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Travel Guide to Mykonos island (Mikonos), Greece
Mykonos (also called Mikonos) is one of the Cyclades islands located in the Aegean Sea midway
between Greece and Turkey. It's the glitziest of all the Greek islands,
outrageously gay and a partygoers' paradise. As one of the most popular
tourist destinations in Greece, you'll find the prices are high and the crowds
a nightmare in high season. You can find tranquil spots if you look hard
enough but that's not really why you come to Mykonos. If you're heading for
this island, pack your wildest glad rags and be prepared for some serious
partying.
Mykonos island has an international airport, four kilometres from Mykonos Town, with connections to Athens and most of the major European capitals. Flying
time from London is about four hours. But the majority of tourists arrive by
ferry either from Athens (six hours) or one of the neighbouring greek islands. There
are also daily hydrofoil services providing fast connections to Athens and the
other islands in the archipelago. If you arrive by ferry be prepared to run the gauntlet of a mob of dolmatia
owners brandishing "rooms to let" signs and photographs of their various
establishments. You can be fairly sure of getting some kind of accommodation
even you come here in high season without booking in advance but you might
find the location and standard of facilities are far from ideal.
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Finding a taxi can be a nightmare in the summer months, even if you lug
your suitcase all the way to taxi square in Mykonos islandTown (about 10 minutes
walk from the ferry port). Your best bet is to call a cab using one of the
numbers advertised in and around the port. Mykonos Town (officially called Mykonos Chora) is an absolute delight but you'll
simply have to resign yourself to getting hopeless lost in it. It's a
bewildering labyrinthine confection of narrow white alleyways originally
designed to confuse the pirates who once plagued the Cyclades. Even with the
aid of a street map you'll be hard pushed to find your way around so it's best
to just wander aimlessly along with all the other lost tourists.
Take the time
to explore during the day because the maze of lanes becomes chock-a-block with
revellers after dark, especially in high season, and you'll find yourself
being swept along with an overwhelming tide of humanity. If you're travelling
with small kids, hang onto them for dear life! One of the most charming areas of the town is so-called Little Venice (its
real name is Alefkandra) where the sea laps at the base of Venetian-style
houses adorned with wooden balconies which jut out over the water. This is a
great place to sip your sundowner before you take your pick of the myriad of
music bars and discos which have given Mykonos its reputation as one of
Europe's hottest party playgrounds. Besides its notorious night time attractions Mykonos also has a wealth of
wonderful beaches including Agios Ioannis where Shirley Valentine was filmed,
prompting thousands of bored housewives to yearn for a better life on a Greek
island.
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