Mykonos

Mykonos is the most popular and most expensive of the Cyclades Islands, located in the Aegean Sea southeast of Athens and mainland Greece. Mykonos has been settled since the 5th century BC and has the whitewashed buildings you'd expect of a Greek island - plus centuries old windmills dotting the hills.

Mykonos is famous for its sandy beaches and intense nightlife. World-renowned DJs play is bars and clubs by night and party-goers recover in the crystal clear sea during the day.

The main town is officially called Mykonos but it is known as Chora, meaning 'town', to distinguish it from the whole island. It has a maze of narrow, windy streets designed to confuse pirates. The other important area is nearby historic Delos Island with its ruined ancient settlement, now part of UNESCO's World's Cultural Heritage.

The permanent population of Mykonos is about 9,000 people but this increases massively during tourist season - the total tourist number in a year reaches a million, most of them in August.

Practical Info

Mykonos can be reached by air from Athens daily or by ferry from many ports on the mainland or other islands, including Piraeus near Athens. Delos Island is a short ferry ride from Mykonos, but is closed on Mondays.