Overlooking Mykonos Town from a steep, twisting road in the Fine Arts District. The island of Tinos is visible in the distance
Tag: Mykonos
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Cool pools: The Coco beach club pool & bar above infamous Super Paradise beach on Mykonos
Coco Beach Club‘s pool overlooks Super Paradise beach and bay
Beach view: Ask someone if they can name a “party beach” on Mykonos, and there’s a good chance they’ll mention Super Paradise. It’s not surprising, since Super Paradise has been one of the island’s most popular beaches for decades. But many people still think Super Paradise is a hedonistic destination primarily for gays and nudists, along with a smaller crowd of open-minded straights. Though it was the top Mykonos “gay” beach from the 1970s through the 1990s, times have changed and most of the gay scene has moved farther down the coast to Elia beach. Nowadays, Super Paradise draws a mainly straight crowd, but still sees its fair share of gay visitors — as well as beachgoers who love to frolic in the sun and sea au naturel.
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Greece holiday pics of the day
Passengers on the Blue Star Ferries Superferry II take in views of Mykonos Town as the ship prepares to set sail from the island’s Old Port in September 2007. Built in 1974, the ship can carry 1,530 passengers and up to 260 vehicles.
The Superferry II observed from Agia Anna beach at Mykonos Town harbour in 2007. Earlier this year, Blue Star Ferries sold the ship for €4.65 million to Golden Star Ferries Shipping Co. of Greece. Two new ferries will join the Blue Star fleet in its place: delivery of the Blue Star Delos is expected this summer, while the Blue Star Patmos will arrive in 2012. The Superferry II continues to operate between Mykonos and the mainland port of Rafina.
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Memorable meals: Cheap eats served ’round the clock at Jimmi’s souvlaki shop in Mykonos Town
I was craving roast chicken, but Jimmi’s was sold out of birds …
… so I settled for a chicken gyros instead. It hit the spot!
Wallet friendly: It’s easy to blow a travel budget to smithereens on Mykonos, where dinner for two at some of the island’s chic restaurants can cost as much as a night’s accommodation at a five-star hotel. (See my July 20 2011 Mykonos dining post for further details on some of the current hot dining spots frequented by the world’s rich and famous.)
But it’s just as simple to keep more brass in your pocket by feasting on some cheap eats now and then instead of splurging on costly meals at trendy dining establishments, or even €30 dinners at some of the island’s more reasonably priced restaurants.
Case in point: Jimmi’s souvlaki place in Mykonos Town. This popular fast food shop in the heart of Mykonos Town is an island institution, having been in business for over 30 years. (They’re open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from May through October.)
Jimmi’s has been busy almost every time we’ve walked past (which I’m sure has been more times than I could count), but until this past May we had never tried their food. The reason? I got my fill of gyros and souvlaki during my university days, and have rarely ordered it since. I think I’ve eaten only one or two gyros in the past 10 years, and I’ve ordered souvlaki maybe just half a dozen times in total during our various trips to Greece.
But when we couldn’t get an outdoor table at our favourite Mykonos restaurant, Maerion (unless we were willing to wait about an hour, which we weren’t), we thought we’d give Jimmi’s a try — and save some cash at the same time.
What I really wanted was one of their roast chicken dinners (can’t recall the price; it may have been about €7), but the counter staff shook their heads, pointed to an empty rotisserie machine and told me: “no more — all gone.” I was set to walk back to Maerion but decided to settle for a chicken gyros instead. We ate outside the restaurant at one of their little tables on a narrow step next to the street, watching a steady stream of customers picking up food to take out or eat in (there’s a few tables along the wall and on a small terrace near one of the two entrances, plus a room with more seating on the other side of the narrow road).
My gyros was a little salty, but otherwise tasted great — and satisfied my appetite. The price was even better. Two gyros (mine, plus my partner’s vegetarian gyros), a Coke and a bottle of water cost less than €6 — about the same price as one appetizer at Maerion, and less than the cost of a Greek salad there.
I have a strong feeling we’ll be going back to Jimmi’s next time we’re on Mykonos.
Finishing off a satisfying chicken gyros at a table in the street outside Jimmi’s
Jimmi’s has been serving burgers, chicken, gyros, souvlaki and salads 24 hours a day, seven days a week, six months a year for over 30 years
Jimmi’s son, Savvas, in the shop entrance
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Meet Petros, the famous pelican mascot of Mykonos
A pelican on Agia Anna beach next to the harbour at Mykonos Town
Famous feathers: Mention Mykonos, and most people instantly think of windmills, sandy beaches and white cube-shaped houses with blue shutters and doors. Yet one of the most popular tourist attractions on the island is a bird — a 53-year-old pelican named Petros. Actually, there’s not just one pelican on Mykonos — there’s a pod of three. And even though they all seem to be called Petros, they aren’t in their 50s.Yet.
According to local legend, the original Petros apparently flew from mainland Greece to Mykonos during a fierce storm. He was found, half-dead, by a fisherman who nursed him back to health. Island residents named him Petros and took turns feeding him. Petros became such a hit with tourists that he was designated as the official mascot of Mykonos. But he met an untimely, scandalous demise around 1986 when he was either run over by a car (some locals blame a drunk taxi driver) or sexually assaulted (some blame a drunk tourist).
Another legend maintains that jet setter and regular Mykonos socialite Jackie Onassis gave the island a new pelican to replace its maimed mascot, while another says a German zoo donated a bird as well. Yet another story says a third pelican wound up on Mykonos when he was discovered on a beach, injured like the original Petros, and brought back to good health by the locals.
Whatever one or all of the stories is true, it’s a fact there’s at least three pelicans entertaining tourists on Mykonos these days. They can often be spotted as a group, in a pair, or sleeping or strolling around solo. Their favourite places to hang out are at Niko’s Taverna (where they pose for photos with diners and then collect fresh fish treats from the kitchen), Paraportiani Square, Little Venice, the windmills on the hillside above Little Venice, and along the Mykonos Town harbourfront.
The last two times we’ve been to Mykonos, we’ve encountered pelicans in cocktail bars at Little Venice and on the harbourfront. Which makes me wonder … haven’t they been warned that it’s dangerous for them to hang around people drinking booze?
Below are photos of some of the pelicans we’ve met during some of our visits to Mykonos.
Two pelicans swimming in the harbour at Mykonos Town
A pelican entertains tourists on Agia Anna beach at the harbour
A pelican catches a snooze in the square next to Niko’s Tavernan
The pelican appears to be sound asleep …
… but he’s fully aware of all the tourists and cameras close by
A pelican on Agia Anna beach
Watching the boats in Mykonos Town harbour
Taking a long slow stretch on the beach
A pelican pauses while walking down a street in Mykonos Town …
… en route to a jewellery store near the waterfront, where he checks himself out in a mirror before being shooed back outside by the shopkeeper
A pelican poses for pictures at the Mykonos Town harbour
A pelican poses for a picture with me on Agia Anna beach
A pelican at the Sunset Bar in Little Venice
Petros gives us a full frontal face view
A pelican in the courtyard at Skandinavian Bar
Waiting for someone to buy him a beer, perhaps?
Enjoying evening cocktail hour at Camares bar near the harbour
A close-up look at the pelican’s neck pouch, which apparently can expand to hold nearly three gallons of water or fish
Another close look at the pelican’s colourful beak
This pic reminds me of an old Hollywood entertainer wearing a fake hairpiece
A pair of pelicans waiting for fish at Niko’s Taverna
A pelican waits outside the kitchen door at Niko’s Taverna
Three pelicans line up for fish treats at Niko’s Taverna
A pelican stands proud on Agia Anna beach at the harbour
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Family-friendly Ornos beach on Mykonos
Sunbeds and umbrellas on the soft sandy beach at Ornos
Family fun: Mykonos is notorious for its steamy beach party scenes, particularly at Paradise, Super Paradise, Elia and Paraga where the adult fun can get wet, wild and loud at the beachside bars and dance clubs. But if you’re travelling to Mykonos with children, and don’t want them exposed to scantily-clad college co-eds dancing on bars, chugging Jell-O shots, or sunbathing in the nude, where can you go?
Mykonos has more than 20 big beaches, and Ornos is one of the best for families. It’s a resort area boasting a good variety of hotels, bars and restaurants just a 10-minute drive from Mykonos Town. Although there are some bars along the beach, Ornos doesn’t draw the “spring break”-type of party crowd that attracts hordes of college kids from around the world to Paradise and Super Paradise.
Below are some photos we took during a visit to Ornos one afternoon in May. We were shocked to find the area almost vacant despite the warm, sunny weather.
Looking to the right from the shade of a tree near the middle of Ornos beach
A row of lounge chairs and umbrellas on a stretch of soft sandy beach
Homes and hotels on the hill on the left side of Ornos Bay
Despite the warm, sunny weather, Ornos beach was practically empty
Overlooking Ornos beach from the road to nearby Agios Ioannis beach
A view of the beach from a hillside overlooking the bay
Shuttle boats take passengers from Ornos to other popular Mykonos beaches
Looking toward the section of beach next to Ithaki taverna
Ithaki taverna and rows of rental chairs and umbrellas in front of the restaurant
A pair of lounge chairs under an umbrella in the middle of the beach
