite bars, beach clubs, nightclubs, hotels and restaurants have opened for the 2021 tourist season.
If you’re planning to visit Mykonos for the first time, this post will give you a good idea of what to expect in terms of things to see and do on the island, plus places to stay.
Scroll down this page to see information about daily, weekly and other regular parties and events that take place on the island.
Page 2 of this post contains a list of bars, restaurants, hotels, villas and attractions that opened for the tourist season during late winter, April, and May.
Page 3 shows places that opened during June, as well as parties and events that took place that month.
NOTE: We have moved our listings of July and August parties and events into separate, new posts.
Mykonos Brewing Company is once again welcoming visitors to its taproom to taste its selection of locally-produced craft brews. The taproom is open Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Nomad Mykonos officially opened its hideaway of bohemian luxury suites at Kalo Livadi on July 21
Velanos Mykonos is a brand-new restaurant that has just opened today (Tuesday July 20). It’s situated next to the National Bank near the airport, and is a great spot for breakfast and brunch, as well as sunset cocktails. The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. until 1 a.m.
Tuesday July 20 is opening day for Drunk Monkey, a take-away cocktail bar in Mykonos Town returning for its second season of operations
July 26 is opening night for Thalami Bar at Agia Moni Square
The Italian Dinner Show event, Bordello Mykonos, will hold its opening party on Wednesday July 28 at Pinky Beach Club
Now open at Ftelia beach, Farma House is a cool new open-air concept club where visitors can dine and drink cocktails at sunset, then dance into the late hours as DJs play “the experimental sound of Mykonos.” It opens at 7 p.m. daily.
July 1 was opening day for The Garden of Mykonos, a relaxing hilltop lounge and bar where guests can enjoy cocktails, appetizers, snacks and desserts with fabulous sea and sunset views and good music
In early July, Sweat Vacay resumed its group yoga, pilates and cycling exercise classes at The Garden of Mykonos, along with other locations on the island. Check their website for class schedules, locations and prices.
One of the most-anticipated new nightlife venues on Mykonos held its grand opening July 9. The Lío Mykonos cabaret restaurant and nightclub brings the unique Lio Ibiza brand of live music and dance entertainment to an open-air dining and lounge courtyard at 6 Enoplon Dinameon Street in Mykonos Town.
July 16 is opening night for Void nightclub
Toy Room Club Mykonos now starts its season on Friday July 16 — one day later than the club had previously announced
Sanctus club also will be holding its opening party on Friday July 16, also one day later than initially scheduled. This season, you’ll find the club in a new location — above Mosaic restaurant at Manto Square.
Daily and weekly parties & events
Again this summer, Tropicana club at Paradise beach will be holding a party every day, starting at 4.30 p.m.
New this summer at Zuma restaurant — a weekend champagne brunch offering Zuma’s amazing Japanese izakaya along with music from the restaurant’s resident DJ. You’ll find Zuma in the Cavo Tagoo luxury hotel near the Mykonos Old Port.
Every Sunday night there’s a Greek-themed party at Hippie Fish beach club and restaurant at Agios Ioannis beach that promises a smashing good time for all. The “It’s all Greek to me” parties start at 9 p.m.
DJ Thodoris Ntontos will be playing at Cosi bar for summer 2021
Singer, songwriter & performer Shaya Hansen returns to Kalua for summer 2021. She will be appearing at the club Tuesdays through Sundays starting at 4 p.m.
Alemagou beach club will present these DJ and music events from July 2 to 9
Just announced: German DJ & electronic music producer Sven Väth will play for the Phos parties at SantAnna beach club on Fridays, from July 16 to August 13. The parties will begin in late afternoon and continue until midnight.
One of the most popular DJs on Mykonos, Valeron will be making weekly appearances for live shows at Noema restaurant and Scorpios beach club during July. You can catch his show at Noema on Fridays (July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30), and see him at Scorpios on Saturdays (July 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31).
Please click on the link below to turn to page 2, where you can see which places are already open for the summer 2021 tourist season.
Agoria will be on the decks at Sanctus on Saturday July 31
Marco Carola turns the music on at Destino Pacha Mykonos on Saturday July 31, starting at 4 p.m.
Marco Carola performs his second show of the day on July 31, with an appearance at Void
Valeron & Band perform for the Sunset Ritual at Scorpios on Saturday July 31
On Saturday July 31, Mykonos Art Festival presents July 31 2021 Mykonos Art Festival presents Savina Yannatou and Primavera En Salonico in concert. The event promises an evening of “songs from the Mediterranean, the Balkans and Greece are woven together into a varied musical carpet, combining east and west, contemporary and traditional as well as free improvisation.” The concert takes place at Lakka Theatre, and admission is free.
Benny Benassi is featured performer at Cavo on Saturday July 31. DJs Rivaz and Terry also will be playing sets for this event.
DJ Ludo Erre will play a set during the Bordello Mykonos midsummer party being held Saturday July 31 at Pinky Beach Club
What’s on: Planning to visit Mykonos during July, and wondering what sorts of parties and cultural events will be taking place on the island while you’re there?
Check out page 2 for a list of daily, weekly and regular events.
Page 3 shows events that took place from July 1 to 30, including bar and beach club parties, DJ sets, special dinner party events, live singer performances, art shows, and more.
This is the calendar of DJ appearances scheduled for July 26 to August 1 at IT Mykonos restaurant and bar
This is the schedule of DJ acts appearing at Cavo Paradiso club from Monday July 26 to Sunday August 1
Sanctus club reopens on July 26, and has released this DJ lineup for the week of July 26 to 31
This is the program of concerts and theatrical performances being held in July as part of the Mykonos Art Festival 2021. All the events are free to attend at the locations specified for each event.
Click on the link below to see the day-to-day list of events happening on Mykonos during July.
What was on: The 2021 tourist season ended in October for most hotels, bars, clubs, restaurants and shops on Mykonos, but that didn’t mean the island shut down completely for the winter.
More than two dozen restaurants and bars that serve local residents year-round kept their doors open, as usual, while numerous places that normally close by mid-October extended their seasons into November as business from late-season island visitors remained steady. A few brand-new hangouts even opened up in the post-season to offer fresh options for drinking and dining after the tourist-oriented venues shuttered for the winter. Newcomers Elaion, La Barran, Mosaic, Paloma, Promenade and Velanos were among the bars and restaurants that stayed open into December.
Gala New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebrations had been scheduled for several bars and restaurants, but those events were cancelled when the Greek government imposed operating hour restrictions and banned the playing of music — a year-end attempt to control the skyrocketing number of Covid cases caused by the Omicron variant.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, 2021 turned out to be a surprisingly good year for Mykonos tourism, producing a huge bump in visitor traffic compared to 2020. Traffic jams, sold-out hotels, and crowded bars and restaurants during August and September, in particular, gave the impression things were almost back to normal, while October and November saw more tourist arrivals than usual for those months.
Although Omicron put a damper on year-end festivities, tourist-related businesses on Mykonos are optimistic about 2022, since advance bookings for hotels have been strong, as has interest in the island on social media.
What will happen tourism-wise in 2022 is anybody’s guess, but if infections caused by Omicron peak in winter, and the pandemic begins to burn out by spring, you can expect a robust travel season on Mykonos. The island will be ready for it. Dozens of exciting new hotels, restaurants and bars opened in 2021 (see our post Mykonos restaurants, bars, clubs & more: What’s new for 2021 for details), while more are in the works for 2022.
Unfortunately for many repeat visitors, however, several popular restaurants and bars won’t be returning in 2022, including Avra, Babylon, Central and Joanna’s Nikos Place (see more on that below).
If you have never been to Mykonos before, but think you might finally make it there in 2022, this post will show you the types of events that take place on the island each summer. Our listing of parties, DJ appearances and cultural events held from August to December 2021 will give you an idea of what you can expect if you visit during any of those same months in 2022.
Major autumn closing and opening announcements
Joanna’s Nikos Place, the much-beloved beach taverna at Megali Ammos, is closing its doors permanently. In an announcement shared on social media December 9, owner Joanna Daktilidi broke the news that she is ceasing operations of the taverna after a 30-year run.
On Saturday December 4, Madoupas Meats opened a new shop in Argyraina — their third outlet on Mykonos — giving visitors another place to stock up on food for their villas, Airbnbs orself-catering holiday accommodation rentals
2021 has been the final season of operations for Babylon Bar. In a social media post on November 29, club owners Jose & Stratos announced that, “after 13 years full of happiness, pride, and entertainment, the time has come for Babylon Mykonos to put an end to a ride that will always be in our hearts for years to come.”
It’s the end of an era: The elegant fine dining Avra Restaurant is closing permanently after 22 years of operations. Owners Nikos Iliopoulos and Sarah Pearson announced the news in a November 23 post on Facebook, stating: “we have felt blessed to be part of an incredible magical Mykonos era that many of us feel is unfortunately now fading fast. We hope we have made everlasting memories for your times in Mykonos and… well… perhaps … we may be back to make more.”
5×5 Multiplex is a new restaurant that opened in Ornos in mid-November. Open every day except Monday from 7 a.m. until midnight, it’s a casual go-to spot for coffee, breakfast, brunch, lunch, crepes, waffles, burgers, souvlaki and more. You’ll find it across from the athletic stadium along the road from Korfos to Agios Ioannis
Mykonos residents and visitors have a new place to dine out during the winter — the Italian restaurant, pizzeria and bar Elaion Mykonos has just opened in the Vougli district of the island (in the premises formerly occupied by Taverna Kandavlos). If the name Elaion sounds familiar, that’s because the restaurant is owned by the same people who operate the Elaion restaurant on nearby Syros island. According to the Elaion Mykonos page on Facebook, the restaurant is open daily from 2 p.m. until midnight.
There’s a new place to enjoy a good Greek food meal in the heart of Mykonos Town this winter. La Taverna Greka moved into the Mother Earth restaurant space in late summer, and will be offering traditional Greek dishes at reasonable prices from 12:30 in the afternoon until 10:30 at night. You’ll find the taverna tucked into a lane beside the ALIS fashion boutique on Mitropoleos street.
Rizes Folklore Farmstead originally had announced its end of season closure on October 31, but subsequently decided to open its restaurant on weekends throughout the winter “to keep you company with Mykonian flavors.” Rizes will operate on Fridays from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m., and Sundays also from noon to 9 p.m.
Mykonos Brewing Company, makers of the island’s Mikonu craft beers, will be open on weekdays during the winter. From November through March, the brewery will be open to visitors on Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bistrot De Nicolas, located on the highway to Ano Mera, will be open throughout the winter. Its days and hours of operation will be Thursday to Saturday from 6 p.m. until midnight, and Sundays from 1.30 p..m. to 8.30 p.m. The restaurant recommends booking reservations by telephone at: +30 22890 71361
Mosaic MSC restaurant at Manto Square in Mykonos Town launched its winter season on Friday October 15
Central cafe has announced that, after 8 years of operations, it will soon be closing permanently. The news — posted on social media on November 16 — said the restaurant will remain open “until the holidays and somewhere there before Christmas to say goodbye.”
Autumn Cultural Events
“The Island that seduced the world — Mykonos in the 50s” is an exhibition of images by noted American photographer Robert McCabe, who first visited Greece in the 1950s and captured portraits of local residents and scenery on subsequent multiple trips to the island and elsewhere in the Aegean. Exhibits of McCabe’s fascinating photos are on display in two places: from August 1 to October 31 at the archaeological site in the Mykonos Kastro (next to the iconic Paraportiani Church), and from August 4 to December 31 at the Mykonos Archaeological Museum above the Old Port.
Please click on a link below to see events that took place during specific months of 2021.
Page 2 lists events, openings and season closings during November and December.
Page 3 shows events and season closings during September and October.
Page 4 lists parties and cultural events that happened in August.
