Mykonos

The windmills of Mykonos
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Mykonos was probably our favorite of the islands we visited, because while glamorous and entertaining, it manages to stay true to its traditional cycladic roots. Mykonos is the most cosmopolitan of the cycladic islands, with its nightlife, entertainment and plenty of beaches to suit every taste.  We arrived in the port of Mykonos 50 minutes after our fast boat departed from Naxos. Our hotel had sent a driver to pick us up from the port, and while admiring the beautiful state of the white-washed town, he told us that "walking through the streets is a fashion show". Our first afternoon in Mykonos town pretty much consisted of exploring the narrow alleyways of streets that are surrounded by the traditional cycladic architecture. It is quite touristy with tons of trendy boutiques and bougainvillea, yet every few steps you will find a taste of local culture, such as the Gyro shops, which we concluded were the best we had discovered in Greece so far.

Little Venice, Mykonos
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In the evening we visited the town's famous row of hilltop windmills, which is also where we discovered Little Venice for the first time. In Little Venice, the foundation of houses is below the sea level, and it is the most popular area for dining and watching the sunset at nighttime. We never did eat at any of the restaurants there as they are very expensive, but nevertheless it was always enjoyable to see the water through the alleyways as we strolled through the neighborhood.

-walking through the streets is a fashion show

The streets of Mykonos
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On day 2 we were set on going to the beach, the hard part was picking one! After breakfast at the hotel, we ran into a couple that we had met in Santorini. It turns out they had done the same island itinerary as us, and coincidentally, we would run into them a total of 3 times while in Mykonos. She had mentioned she liked Paraga beach, and that's where we ended up. In Mykonos there are famous beaches such as Super Paradise and Paradise beach, but we wanted a well balanced beach, not too busy but not too secluded. Paraga turned out to be a good choice. The water was the warmest we had entered to date, and although renting the umbrella/lawn chair set and drinks at the bar were pricey, we managed to buy some cheaper drinks at a grocery store right next to the beach.

Paraga Beach
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On day 3 we visited Delos (see our review on this day trip).

To summarize our time in Mykonos, we had a very relaxing and enjoyable time. We didn't indulge too much in the party lifestyle of the town as we preferred to make the most of our days in the the beautiful town.  Back at the hotel, we had a lovely pool to retreat to, and nothing beats a nice swim after a day in the sun.