My friend Sarah and I visited Mykonos, Greece this May and had the best time. We went into it with the mindset of planning one thing per day and doing whatever we wanted around that. We discovered where to stay, where to eat, and what to do on the island, and I wrote it all down so you can enjoy your next trip to Mykonos.

On Mykonos, there’s no big “Acropolis moment” or large attraction you absolutely have to see. You make your own fun and enjoy the island’s beauty. We had a unique experience of meeting a lot of locals who gave us amazing recommendations, and those are woven into the below:

Where to stay:

Stay at Vencia Boutique Hotel. End of story. It’s a newly renovated property on a hill overlooking the town of Mykonos. The rooms were clean and spacious, and the balcony was the best. The staff was unbelievable – they’re super energetic, fun, and they made us feel so welcome.

I love being a little removed from where ALL the action is happening, so you do have to walk 5 minutes down (and then up) a hill to get back and forth from town. But it’s so worth it. Look at this view from our balcony.

Even if you don’t stay here, make a dinner reservation here. The food is great, and the views are stunning. Breakfast here was part of our rate and it was a true highlight every morning.

Ok last few pics of the pool and property because I loved it:

Where to eat:

The most important part of your trip is where to eat, let’s be real. No matter where you eat, please promise me that you’ll get a freddo cappuccino. It’s the best coffee that’s ever existed. It has a huge fluff of milk foam and delicious coffee. Make sure to order it with light or medium sweetness. You can’t tell me a Greek frappe is better (but try both for yourself).

The other highlight is a Greek salad. Everywhere you go, it’s fresh and amazing. Actually salads were strangely a highlight for me. Ok here are some restaurants that I liked – most are more casual, you won’t find “party” restaurants on this list.

• Gioras Wood Medieval Mykonian Bakery: pastries and coffee at the oldest bakery in Mykonos
• To Maereio: a casual tavern, great for dinner and wine – get the saganaki and any salad on the menu
• Baboulas Ouzeri: great spot for drinks and a bite – ouzo tastes better here in the sun, I swear
• Taverna Marco Polo: Casual spot for fresh fish and seafood, more affordable than a lot of places on the island
• Jimmy’s Gyros, or Sakis: Both of these spots are great for a Greek salad and a gyro
• Kastro’s Restaurant: a more formal dinner by the water, upscale and modern Greek food
• Karavaki: this is at the Vencia Hotel, a more formal dinner atmosphere, a spin on Greek classics (get the saganaki shrimp)
• Negrita’s: Drinks and dancing by the water, younger 20s crowd
• Scarpa’s: Drinks by the water
• Cafe Vero: Coffee shop by day, drinks by night

What to do:

Beaches, beach clubs, spas – we made the most of our time in Mykonos, and there is still more to do. Here’s what I would recommend as activities on your Mykonian adventure:

Kalua Beach Bar on Paraga Beach: We wanted to try one day party/beach club, and this looked really nice and was a short bus ride away. The beach was calm and beautiful, the beach club was energetic and fun. They played great beats all day. It’s expensive – seating is 20 Euro and up depending on where you sit, but it’s yours all day. Email in advance to secure your seat during high season. There’s a minimum on food and drinks, but we made it work. There’s a restaurant nearby if you want to eat there and just get drinks at Kalua.

Ciel Mykonos Spa: We did a spa day at Ciel at the Absolute Hotel – the Aegean package was amazing. A body scrub, facial, and massage with delicious smelling local products. Note that they have a variety of locations, so make sure yours is convenient to where you’re staying.

Ornos Beach: We did a quick trip to Ornos Beach, super convenient to town via bus. Here, we brought our own towels and sat on the beach. It’s a little smaller and more secluded than Paraga – a lot of luxury hotels are located here.

Things to know:

• Try to learn some Greek. Everyone speaks English, but it’s respectful to speak some Greek, and it’s a great conversation starter. A few words to learn:
  • Thank you: efcharistó (ευχαριστώ)
  • Hello/Goodbye: Yia sou (singular) or yia sas (plural): (Γειά σου/σας)
  • Please/you’re welcome: Parakalo (Παρακαλώ)
• May and September are the best times to go for a combo of good weather and not as big crowds.
• Go out all night. Try it once. That might mean napping mid-day by the pool and then starting your night after midnight.
• Taxis and Ubers are rare. There are literally 30 taxis on all of Mykonos. If you want to see a lot of the other sides of the island, rent a car or ATV. Be very careful driving along narrow, busy roads.
  • We stayed in town for most of our trip and took a bus twice out of Fabrika which is right in Mykonos center. Get there early to reserve your spot, and understand the bus schedule.
  • Schedule taxi rides far in advance: everything from airport transfers to beach club pickups. I can’t stress enough that it is not a place you can just order an Uber as quickly as in NYC.
• Food is expensive. I’m from New York City and I think it’s expensive in Mykonos. Weave in some cheaper gyro and Greek salad lunches with pricier dinners and beach clubs.
• We took a cheap Volotea flight from Athens to Mykonos. It was extremely quick and easy.
• It’s windy! Think about this as you pack your flowy dresses…
• Head to another island from there! We did Naxos because it seemed like more of a local experience and was only a 30-minute ferry from Mykonos. We did NOT want to spend our whole time in Greece traveling.

Yia Sas!

Feel free to use my Greece bookmarks on Google Maps. It includes my above recommendations, as well as a few things a little farther across the island that I would explore next time. It also includes a little of Athens as well as Naxos.

DM me on Instagram with any questions about Mykonos!