Author: M Mykonos Villas

Mykonos was among the most photographed spots on our beautiful planet ever since the ‘60s! At the time, a paparazzi picture of Hollywood star and royal princess of the Monegasques, Grace Kelly, or of Frank Sinatra, or of Jackie Kennedy – later Onassis, onboard a luxury yacht in the old port of the island was worth thousands of dollars.

The most popular themes of Mykonos imagery were, among others, the legendary windmills, the much close to Mykonos sacred Delos Island, the church of Paraportiani, Little Venice, the world-class 9 Muses and Remezzo clubs.

Today, Mykonos remains one of the most Instagrammable places on earth. But taking again and again the same pictures of the windmills or of Little Venice, will not put your followers under the island’s —or your— magic spell! Instead, you can create super insta-opportunities by visiting Mykonos’s less known beauties:

• Hide in a cave. It is said that pirates loved Mykonos, maybe because they had already discovered Tragonissi; a small rocky island, only a few meters east of the island, which is famous for its caving systems. Go on an organized diving or snorkeling tour (never alone) there and take the most spectacular underwater selfies!
• Visit remote and deserted beaches. Does such a thing exist in Mykonos during the summer? It does if you take the road to Ftelia, Houlakia, Fokos, Kapari, or Mersini. They are all beautiful beaches, far from the crowd and the partying, yet worth visiting. In some, like Ftelia, you may need to take along your own umbrella —or tent— and beach chairs.
• If you want a selfie “flying” in the wind, go to Kalafatis beach in the afternoon of a windy day (one of the many) and try to walk against the “meltemi” north-east gusts.
• Watch a stunning sunset from the iconic Armenistis Lighthouse, about 6,5 kms drive from Chora (Mykonos capital) towards the north. The Lighthouse flashes a white beacon every ten seconds to remind the wrecking of an English ship that, in the 19th century, crashed on its rocks.

Of course, there are many more opportunities out there in Mykonos — just keep your eyes open and use your imagination to create a stunning, more interesting Instagram feed that your followers will love!

Contrast may be a be a great source of creativity and innovation. Take Mykonos, for instance: the reason why, for decades now, it has gained the reputation of the No. 1 party island in Greece, is not only because of its notorious clubs and DJ parties, but also because of its local, traditional festivals that take place every summer in different locations and are a must-go for visitors!

Contrast is a strong element of Mykonos’s DNA. One can recognize it in every step; from the 5-star luxury villas and resorts to the super clean, recently whitewashed “chez l’ habitant” rooms to let, located in small houses with blue-painted windows and pink bougainvilleas. Or, from the extravagant, sophisticated Michelin-starred restaurants to the humble fish taverns and food trucks. Whatever you think of, you’d better be ready to meet its complete opposite, as this blessed Aegean island features a perfect blend of a top luxury, rocking tourist destination with a place where local traditions are also very much alive!

Of course, the same applies for having (huge) fun in Mykonos! Especially in the heart of the summer, dancing day and night includes not only attending champagne showers at popular beach bars, jazz nights at exclusive bars, international rock festivals and parties with DJs, but also local festivals with traditional music and dances, tsampounas (local musical instruments), mouth-watering food and oceans of wine!

In addition to the above, you don’t need an invitation to attend the feast. Locals will be delighted to welcome you and make you part of their crowd.

In Mykonos, as everywhere in Greece, festivals have mostly to do with religious holidays and are a way of life, connected with local traditions and the loud Greek temperament. Food-wise, the festival menus usually include boiled lamb, traditional pies, ‘kopanisti’ cheese and the famous ‘louza’ cold cuts.

Some of the most exciting local summer festivals are:

• Feast of the Virgin Mary in Tragonisi, in June. The feast takes place after the service but only men are allowed!
• Also in June, the feast of Saint Kyriaki in Delos. It is the only day in the whole year when people are allowed to stay on the sacred the island in the afternoon. The feast starts after the evening service and the blessing of the bread.
• The festival of Saint Panteleimon in late July, which takes place in Marathi, in the medieval monastery.
• The festival of Panagia Tourliani, on the day of the Assumption of Mary (August 15th) in Ano Mera, in front of the Monastery.

Among the many hundreds of thousands of people who fly in every summer in Mykonos to swim in its transparent blue waters, spend long hours of sunbathing or dancing in its notorious beach bars, taste the best delicacies of the Mediterranean cuisine and indulge into the temptations of its rocking night life, there are a few eclectic connoisseurs who come to this precious gem of the Aegean Sea for totally different reasons.

To them, Mykonos with its spectacular coastline and landscape, its hundreds of white-washed churches and chapels hanging like eagles’ nests from sharp cliffs where the only sound comes from the roaring waves hitting the shore below and its vibrant energy, is the perfect place for unwinding and finding the true meaning of Zen.

The main reason for the mystical side of this beautiful place, that lists as one of the top world’s destinations for luxury travelers, is that Mykonos is neighboring with Delos Island; a sacred rock in the middle of the Cycladic archipelagos, famous for its high energy magnetic field and for making its thousands of visitors every year feel overwhelmed by a strong sensation. Delos, birthplace of the God of Light, Apollo, has been known as a holy island from the ancient times. According to a local legend, it is a place of huge concentration of energy due to a star that appears in the summer sky, in the center of a ring of stars above Delos.

Spending a day in Delos to meditate, practice Yoga, or do Tai Chi exercises is a soul-lifting experience that will leave you full of energy and spiritual fulfillment. The boat ride from Mykonos’ old port to the sacred island takes approximately 20 minutes. Just beware to leave before dark, as you cannot spend the night there. What you can, though, is stay long enough to watch the sunset — an experience that will leave you breathless.

Back to Mykonos, you can visit one of the emblematic luxury spas or ask for home-spa services, widely available along with yoga sessions to stretch your spine, improve your posture and metabolism, strengthen your bones, calm your nerve system, help you sleep well, relieve depression, help you relax and bring harmony to your mind. Apart from Yoga you can also book Pilates lessons and Massage sessions.

Whatever you need to fully unwind from the frantic reality we all live in, reach a high level of inner serenity, and find your Zen balance, accepting things as they are without constantly trying to interpret them, Mykonos can offer it, beautifully ‘wrapped’ in the amazing blue, white and golden shades of the Cycladic colors!