Mikonos, Greece
Ah, Mykonos, a place I’ve heard about from so many people I
know who have been there and a place of which I have seen so many
pictures. It supposedly ranks up there
with Sitges and Ibiza as one of Europe’s gayest beach resorts as well as the
more general jet-setter and part-hardy reputation of places like Saint Tropez
and Marbella. Although the ancient site of Delos is a short boat ride away, the
island of Mykonos itself appears to have virtually nothing in terms of
historical, archaeological, or natural sites. It is a place to see and be seen,
lie on the beach by day, and party hardy through the night.
First, I must say that Mykonos lives up to its reputation as
a beauty spot. The Chora (town center) is absolutely gorgeous – a picture
perfect maze of narrow lanes lines with low rise whitewashed buildings with
blue (mostly), green, or red trim housing chic restaurants, bars, pricey
boutiques, and small hotels. The waterfront promenade along the Old Harbor is
lined with seafood restaurants and businesses catering to travelers.
Our small family-run hotel, Hotel Delphines
(dolphins) was just two blocks from the harborfront, and a clean modern room
cost only 70 Euros/night for two. I’d highly recommend it if you want to stay
in Mykonos without breaking the bank. Mykonos town is so perfect, it’s feels
almost like a museum or a stage set. It
didn’t take long for Rodrigo to exclaim, “I think this is my favorite place,”
and next “I think I want to move here!” He was particularly impressed with the
rounded corners and other aspects of the traditional Cycladic building style
that seems almost modernist in its minimalist simplicity.
If Cubby wants to move to Mykonos, though, he’s going to
have to find a source of income. Mykonos
is expensive! We were told the thing to
do was to go to Little Venice, a line of waterside bars facing west, for a
happy hour cocktail. When cocktails are 24
Euros, though, I’ll pass. Instead, I’ll buy a beer at a mini-market and watch
the sunset from a seaside bench. And Mykonos was probably not the place we’d
get to try some more authentic Greek cuisine.
The primary types of restaurants overpriced seafood places, those that
do cliché kind of Greek food you’d find at Hellenic diners in America, and
fussy super-expensive places emphasizing ambience and experimental cuisine. We picked
up things for breakfast at a nearby bakery and settled for fast meals from
souvlaki and gyros shops. And the insidious
influence of all those Americans in Mykonos shows up in the form of wait staff
expecting tips.
The Chora gets especially busy by day with cruise ship
passengers on shore excursions from their ships that moor outside the
harbor. On the day of our arrival, one
of those cruise ships there for the day had a Jazz/R&B music theme, and the
Chora was full of African-Americans. I had met some people on my flight to
Athens from Boston two weeks earlier who were going on the first of the two-week
long Jazz Cruise sailings. Then the next
two days the crowds were just standard mostly white cruise ship old people.
While Mykonos is a beautiful place, for me it’s a place to
see rather than a place to vacation or “go on holiday” as the Brits would
say. The jet set is not my crowd, I’m
not much of a beach bum, and I’m not (and never was) into the clubbing scene of
drugs and dancing the night away until dawn. While the physical appearance of
Mykonos town is very Greek, the place is completely given over to tourism and
the vibe is very much international posh. Rodrigo and I had a very enjoyable
three days on the island, though, including our excursion to Delos.
2025-05-23