Mykonos

Plan on 3–4 days on Mykonos: one for the town of Hora, two for the beaches of the south coast and half a day for Delos. The island has its own airport, ferries arrive from Piraeus and Rafina, and a KTEL bus runs from the airport to the Fabrika station near the centre.

The town is a loop of 2–3 h: from the harbour along the pedestrian street Matoyianni, busiest 10:00–14:00 while cruise ships are in port, to the church of Panagia Paraportiani, a cluster of five white churches merged over several centuries, at the entrance to the Kastro quarter. From there it is a few minutes to Little Venice, a row of 18th-century houses built by wealthy sea captains that rise straight from the water. When the sea is rough, waves hit the lower floors. On the hill above Little Venice stand the Kato Mili windmills, where grain shipped in from other islands was ground.

The south coast is what people come to the island for. The meltemi, a strong northerly wind, blows hardest in August, so the beaches on the south side are sheltered and the northern ones, such as Agios Sostis, are exposed. Three beaches make three different days: Psarou has the clubs and a small public strip of sand, Paradise and Super Paradise are beach clubs with DJ sets, and Elia is wide and calmer. The differences in transport and price are on the beaches page, and the evenings on the nightlife page.

Delos is a small island with an archaeological site, the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis; the boat leaves from the Old Port. Getting to Mykonos is by air or ferry, and the rest — where to sleep, getting around, beaches, going out — has its own page.