Category: Blog

From explosive firework-laden club experiences to 5-star dining and exclusive live music bars, the nightlife of Mykonos is reason enough to travel to Greece during the summer. The world-famous rocking energy of the island starts building up since late May and reaches its peak between August and mid-September, establishing Mykonos as a top party destination along the Mediterranean coastline.

Known for its LGBTQ+ friendliness since the 1960s, long before the term even came into common use, this incredibly beautiful island of the Aegean archipelago is a haven for international music enthusiasts and free spirits.

Alongside destinations like Monte Carlo, Ibiza and St Tropez, Mykonos has been one of the international jet-setters favorite spots since the 1950s. Greek tycoons like Aristotle Onassis with Maria Callas and Stavros Niarchos, Hollywood stars like Marlon Brando, Grace Kelly and Richard Burton, worldwide celebrities like Jackie Kennedy and the “melancholic” Princess Soraya, were frantically chased by paparazzi around the narrow alleyways of the island’s town, as the once unknown island progressively gained its glittering identity with each passing summer.

Party vibes all day, everywhere!

Mykonos is both the inventor and embodiment of the party-vibe concept. In fact, the music and dancing here never stop. With the exception of a short pause between 8 am and 12 noon, when its happy visitors are soundly asleep, the beat at the beach-bars operating in almost all organized, sandy beaches, goes up from noon till after sundown. From then on, the parties are transferred to the live music bars of Little Venice and the nightclubs hosting nightly events featuring international DJs on the decks — many of whom also organize lively events on the beaches during the day.

It is advisable that visitors keep an eye on Mykonos’ event calendar, as parties and events are literally everywhere! There are all-day parties taking place in private villas, sunset parties, dawn-break parties, yacht-parties, and the story goes on. Just name your wish and see it happen. For instance, you can join a late afternoon yacht cruise, having on board one of the local top chefs who will craft for you a starry menu on one of the secluded and tranquil beaches. Alternatively, you can participate in one of Mykonos’ “panigyria” – local festivities of religious origin, where everybody is more than welcome to stay up all night dancing to the sounds of traditional instruments, drinking and indulging in barbecued pork chops!

Meteorologists might argue that the summer north winds blowing over the Aegean help keep the atmosphere dry and transparent, enhancing the visibility and highlighting the spectacular colors of the sunset. Songwriters, authors, and painters travel thousand miles to be inspired by the beauties of the Cyclades; the sacred island of Delos -UNESCO World Heritage Site- and the neighboring Mykonos with the amazing coastline and rocking energy, starring at the center of this unique Archipelago. And when it comes to their works of art most of them will use them to pay tribute to the unprecedent sunsets that became their inspiration. Because nothing compares to watching the sun painting the skies with colors of unimaginable perfection as it hastily dives into the deep blue colors of the sea.

To start with, there is nothing more magical than experiencing the last minutes of daylight, sipping an iced cocktail, and listening to great music in one of Mykonos notorious beach bars.

If in town there are unique spots for impressing your Insta community with some of the most admirable sunset photos. Little Venice is one of those incomparable places where you can combine the fantastic sunset view with o gourmet dinner and drinks at one of its dozen picturesque bars, housed in beautiful old buildings.

Alternatively, you can walk up to the Windmills that overlook Little Venice, almost like its eternal loyal guardians. There are no venues here – just plenty of space for the ideal sunset selfie picture with unobstructed view.

Or else take a ride to the historical Armenistis lighthouse that is located 7 kilometers from Chora and is one of the oldest and most imposing lighthouses in the Aegean. Watching the lit-up ships coming and going to the harbor of Mykonos just after sunset is a stunning experience. No venues here as well; just take with you a bottle of local wine and savor the beauty. Finally, you can charter a sunset cruise and collect unforgettable memories of a night trip along the south coast ofMykonos and Delos.  Taking a last plunge onto the golden-like sea in the early evening before the sun sets will be a treasure to keep in your heart.

Most travelers believe that there is no better time to visit the Greek islands than in the summertime. This is mostly true as the sea is incredibly blue and the sun shines every day, and the beautiful, golden beaches get full of happy people who spend long hours sunbathing, swimming, or dancing at some of the funkiest beach-bars of the Mediterranean, having the time of their lives. Yes, there are no better summer holidays than those spent on an amazing Greek island like Mykonos!

Except if you plan to visit Greece during Easter. With the “real” summer usually starting about a month later (the exact dates vary, as the orthodox Easter is a mobile feast), the sea will already be incredibly blue, and the sun will be shining every day, and the beautiful, golden beaches will be opening to welcome the first dedicated swimmers. It may be a little bit chilly after sundown, and there is no way to totally exclude the possibility of some light rain — but normally the weather will be great and the surrounding nature will dazzle you with its rich flora, that will eventually surrender to the summer dryness.

Most of all, Greek Easter is a one-week mystery tour around the march of Jesus through His tortures, crucifixion, and resurrection. To be precise, Greek Orthodox Easter is the most important celebration in the church’s calendar. The festivities start 40 days before Easter Sunday, on the first Saturday after Clean Monday. Priests from Panagia Tourliani Monastery in Ano Mera, in the island’s mainland, carry a holy icon from the Monastery on a 8km walk to Chora, the main town of Mykonos. Children accompany the ritual holding wreaths made from palm leaves. Five weeks later, on Lazarus Saturday, the icon is carried back to Ano Mera and on that day the local bakeries throughout Mykonos prepare prepare lazarakia, a dough model representing Lazarus who raised from the grave, with his eyes made from gillyflowers, sugar and raisins. They also bake the lambrokouloures, a sweet local bread adorned with red eggs, that symbolize the blood of Christ. As the Holy Week continues, the bakeries produce more special bread, as food is a very important part of the celebrations.

On Good Friday —which is usually and oddly a rather cloudy day— Mykonos turns solemn, as women beautifully decorate the grave of Jesus with flowers. Late in the evening, this “epitaph” is carried through the villages with worshippers following and chanting, holding lit candles. On the night of Holy Saturday the mood radically changes and locals gather outside the churches just before midnight to celebrate the resurrection of Christ in an unforgettable ceremony. Then, people return to their homes carrying candles to enjoy a traditional meal, featuring a soup called mageiritsa made from vegetables and the boiled parts of a lamb. The night usually ends with a big, long party!

Easter Sunday is an extraordinary display of the Greek hospitality, as family members feast and celebrate with their loved ones. A lamb is roasted on a spit over a barbecue, together with a variety of amazing delicacies including salads, kopanisti spicy cheese, potatoes and Mykonian sausages, together with the famous red eggs.

Blending the traditional with the contemporary, the Greek Easter on the islands is a most exciting experience that will grant you an unforgettable stay!