Location: In the Eastern Cyclades, between Naxos and Paros to the South and Tinos to the North-West.
Identity card: Mykonos , an arid and rocky island, has an area of 88 km², a coastal perimeter of 80 km, and a population of approximately 11,000 inhabitants. Chief town and main port: Chora
Characteristics: With more than 900,000 visitors per year, Mykonos is the most visited island in the Cyclades . It is frequented by the jet set, the “gay” world as well as by mass tourism who come “to see and be seen”.
It owes its dizzying tourist rise to four factors .
First of all the presence of the neighboring islet, Delos , birthplace of Apollo , offering no accommodation to its visitors, because it is dedicated solely to archeology, Mykonos therefore became an obligatory stopover for visiting this great center . archaeological of the Cyclades .
Mykonos also owes its reputation to the beauty of its beaches and the charm of its city .
In addition, it offers the most hectic nightlife and the most unbridled raves on the beaches .
Mykonos takes its name from Greek mythology and owes its name to the hero Mykonos , son of the king of Delos, Anios , himself the son of Apollo , god of the Sun and the nymph Rios , daughter of Dionysus .
Mykonos is located in one of the windiest regions of Greece.
Its highest peaks do not exceed 350m in height – these are Profitis Ilias Vorniotis and Profitis Ilias Anomeritis . The scarcity of vegetation and the absence of trees are due to the composition of its soil dotted with granite blocks.
Its indented coast is lined with numerous sandy beaches, sheltered from the wind, almost all located on the southern coast ( Agios loannis , Ornos , Psarou, Platis Yalos , Paranga , Paradise , Super Paradise , Agrari, Elia, Kalo Livadi, Agia Anna, Kalafatis ), except Ftelia and Panormos , which are to the north, and Agios Stephanos , to the west. Just behind the Chora mills, on the road towards Ornos , is the beautiful and large beach of Mégali Ammos , accessible on foot.
In the past, its inhabitants were sailors and farmers. But above all they lived from fishing, navigation, building and repairing boats.
The cultivation of cereals was also important and the exploitation of the winds which blew in the region led to the development of trades such as milling and baking, which helped to strengthen the economy of the island. The Mykoniotes raised and continue to raise cattle and especially pigs (the island is famous for its sausages).
With the exception of Ano Mera , the second locality on the island after Chora , located inland and known for its Panagia Tourliani monastery built in 1542, Mykonos has mainly hamlets. The roads are generally narrow and winding.
The hinterland punctuated with chapels, most of them erected by sailors grateful to have escaped a peril, offers rocky, somewhat lunar landscapes, devoid of trees and where the dominant shades are the brown of the earth and the gray of the rocks, against which the white of the houses, the domes of the churches, the bright colors of the windows and the green of the cacti stand out.
Over the last forty years, the emergence of tourism has upset this natural balance. Residents have turned to jobs related to tourism (hotels, restaurants, travel agencies). The island, once poor in economic resources, is the first in the Cyclades to become world famous. Nowadays, it continues to be the star of the Aegean Sea. Many international personalities have had superb villas built for themselves.
Cruise ships disembark daily with streams of vacationers who come to visit the island for a few hours and go shopping.
The island has two ports, one in town and the other in Tourlos , 10 minutes from the town.
To enjoy your stay in Mykonos , a means of transportation is essential . Be careful of dangerous roads.
Strong points : Despite the tourist influx in summer, it must be recognized that Mykonos is an essential stop thanks to the charm of its town and the beauty of its beaches. The island of Mykonos will appeal to party fans, sports enthusiasts and even simple tourists who come to visit it.
Activities :
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To help you find your way around the island, we have indicated in ORANGE the places where you can stay.
