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Mykonos: the lord of the Cyclades that never sleeps

20 July 2013 / 19:07:10  GRReporter
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Mykonos is undoubtedly the lord of island lifestyle, tourism and nightlife. Although it is basically synonymous with nightlife, music beat and celebrities, Mykonos has no reason to feel envious of its Cycladic neighbours. On the contrary, the island boasts some of the most picturesque landscapes and the most beautiful beaches in Greece that have been attracting countless tourists from all over the world since 1950. This year, after a small decline over the past 1-2 years, Mykonos is making a comeback.

Sights

Of course, Mykonos’s sights are not limited to Cavo Paradiso and Little Venice, although they alone make it worth visiting the island.

Its windmills have decorated many postcards and it is worth taking an afternoon stroll in order to see them. Enjoy the sea breeze and white mills.

Starting from Chora, take a walk along the picturesque streets in the central Market Square Matogiyani, while looking at luxury shop-windows and small tourist shops and keep your memories of a city that never sleeps.

Little Venice is a picturesque neighbourhood with colourful balconies that "hang" above the sea. Be sure to enjoy some of Greece’s most beautiful sunsets here.

The Church of Panagia Paraportiani is from the 16th - 17th century and an extraordinary architectural monument. It takes its name from the small gate of the medieval wall next to which it is located - "paraporti" and consists of 5 smaller churches.

Famous pelican Petros, the island’s talisman, walks along the narrow streets and is one of the landmarks. Of course, it is not the only one – there are a lot of other pelicans and you will see them everywhere, or you can pet them.

Delos

The Island of Delos has been known since the 10th century BC as one of the most important religious centres. An entire city was discovered during excavations in 1973, with streets, squares, public buildings, shrines, luxury houses and shops, columns and mosaics, rousing worldwide interest.

Beaches

Super Paradise

 

Super Paradise

The beaches of Mykonos are very clean and boast crystal clear water and beautiful colours. Beaches full of people, music and dancing, near and far, organised or not, with sand or pebbles, large and small - here you will find everything.

The most popular beaches include Super Paradise with its green waters, wild parties and famous visitors, and Paradise, right next to it, which has been known from the era of hippies, with its large club, campsite and countless tourists.

Kalo Livadi is known for its endless sands, a lot of sun-beds and absolute organisation. Psarou is undoubtedly the king of the island with the countless yachts in its bay, emerald waters and fine golden sand.

Elia and Lia are two beautiful organised beaches with coarse sand, deep green icy waters and are perfect for the days when the Meltemi winds blow.

If you avoid organised tourist beaches, you can enjoy the exceptional waters and wonderful sands of Kapari, a small unorganised beach, which is known only to connoisseurs and locals. This also applies to the large beach of Agios Sostis in the northern part of the island.

Mykonos’s beaches are countless and they are all wonderful. Ftelia, Platis Gialos, Paranga, Panormos, Ornos, Fokos, Kalafatis - to name just a few.

Food

Try the spicy local cheese "tirovolia", smoked meat, sausages, lamb and delicious lobster pasta. These are just some of Mykonos’s traditional meals. The famous dish “Mostra” is made with tirovolia, tomatoes and rusks. You should also try the traditional onion pie.

You can choose where to eat - from small taverns near the sea to gourmet restaurants. For wonderful dishes at good prices, grilled fresh fish and local meats, try Nikolas at Agia Anna right next to the sea (http://www.nikolas-taverna.com), and Fokos which serves food until 7 a.m. and enchants you with its great location and traditional Greek dishes (http://www.fokosmykonos.com/).

Kiki on Agios Sostis beach also works until 7 a.m. Here you can enjoy only 2-3 grilled meat and fish dishes, and salads, but the experience is unique since there is no electricity in the restaurant. However, you will probably have to wait in line.

At Ano Mera's square you can try delicious meat in one of the restaurants there and you will understand why the island loin is different and more delicious.

Tags: Mykonos Cycladic Islands Little Venice beaches nightlife
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