Travel Guide: Mykonos, Greece

white bikini top & bikini bottoms // hat with blue and white striped ribbon // BRIDE pom pom bag

Good morning, everyone!!! Long time no talk 😉 I’ve never taken a break from blogging for this long, and I’m so happy to be back! If you follow along on Instagram, you may know that my husband (eeeek!) and I just spent the past two weeks on our honeymoon in Greece and Italy. A lot of you guys were interested in our itinerary and how we traveled from place to place, so I’ll be doing a series of blog posts on each location. To start with, we did not work with a travel agent for this trip. Chris and I did tons of research and planned everything ourselves – to me, doing research is one of the most fun parts of planning a trip! So yes, you can totally plan and book our exact trip by yourself without the aid of a travel agent.

Today’s travel guide is all about MYKONOS, Greece!

To start with, I’m rounding up all of our Instagrams from Mykonos with a short description, but scroll down to the bottom of this post for an in depth travel guide, as well as my opinion on the difference between Mykonos and Santorini.

Our first night in Mykonos we spent exploring Mykonos Town.

 blue dress, similar HERE // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter”

We loved hanging out at our hotel’s main pool… they had a great lunch menu and the most amazing cheese plate I’ve ever had.

La Reveche swimsuit, comes in another color HERE, less expensive dupe HERE
// Brixton hat // BRIDE pom pom bagThere are flowers blooming EVERYWHERE in Mykonos! This shot was taken in Mykonos Town.
on Chris: chambray shirt // white shorts // pink shoes (only $16)
on me: striped two piece set (sold out), very similar outfit HERE // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter”
Another picture from Mykonos Town, taken right before dinner one night. You’ll find white-washed walls and blue doors all over Mykonos Town.

 Show Me Your Mumu jumpsuit // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter”

The famous windmills of Mykonos, built in the 16th century.

 blue dress // handbag, similar here // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter”

Before heading to the beach club Nammos for the day.

tan crop top // white shorts // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter” // Chanel tote bag

The beach club Nammos. We had lunch at the restaurant first, then booked two chairs by the water. They waited on us hand and foot, delivering wine and ice cream whenever we wanted it!

More exploring in Mykonos Town! This picture was taken next to Philippi Hotel, a great affordable option if you’d rather stay right in Mykonos Town. If not, venture there for a photo opp!

 blue dress // handbag, similar here // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter”

Enjoying the pistachio gelato at Hibiscus in Mykonos Town.

 blue dress // handbag, similar here // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter”
on Chris: chambray shirt // white shorts // pink shoes (only $16)
on me: striped two piece set (sold out), very similar outfit HERE // TKEES sandals in “cocobutter”
First up, I received a lot of questions about the difference between Mykonos and Santorini. Before our trip, a lot of people told us, “Mykonos is where you go to party, and Santorini is where you go to relax!” and we found that to be VERY true! Mykonos is a party town. There are tons of nightclubs and beach bars and it is not uncommon to stay out until 5 or 6 a.m. partying while you’re there! Mykonos is also known for its amazing beaches, whereas Santorini doesn’t really have good beaches, but it does have very romantic hotels with amazing pools and fantastic cliffside views. Between Mykonos and Santorini, I really don’t think I could pick a favorite! They’re both very different and unique in their own ways. My recommendation is to see them both, since they’re only a ferry-ride away from each other.
HOW TO GET TO MYKONOS
There are two ways to get to Mykonos: by land or by water. The most common route is to fly into Athens, Greece, and then take a 6-hour ferry from Athens to Mykonos. This option is a little more affordable, especially if you buy the plane and ferry tickets far in advance. The other option (and the one that Chris and I preferred) is to fly directly into Mykonos. The Mykonos airport is pretty small and there are limited flights, which is probably why it costs more. We took a direct flight from Charlotte to London (it was a red-eye flight so we slept most of the time), then we took another three-hour flight from London to Mykonos. We chose to do this because of the convenience factor… we wanted to arrive in Mykonos as quickly as possible and didn’t want to board a ferry once we had landed in Greece! We arranged transportation with our hotel beforehand, so they were waiting for us at the airport once we arrived. From there, it was only a 10 minute drive to our hotel.
WHERE TO STAY IN MYKONOS
If you do decide to visit Mykonos, take my advice and pick a hotel near Mykonos Town – it is the heart of Mykonos and it’s absolutely beautiful – that’s where you’ll find amazing restaurants as well as the famous white-washed walls, blue doors, blooming flowers and LOTS of photo opps. If you’re looking for an affordable option, there are lots of cute vacation rentals in Mykonos Town. My friends recently stayed at Philippi Hotel and they loved it – it’s a charming little hotel right in the center of Mykonos Town surrounded by shops and restaurants, plus it’s very affordable.
Chris and I chose to stay at Cavo Tagoo Mykonos and we absolutely loved everything about it, from the elaborate (and free) breakfast buffet to the floating pool beds at the main pool. My advice would be to book FAR in advance and save money by booking one of the “Classic Rooms.” Chris and I booked the Honeymoon Suite, but when we arrived they told us that they had “upgraded” us to the Golden Suite, which was a nice room but didn’t look nearly as nice as the one I had originally booked. In the end, we were hardly in our room AT ALL – there is so much to do in Mykonos, from walking around town, eating out, visiting the beaches and beach clubs, and laying out by the main pool, that we felt bad for spending so much money on the room and then not spending time in it at all. (Side note: we DID stay in our room in Santorini for most of the trip, so save your money in Mykonos and splurge on a nice room in Santorini!) The main thing that we really loved about Cavo Tagoo is that it’s only a 5-minute drive from Mykonos Town. There’s a free shuttle that runs 24 hours a day between the hotel and Mykonos Town – we took advantage of the shuttle multiple times a day, heading into town for lunch beside the water, and then back to eat dinner and catch the sunset. If you choose to stay at Cavo Tagoo, definitely make use of the free breakfast buffet! Chris and I didn’t realize that it was complimentary at first – and then pigged out when we found out it was, haha! The breakfast spread is out of this world – every fresh fruit you can imagine, delicious Greek yogurt, dozens and dozens of muffins and pastries, eggs and breakfast meats, there’s even a juice bar where they have freshly squeezed juice from exotic fruits. And the restaurant looks right out over the water with a truly breathtaking view. Chris and I spent a lot of time there, and next door at the main pool. It was incredibly relaxing to lay out on the floating pool beds, and they will bring water, drinks and lunch right to your bed.
WHERE TO EAT IN MYKONOS
We were not surprised to find that we LOVED the food in Mykonos. We stuffed ourselves on tzatziki, fresh fish, feta cheese, and lots and lots of olives. Every single meal we had was delicious!
Lunch/Appetizers
  • Pepper Mykonos: Situated right in Mykonos Town, this little cafe is the perfect spot for lunch, just grab a table on the street (it’s also the perfect place for people watching). I ordered zucchini balls, which are pretty hard to describe but literally melt-in-your mouth amazing (just trust me and order them). Chris had a chicken souvlaki gyro, which he loved and demolished 🙂
  • Nice N Easy: We had the best tzatziki dip in all of Greece at this restaurant. Just thinking about it now makes my mouth water!
  • Cavo Tagoo: Even if you aren’t staying at this hotel, it’s worth it to visit for appetizers and order a few cocktails and their cheese plate. We thought their cheese was amazing – even better than the cheese in Italy!
  • Nammos: Nammos is both a restaurant and a beach club. We visited one day for lunch and, although it was expensive, it was delicious. We ordered calamari, grilled vegetables and zucchini fries. We regretted not ordering fish – we watched the waiter bring out a cooked fish and debone it right in front of the table – how fresh can you get!?
Dinner
  • Nice N Easy: The best meal that we ate in Mykonos, and maybe even our entire trip! Nice N Easy serves only organic, locally sourced food – I had the Cilantro Kale Pesto Tagliatelle and Chris ordered some sort of gyro – we both oohed and ahhed over our meals, finishing every last bite. Definitely make a reservation ahead of time – book at 7 p.m. and ask for a table beside the water (it’s the perfect place to watch the sunset).
  • M-Eating: This was another one of our favorite restaurants in Mykonos! Make a reservation for one of the outside tables (great for people-watching). Chris and I both ordered fish and it was to-die-for, along with honey pie for dessert.
  • Mamalouka: This restaurant is nestled in Mykonos Town under a ceiling of blooming flowers, even if the food wasn’t amazing, I would still go here for the amazing atmosphere! But don’t worry, the food is delicious too (and be sure to order the fried feta for an appetizer).
  • Pasta Fresca: If you want a break from Greek food, this restaurant serves authentic Italian pasta dishes that rival Italy’s.
  • Scorpios: Scorpios is actually a beach club but has a nice restaurant too – be warned because this place turns into a crazy party at night, especially on Sundays and Tuesdays. We went here for dinner one night with some friends, and the food and drinks were delicious!
Drinks/Bars/Nightclubs
  • Caprice: If you’re looking for a chill place to watch the sunset, Caprice is for you. The cocktails are amazing and it has a good view of the Mykonos windmills.
  • ScorpiosIf you’re looking for a crazy beach party with an amazing DJ, definitely venture to Scorpios. We went for dinner one night, and watched as the whole place turned into a dance party. The decor is amazing, I wish we had been able to visit during the day and take advantage of their lounge chairs on the beach! We heard that their biggest parties are on Tuesday and Sunday nights.
  • Skandinavian Bar: During the day, this little bar in Mykonos Town looks very quaint and picturesque – but starting around 11 p.m. it turns into a WILD party! It gets pretty crowded and drinks are expensive, but the music is great and we had SUCH a fun night of dancing here. The party doesn’t end until after 3 a.m. so make sure you’re wearing your most comfortable dancing shoes!
  • Tropicana: We went here with some friends we met and it was SO much fun, we didn’t get home until 4 a.m.! We may or may not have even danced on the bar! 😉
WHAT TO DO IN MYKONOS
  • Explore Mykonos Town (and bring your camera!). Chris and I had so much fun exploring Mykonos Town, we would pick little streets and venture down them, getting lost in a sea of white walls and blue doors. We packed this tripod to get some couple photos in Mykonos Town – it only weighs a few pounds and is easy to carry.
  • Go to the beach. Mykonos is known for it’s amazing beaches, and there are plenty of beach clubs to visit. We really liked Nammos – it was very expensive (we paid €120 for two sunbeds) but we hung out on the beach all day, ordering wine and ice cream to our beach chairs whenever we felt like it. We also heard Scorpios was a great beach club.
  • Watch the sunset from Little Venice. (Little Venice is a part of Mykonos Town) Mykonos had some of the most amazing sunsets I’d ever seen, definitely take advantage of them while you’re there!
  • Visit the windmills. The Mykonos windmills are famous – they were constructed in the 16th century and are still around today – they also offer the perfect location to watch the sunset.
  • Shop! There are a ton of local boutiques, gift shops and art stores in Mykonos Town that are really fun to peruse.

WHAT TO WEAR IN MYKONOS
This wouldn’t be a fashion blog without a recommendation for what to wear, right!? We found that Mykonos in June was pretty much the perfect weather – it fluctuated between 75 and 80 degrees every day. It was hot in the sunshine, which warranted a refreshing dip in the pool or sea. Definitely pack a lot of swimsuits (I felt like I lived in bikinis!) as well as cute cover-ups to wear to the beach clubs. The stone walkways can be a little uneven, so I opted to wear flat sandals every single day that I was there. These TKEES sandals (in the color “cocobutter”) ended up being my life savers because they were really comfortable to walk around in all day and matched every single outfit that I had packed. As for clothing, I recommend light, flowy dresses and rompers. It gets really hot walking around Mykonos Town during the day, so you’ll want breathable fabric that blows in the wind. If you want to match your surroundings, pack a lot of blue and white clothing! I wish I had packed a solid pink dress to match the blooming flowers (for a photo opp of course). Also be sure to bring a sun hat!

If you’ve been to Mykonos before and have any recommendations, let us all know in the comments!

And stay tuned because I’ll be blogging every day this week 🙂
xoxo

Leave a Comment

52 Comments

    • Caitlin, I'm really curious how many suitcases you took just for your belongings? And do you always take a steamer with you? Congratulations on your marriage! Awesome honeymoon pics.

      6.27.18Reply
    • I took one large checked bag and one carry-on suitcase, and my husband had the same for his belongings 🙂 And yes, we did take a steamer with us! I actually blogged about it in my latest post!

      7.1.18Reply
  1. You looked amazing in all outfits.

    http://www.rayamaari.com

    6.26.18Reply
  2. Your trip looked AMAZINGGGG! It makes me want to book a trip next summer!

    Xo, Nina
    Law of Fashion Blog

    6.26.18Reply
  3. Ahhh! I'm SO glad you're back, Caitlin! I missed your posts! You did a great job recapping your time in Mykonos and I'm glad to see you spent a lot of time exploring and doing things on the island. Did you bring back anything from any of the shops?

    You looked cute yet casual in all of your outfit photos too! I'm assuming for some of these beautiful picturesque shots with no people in them, you and Chris got up early to take them with the tripod or was it the fact that the people partying were still sleeping? LOL!

    She Sweats Diamonds

    6.26.18Reply
    • Hey girl! The only thing I bought while we were there was a bracelet so that I could wear it and be reminded of our honeymoon 🙂 and actually, the photos of Chris and me were taken in the middle of the day! Mykonos Town is pretty big, so Chris and I did some exploring and found that they weren't crowded at ALL – even in the middle of day!

      7.1.18Reply
  4. Agree with all the above – we went last year. A definite place to check out is the 180 degrees sunsetbar above Mykonos town. It's got amazing sunsets – we thought even better than Santorini. Locals told us about it and it wasn't super well known. It's set in an old castle http://mykonoscastle.eu/180-sunset-bar/

    6.26.18Reply
    • Ahh! I have never heard of that but I wish I had known about it while we were there – it sounds AMAZING!!

      6.30.18Reply
  5. Lucky girl! I just got back from Europe and it makes me miss it so much!

    Briana
    https://beyoutifulbrunette.com/

    6.26.18Reply
  6. Great post! I'm thinking of planning a girls trip to Mykonos next year. Can I ask what airline you guys flew? Your pictures came out so cute!

    6.26.18Reply
    • Thanks so much!! We flew American Airlines 🙂 I thought the food they served on the flight was actually pretty good!

      6.30.18Reply
      • Laura Vasaturo

        Hi Caitlin! What airline did you fly into Mykonos? Thanks so much!!

        9.20.18Reply
  7. Sounds like you had a great trip.

    http://www.amysfashionblog.com/blog-home/

    6.26.18Reply
  8. Might have to keep this in mind when I'm planning where to go for my honeymoon! It looks amazing! Glad you guys had a fun time!

    xoxo,
    Kayla | http://www.withlovefromkayla.com

    6.26.18Reply
  9. Did you have to make a lot of reservations for dinners? I’m going to be there in just 2 weeks!

    6.27.18Reply
    • Hey Camryn, Yes we did!! We had to make reservations for every single dinner we went to. We had our hotel make the reservations in the morning, once we figured out where we wanted to eat, and it was no problem. We found that we got better tables the earlier we went to dinner. Most people in Greece don't eat dinner until 8 or 9 pm, but we ate every night around 7pm!

      6.30.18Reply
  10. I loved reading this post & seeing all of your pictures!! I’m going to Santorini, Mykonos, & Athens for my honeymoon in October & definitely going to check out the places you recommended!!

    xo Leah
    http://www.blondeandbubbly.com

    6.27.18Reply
  11. Loved reading this post & seeing all of your pictures so much! I’m going to Santorini, Mykonos, & Athens for my honeymoon in October & I’m definitely going to check out the places you recommended!!

    xo Leah
    http://www.blondeandbubbly.com

    6.27.18Reply
  12. Such a beautiful location for a honeymoon! The pictures are gorgeous
    xx
    Mademoiselle Coconath
    http://mllecoconath.com

    6.27.18Reply
  13. Hey ! I love your post!! How long did you stay in Mykonos ? How long do you recommand to stay there to rest and visit and not getting bored ?
    Thanks beauty

    6.27.18Reply
    • We stayed in Mykonos four nights and Santorini four nights, and we thought it was the PERFECT amount of time!

      6.30.18Reply
  14. Amazing post I will land in Mykonos in August as well as Santorini and I really appreciate this post, your pictures are gorgeous

    6.27.18Reply
  15. Caitlin your honeymoon looked so dreamy and y'all are just the absolute sweetest. So happy for you!

    xo Laura Leigh
    http://www.louellareese.com

    6.27.18Reply
  16. LOVE this post, super helpful! I've never planned an international trip before, but you make it seem so easy! I love all of your recommendations, and I always reference your Charleston posts before I go! All of your honeymoon pics are so amazing, I'm glad you guys had the best time!

    6.27.18Reply
    • Thanks so much Laura!!! That is so nice of you to say!! Ahh Charleston is the best, isn't it 🙂

      6.30.18Reply
  17. Your photos are stunning!! 🙂 And Mykonos is just to die forrr!!! Thanks for such a detailed post! 😉

    Carina
    http://theagelessmillennial.com/

    6.27.18Reply
  18. Sounds like a dream!! I've been so excited for your return to know more details about the trip. How was the weather, it looked gorgeous.

    6.27.18Reply
  19. AHHHHH your post makes me want to go back ASAP! LOVE all of your pictures and recommendations for a future trip! I totally agree with what you said about Mykonos vs Santorini. They are both so amazing and different everyone should see both. Since you asked — other recs would be — for food — Avli, SeaSatin, Kuzina, and Iterni. We stayed at the Palladium Hotel which was right by Nammos Beach which was so F U N! Also, a common hangout for celebrities too. They actually call it Celebrity Beach. Nammos has the BEST food too and would highly recommend going there! LOVED the little town as well. Actually I loved every single thing about Greece. 🙂 Cannot wait to read your other posts!

    XO-Jacqueline

    6.27.18Reply
  20. AHHHH LOVE this post! Also, agree with you 100% on how amazing both Mykonos and Santorini are and it is impossible to pick a favorite because they are both so different. I cannot WAIT to go back. Additional recs – for food: Avli, SeaSatin, Kuzina, and Iterni. We stayed right by Nammos Beach at the Palladium and hung out at Nammos a LOT. The beach was gorg and the food at Nammos was delicious. Also, our hotel was great. It was a cute little hotel and the staff was amazing. Looking forward to your other posts!!!
    XO-Jacqueline

    6.27.18Reply
  21. Thank you so much for this. I am planning out 10 year for next year and wanted to use a travel agent but they did not seem to catch the essence of what I wanted. Glad to see you did this on your own. Cannot wait to explore Greece.

    6.27.18Reply
  22. Hi, what a beautiful post! I love all your photos, they are just gorgeous! Would you mind telling me what app you use to get that beautiful pink hue to your photos? I've been searching for one to get just this shade that you've used! I hope you don't mind sharing 🙂 Thanks so much and have a beautiful day! Rach x

    6.27.18Reply
  23. Your travel posts are my absolute favorites!

    6.27.18Reply
  24. So amazing! Makes me want to go to Mykonos ASAP! Such a good guide as well.

    http://doandhope.blog/2018/06/25/travel-anxiety-tips/

    6.28.18Reply
  25. I visited three islands there last month and it was the most wonderful trip! Lol I also tell people exactly what you said when comparing Mykonos and Santorini. We stayed a bit away from Mykonos Town at Thalassa Hotel in Platis Yialos, but the shuttle ran every thirty minutes and was about a ten minute ride and they run until about 1am. So that's an option as well to get the best of both worlds. IG:dazzling_diva

    6.29.18Reply
  26. My fiancé and I are getting married in August and our honeymoon is in Greece. We loved this blog. Now we are anxiously waiting on your Santorini blog!

    6.29.18Reply
    • Ahh yay!!! You will LOVE Greece!! My Santorini blog post will be up next week 🙂

      6.30.18Reply
  27. Caitlin I loved the pictures—what a beautiful place. When you have pictures taken of you and your hubby do you have a local person take them or do you have a personal photographer that travels with you guys? #bloggercuriosity

    7.15.18Reply
    • Hey girl! We actually brought a tripod with us!! So we took all of these photos ourselves with our tripod 🙂 It might sound difficult but it's actually pretty easy!

      7.15.18Reply
  28. Caitlin I simply love it. I was like this woman right here somehow gets the perfect shot each time and somehow these random people know how to snap a great shot (how is that even possible!? Lol). I just had to ask. Thanks for your quick response.

    7.15.18Reply
  29. I noticed that some of your clothing is coming from am online store that have absolutely awful reviews. I even purchased something from SHEIN thinking I would love it and it was awful and poor quality. I understand you get paid to feature some things for companies, but you really lose credibility if I start buying things that are poor quality or deceiving. I hope you take the constructive criticism well. I love following you and you have very similar taste as me, but it is really disappointing when you start marketing products that are in poor taste for various reasons.

    7.27.18Reply
    • Hey Lanie, I have NEVER been paid by Shein to promote their products. I actually buy their clothes myself and wear them because I LIKE them. Their products are very inexpensive, and there are usually a few items in my package that I'm disappointed with, but I have also been able to find some really cute/well fitting items that were only around $10! You are always welcome to email me before making a purchase if you're unsure about the company. But also don't judge anyone before you know the full truth, as I have never been paid by them to promote their products!

      7.27.18Reply
    • You were right, I shouldn't jump to conclusions and SHEIN was just one example. To be fair, the recent SHEIN product was poor quality and actually left me itchy wearing the clothes, a lot of other reviewers also mentioned the same problems. Whitefoxboutique is another where I almost bought the cute shorts you were wearing from this post but then I looked into the company and they had 75% bad reviews due to shipping issues, poor quality, or poor customer service. Also, you get surprised with the importing tax when you do buy their clothes. These are some nice things to mention to your loyal followers before they do consider buying products overseas. Like I said, I really love a lot of the stuff you wear and your blog is great. I would just like to be informed so that I don't end up paying a decent amount of money for a product I may never even receive or end up paying much more than I expected. Even some Nordstrom products you promote have really bad reviews and I saw firsthand when I purchased them. This is not to jab at you and I am sorry if you are feeling attacked. It's more to make you aware that a lot of your followers trust your expertise/opinion and it is very disappointing when products are less than exceptional. I do apologize for assumming that you were getting paid for promoting certain products.

      7.27.18Reply
  30. Hi! Great pics of mykonos! Just wondering what camera/lens you used? Traveling to Hawaii and your pictures are always crisp I love it

    7.28.18Reply
  31. Hey Caitlin! First off, AMAZING recaps. This has made us choose to honeymoon here for sure and we are following your itinerary almost to the T! Re: Cavo Tagoo hotel, do you have to reserve those pool beds? It looks like there are so few based on the website, so wanted to make sure we handled that correctly! Thank you!!

    8.7.18Reply
  32. Thanks for your post on Greece, i am going end of this month because i saw your beautiful IG post!! I'm so excited. How many days did you stay in Mykonos?

    9.6.18Reply
  33. Laura Vasaturo

    All of your pictures are so beautiful and your travel information is amazing! Question, did you book on your own or use a travel agent? Thanks!!

    9.19.18Reply
  34. Abby Stinehart

    Did you use a remote for your camera or do you just use the timer on the camera?

    1.30.19Reply
  35. Caitlin

    Hey Caitlin, I love you blog & especially your wedding and honeymoon blog posts so much! It’s so funny, but my fiancé Chris & I are also going on our honeymoon to Greece. We are going to Mykonos, Naxos, and Santorini. We looked at Cavo Tagoo after reading your posts and it looks amazing!! I was wondering if you thought the hotel was worth the money or think there’s some alternative 5 star resorts to look at? Was the hotel too crowded at all or staff inattentive? Any recommendations you have would be so appreciated!!

    Thank you,
    Caitlin!

    4.24.19Reply
  36. A kind of paradise… Bring me back there…

    5.22.19Reply
  37. April

    Thats a great guide. when I first went to Mykonos, I had some problems. But I think these problems are caused by the fact that we don’t know that region. Just as people from different countries come to the regions where we live, they are a bit shy about some issues. Before my last trip to Mykonos got a message to my instagram inbox. In the message(their name is heytripster btw), they told me that they were preparing special vacation plans on mykonos and I was also interested. I told them what I liked and they made me plan what I would do from morning to night. And I ended my day without any problems. I also learned a lot of places and tips I don’t know. So either learn a place or get help from someone who knows the place.

    7.24.19Reply
  38. Amber

    Do you happen to have a direct link to the mumu jumpsuit?? Thanks!

    8.15.21Reply