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Τhe ultimate Mykonos “beach menu” has something for everyone, regardless of taste, budget or mood.

AGHIOS IOANNIS

Beautiful and family-friendly. All-day, excellent accommodation and dining facilities.
Bonus: the chance to swim in the gold and purple colors of the evening, watching a spectacular free show as the sun sets behind the sacred island of Delos.

ORNOS

A fishermen’s settlement, popular with families and boaters who appreciate the docking facilities. An easy-going place to spend the day relaxing, swimming and having a simple meal, or perhaps an impressive gourmet feast, in one of the nearby tavernas or restaurants.

PSAROU

Once a safe haven for humble fishing boats during bouts of serious north-wind “Eighters” (that is 8 out of 10 on the Beaufort scale), this calm bay became a “perfect storm” of luxury beach-clubbing when “Nammos” became synonymous with delicious Mykonian decadence. Today, Psarou is still peaking, although with some unavoidable new competition from nearby Paraga.

PLATYS GIALOS

If you happen to be staying in the area, you’ll be perfectly satisfied with the waters, the beach services and the dining options. The little boats that come and go will take you to a few of the neighboring beaches (Elia, Agrari, Paradise). A short distance from Chora, Platys Gialos makes for an excellent combination of a day at the beach, followed by a long night out at town – and then a stroll back.

AGHIA ANNA

Next to Paraga, a small, super-cute, unpretentious beach with basic facilities (loungers and umbrellas for hire). Good food in the restaurant – if you are looking for local dishes and fresh fish.

PARAGA

A winning combination of crystal-clear waters, high-quality beach service and a multitude of all-day venues, ranging from the yummy all-Greek food Nikolas Taverna , to the cheerful good times at “Kalua”, to dining, drinking and chilling in the super-glamorous “Scorpio”. A must-visit, if you want to “see and be seen” on the island.

SUPER PARADISE

This smaller beach is one of the most magical places in the Aegean. Its natural beauty will be difficult to see, though, as it is always jam-packed with partygoers, nudists, and a young, dynamic gay community. Super Paradise self-advertises as “the party that never ends.” They really mean it: the party started about 30 years ago, and hasn’t stopped since.

PARADISE

Young, friendly, flirty, boozy and absolutely packed, this is just the kind of atmosphere you expect to find on a “Mykonian” beach. Not exactly for those seeking a quiet day, or a quiet life.

AGRARI

All day lounging, water sports, organic food, Wi-Fi, beach service, family-catering; if there was a roof over your head, you’d swear you were sitting comfortably at home. Instead, you can worship the sun with all the creature comforts you don’t want to go without.

ELIA

Simply spectacular long sandy beach with crystal-blue water that perfectly complements the elegant luxury hotels located in the area. Amenities, excellent beach service, access to world-class spa facilities, fine dining; prepare for a perfect Mykonos day.

KAPARI

Small, secluded, not easily accessible. Boasts a spectacular sunset.  Easy nudism, practically no facilities, a taste of “old Mykonos”. Why are you still reading? Go there, now.

MEGALI AMMOS (GREAT SAND)

You can practically walk from town, and you normally won’t have to deal with big crowds on this gorgeous beach, one of the island’s first to be “developed”. Extremely exposed to the northern winds, a secluded Shangri-La for the experienced windsurfer who needs his space.

AGHIOS STEFANOS

A bit up north, past the hustle- and bustle of the busy “New” Port, a settlement with many hotels and accommodation complexes. A decent beach, beautiful vistas and a bus station for easy access to town. Best times to go: Sunset, sunset, sunset.

CHOULAKIA (PEBBLES)

It is unlikely that you’ll get to visit this northwest beach if you are not a resident of the area. Rugged, secluded, untouched by tourism and probably the only white pebble beach in Mykonos, it will give you a real “Robinson Crusoe” feel.

AGHIOS SOSTIS

One of the few remaining unspoiled Mykonos beaches – used to be mainly nudist, now anything goes, so be prepared. You will find no umbrellas or loungers for hire, no snack bar, no bar, no music. Stop by the beautiful twin-domed chapel of Aghios Sostis on your way up to the hillside taverna.

PANORMOS

You’ll find everything you need here – a big, sprawling beach, somewhat exposed to the northern winds but still protected by Panormos Bay. Swim, socialize, eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in front of the waves, dance until dawn or walk a few steps further away and have the sand to yourself at the still-undeveloped far end of the beach.

FTELIA

The third and most intensely windswept beach in Panormos Bay.  A haven for young sports-oriented crowds, mainly wind-surfers. Funky, up-beat, well serviced. Bring a sweater or a shawl: you can never tell when there will be an evening dance party right on the beach, and you don’t want to miss out just because you feel cold.

MYRSINI

Paradise lost (and found) in this hard-to approach northern beach, unspoiled, smallish, somehow frequented only by the select few. Nothing to do there but swim and sunbathe like it’s nobody else’s business (and it’s not).

FOKOS

Twinned with Myrsini, you will recognize Fokos by its one and only taverna. If you do find a place to sit down at this eatery, don’t hesitate – it will be one of your best and most authentic Greek meals.

MERCHIA

A completely wide-open, undeveloped, stunning bare Mykonos beach – currently the apple of their eye for those environmentally conscious locals who are fighting to preserve its untouched beauty.

LIA

A quaint and lovely beach that can get a bit windy. Still, it’s a must-visit for the quiet, deep-into-summer blissful experience. If you love it, you may become one of those “hooked-on-Lia” types who never swim anywhere else.

KALAFATIS

Favorite meeting place for young crowds and families, a big wide friendly beach that also offers water sports and an endless opportunity for people-watching from any one of its many seaside venues.

KALO LIVADI

All day fun on this beach. Busy, happy, plenty of space for everybody, with  water sports and good food; an excellent choice if you are bringing the family.

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Once you arrive on Mykonos you will realize that the day has just as many party options as the night. As such, I’ve organized this section to give you party options for both day life and nightlife. Drinks in Mykonos are expensive; rarely less than 9€, but the good news is, if you are planning to head out at night, there are many supermarkets where you can buy a decent bottle of wine for no more than 6€ and begin your own party before hitting the town. I do not give phone numbers or addresses for clubs and bars, as phones are never answered and the clubs and bars are located virtually on top of one another in Mykonos town.

Day

Beach parties dominate the scene during the day. The most famous parties happen at Psarrou beach, where a hopping bar/club keeps the (mostly) Athenian crowd joyful. On Paradise beach, the Tropicana Bar and the Sunrise Bar cater to a more mixed crowd, and at Super Paradise, two loud bar/clubs on opposite sides of the beach cater to gay and mixed crowds, respectively. All three beaches have sunset parties, starting around 6pm, but it is Paradise Beach’s Paradise Club, with its gigantic swimming pool in the middle of the club, that steals the show with its nightly fireworks and a wild party that lasts until midnight.

Sunset

Back in town, things are less wild and more sophisticated around sunset. For over a quarter of a century, Caprice has been the island’s sunset institution, with chairs lined along its narrow porch overlooking Little Venice, the windmills, and the sea. It is extremely popular with the Athenians (but it has caught on with the rest of the tourists as well). It isn’t rare to come straight from the beach for the sunset and spend the entire night. The indoor area (set like a series of caves, with candlelit corners and a window opening up directly to the sea) is intimate and romantic.

Another must-visit sunset destination is the Oneiro Bar perched on a beautiful deck overlooking the sea. Coming here will also give you a chance to check out the bar scene at the Mykonos View hotel. The CBar Lounge, set in the Belvedere Hotel, offers breathtaking sunset vistas with menu, drinks, and decor by renowned wedding designer Colin Cowie. Back in Little Venice — or “Sunset Central,” as it’s sometimes called — Kastro, near the Paraportiani Church, is famous for its classical music and frozen daiquiris. This is a great spot to watch or join handsome young men flirting with each other. Montparnasse is cozier, with classical music and Toulouse-Lautrec posters. At night this becomes a very popular (mostly with a gay crowd) piano bar. Veranda, in an old mansion overlooking the water with a good view of the windmills, is as laid back as its name might imply. Galeraki has a wide variety of exotic cocktails (and customers); the in-house art gallery gives this popular spot its name, “Little Gallery.” After dark, it turns into a loud and fun bar/club.

With sunset out of the way, most head back to their rooms for a quick shower and change of wardrobe before heading out to dinner and then for after-dark fun.

After Dinner

Aroma bar is popular day and night, as it occupies one of the finest people-watching locations, right on busy Matoyanni Street. It’s a great place for an after-dinner drink. Astra is a legendary bar and elegant lounge, with groovy modernist rooms with wonderful indoor and outdoor seating, and the perfect place to begin the night — or stay all night, as it morphs from a casual lounge to a pumping dance club when some of Athens’s top DJs take over. Right in the entrance of town from the old harbor, the Athenian hot spot, Spanish restaurant/bar/club El Pecado (The Sin), moves to Mykonos in the summer and takes over the old space occupied by the infamous Remezzo. El Pecado has a great tapas bar and very good cuisine, but it is the sangria and the rum-based drinks, combined with the Latin beats (with some Greek as well), that make this such a fun place. Just follow the music.

Uno, a tiny bar on Matoyanni, is a popular destination for Athenians — peek inside to see why, or join in the fun. New Faces, formerly known as Down Under, is popular with a northern European and American crowd under 25, in large part because the happy hour extends from 9pm to midnight. On busy Matoyanni, Pierro’s (www.pierrosbar.gr) is extremely popular with gay visitors and rocks all night long to American and European music. Adjacent Icarus is best known for its terrace and late-night drag shows. During the early evening hours, both bars are so popular that sometimes just walking by is difficult. In Taxi Square, another popular gay club, Ramrod, has a terrace with a view over the harbor and live drag shows after midnight. Even though the island used to have a loud and large gay club, it no longer does, so Pierro’s (after 2am) is the closest you get, which quite frankly, is pretty close, as is Yacht Club. Porta (tel. 22890/27-807), a popular gay cruising spot, is busy from 9pm onward.

The Anchor plays blues, jazz, and classic rock for its 30-something clients, as do Argo, Stavros Irish Bar, Celebrities Bar, and Scandinavian Bar-Disco. They draw customers from Ireland, Scandinavia, and quite possibly as far away as Antarctica. If you’d like to sample Greek music and dancing, try Thalami, a small club underneath the town hall. For a more intense Greek night out, head to Guzel — at Gialos, by the waterfront and near Taxi Square — the place to experience a super-trendy hangout, populated mostly by hip Athenians, with Greek and international hits that drive the crowd into a frenzy, with people dancing on the tables and on the bars. It’s the sort of place that by the end of the night, you feel like you have partied with a group of close friends. Don’t be intimidated if you aren’t Greek. Go and have a blast! If you’re looking for a club before 4am, try Space Club, by Lekka Square. It’s extremely popular with the under-30 crowd, with a large dance floor and theme nights. The 10€ to 20€ entrance fee includes a drink.

If having a quiet evening and catching a movie is more your speed, head for Cine Manto (tel. 22890/27-190), in the Municipal Garden of Meletopoulou, a small oasis of green on this arid island. Films show nightly around 9pm. Many films are American; most Greek films have English subtitles.

After Hours

To continue late into the night, head for Paradise beach (take the bus from town), to either Cavo Paradiso (www.cavoparadiso.gr), on the hill (cover 25€-50€ depending on DJ and event; nightly 2-10am), or to Paradise Club, a large club by the beach (cover 15€-20€; nightly 2-6am). Both clubs are extremely popular, with rotating international DJs, theme nights, huge pools, and great views. If you last until they close, you can just go for a swim and begin the day all over again. After all, sunset is only a few hours away.

For those who want to continue their partying after 4am but don’t want to go all the way to Paradise beach, there is Yacht Club, which is really the cafe by the old port that, for some reason, turns to a popular mixed bar/club after hours. Wild flirting, drinking, and dancing ensue — this is the perfect place to end the night and to finally get together with the object of your affection. Being a mixed place, there is something for everybody here.

If you’re visiting between July and September, find out what’s happening at Anemo Theatre (tel. 22890/23-944), an outdoor venue for the performing arts, in a garden in Rohari, just above town. A wide variety of concerts, performances, and talks are usually planned.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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