A girl plays in the sand at Agios Ioannis beach on Mykonos,  better known to many as the “Shirley Valentine beach.” Delos (left) and Rinia (right) are the two islands across the channel.

Shirley was here: Like millions of other people, I first “saw” Agios Ioannis beach on Mykonos in the 1989 “Shirley Valentine” movie starring Oscar-nominated actress Pauline Collins. It only took me 22 years, but in May I finally got to see “the Shirley Valentine beach” with my own eyes (and camera). On previous visits to Mykonos I had seen almost all of the island’s major beaches, but just never managed to get over to Ag. Ioannis. It’s a bit out of the way, for one thing, and several people had told me it wasn’t worth a special trip (they said the beach was small, wasn’t very scenic, and didn’t have much to offer apart from several pricey hotels and a couple of tavernas). But after renting the “Shirley Valentine” DVD during the winter, I decided it was time to finally check it out this year. It is, after all, one of the most famous beaches on Mykonos.

My partner and I walked there from Mykonos Town (with a stop to check out Ornos beach along the way) on May 17, a sunny and breezy warm day. Surprisingly, hardly anybody was at Ag. Ioannis, even though the weather was great. I could count on two hands the total number of people on the entire beach that afternoon, though there were probably twice as many gazing at the sand, the sea and nearby Delos and Rinia islands from shaded patio terraces at two of the beachside tavernas — Christo’s and Hippie Fish. [Editor’s update: Christo’s is now Pili Restaurant.} 

After our very long (and mainly uphill) hike from Ornos we needed a break from the hot sun, too, so after taking a few photos of the beach and surrounding area, we beelined for a shaded table at Hippie Fish. It just happens to be the very taverna where Shirley Valentine got a job in the movie, and there’s a sign right out front that boasts: “As seen in the movie ‘Shirley Valentine.'” Well, not quite. The place was called Sunset Taverna back in those days, and looked like a typical rustic Greek taverna. Now, as Hippie Fish, it sports a sophisticated white colour palette that gives the restaurant/bar a bright contemporary look and feel. Hippie Fish still serves dishes “inspired” by traditional Greek and Myconian cuisine, but in keeping with the times (and more likely the particular demands of international travellers staying at some of the expensive luxury hotels on the surrounding hillsides), it has added a sushi lounge. We only dropped in for a drink so I can’t tell you if the food is good (we didn’t look at a menu, so I can’t even say if the prices are reasonable), but we did enjoy relaxing on their patio, looking at the islands across the bay and watching waves wash against the sandy beach just a few meters below our table.

As for the beach: it’s nicer than I had expected, though it does feel much smaller and narrower than most of the island’s other major beaches. I would go back if travelling in May, early June or September, but would probably avoid it during peak season since it looked like it could get crowded quickly. (When we were there, it was incredibly serene — perfect for relaxing.) And it’s really not as out of the way as I had thought — only about 4 km. The bus runs regularly (it made seven return trips per day in May) and cost only €1.60 each way. We’d actually like to stay in Ag. Ioannis on a future visit since it was such a quiet area. Maybe next year … 

Keep scrolling to view a series of photos we shot on our walk to Agios Ioannis, as well as the beachfront itself.  More photos from our hike can be viewed in the Mykonos 2011: Agios Ioannis album on the mygreecetravelblog.com Facebook page.

Approaching Agios Ioannis bay on Mykonos from a road atop a nearby hillside

Cactus on the hillside above Agios Ioannis bay

Overlooking the bay and Delos Island from the road to Ag. Ioannis

A blue-domed church on the hillside above Agios Ioannis Bay

Vegetation obscures most of this sign next to the road above the beach …

… but a closer look confirms we’ve nearly reached “the Shirley Valentine beach”

A sign on the roadside points the way to the beach and Hippie Fish …

… which are at the bottom of the road that forks to the left

The beach road has views of Delos island and the turquoise waters in the bay

The road ends at a parking lot right next to the beach

A look back up the long road that leads down the hillside

There’s a tall stone wall on one side of the road, and hotels on the other …

… including Manoulas Beach Hotel, the resort where some of the scenes from “Shirley Valentine” were filmed

One of the buildings at Manoulas Beach Hotel

The parking lot next to Agios Ioannis beach

Beach umbrellas, turquoise water, and views of Delos island

Umbrellas casting shadows on the sandy beach

Looking to the right from the beach entrance beside the parking area

The entrance to Christo’s taverna, which overlooks the beach. {Editor’s note: Since this visit, Christo’s has closed and Pili Restaurant has occupied the location.]

Waves washing ashore;  Ag. Ioannis is a mix of soft sand and pebbles

Looking towards Delos island from a sandy section of the beach

Waves sparkle under the bright afternoon sun

Two red-domed churches and a fishing boat at the far right end of the bay

A closer view of the two churches next to the bay

Looking to the left from the beach entrance near the parking lot

Lounge chairs and umbrellas in front of Hippie Fish restaurant

“Shirley Valentine” sign at the Hippie Fish entrance

Lounge chairs and umbrellas on the beach below Hippie Fish

Part of the view from our table on the Hippie Fish terrace

Hippie Fish offers food & beverage service  on the beach

A group sitting area on the shaded beachview terrace at Hippie Fish; that’s the top-rated Mykonos Grand luxury hotel on the hillside in the background

A stretch of soft sand  below the Hippie Fish terrace

Another view of the open-air terrace (the restaurant has an indoor section, too)

Taking one last look at Agios Ioannis beach before catching the bus to town

The bus to Mykonos Town stops across the road from Panthea Residence (above), which offers studio accommodations overlooking Ag. Ioannis Bay

Bus service times are posted on a stone wall along the main road at the top of the hill above Ag. Ioannis beach. In mid-May, there were seven return buses per day.