48 hours in Mykonos
Everyone tells you that Mykonos is a party island. If you are heading to Greece and looking for endless party vibes, Mykonos is your answer. This is mostly true; however, there is also a slow and relaxed lifestyle this stunning Greek island has to offer. We had 48 hours to spend in Mykonos on our way back from Paros and at the end of it, we knew we would return later in the future. It charmed us and we regretted how little time we booked to spend exploring.
Where to stay in Mykonos
For our 48 hours in Mykonos, we stayed in Livin’ Mykonos. After spending a few wonderful days in Paros, we took the ferry to Mykonos for the second part of our Grecian trip. As soon as we checked into the hotel, we ordered room service, ate and slept off. Something about the heat made us so tired and hungry. We woke up just in time for sunset and it was the most magical sight ever.
Livin’ Mykonos is stunning and I have written a comprehensive review of the hotel.
Related Greece Posts:
What to do for 48 hours in Mykonos
This is where I have to admit that we had zero plans for Mykonos. Most of our time was spent in Paros so by the time we got to Mykonos, we just wanted to relax and do absolutely nothing. The most effort I was going to make was to take some photos in Little Venice but things took an interesting turn and we were about to realise we could fit a lot of things within a short period.
Also, although we spent roughly 48 hours in Mykonos, we only spent less than 15 of those hours exploring.
Watch the sunset
What is it about chasing sunsets everywhere I go? Mykonos was no exception. A few years ago, we visited Santorini and one of my favourite memories till date was our sunset boat cruise. We imagined we would have a similar experience of the sun setting since we were back in Greece. Since we arrived in the evening, we did not have to wait long to catch our first sunset. Our hotel was on the perfect spot to catch the magic and after our long nap; we went poolside to watch it. It was beautiful, just as we had imagined.
Explore Mykonos by night
Seeing Mykonos at night was not something we had planned to do at all. We just assumed we would watch the sunset and go back to bed but life is all about change right?! My friend, Hannah who is also a blogger noticed I was in Greece from my Instagram stories and sent me a message to let me know she was in Mykonos. Next thing you know, Mr E and I are in a taxi, on our way to meet up with her.
We had dinner and drinks al fresco in one of the many restaurants – you are legit spoilt for choice. Post dinner and drinks, we walked around in search of waffles, watched some buskers and I danced in the street. Truly glorious! After we parted ways with Hannah, Mr E and I stumbled upon a group of performers reenacting Greek mythology. It was such a spontaneous, yet wonderful night and I am glad we decided to explore Mykonos by night.
Walk the cobbled streets
The streets of Mykonos make you feel like you are in one big Mamma Mia production. The little streets that weave around each other are so pretty, you would be forgiven if you mistook them for not being real. What you see in photos is exactly what you get with Mykonos. It is so picturesque and every corner invites you for a photo.
Have an early morning wander
The thing with Mykonos is that it does get very busy. It is one of the most popular destinations in Europe so no matter the season, you will always have tourists wandering around its streets. Yes, it is not as busy during off peak season but if you want to see the beauty of this island, wake up early!
After the lovely night we had, Mr E and I decided we wanted to see more of Mykonos before our flight home. So we woke up just after sunrise, got ready and headed into town while the town slept. Honestly, this is my favourite way to explore busy locations. We saw everything sans the crowds, and at a much slower pace, taking it all in. Mykonos gets quite hot by noon as well so waking up early to explore was perfect.
Shop
Believe it or not, there is a shopping culture in Mykonos. This is an island where shops are open until very late at night, which makes shopping quite attractive to tourists. From clothes to jewellery to art, Mykonos is an impressive shopping location.
I was drawn in by the local independent boutiques especially the ones selling Greek-inspired clothing and jewellery; however we only window-shopped. Mr E and I really never shop on our trips as I always find spontaneous shopping quite stressful. However, I am always very excited to window shop. We walked by the Off White shop and there was a queue to get into the Dior shop.
Head to Little Venice
Little Venice is like the town center with the prettiest restaurants, bars and shops. It is an instagrammer’s heaven as well. It is where everyone ends up to watch the sunset, for the perfect nightlife and to feel the vibe of Mykonos.
We walked along its whitewashed streets, spotting colourful doors and windows.
My favourite find was the “Happiness” sign, which I had seen all over Instagram. A close second was he stunning Negrita bar. We got there as they were opening for the day and I was able to walk from one end through the bar as it opened to the most wonderful view of the Aegean sea. I took some photos in front of its colourful façade and we sat there for a few minutes taking it all in.
Windmills of Mykonos
There is the Eiffel tower in Paris and the Coliseum in Rome. Mykonos has its very famous Windmills. I would even go as far as saying that the Windmills of Mykonos are its own iconic structure and can be seen from every point of the village.
For a bit of history, the Venetians built the windmills in the 16th century. They were use to mill wheat until around the 20th century. There are 16 windmills currently; 7 of them are on the hill in Chora and 1 of the windmills has been turned into a museum!
The windmills are now mainly aesthetic and you can see the village of Chora from the top of the hill. It is also a popular location to catch the sunset and the most stunning backdrop for photos.
Is Mykonos worth the money?
This was the most popular question I got when I shared this trip on my Instagram. In my opinion, YES. I would happily go again and this time, plan my trip much better and spend much longer than 48 hours in Mykonos. I would love to experience the beach clubs and spend a full day on one of its stunning beaches. Maybe also visit some of its historic churches and the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani, which I had read about.
Mykonos is very expensive. I remember thinking I had only seen prices like that in Beverley Hills and St Tropez. A tiny bottle of water at the airport was €2.80 and it cost €20 to taxi anywhere.
Paros or Mykonos?
After visiting both Paros and Mykonos, I cannot decide on one over the other. Both gave me different vibes. While both Greek islands resemble each other, the resemblance stops at the whitewashed streets. I see Paros as a more intimate island and Mykonos is more “show-offy” but not in a crass way.
Paros slightly wins over Mykonos as we felt it was more our vibe. Although this comparison might be unfair seeing as we spent most of our time in Paros.
For 48 hours in Mykonos, we covered a lot. At least, more than I had expected and I was glad we pushed our tired selves to explore. I cannot wait to go back one day and perhaps I will have more stories to tell.
However, until then….
Bisous, ‘Bugo
