Beach chairs and umbrellas on Elia beach on the Mykonos south coast
«»
Tag: Mykonos
-
A visit to Agios Ioannis, the beach where the “Shirley Valentine” movie was filmed
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.}
[adToAppearHere]
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
[adToAppearHere]
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.
-
Rochari Hotel’s seaview bar is an ideal place to have drinks during sunset on Mykonos
Giaros Island appears beneath a sky of glowing clouds in this spectacular sunset view from the Rochari Hotel‘s cocktail terrace on May 18 2011.
Scenic overlook: The seaside cocktail bars at Little Venice usually get top mention in travel forums when people ask for advice about good sunset viewing locations in and around Mykonos Town. We’ve seen some wonderful sunsets from there, from Windmill Hill overlooking Little Venice, and from the rocky seashore just below the Paraportiani Church, too. We’ve also enjoyed tremendous sunset views the three times we have stayed at Hotel Tagoo, a 15-minute walk north of Town in the island’s Tagoo district. Thanks to a tip from an online colleague, this year we experienced a superb new sunset viewing spot for the first time — one that now ranks among our favourites.
In a post on TripAdvisor.com’s Mykonos travel forum, fellow Mykonos Destination Expert jon_rwr had suggested my partner and I go for a drink on the terrace at the Rochari Hotel sometime. I remembered his recommendation on May 18 when we arrived at the Fabrika bus depot following a full day of hiking to four different beaches on the island’s south coast. We had spent hours on our feet and were looking forward to just sitting and relaxing with a drink before dinner — but where? We wanted to visit some place new, with a view … and since the Rochari was just a short walk up Ag Ioannou Street from the bus depot, we took Jon’s advice and headed right there.
Jon’s recommendation was excellent! The Rochari’s sun-soaked cocktail terrace overlooks much of Mykonos Town, including the iconic windmills, with sweeping panoramic views of the sea and other nearby islands. It proved to be the perfect place for us to relax and unwind with a nice glass of wine at the end of our active afternoon. When the blazing sun dipped closer to the horizon, painting rich, warm hues of amber and gold on the clouds and western sky, a distant island suddenly came into sharper view. We had been chatting with Darren, the Rochari’s cheery, affable bartender, while we were shooting photos of the spectacular scene dramatically playing out before us. Darren politely excused himself for a moment so he could grab his camera to take some shots of his own, explaining that we were experiencing a remarkably clear view of Giaros Island. (We realized it must have been a noteworthy sunset if Darren, whose enviable “office” gives him gorgeous views every evening, was compelled to capture it in photos, too).
The sun went down a short while later, but the terrace remained a comfortable and cozy spot to enjoy the evening. Unfortunately, that was our final night on Mykonos this particular holiday, so we couldn’t make a return visit. But we’ll definitely be going back there for more wine and sunsets on our next trip. With its amazing views of Mykonos Town and those stunning sunsets over the Aegean Sea, the Rochari’s terrace will be one of my “must see” Mykonos recommendations. If you happen to drop by for a drink, please give our regards to Darren. And don’t forget to bring your sunglasses — the rays of the setting sun get so strong and intense, you’ll certainly need to wear them! (By the way: The Rochari is a beautiful hotel in a great location; keep it in mind if you’re searching for quality accommodations right in Mykonos Town.)
Below are several photos of the sunset views from the Rochari Hotel cocktail terrace. More photos can be viewed in the Mykonos 2011: Sunset at the Rochari Hotel album on the mygreecetravelblog.com Facebook page.
Cocktail terrace view of the Rochari Hotel’s swimming pool and deck
Rochari Hotel terrace view of the swimming pool and part of Mykonos Town
Terrace view of Mykonos Town before sunset
Me on the terrace, enjoying the views under the hot evening sun
Standing on the Rochari terrace at sunset, with the whitewashed buildings of Mykonos Town spread out below the hotel
A shot from the other direction, with more of Mykonos Town and part of Tinos island providing a backdrop in the distance
The terrace has amazing views of Mykonos Town and nearby islands
Sunset view from a table inside the Rochari Hotel lounge
Giaros island starts to become more visible in the amber clouds below the sun
The sunset reflects in the calm water of the hotel swimming pool
The terrace is a perfect place to enjoy a nice glass of wine or an ice cold drink
Giaros Island starts to take center stage directly below the setting sun
Clouds in the sky above Giaros Island take on an amber glow in the sunset
A great view overlooking Mykonos Town and islands across the horizon
Hotel terrace view of the famous windmills on the hillside above Little Venice
Another peek at the Rochari pool as the sun prepares to dip below the horizon
Mykonos Town spreads out below the hotel; Tinos island is visible to the right
-
Snapshots of Agia Anna beach on Mykonos
Approaching Agia Anna beach along a coastal pathway from Platis Gialos
Convenient crescent: One of my favourite beaches on Mykonos is Agia Anna, a small, golden sand crescent wedged into the rocky peninsula that juts into the Aegean Sea between Platis Gialos and Paraga. It’s a peaceful little strand (in spring, at least) with only a handful of rental umbrellas and lounge chairs, and unimpeded views across the turquoise waters toward busy Platis Gialos beach on the opposite side of the bay.
[adToAppearHere]
Although it’s book-ended by two of the island’s most popular beaches, Agia Anna feels like it’s a little out of the way, yet still conveniently located. It’s just a 15-minute hike to Platis Gialos along a coastal trail, while Paraga is a short five-minute walk away. And what I like best about Agia Anna: Nikolas Taverna, a family restaurant beside the beach, with a row of tables under some shade trees right on the sand. Even if you’re not big on beaches, I recommend making the trek to Agia Anna just to savour a delicious home-cooked meal at Nicolas — the cuisine alone is worth the scenic walk!
Umbrellas, lounge chairs and windbreaks at little Agia Anna beach on Mykonos
A view of Agia Anna beach from the peninsula separating it from Paraga
Another view of Agia Anna beach from the peninsula
Lounge chairs and umbrellas are available for rent in front of Nikolas taverna …
… but there’s plenty of space elsewhere on the beach to drop a mat or towel
Looking across Agia Anna beach toward the big rocky peninsula
Looking from Agia Anna beach across the bay toward Platis Gialos beach
[adToAppearHere]
Another view toward Platis Gialos from Agia Anna beach
Lounge chairs and umbrellas on Agia Anna beach
Tree-shaded Nicolas taverna next to Agia Anna beach
[adToAppearHere]
-
On the waterfront: The Mykonos marina project
May 16 2011: The new Mykonos Town marina has come a long way since …
… May 28 2009, when the parking lot & small boat facility was still taking shape …
… and the seaside infrastructure project was a big, unsightly mess even when viewed from a distance, like this hillside near the Fine Arts District of Mykonos …
… but as of May 17 2011, the project looks closer to completion
End in sight?: First-time visitors ask what it is. Returning regulars wonder if it will ever get finished. People considering hotels in the area want to know if it will spoil their views and ruin their poolside relaxation. And local residents have become bored and weary from discussing it. The “it” is a new waterfront marina that has been under construction next to the Mykonos Town Old Port for what seems like forever … and the project completion date seems like it will take forever to arrive, too. But work crews are gradually getting there.
The new marina is actually an extensive mixed-use marine infrastructure project being built on more than 4 hectares of land reclaimed from the Mykonos seafront. Costing millions of Euros, the project was intended to help ease congestion at the overcrowded Old Port area, where ferry traffic was steadily increasing. The Old Port facility could not adequately cope with the crowds that kept queuing up for ferry boarding, let alone with all the taxis, hotel shuttle vans and buses and other vehicles that were constantly dropping off and picking up passengers in a very small and extremely congested area. Besides providing more breathing room for ferry travellers, as well as a new terminal for the smaller highspeed ferries that call in at the Old Port, the new marina would include a large parking facility just a short stroll from Mykonos Town (which has a pedestrian zone of streets that are off-limits to most vehicles), a bus and taxi station, port authority administration offices, a sailing club, fish market, and more. The long, narrow channel to be created between the marina and the Mykonos coastline was intended to provide shelter and mooring space for small fishing boats, sailboats, and other pleasure craft.
Landfill work began back in 1994, creating a huge waterfront eyesore — an unsightly long stretch of brown sand, soil and stones — that slowly grew larger until the mid-2000s, when the EU-funded marina project finally commenced construction. The facility stretches from the Old Port in the direction of the New Port at Tourlos — itself another massive landfill and marine infrastructure project — and extends north to a spot near the coast below the Cavo Tagoo luxury hotel. Much to the chagrin of operators of hillside hotels in the Tagoo area of Mykonos, which directly overlooks the project site, the heaviest and noisiest construction work lasted several years, detracting from the hotels’ otherwise marvellous sea and sunset views and interfering with poolside peace and quiet that their guests were expecting to enjoy during their holidays.
When I returned to Mykonos last month, I was happy to see that the marina looks like it’s nearly complete — and that much of the marina is now open for parking as well as bus and taxi drop-offs and pick-ups at the Old Port. Although the lion’s share of heavy and noisy construction work appears to have been completed, a substantial amount of work remains to be finished, and some concrete pumper trucks and earth moving machines were still operating on the site on the two days I walked around the facility. I did not find the noise to be loud or disturbing in any way, though, and I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t interfere with any guests trying to relax on the decks and in the swimming pools at any of the nearby hotels. The good news, for them, is that the marina looks a helluva lot better now than it did for several years when it was a giant construction site.
What disappointed me, however, was that the “marina” is essentially just an enormous, long parking lot near the seashore. I had read an online report several years ago (can’t remember where, and haven’t been able to find it since) that said the marina would include a nicely landscaped promenade that would give pedestrians a pleasant and safe walking alternative to the dangerous narrow coastal rode that runs from the Old Port to the New Port 2 kilometres away. That narrow, winding road is extremely busy with cars, trucks and buses barrelling full tilt to and from Mykonos Town, and since there are no sidewalks, pedestrians take their chances whenever they walk the roadside. But it doesn’t look like the walkway is going to materialize. A dirt ramp presently links the northern tip of the marina with the shoreline; however, it eventually must be removed to allow sailboat and fishing boat access into the channel. That means pedestrians won’t be able to reach the marina from the north end, so they’ll still be faced with the long walk along the busy coastal road. And unless the marina builders create sitting areas that are sheltered by trees and canopies, and add plants and flowers to different spots along the length of the marina to provide badly-needed colour contrast from the long expanse of stonework , it will just remain as one big long parking lot. It will be a good spot to walk for people who want to look up at the hillside and shoot photos of the hotels where they’re staying, but other than that I can’t see why anyone without a car would even want to go down there. At this point in time, it’s not a particularly pleasant a place to pass time. Fortunately, there are many, many more nice and scenic places to walk on the island instead.
Below are more photos I shot in May showing how the marina looks now.
Mykonos Town waterfront marina construction sign near the Old Port
May 16 2011: Marina viewed from the hillside near the top of the Kouros Hotel
May 16 2011: Plenty of new parking spaces are now available
May 16 2011: There is some landscaping, but the marina needs much more
May 16 2011: A view of the marina, looking toward the Old Port from a road on the Tagoo district hillside above the Apanema Resort
May 16 2011: Looking toward the unfinished northern end of the marina
May 16 2011: Apanema Resort is one of several hotels directly overlooking the marina project; Kouros Hotel and Cavo Tagoo do, too
May 16 2011: An excavator (left) and concrete pumper (rear) at work on the site
May 16 2011: A closer view of construction activity on the boat channel
May 16 2011: The concrete pumping truck doesn’t produce significant noise
May 17 2011: Late afternoon view of the marina, looking toward the Old Port (left)
May 19 2011: The marina links to the shoreline at its northern tip; however, this causeway will ultimately have to be removed to allow boat access into the channel
May 19 2011: Looking south across the marina toward the Mykonos Town Old Port
May 19 2011: Looking north toward cruise ships at the New Port at Tourlos
May 19 2011: The central section of the marina still needs considerable work
May 19 2011: Mykonos coastal road below the Cavo Tagoo luxury hotel
May 19 2011: The coastal road above the Mykonos marina
