Mykonos, Greece
The lovers and haters of Mykonos abound.
Here are a few reasons to love this party island.
by Neil Roake
UNDER YOUR SKIN?
It would be pretty weird to suggest hidden gems, off-the-beaten-track places or undiscovered joys on Mykonos! Up to 50 000 people visit this Cycladic island at the height of Summer, so it would probably be a good idea not to visit then. Also, the wind can howl like crazy, often all day long! You also need long pockets as locals hike the prices and even the wealthiest complain about the ten euro bread baskets! But after a few visits, Mykonos starts to get under your skin...
LEFT: Carrot spoon sweets on thick full-fat Greek yoghurt.
RIGHT: ‘People’s memories are the fuel they burn to stay alive’ - Memorable menu cover at Alemagou.
BOTTOM: Marble tables top groaning with Greek delights at Kikis Taverna
SHIRLEY VALENTINE BEACH
You know you’re getting old when you say, “Have you seen the movie Shirley Valentine?’ And you receive a blank stare. It hit the big screen in 1989 and if you want to get a small glimpse of what goat-herding Mykonos looked out all those years ago, stream the movie. During the closing moments, Shirley contemplates her life sitting on Agios Ioannis beach, calmly awaiting the arrival of her furious husband, as she gazes into the setting sun. That beach, empty and quaint, was the old Mykonos before the doof-doof took over. Shirley also quips ‘I have allowed myself to live a little life when there was so much more.’ Give me more and ‘Hello Wall.’
Join the cult at Alemagou. Sunset DJs start playing late afternoon.
ALEMAGOU
Alemagou, meaning, in an ancient dialect of Mykonos, ‘Finally!’ And finally, it’s a place to escape the pretentiousness of other beach clubs and flop into a bit of bare-foot chic. It’s a little bit like joining a cult - a stylish cult designed by Athens-based design group K-Studio - dry-stone walls, whitewashed everything, and a reed-thatched roof. Waiters waft by dressed in neutral linen ‘rags’ sunburnt to a golden glow. Grab a daybed, shazam the beats and go cult yourself.
ELIAS BEACH
Escape the party beaches and head south to Elia. We stayed up the road at Khamsa Mykonian Suites so this beach was a short drive down the hill, perfect for lounging under the rafia umbrellas, ordering ice-cold Mythos beers and having pizza delivered to your mouth. The sea is crystal clear and irresistible for constant dips.
FROM LEFT: Elia Beach - the all-naked section is furthest away from the restaurant, so be aware: Neil and Gerhard enjoying sunset vibes at the 360 Degree bar, Elia Beach from the rocky pathway that leads you over the ridge to another nice beach and cafe on Agrari Beach.
KIKIS TAVERN
If you expect a wi-fi password at Kikis, then don’t. In a way, it’s exactly the way I’d un-design a restaurant. Bare-bones, grape-vine trellis overhead, solid marble table tops, unobstructed views of Agios Sostis Beach and an open kitchen to watch the Greek BBQ. This cat is long out of the bag, so it's always packed! Modus Operandi: Arrive, put your name down and get endless refills of local wine as you wait for a table to become available. Enjoy island life. Kiki’s opens only for lunch, but the service continues until the last table leaves around 7 pm.
FROM LEFT: There are still some signs that real people actually live on Mykonos, like this street veg seller, Little Venice with its windmills and quaint restaurants lining the seashore; Paraportiani Orthodox Church
FOKOS TAVERN
If you have a scooter, wind your way down the dirt track to Fokos Beach. I have English skin, that burns and sizzles like bacon after a few minutes, so without sunbeds or umbrellas, it's not the beach we go for, but the only restaurant on the beach, Fokus Taverna. Food is simple; Black-eye pea salad, Ravasaki (Feta grilled with tomatoes, green peppers and olives) and of course the sunny Fava (yellow split pea puree) with pita. This goes well with little jugs of ice-cold wine, good company and before you know it, a little lunch ends in a 4-hour feast. Then head to Alemagou.
Deliciously old-school at the Gioras Medieval Bakery
GIORAS WOOD MEDIEVAL MYKONIAN BAKERY
During the season, the central Chora of Mykonos is packed to the gills with cruise-shippers shopping ‘evil eyes’ talismans through the town’s labyrinthine network of tiny alleyways. So when a nondescript door leads you to this basement bakery, the calm floods over you. The same family, the Vamvakourides, have run this wood-fired bakery for more than two centuries. Pick up some barley rusks (dakos) to take home or park off for a bit with some local pastries.
SOHO ROC HOUSE
If you’re a member or friend of a member, it can’t get better than a plate of lemon spaghetti in on their terrace restaurant, watching the chefs in the open kitchen and then spending the day diving off the pier into the deep blue of the Adriatic. You could visit Scorpios - a chic, vibrant beach bar - in the late afternoon to watch the sunset but why would you want to leave those sunbeds?
