This is the SantoriniDave guide to Mykonos Town.
Also known as Hora, Mykonos Town features the island’s greatest concentration of hotels
and commerce.
The island capital is a charming tangle of narrow pedestrian-only streets, which are
a real pleasure to get lost in.
The area really comes to life at night when crowds spill out of the bars and restaurants
filling the pathways.
Shops stay open late, and the scene stays vibrant late into the night.
The historic core is densely packed with guest houses, smaller hotels, restaurants, and bars.
Tavernas dot the waterfront, and there is great shopping, from souvenir and jewelry
shops to international luxury brand fashion boutiques.
There are also a couple of worthwhile museums and art galleries, and an open-air cinema
that add to the town’s charm.
Now (it’s a voice over not text) everything featured in this video is spelled out in far
greater detail on the pages of our Mykonos travel guide at SantoriniDave.com and across
our YouTube channel, including our favorite hotels, restaurants and bars, beaches and
beach clubs, and more.
The Little Venice area of Mykonos Town is a dense cluster of waterside bars and a favorite
gathering place at sunset.
It’s close to the iconic windmills, and surrounded by popular bars and restaurants.
Each night crowds gather here to watch the sun dip below the horizon.
The Mykonos Town harbor extends from the old port at the northern end where the bus station,
large parking lot and dock for large yachts are, all the way along the waterfront to the
pier where the Delos Tour boat, and some cruise ship tenders pull up.
The main kiosk for purchasing Delos Island boat tour tickets is right here at where the
pier meets the land, and the Sea Bus has stops at both ends of this harbor.
The Sea Bus is a quick and easy way to get to and from the ferry port, but can also be
a cheap and fun way to enjoy a boat ride.
There is a long pedestrian promenade that follows the waterfront almost its entire length,
and even a few pocket beaches with clear waters right here in the heart of Mykonos Town.
Manto Square is one of the main plazas here, named for Mavrogenous Manto, a female Greek
war of independence hero and somewhat of a patron saint of Mykonos.
As the central commercial area of the island, Mykonos Town is also the transportation hub,
with 2 main bus stations that can get you to most any part of the island.
The larger main station is Fabrika Bus Station in the south near the windmills.
It serves the ferry port, airport, and the southern beaches of Ornos, Platis Gialos,
Paraga, and Paradise.
The smaller one is at the Old Port in the northern part of town, and serves the ferry
port, the town of Ano Mera, and the beaches of Agios Stefanos, Kalo Livadi, Elia, and
Panormos.
Both have a small kiosk that sells tickets, or you can pay as you board as well.
Surprisingly, there are not many taxis on Mykonos – only 34 across the entire island
– so don’t expect one to be available when you most need it.
That being said, there is an official taxi stand just up from the old port, and often
a few on hand at the Fabrika bus station.
If you’ve got a rental car, you’ll find the 2 main public parking lots in Mykonos
Town also at the opposite ends of town- one at the old port, and the other near Fabrica
Bus Station.
Both are just a short walk into the center of the action.
There are a handful of other paid parking spaces or small lots in the area as well.
People often park scooters and quads wherever they can find space, but be forewarned, illegally
parked vehicles are frequently towed or have their plates removed by police.
Mykonos Town is filled with great restaurants and bars.
Here are some of our favorites.
We’ll start with bars :
Galleraki Bar is one of the most atmospheric cocktail bars here, perched right above the
sea on the main thoroughfare through Little Venice.
There’s a larger downstairs patio, plus a smaller balcony patio and indoor space with
art gallery upstairs.
Galleraki is popular with couples.
Katerina Bar is one of many picturesque houses hanging above the water in Little Venice,
this bar is owned by the first female Greek naval captain and her family.
There’s a lively seafood restaurant here as well, but many customers come to sip cocktails
while enjoying the sunset views from the waterfront balcony, with DJs and dancing after dark.
Two of the best spots to enjoy cocktails while watching the sunset that are not in Little
Venice, are @54 Bar on top of the Townhouse Hotel, overlooking Manto Square.
And 180 Bar on the hillside above and overlooking Mykonos Town.
It’s best to make reservations at 180 bar in advance, with a minimum prepaid spend based
on the prominence of your table selection.
Expect a line to get in, and expensive cocktails with magical views.
Some of our favorite restaurants include: Kounelas is a quaint fish tavern, with tables
in a tight alleyway and an enchanted garden setting, and a busy seafood grill.
Funky Kitchen serves dinner only, and is one of the island’s most creative fusion restaurants,
tucked away on a secluded outdoor terrace along a tiny street.
Katrin is a Greek-French fusion fine dining restaurant with an extensive wine list.
Koursaros is a beautiful fish and sushi focused restaurant in a large romantic garden courtyard,
where the bar and dj scene come alive later in the evening.
And the 40+ year old Nikos Taverna, where you can expect Excellent quality and value
in a casual, unpretentious atmosphere, serving Greek standards and heaping platters of grilled
seafood.
Mykonos Town is full of smaller hotels and rentals, that tend to be budget to moderate
boutique hotels with only a few luxury options.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Belvedere Hotel is a refined luxury hotel with a convenient location near the windmills,
and an excellent Japanese restaurant.
Just around the corner is Semeli Hotel, a stylish, family-friendly, 5-star hotel with
2 pools, and also has fantastic dining.
Mykonos TheoXenia is a historic, seafront hotel near Little Venice, that feels quiet
and secluded for being so central.
Within a 10 minute walk of town, Cavo Tagoo is one of the top luxury hotels on Mykonos,
sitting on a rise between the two ports, where you can watch the ferries and cruise ships
come and go, and the sunset view is fabulous.
And Myconian Korali is a 5-star hotel with a panoramic, sea view infinity pool, uphill
from Mykonos Town.
Check out our Mykonos travel guide for more detailed information, including more Mykonos
Town hotels, where to eat, what to do, ferry port information, the best beaches and beach
clubs, and tours.
We’ve also got lots of other great travel guides to Greece and Beyond at santorinidave.com
and across this YouTube channel.
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Thanks for watching.