I just sat down in my seat aboard the ferry from Mykonos to Naxos. This is by far the busiest ferry we’ve been on so far. Between hiking up peaks and finding quieter places to swim, this crazy energy is high voltage.
So…I put in my earphones and hit play on Delirium by Hazzerd. Nothing tunes the world out better than the thrash kings from my beloved home town. The guitar wails, thrash god meghs and bleghs, and thrumming percussion calm my soul.
I now walk through the amazing time we had in Mykonos. It’s a busier island, known as a party destination. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. We stayed in a spot a short walk from the main town. It was quiet and the views were spectacular.
When visiting Mykonos, you can spend all your time in the hustle and bustle of the main town, walking through the winding tiny, white stone walkways, weaving through the shops and restaurants. It’s quite cool to see.
But…for those willing to venture to the less travelled areas, there are many gems to uncover. I will share with you three gems that I found.
Gem #1, favorite hike.
While Mykonos isn’t as much of a hiking island as Sifnos (I can attest to that) or Naxos (I’m about to confirm this), there are some decent hill sweat outs with killer views.
My favorite hike was the climb up to the church of Profit Elias (see Strava map below). About 8 km from the main town with about 500 m ascent. The navigation is a little tricky, but nowadays, most people have a good phone and internet. We used All Trails as a bit of a guide to choose this hike, and you see by the map below the route we took.
There were a couple of sections of trail that clearly aren’t well traveled, but dont let this put you off. The views on the way up were out of this world. You can see over the other side of the island. There are some steep sections and some slippery loose rock, but nothing too crazy. A few km of fairly hard work, which was totally worth it.
As I rounded the last corner, a pair of black mountain goats welcomed me.
The church is totally abandoned. The view was luscious. The quiet was delightful.
Gem #2, a cold one with a waterfront view…
After descending the same way we came up, we found a front seat to the ocean and had a couple cold beers and grilled squid. If you decide to sit at one of the water front patios in the main town, you’re paying for the location. It’s worth it. We did it over light lunch and draft beer to keep the cost for the view reasonable.
Gem #3, fresh seafood market…
You can eat all your meals at restaurants. Or, if you can get a place with even a small kitchen, you can cook some amazing local seafood! We were able to get a place with a hot plate and BBQ. We walked to a fish market, bought an octopus, sea bass, and some sardines. The cost was considerably less than a restaurant. Add in a stop at one of the many mini markets for some fresh veg, and you have the makings of an amazing meal.
Now, I’m lucky to be with someone who is really good at cooking. However, when it comes to a fresh fish, for most of them, all you have to do is oil, salt and grill.
The experience of walking into a fish market like this and getting fresh creatures we don’t get at home was so much fun! Eating local food was an authentic experience.
Pulling the gems together…
Between hikes and dinners, I highly recommend a cold beer on a patio and swim. I think anywhere you stay is likely to have a pool, and you are surrounded by pristine beaches.
I was surprised by how much I love Mykonos. The quiet and authentic moments were a pure delight, but even weaving through the busier parts still had a great vibe.
Check out Julie Hiner on Strava https://strava.app.link/e2l7ngxCDJb