Tag: Semeli Bar

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

Share

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.

 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Singers Julio Iglesias, Anna Vissi and Conchita Wurst to perform at Mykonos beach clubs this week

Share

 Conchita Wurtz and Anna Vissi

Eurovision singing sensation Conchita Wurst, left, and Greek entertainer Anna Vissi, right, will appear at the Jackie O’ Beach club on Mykonos Saturday night. This image was posted with a recent protothemanews report about the event.

 

Big-name acts: The Mykonos party scene will reach a midsummer climax over the next four days when several internationally-renowned singers make live appearances at two of the island’s top beach clubs.

Anna Vissi will perform at Jackie O’ Beach Saturday July 26 during a special concert event celebrating the 40th anniversary of her music career. She will be joined by “bearded lady” Conchita Wurst, who won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest for Austria six weeks ago with the song “Rise Like a Phoenix.”

Jackie O’ Beach is located at Super Paradise beach. The popular straight-friendly gay club will open its doors at 7:30 for the event, which will feature warm-up performances by Greek singer Demy as well as Greek Eurovision participants Freaky Fortune, Risky Kidd and Apostolos Mitropoulos.

Tickets are being sold at Jackie O’ Beach as well as its sister bar, Jackie O’ Mykonos in Mykonos Town. The club’s website doesn’t provide ticket prices, but a Greek Reporter article published today said prices range from €100 to €450.

On Wednesday July 30, international singing superstar Julio Iglesias will appear with popular Greek performer Antonis Remos at Nammos by the Sea, the chic restaurant and nightclub at trendy Psarou beach.

The Facebook page for the Julio Iglesias Meets Antonis Remos event doesn’t list ticket prices, but one fan posted that she heard standing-room tickets start at €60 while tables are priced from €1000. Tickets can be ordered by contacting Nammos by telephone at: +30 22890 22440.

Please click on the number 2 in the link below to read about more events taking place on Mykonos.

 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Pages: 1 2

Things I love about Greece: There’s always a great place to experience a Shirley Valentine moment

Share

Little Venice at Mykonos Town Mykonos Greece

Gazing toward Tinos island from Semeli bar at Little Venice, Mykonos

 

Seaside drinks and dining: One of the things I love most about Greece, especially in the Islands, are the bars and tavernas with seaside tables. I always find it soothing and refreshing to enjoy a drink or meal while sitting just a few feet, or even mere inches, from the sparkling waters of the Aegean Sea. Gazing toward nearby islands, watching the waves, or savouring a spectacular sunset comforts and re-invigorates me. Experiencing my own “Shirley Valentine moment” is always a highlight of my holidays in Greece. Probably because it’s something I can never enjoy at home, unfortunately.

Although my home city, Toronto, has an extensive waterfront along Lake Ontario, there are precious few lakeside restaurants where you can enjoy an alcoholic drink or restaurant meal while overlooking the water and the Toronto Islands. In fact, you could probably count on one hand the number of dining spots that are within a stone’s throw of the water here. And most of those are situated side-by-side on just one outdoor terrace at Harbourfront’s Queen’s Quay Terminal, about 50 feet from the water’s edge (which usually isn’t even visible if any of the big Toronto harbour cruise boats happen to be in port at the time; they block most views of the water from all the restaurant patios). In Toronto, you just can’t enjoy food or beverages any closer to the water’s edge unless it’s fast food takeout or a picnic lunch you’ve lugged along.

The fact there are barely any harbourfront bars or restaurants in Canada’s biggest city is completely pathetic in itself, but what’s worse is our province’s incredibly antiquated and Puritanical liquor laws. Here in Ontario, we’re allowed to consume alcoholic beverages on outdoor restaurant patios only if the terrace is completely enclosed by a fence or barricade of some sort. If you ever dared to move a table and chair to the water’s edge, and sat down with a beer or glass of wine, you’d get charged with a provincial liquor law violation, while the restaurant would be fined and probably get its liquor licence suspended, if not revoked altogether. And if they served you any food, city health inspectors would probably shut down their kitchen.

But in Greece, you won’t risk getting a criminal record if you drink a glass of wine or a bottle of Mythos at the seaside, and the taverna that serves you won’t be shut down by the authorities. And that’s exactly the way it should be.

Paradiso Taverna on Plaka Beach on Naxos

Paradiso Taverna has tables under a tree on the golden sand of Maragas beach (near Plaka beach) on Naxos.

 

Tables next to the seaside at a taverna in Little Venice in Mykonos Town

These tables at a taverna in Little Venice in Mykonos Town sit only a few feet from the water’s edge, and offer incredible sunset views…

 

Tables next to the sea at a Little Venice taverna

…if the tables were any closer to the sea, diners would get their feet wet!

 

Babulas Taverna in Mykonos Town

Harbourside tables at Babulas Taverna in Mykonos Town

 

Babulas Taverna at Mykonos Town

An overhead view of Babulas Taverna in Mykonos Town

 

Babulas Taverna at Mykonos Town

From the harbourside tables at Babulas Taverna, Tinos island is faintly visible across the sparkling waters of the Aegean Sea

 

Harbourside tavernas in Kokkari on Samos

Harbourside tavernas in the scenic village of Kokkari on Samos

 

Harbourside tavernas in Kokkari on Samos

Tables sit barely more than a meter from the water’s edge at dozens of bars and restaurants in Kokkari on Samos

 

Katina's fish taverna at Amoudi Bay

Katina’s fish taverna at Amoudi Bay below the village of Oia on Santorini

 

Sunset Taverna at Amoudi Bay on Santorini

Seaside tables at Sunset Taverna at Santorini’s Amoudi Bay

 

Taverna table at Amoudi Bay on Santorini

A table right next to the water at Amoudi Bay on Santorini

 

Oasis taverna at Grikos bay on Patmos

Oasis taverna has tables right on the sandy beach at Grikos Bay on Patmos

 

Meltemi beach bar in Skala Patmos

Meltemi beach bar in the port town of Skala on Patmos

 

 

Egali beach on Amorgos

Taverna tables beside Egali beach on Amorgos island

 

Egali beach on Amorgos

Taverna tables beside Egali beach on Amorgos

 

Beachside tables at Agia Anna on Naxos

Taverna tables beside the beach at Agia Anna on Naxos

 

Little Venice on Mykonos

Views of the famous Mykonos windmills from a seaside bar in Little Venice

 

Little Venice in Mykonos Town

Seaside cocktail bars at Little Venice in Mykonos Town

 

Semeli cocktail bar at Little Venice in Mykonos Town

Sun-soaked Semeli cocktail bar at Little Venice in Mykonos Town

 

A seaside bar at Little Venice in Mykonos

Tables right at the water’s edge at a Little Venice cocktail bar in Mykonos Town

 

Little Venice in Mykonos Town

A table beside the water at Little Venice in Mykonos Town

 

Little Venice in Mykonos Town

Sunsets, sailboats and cruise ships are all part of the view from the bars and tavernas along the seaside at Little Venice on Mykonos

 

Harbourside taverna tables in Kokkari on Samos

Tables overlooking the harbour at the village of Kokkari on Samos