Destination
Mykonos
ABOUT MYKONOS
Mykonos is one of those places that over the past quarter of a century attracts and gets attracted by people from all over the world; jet setters, luxury travelers, bohemian hippies, art lovers, artists who firstly visited as tourists and never left, entrepreneurs, adrenaline seekers, unconventional spirits, designers, island-hoppers, politicians, Hollywood Stars and anyone who likes to party past sunrise. Blame it to a nocturnal playground that is simply attractive. It sort of draws you in.
Its Hora defies the usual Cycladic ideal of cubist architecture and cobbled streets, but nothing would be the same if it was not for its own people and the natural elements that set this island apart and define the lifestyle it promises.
Beyond lifestyle, there is also tradition, raw beauty and well-kept gastronomic secrets. There are low-key spots to escape the hyper-connected, hinterland to explore and scenes straight out of the 1950s; a blend of worlds, spaces and experiences beyond the standard lists that make this place irresistible. Unique.
GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCES
“Taste buzz” is a magical phrase. It conjures up a slice of culture, roots of flavor, experience, influence, change and of course dispatches from the foodie frontier. Mykonos gets under your skin when it comes to gastronomic experiences.
We really don’t know whether it is because of the locals who are masters of welcome, or the fine dining and drinking scene which has gone one step further, or the food which is simply so good. But this island has so much to offer and the high level of service that exists here also fuels the buzz.
Culinary roots
The roots of the culinary heritage in Mykonos were always connected to pure and simple flavors; flavors that followed the natural cycle of products. As Dimitris Rousounelos, a writer and top-notch expert on Cycladic gastronomy perfectly explained once: “We never had an abundance of fruit and vegetables – the climate and harsh soil did not permit it – but what we did have were delicious. Our cheeses and meat were exceptional, too. We cured our meats in salt and matured them in the northerly wind, while the fish, well, it was whatever the sea had to offer…”.
You see, locals nurtured their own tradition; one that reflects the human need of essential nutrients and pleasure. The truth is that a lot has changed in the island’s body since then, including gastronomy. But there are still people who produce raw materials for their tables and pass on recipes from generation to generation. These are simple recipes which follow the season. Like pork with cabbage or herbs, sausages, chub mackerel with caper, marathokeftedes (balls with cheese and dill), skordomakarona (fresh pasta with garlic), fried octopus with zucchini and amaranth greens, fried eggplants in tomato sauce, Mykonian pork meatballs and the local onion pie. Flavors made with home-grown ingredients and served at simple cuisines that may be the best-kept gastronomic secrets on the island. You may now savor them in the original or, in a contemporary version, inspired from other parts of the world as well.
Crafts & Delicacies
Savoring the local stars
The local gastronomy is still something you can taste through fine products and crafts, like the P.D.O “Kopanisti”; a spicy, creamy and full-bodied aged cheese. This mouth-numbing spread stands apart from other local products. It’s usually made by small-scale producers and it’s one of the Aegean’s most distinctive delicacies.
You may also try the exquisite louza (spice-scented cured pork), one of the tastiest Greek cold cuts, or the twice-baked hardened bread, the famous Mykonos rusks. The sun dried Mykonian sausages made with aromatic herbs, or the fine local sweets – mainly amigdalota (cookies with almonds), kalathakia (small tarts with almond-based filling) and melopita (honey pie).
Dine out
A diverse scene
The gastronomy mosaic here is nothing but diverse. Mykonos is a showcase of Cyclades’s high culinary scene. It’s where Michelin-starred nomads are leading the way by designing menus for budding gourmands, while attentive staff keep glasses topped up.
Mykonos boasts restaurants that present refined Greek gastronomy with local and Cycladic notes that you have to try at least once. But there is more to it. Fine Mediterranean-Asian fusion and high-caliber Cantonese menus influenced by local flavors and innovative Japanese and Chinese gastronomy are also fueling the taste buzz, along with classic Italian and French cuisines.
Beyond the hitters of haute gastro-scene, there are up-and-coming ambitious game-changers, who led Mykonos into its new era of bistronomie with concepts that manage to steal the show. You may also savor comfort brunch, raw cooking, menus that represent a smart take on the produce-focused cooking, vegan-friendly comfort food, all sorts of “surf and turf” meze, mouthwatering classic Greek dishes, home-style cuisine and extremely fresh sea food-layered with flavor to treat yourself. And trust us, you won’t regret it.
NIGHTLIFE
After sundown, Mykonos radiates that kind of vibe you get in big cities. Its white-washed Hora (the capital) is among the prettiest in Cyclades. When the night falls in its main streets, the music is spilling out from the open doors and candlelit outdoor patios of boutique clubs and bars.
Here you savor each day’s-end decadence among first-timers, weekending Athenians, Mykonos’s setters who have been coming to the island every summer for over 25 years, and multinational thirtysomethings in pressed linens clinking champagne flutes. A combo of people, gathering at legendary bars, once frequented by socialites and stars from all over the world. Like Paul Newman, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Jackie O, Henry Fonda and so many others artists, jetsetters, entrepreneurs, even politicians.
Back to 60’s and 70’s, this injection of new blood brought vitality to the local spirit. And after two decades as a must-visit destination for night- life loyalties, the island is recapturing the sophistication of its glory days. Some of those bars are still standing unchanged, while others keep changing styles. But there is still one thing that remains the same; it’s Mykonos’s nocturnal energy.
The truth is that any given night in this island can be as cosmopolitan or low-key as you want it to be. Most of the times, long before the sun sets, the open-air rituals start on beaches like Paraga and Psarrou. Once the sun sets, the shift in the music and energy signals the start of a party that often lasts long after midnight. There are nights when the action moves from the beach to the bars of Hora where visual artists, performers, mixologists, some of Athens’s and international top DJs and musicians are fuelling the buzz. In some of these boutique nightclubs privacy remains the core principle and entry is mainly by reservation, while in others things are more chilled and casual. Where you spend the night is up to you.
BEACHES
The experience
The beach scene here has something for everyone; sophisticated bars, sunset rituals, thumbing music, nocturnal deep-energy and more low-key spots that bring the party vibe down by a few decibels. There is also the typical Mediterranean climate with 300 days of sunshine per year and an average sea temperature of 24°C, paired with a refreshing breeze that helps control temperatures and humidity. As locals suggest, the best time for a Mykonos “smooth beach experience” is from late May to early October.
But beyond its amenities and mild climate, Mykonos boasts raw beauty, untrodden bays accessible only by boat, rocky stretches and off-beat sandy shores that you would have never imagined existed; a combo of hidden gems to maximize your connection with the environment. Locals call it “the other side of the island”; one that remains untouched by time and tourism and somehow manages to give you the pleasures of simple things.
Beach-hopping
The beaches along the north have their own beauty, but will often be quite windy especially in July and August, while beaches on the south shore of the island like Paraga, Agia Anna and Psarou are exceedingly popular, as they have the best wind protection, sand, views and, beach clubs.
Paraga is a relatively small, sandy beach, yet one the most beautiful of the island. It is perhaps the southernmost beach on Mykonos, located 6 km southeast of the island’s Hora. From there you can actually see Delos in the distance. Its hippie-chic attire and sophisticated, bohemian vibe finds its roots back to 70’s, when nudism was fashionable, as was romance.
Back then sunset rituals would find locals blending with curious voyagers from all over the world; like-minded spirits who had an amazing sense of style and found pleasure lying on the sand and seeking deep conversations about anything that was new and authentic. A vibe you still get through festivals and gatherings that now take place in this beach. As for the waters; they are smooth and crystal clear, while rocks are forming a natural diving platform.
Before reaching Paraga you pass by the low-key Agia Anna, and a few minutes later you arrive at Psarou. Psarou is without doubt the most upscale beach on the island, dominated by one of the top-notch international beach-clubs and a luxury mall. It is a fully-organized sandy beach, 5 km away from Hora with clear turquoise waters. Beyond its jet set venue, Psarou is also a great destination for water sports, such as scuba diving and jet ski.
Other beaches such as Agios Ioannis and Panormos are offering a more laid-back feeling and are more popular with families. Agios Ioannis is located in the south-west of the island, not more that 4km away from Hora. It is partly with sun loungers, partly without so you can choose what suits you. This small, low-key beach is one of the best places to catch the sunset behind the magical island of Delos.
As for Panormos is located in the north-east part of the island, 7 km away from Hora. It is situated in a protected bay and is really easy to go into the sea, as its bottom is sandy and the waters are shallow. Panormos is probably one of the coziest and most relaxed beaches and despite the surrounding villas and beach bars there is still plenty of unspoiled landscape remaining.
DELOS
A mythical piece of earth
Long before Mykonos even existed, the tiny isle of Delos held a mythical impact across the ancient world. It was a thriving trade hub which flourished between 166 and 69 BC.
In ancient Greek language Delos is the opposite of “adelos” (invisible). “Adelos” means clear, brought to light. Mythology tells the legend of how the island of Delos appeared suddenly amidst the waves of the sea, when goddess Leto -one of the Titanides (female Titans)- was looking for a safe place to give birth to her twins Apollo and Artemis.
Today, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis remains a pure symbol of a thriving past. A rich source of archaeological discovery full of excavations, conservation and long restoration practices that count more than 150 years. The ancient hub consisted of narrow lanes, open squares, statues, sanctuaries, temples, a gorgeous theater -originally built of marble- and a port used as a maritime crossroad frequent by ships from every corner of Eastern Mediterranean.
What was also revealed is the legacy of “Delia”; the first cross-cultural festival in human history. Delia was a celebration that took place between curious travelers from across the ancient world. People who landed in this piece of earth to feast, engage through arts, dance and sing. Delia’s two-millennia long silence broke in 2016 with a unique theater performance. Since then a movement of influential artists from all over the world is bridging the past and the present through performances that celebrate the legacy of Delia.
Nowadays, reaching the isle by boat is easy, as it is only a 30-minute boat ride from Mykonos. The energy that you get once you walk through its sleepy remains and Delos Museum is so deep. Like a time capsule into the ancient past. An experience that shouldn’t be missed. And although the overnight stay on the island is prohibited, you may seize the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed swim at its smashing, tiny coves, or at Fournoi, the only sandy beach of the island.
RETREAT in MYKONOS
Rejuvenating experiences crafted to find windows for disconnection, reconnection and physical wellbeing.
Our world is becoming faster and noisier. At the same time, the pure meaning of luxury and satisfaction is evolving. Travel experiences as well. The more we engage with you and the more we travel, the more we realize that there is a deep need to get back to something simpler.
To turn down the volume. Think about our spiritual and physical wellbeing. Boost our brain and body. Do a bit of soul searching. Experience the moment. Seek deeper connections.
Our Retreat Experiences are at the very heart of our dna. Something we reflect on a fully-tailored combo of spiritual moments and physical activities. Experiences to make you feel deeply re-charged; like tuning out from the digital noise for a night, or a week. Experience yoga rituals as the sun sets, in the privacy of your own villa, or at the beachfront. Meditate. Taste organic, sustainable food. Experience the journey of a plate and spend meaningful time with a chef who is going to take care of you. Maximize your time outside. Connect with your surroundings.
These are not the kind of experiences you stumble upon by chance. They might last a week, or an entire month. So far, we have designed a 7 days retreat journey. One that could be used as a springboard.
But nothing is set in stone and there is no instruction manual. You may go for a 7 days holistic experience or go bespoke. That’s the ultimate goal and we believe that our Retreat Concept is going to get us there. Check out all our RETREAT EXPERIENCES HERE.
All you have to do is get in touch and show us your interest, so as to receive an initial proposal that we’ll refine together.
