Chora Mykonos

The island’s capital, Chora Mykonos also goes by the names of Hora and Mykonos Town. From the sea, the sun glances off the town’s jumble of whitewashed houses lining a maze of narrow winding streets designed to trick would-be pirates.

Take a stroll through these traffic-free laneways and watch the sunset from a waterfront tavern are highlights of Mykonos, long regarded the Aegean’s most stylish and sophisticated island retreat. There are boutiques to browse and bars to discover, and photogenic churches like the five-in-one Church of Panagia Paraportiani. Whitewashed fishermen’s houses crowd the waterfront in Little Venice, along with the quarter’s renowned clutch of bars and restaurants. Nearby, the hilltop row of whitewashed windmills are a signature sight of Mykonos.

Archaeological relics and sculptures from Delos are preserved in the town’s museum, and there are icons and folk weavings on show at the folklore museum. Bring your camera to this picture-perfect island, to snap photos of the whitewashed houses set off by turquoise doors and balconies trailing with purple bougainvillea. When the sun goes down, Mykonos Town comes alive with partygoers hitting the island’s renowned nightclubs and bars.

Editor's Note: Photo courtesy of Jeremy Avnet via Creative Commons.