18/04/2022
WHAT IS MYKONOS TODAY?
What to do in Mykonos? It’s hard to imagine a time when Mykonos was a humble little island,just a layover on the way to famous Delos. Things changed in the 1950s, with the arrival of the likes of Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas, Jackie O, Marlon Brando, Grace Kelly, Princess Soraya, Elizabeth Taylor, Nureyev, Pierre Cardin, Stavros Niarchos… Legendary names of the international jet set became associated with Mykonos and the island quickly became the favored holiday destination in Greece for the super-rich, artists and movie stars.
And the list of celebrities continues to grow: Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Steven Spielberg, Monica Bellucci, Liam Neeson, Hugh Jackman, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Clive Owen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Giorgio Armani, Russell Crowe…
Hip hip Hora!
Sparkling white with a blue Aegean backdrop, the island’s architecture is one of a kind. It extends into the little neighborhoods of the island’s main town, Hora, with captains’ homes, old churches and wells. Everywhere you look, there’s a maze of white-washed alleyways. In Gialos you’ll find the famous pelicans, as well as Agios Nikolaos Tis Kadenas, the Town Hall of 1780, and the imposing Mavrou school. Through Barkias you will reach the Church of Panagia Paraportiani, a complex of five churches, completed in the 17th century.
Little Venice and the windmills
Perhaps one of the most photographed spots on the island, Little Venice is made up of homes that were built in the 18th century and have their foundations in the sea. It has been said that behind these doors above the waterline, pirates would store their loot. Today they have been converted to bars and restaurants and the view of the sparkling Aegean Sea from their balconies is dazzling. Mykonos’ other main attraction is its Windmills, which stand facing the sea and at night are beautifully lit up. Powered by the north wind, these windmills used to ground grain into flour until the early 20th century.
