7 Completely Annoying Reasons Why Mykonos is Overrated
“All that glitters is not gold.” – Proverb.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely ADORE this country. There are so many reasons to travel to Greece, it’s the destination I find my mind wanders to when someone is telling me an incredibly boring story.
Imagining the gorgeous beaches, crystal waters and whitewashed buildings is ridiculously easy once you’ve been there. On top of that locals are some of the friendliest I’ve ever encountered.
While Mykonos does have a few beautiful vistas and I have no regrets visiting, there are a few things I personally didn’t like about it. In fact I’d go as far to say Mykonos is overrated and things turned out to be the complete opposite to what I had envisioned – I knew I should have gone to Corfu instead!
I’ve written this to let you know things nobody seems to tell you when visiting Mykonos, Greece.
Here are 7 annoying reasons why Mykonos is overrated
If you’re planning an Athens itinerary, you may be wondering, “Is Mykonos worth visiting?” Let me put this out there: I’m not saying don’t go. On the contrary, I think you should go and not just take my word for it! In saying that, it’s important to know exactly what to expect when you go to avoid any nasty surprises.
Mykonos is undoubtedly lovely to see but it’s useful to keep these things in mind for your visit so you won’t find it as disappointing as I did. Don’t set those expectations too high and you should be sweet. Actually, let me rephrase that – I did have low expectations about these annoyances although some were far exceeded, and not in a good way!
Anyway, let’s get into the reasons why I believe Mykonos is overrated:
1. Irritating dining experiences
Incredibly narrow footpaths cluttered with dining chairs and crowds of people trying to get past don’t mix. Whoever thought this was a good idea obviously didn’t think about the challenge their customers would face simply raising a fork to their mouth to take a bite of their meal.
I witnessed tourists constantly knocking the elbows of diners and bumping into their chairs as they attempted to squeeze through these obstacle courses. It’s definitely not ideal for sunset-watching or keeping swathes of people moving efficiently.
2. The “Party Island of Greece” is always late to the party
Nightlife doesn’t actually start until the early hours of the morning. You can expect to be the only patron in a nightclub until about 11pm when a hoard of Tour Groupies on a Contiki tour will come through and make the bar feel alive… Until they head off to the next bar after 1 drink, leaving you on your lonesome once more.
Party-goers only start heading out to clubs around 1am. Call me old fashioned but I’d prefer that time to be the peak of my night so I can get at least a wink of sleep before the sun rises. Who wants to waste the entire following day nursing a hangover? Travel time is precious – once it’s gone, we can never get it back!
READ MORE:
Stunning Places to Discover in Greece Off the Beaten Path
12 Athens Travel Tips to NOT Look Like a Tourist
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Why You Shouldn’t Use Airbnb: 8 Troubling Issues You Didn’t Know
Ethical Alternatives to Airbnb for Responsible Tourists
3. Beach access has to be bought
Having to pay €20+ for sunchairs and drink service on every beach in the morning when no one else is there (because the entire island has just gone to bed) is quite annoying. I get why that would make sense when it’s busy in the late afternoon, but come on.
I’m aware it’s like this at many beaches across Europe (and €20 is nothing in comparison to some other establishments) but as an Australian it’s a pretty strange concept when you’ve been spoilt with the luxury of throwing a towel anywhere on the sand and sitting where you like, for free.
Even though paying to sit at the beach was bothersome, I couldn’t help but think “ah well, when in Rome”. There were actually some fellow Aussies who came up beside my sunbed and complained about having to pay to go to the beach. They ended up sitting off to the side on some rocks to avoid having to pay.
4. Cacti, Desert & Donkeys
The only real picturesque area is Little Venice and the iconic windmills. Yes, some of the little alleyways with boutiques and restaurants are lovely if you can manage to navigate past without knocking someone off their chair whilst they eat lunch.
But, let’s be honest. The rest of the island can be summarised in 3 words: cacti, desert and donkeys. Believe me, my travel buddy and I hired a scooter to get around so we saw more than most. There are way more things to do in Santorini, that’s for sure!
5. Everyone runs on “Island Time”
Forget using the shuttle buses. They are meant to run every half hour from the town down to the port but they had a habit of not turning up. Yes, I’m aware some people like to run on “island time” and sometimes you just need to go with the flow.
But as a visitor, I’d rather spend that waiting time doing something I enjoy. No one likes being left in the lurch, especially late at night.
6. People prove Mykonos is overrated
There’s quite a pretentious vibe on the island. Most people are trying to “be someone” documenting their every move on their phones or video cameras. It’s as though having an Instagram or Snapchat account is a prerequisite for visiting this island.
This always makes me wonder: While people spend so much time distracted on their phones, are they really enjoying the experience and being in the moment? What’s more important than being where you are, right now?
Likes and comments, apparently. Mykonos is an Instatourist’s heaven.
Drinks at empty bars were €12 during my visit, they’re probably double that now. They should be paying me €12 for bringing some life to their establishment, seeing as no one else will be there until 1am!
Why, Mykonos, why?
7. More expensive than Athens and other islands
I’m not sure if this is because Mykonos is like a “celebrity Instagram” destination or something else, but I found eating out and drinking to be much cheaper in Athens, Rhodes, Crete and Santorini.
Heck, in Athens you can get a bottle of water for €0.50, while in Mykonos they were charging up to €4 in some places during my visit. Isn’t that just a tad ridiculous?
Maybe this is also because Mykonos is a popular cruise ship destination. Operators know floods of tourists will rush through quite quickly, without the time to shop around for lower prices before heading back to their ship. They will pay through the nose for convenience.
TIP: I always like to say: You can save time or money – usually not both!
Economic leakage
As I’ve explained in my guide for how to be a more responsible tourist, visiting destinations on cruise ships have social and economic downsides:
- Cruise-goers don’t get to spend very long in a particular destination before shipping off to the next. This leave little time have meaningful interactions with locals, leading to a shallow experience.
- They’re rushing around to the popular spots with crowds of other tourists (both from their ship and not) all at the same time, because their time is limited. This isn’t an ideal way to see a destination.
- They’re visiting those destinations but the majority of their tourist money is going back to the cruise ship company, not the local communities. They eat, sleep and do activities mostly on the ship, not at the cities. This is a lose-lose situation for all parties except the cruise ship company.
TIP: Did you know there are solutions for visiting popular destinations without contributing to overtourism issues? Read my guide to 10 overtourism solutions for more!
Do you think Mykonos is overrated, too?
Phew! In saying all that, if you’ve been following me a little while you’re likely to know I’m a massive fan of travelling efficiently to get the most out of my precious travel time.
Unfortunately, I had no idea beforehand that Mykonos was probably not well suited to my travel style. My travel style is all about being an invisible tourist – immersing ourselves in the local culture and benefitting the communities of places we visit by using our travel money more mindfully (side note: I’ve actually written a book about to help achieve this, too!)
Waiting around for unreliable public transport, paying through the nose for drinks in a bar with no atmosphere and dealing with crowds of people weaving through confined spaces just isn’t for me. Maybe it’s not for you as well.
If you do decide to bite the bullet and go, please forget trying to dine in a narrow alleyway during the summer months and go watch the sunset atop a white-washed hillside instead!
Hate crowds (like me) but love Europe? Why not take a look at my other top tips and advice for visiting Europe you won’t hear anywhere else!
Do you think that Mykonos is overrated too? Did you happen to know these nuances about Mykonos before your visit? Let me know in the comments below! If you found this helpful, I’d also love if you’d come and join me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, TikTok or don’t forget to pin it to Pinterest!
Until next time,
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I read with interest the ‘7 Completely Annoying Reasons Why Mykonos Is Overrated’ and the accompanying comments. I have known this island for a very long time and I regularly spend my summers there with my family.
Of the Cyclades, Mykonos, along with Santorini, has unfortunately changed the most. It was the incomparable magic of these two islands that attracted so many travellers and it is the phenomenon of mass tourism that has largely destroyed that magic and as a consequence this has led to the current problems on these two islands.
That is a great pity, but anyone who knows Mykonos a little better will still find much that has not changed over the years and that doesn’t confirm the common clichés.
There are still some beautiful beaches without daybeds and without the beach clubs pounding bass echoing from the rocks. If you manage to get off the beaten track and if you are able to find the places where the locals meet, you’ll disover things that you might have expected to find only on the less touristy islands.
But if you do not go any further than Paradise Beach, Paranga or Kalafatis, and if you follow the masses in the evenings, you will find all your preconceptions about inflated prices and unfriendly staff confirmed.
The Mykonians say that it took forty years to ruin their island by mass tourism and they predict that it will only take ten years for burgeoning Paros to be destroyed. Sadly enough this could be true.
Hi Arno, thanks so much for reading and sharing your valuable insights! I absolutely agree with you, there are places to go where we won’t find other tourists. That can be said for most destinations 🙂
Hopefully Paros won’t suffer the same fate in its popular areas.
I visited several Greek islands this past September. My least favorite was Mykonos. I did not like the crowds, the service or the commercialism. I felt rushed wherever I went to eat and could not fully relax even on a beach. The store merchants were at times rude if you visited their store and walked out without making a purchase. For example, I was shopping for a bathing suit when the owner/salesperson approached me and tried to sell me a bathing suit that I could not try on. When I decided not to purchase the item the woman literally told me to leave her store. I was totally taken back by her actions and left without a word because I realized she was not worth my energy. This is the most striking experience had on the island. All other islands that I visited were much more welcoming. I would never return to Mykonos. I would revisit Paros, Andros and Hydra. The kindness and beauty of the islanders provided a much more positive experience.
Oh, I’m so sorry to totally agree with everything you say.. I first went to Mykonos over 25 years ago and fell in with the place. I holidayed there at least twice a year since that up until a few years ago. The Island has become overrun with cruise ship passengers and the super rich. It was always an expensive island but prices have gone through the roof. It’s almost impossible to find a traditional Greek taverna and the restaurants in the Chora charge eye watering prices.
Over the years the whole character of the place has changed for the worse and I doubt if I’ll ever be back, even in the unlikely event that I become a billionaire.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Maurice! It is a real shame. We can only hope we become billionaires someday 😅
I’ve been to Mykonos about 80 times since the early 1980s and recognise most of the comments made here. First, never go in July and August for that is when the crowd are unbearable. Second, never make judgments: some save all year or two years to have their holiday here whilst others have enough to go several times a year; you could be sat next to a millionaire in the cafe or a bus driver from Tooting but it doesn’t matter and if it does then go somewhere else. Third, Mykonos is so much more than little Venice and the rest of the island is not just cacti, donkeys and dirt – you just need to explore. Fourth do go to Delos but once you have done the historic tour explore the hill villages on Tinos for a day trip to an utterly different world (unless you want to have a picnic on the southern beach on Delos, in which case get someone to guide you there). Fifth, Mykonos is at its best when treated as a rendez-vous to meet friends once again because it is the second week in September. Sixth, the island is as expensive as you want it to be but it will punish anyone with pretensions.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights, Adrian! Great advice 😃
Mykonos is the worst place I have ever been , I don’t care billionaire, millionaire , it’s so overrated!
And I will never return
Drinks , food wasn’t even off a high standard !
Mykonos is off my list for many many years now. I always prefer a small vacation in nearby Tinos Island, which lately has become an excellent destination. Excellent beaches, most picturesque villages all around the island (people say they’re the most beautiful villages in Cyclades) and great great food (lots of special dishes you won’t find elsewhere). Sometimes I take the morning ship, only half an hour to Mykonos and return in the afternoon. That’s all. No more. Just a coffee, maybe a swim in Kalafatis, which is a free beach and back to Tinos for a guaranteed sublime dinner.
Sound like I need to add Tinos to my list of Greek islands to visit, Emmanuel!
Thanks for sharing your advice and for reading 😊
As a fellow Aussie, I completely agree with you. Just left Mykonos today and I won’t be coming back again.
There’s no cheap bars on the island. Even the ones away from the waterfront charge 20 Euros for cocktails. Heck I thought Santorini was expensive charging 12 Euros for a cocktail with a beautiful view of the Caldera, until I came to Mykonos.
Food is expensive as well. Tried 6 different restaurants and the food wasn’t great. The gyros had no flavour.
So makes me feel like the hospitality industry is just catered to churn out tourists rather than provide them with a genuine local experience.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights, Sudin!
What’s even more painful for us Aussie is the weak dollar to euro 😭
As you say, suddenly 12 euro for a cocktail sounds cheap compared to what they’re charging in Mykonos!
It’s such a shame to see places like this become tourist traps with little to no authentic local experiences to be had.
I just read your article about why Mykonos is overrated. Last time I was there was 1965 and it was dirt heap but still pretty touristy compared to other islands. Never been back, even if you paid me.
One thing you don’t mention is that there is no such thing as a private beach in Greece. Even if you own a complete island the beach is public, anyone can go sit and swim there. Only problem with Mykonos is dealing with toughies who will force you to pay. Remember by law they have no right , only if you have/ use their lounger or whatever. You can just put your towel on the ground and do whatever.swim, sunbathe. 2 very beautiful islands completely ruined- Mykonos and Santorini. There are many more plus beautiful beaches on mainland Greece.
Hi Liza, thanks for sharing your insights – I wasn’t aware of that!
Good to know 😃
You’re right though, it is such a shame that two beautiful islands have been ruined (in the peak tourist season anyway).
Went 45 years ago and Mykonos was fabulous, I was only 21, there was Pierros which was a great bar and we all stood outside, I believe it is Jackie o bar now. Everything was cheap as chips and I should know cos I didn’t have much money with me. Went back with my husband 3 years ago and with my husband and was very disappointed I had raved about it, overpriced, overrated and just not a nice place. Will NEVER go again.
So sorry to hear the, Lesley!
On the bright side, at least you got to go in Mykonos’ golden days and were able to enjoy it then 😊
Im not sure why every article about Mykonos being overrated is basically apologizing and saying you should still go. If you are going to Greece and you dont know someone living in Mykonos then there is no reason to go to Mykonos. There are plenty of way better islands and Mykonos didn’t have a single thing worth the visit compared to other islands. Even if it wasnt overpriced that would be my opinion. But it’s way overpriced and over crowded for an island that shouldnt even rank in the top 10 of Greek Islands. Just say “don’t go to Mykonos unless you know someone from there otherwise it’s a waste of time.”
This is a fair point, Stew!
However I do recommend people seeing things for themselves, as we don’t all agree on everything (and that’s perfectly okay!)
Hi there. Just found your blog.
I am in Mykonos at the moment. I totally agree with it being ridiculously overpriced at the restaurants in little Venice but it is gorgeous . We are fortunately staying out of town in a villa on the sea front. It has been heaven. We have done mostly all our own catering so hasn’t been too bad. The villa has a salt pool and we have spent most of our days just relaxing with our family that we haven’t seen for a while. If that is the type of holiday that you are looking for then I highly recommend it. The views are sensational. We did the Delos trip which I found very interesting as well as snorkelling. We leave for Paros in a couple of days so will be interested to see the difference. Enjoyed your blog.
I’m so glad to hear you found the perfect way to enjoy Mykonos, Beverley!
Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment 😃 Enjoy the rest of your time in Greece!
Spot on! We did arrive on a cruise (All gay, all day, which is not the easiest for us gays to find. Where we can be ourselves like everyone else)
My husband was gobsmacked (he’s Aussie) when I said Mykonos was overrated so I googled it and found you!
The island was ugly, prices were ridiculous and he paid €100 PER CHAIR at Super Paradise, and we even had an anniversary dinner there plus multiple
Drinks. Not worth the money at all (food was good, but not cheap)
I’m glad we only had 8 hours. I’d have been ticked to have spent money to stay there more than that. Overrated indeed! Santorini or Corfu for a longer visit.
We did two days in Athens and I want to come back to Athens now!! Amazing, clean city, with a lot to do and see.
Holy moly, sounds like prices have gone up significantly since my last visit!
Thanks for finding me, it’s great to now there are other like-minded folk like us out there.
I absolutely adored Athens, but it can be hit and miss depending on the neighbourhood you’re staying in. Thanks so much for your comment, Todd!
Athens clean city???? lol I think we have been in two different citties than. In Europe Athens are considered next to Naples in Italy, most dirty city.
I was there today and there is literally garbage everywhere and some kind of weird acidic/trashy smell in the air. There is even a street where apparently cats, dogs AND people go to relieve themselves… The smell of this street is forever burned into my memory… I was googling around about all this and saw a few news articles that actually mention that the island has a huge problem with trash. I was only there for a few hours because my final destination was the island Naxos (highly recommended). Was very surprised that this was not #1 on the list, even more so that it was not even mentioned. I do agree with all the reasons you mention, but for me, the trash is the main reason I don’t like the island. It even makes some of the things you mention more absurd. How can a place this trashy be that expensive? Is there some kind of “Instagram filter” that removes all the trash for those pretentious people walking around? I don’t want to be rude to anyone, but why are more people not mentioning this? Is it very recent that it got out of hand?
In about 14 days I’ll be heading back home and sadly i have to go back to Mykonos to catch my plane. I will try to avoid as much of it as possible, straight from port to airport… I love Greece i hope Mykonos doesn’t give too many bad impressions for first timers in the country.
I’m sorry to hear that, Erik! That’s so awful.
Perhaps it is a more recent thing as it wasn’t very obvious during my visit some time ago. However my partner and I hired a scooter to visit the rest of the island, so it could have been we didn’t spend too much time in the Old Town to notice 😅 But I completely agree with you, Mykonos is not Greece as there are so many beautiful (and not rip-off) destinations to visit.
Thanks for reading and for your comment!
I 100% agree with this. I wish I had seen your blog post before going. It is absolutely overrated and not worth the visit. I was underwhelmed with the experience and couldn’t wait to get out of the island. Santorini has way more to offer.
Sorry to hear you couldn’t wait to leave, Abbas, that’s a shame. But it’s good to know we can spend much longer on Santorini and the other islands to have a great time.
Thanks for your comment!
Could not agree more! The place is impossible to get around and walking on a road with lorries and tourists on bikes (no helmets) and quads is like playing Russian roulette! The town itself whilst beautiful is far too busy and commercialised. Instagram wanna be”s everywhere! Put your phone down and enjoy people!! Minimum taxi fare is 35 euros so to visit any of these ‘cool places’ you need a celebrity bank balance. We stayed at the new port and on one day there were 5 cruise ships docked! 5!!! Needless to say we avoided Mykonos town on this day! Enclave tourism at its worst! There was no atmosphere anywhere as you say. Budha beach bar food was distinctly average and the snooty staff meant we ate and left very quickly! Constantly pouring your 60 euro bottle of wine to try and encourage you to spend more. The only gems were hypie fish where although expensive the food, views and staff were fabulous. We found a lovely beach and beach bar in stefanos where the sea was wonderful, service and food fantastic. It made me fall in love with Greece again and cannot wait to visit more less commercialised islands that are more age and purse string appropriate.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences, Kay!
The prices are getting way out of hand. 5 cruise ships docked at once is also ridiculous 😫
It really makes you wonder what the locals must think!
After reading the post on this thread I won’t be going to Mykonos.
The real problem is that too many budget minded people visit Greece wanting EVERYTHING for free or cheap, what an insult to Greece. Too many people dressed in knockoff outfits displaying a 10-dollar knockoff Louis Vuitton bag wearing the BIGGEST sun glasses they can find pretending to be wealthy celebrities, but they eat 1.00 euro gyro’s all day and pull out their free pass everywhere they go. First of all, Mykonos is NOT for the budget minded, it is a millionaires playground so what would you expect if you’re looking for cheap? I personally think that all Greek Tavernas should raise their prices at least double for entrees and appetizers and no more 1.00 euro gyros, they should be at least 5.00 euros for those little gyros and the water should start at 2-5.00 euro anywhere you go. Greece gets too crowded in the Summer, time to eliminate the backpackers and cheap folks to make room for everyone else. Wake Up Greece.
I wholeheartedly agree with your comments, Niko! Mykonos isn’t really a budget-friendly travel destination. I’m not sure why people would like to pretend to be someone they aren’t.
Thank’s for reading!
Yea! How dare people be poor! Let’s make sure we kick them off the island! No need to artificially increase prices to try and keep the losers out. I think it’s very simple. Just have a wealth passport. You can only enter Mykonos if your net worth is “X” amount. You don’t need a passport if you arrive in your own yacht (no boats or dinghies. Only real, full-sized yachts. Probably with at least 2 decks). Let’s make sure only the rich people can enjoy life. Poor people deserve to work paycheck to paycheck and never be able to enjoy life. I like your thinking Niko! Greece! Wake up! Stop allowing these people into your country! No wonder Greece’s financial situation is weak. If only they focused on JUST millionaires and billionaires instead of catering to everyone.
I like your sarcasm, Niko 😆 That’s how it can feel!
You’re right that catering to millionaires and billionaires who have money doesn’t actually help the locals much anyway. As I explain in my guide for how to be a responsible tourist, these squillionnaires contribute to economic leakage (where tourism money doesn’t benefit the local community). They don’t spend on local accommodation as they have their yachts; they would rarely spend in local restaurants as they would have catered food on their yachts… 😒
I think all greek restaurants should employ professional cooks first!
I have never eaten in so many BAD and overpriced restaurants in such a short time in my life.
This 🙌
I’ve been to Athens (and suburbs of Athens), Ios, Naxos, and then returned a second time to Greece to go to Mykonos. Lol that place stinks. The ONLY thing that island has is upscale hotels and restaurants that celeb instagrammers show off and one tiny pretty beach with a tiny pleasant restaurant on the backside of the island that isn’t accessible for most people but it’s the only thing the island has going for it. The main areas are a joke compared to everywhere I’ve been in Greece. I’ll go back to Greece again certainly but I’ll never recommend Mykonos to anyone. It still bothers me to this day when I see Mykonos pop up on social media, I can’t help but vent in comment sections on these dumb photos people post from there from inside their hotels. If they went on a walking tour outside the hotel with the cave pool everyone would see the truth. Mykonos is a bottom tier island in Greece. No offense to people who live there. If you’re goal is to go to a super fancy hotel, then that’s all there is, just dont plan on having a good experience beyond the pool.
You’re absolutely right, Fox! This is why I encourage people to get out beyond their hotels/resorts as they they often don’t reflect what’s outside.
Thanks for reading and for sharing your perspective!
We came back from Mykonos last Wednesday. I totally agree with you! We have been there for 10 days. It is a nice island, yes. We really enjoyed the trip. But it is totally overrated, overpriced and if you have bad weather, Mykonos offers no possibilities what you can do.
And so many Instagram people there 🙁 … sometimes I was thinking they only travel to Mykonos for social media pictures…For us it was a good experience but we wont come back in future.
It’s a shame there isn’t much else to do if the weather isn’t on your side! I really don’t understand the Instagram appeal when there are so many other lovely islands. Thanks so much for your comment Phil, and safe travels home!
I stumbled onto this post while looking to see what I may have missed on Mykonos. I am here in shoulder/off season but agree with everything you mentioned. I had just spent three weeks all over Greece, stopping in Paros, Naxos, Milos, Athens, and in the Meteora monasteries/Delphi area. I must say Mykonos is a rather disappointing stop at end of my trip. There are much better beaches, cuter small towns, more atmospheric neighborhoods in the other places I have visited, all at half the prices I am paying in Mykonos (at least for food). Athens city itself has fantastic nightlife. Now that I’ve been here, I must admit I also don’t understand the appeal.
Oh wow, it sounds like you had a magnificent trip around Greece, Jen! There really isn’t much to Mykonos (which is fine if that’s what people expect!) but yes, I guess it comes across as having much more than it does on social media. Thanks for your comment and I hope you can enjoy the rest of your trip!
Just came to Mykonos as my 6th island, immediately preceding one was Naxos. Wow was it a shock. No idea why this place is so famous when it doesn’t have half the natural beauty of Naxos, or an ounce of history of Rhodes or Kos (aside from Delos of course). Prices are insane and the restaurants are super pretentious and overcharge for everything. I regret my choice of coming here that’s for sure.
I’m sorry to hear Mykonos was such a shock to you, Golfntravel98. It’s a shame it has morphed into what it has, but I certainly agree there are many more things to see and do on other islands! I hope the remainder of your trip is enjoyable, though 😊
All people commenting that mykonos is really expensive and really overcrowded, what did you expected? The island is full of famous names restaurants and hotels such as zuma, cavoo tagoo, nobu, etc. is it a surprise? I guess when you are booking you can see in advance the cost of the place. This is an island for those who like places like ibiza, monaco, dubai, porto cervo etc. it is this type of tourism and yes it is very expensive and some people dont mind paying for exclusivity and up notch services. As far as being overcrowded- may, june, sep and octobre- not as many turists, easy to navigate the island get bus cab etc and prices on sunbeds are so much cheaper. Now as far as the party not starting till late, not true, mykonos is famous for their sunset parties in bars- scorpios, 180, beach bars. And for having restaurants with party, people break plates, sing loudly, rest like remezzo, interni you can listen to happy bday every hour singed in greek. Again this is not for everyone, i love mykonos but in order to enjoy it i always pair it with much calmer islands so i can have the best of both worlds
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Marisa! You make some great points.
Glad to hear you enjoy Mykonos and we can agree it’s not for everyone ☺️
I have been to Mykonos 3 times becauae of those I travelled with and YES I found it is exactly as you described. I was told that its because I was grumpy gay boy … even us gay guys don’t like pretentious posing pouting preening flouncing Mykonos types. Thanks for review Alyse x Andrew x
It’s a such shame about the vibe, isn’t it? Thanks for your comment, Andrew 😊
Nice sharing, I must say that your shared information is very useful for me as well as other visitors.
Thanks, imally!
If you go to Mykonos, the most important is to take the small boat and visit Dilos Island.
So much history there.
Ooooh, that sounds lovely! I’ll have to look into that for my next trip to the Greek Islands. Thank you, Konstatinos! 🙂
Just returned from Greece and was also sorely disappointed by Mykonos! We also went to Delos Island. It was worth the visit only because it got us off of Mykonos for a day trip but seriously, it’s not worth the trek back to go to Delos. The tours that go there are not very good because they all use these Bluetooth speaker sets to try and talk to the tour groups (you have to go with a tour because it is an uninhabited island) and you can’t hear anything, and not to be crass, but the island is a literal pile of marble.
Oh that is a shame to hear, Liz. Thank you for the head sup about Delos as well, good to know!
I have travelled to the Greece and the Cyclades islands three years in a row. Mykonos has a south of France type vibe together with wonderful beaches. My best beaches are undoubtedly Naxos’s long, white sandy beaches. Santorini has an amazing sunset. The island is filled with crowds of cruise liner passengers riding poor donkeys up the hill. The beaches are horrid black sand beaches. Everyone has to go to Santorini at least once in their life to experience a sunset and then its time to leave and there’s no reason to ever return.
Oooh I would love to visit Naxos! I’ve visited Santorini a few times. Luckily I have visited during times when crowds haven’t been to overwhelming, it’s undoubtedly beautiful. I really love Rhodes, that’s quite underrated! Thanks for your comment and happy Greek Island hopping 🙂
I totally agree with you Alyse! I’m in Mykonos at the moment and wish I had found your article before I booked. I’m in the most beautiful spa hotel with amazing views … but find the attitude of the staff really disappointing. They act like they’re doing me a favour bring the overpriced drinks to my sunbed. Same thing in the overpriced restaurants. I have been to four other Greek islands and this is the only one I would not revisit. It’s all about the looks and instagram pictures and no thought given to the personal experiences of those who are spending their cash and vacation time here.
Oh Lesley, it is such a shame to hear that! I’m sorry to hear it’s the only island you wouldn’t revisit. Completely agree that it all seems to be about Instagram pictures and not about the individual experiences. It’s a bit sad to see travelling is like this for some people, but each to their own. Maybe you should let the staff know you have an online following of 50k people and see how differently you are treated 😉 Despite this I hope you get to enjoy the rest of your time in Mykonos and thanks for your comment!
I just found this and had to laugh! I’ve never been to Mykonos but can totally see where you’re coming from. I had irritations about Santorini too, although mostly a little different to yours (how expensive stuff is and the ENDLESS posers is the same, though), which I wrote a post about – I think it’s a little controversial as many people love the place, but it’s just not for me. Hey, we all prefer different things when we travel and thats ok!
Haha thanks so much, Rachel! I think Santorini has changed a bit in recent years (in terms of types of visitors) thanks to social media. I noticed a big change in the 5 years between my visits. While it is truly beautiful, everyone wants to get that Instagram shot! So yes Mykonos pretty much the same in that regard. True though, everyone prefers different things – each to their own 😉
If you are not at least 3 of the following:
really rich
young
beautiful
gay
This island is not really for you. You will find other islands are much nicer.
The locals outside the main town are really nice, especially if you speak a little greek. But in the main part of town and the beaches you will feel you are just a cash cow.
I tick only 1 maybe 2 of the boxes above and that was my experience
Oh I’m sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience too, Elias! Here’s hoping to better experiences on other Greek Islands 🙂
I’ve never been but did wonder if it was all too good to be true! Loved your post. As a fellow Aussie it had me cracking up. Seriously paying for beach access? Nope not on mate
Thank you so much, Jean! Glad you had a chuckle. Haha I think I uttered something similar to “not on, mate” when I was there too. But, when in Rome..!
Your Pictures are beautiful, maybe it is overrated, but it still Looks good 😉 I like your honesty, great post!
Thanks a lot, Katharina! I agree it still looks good, you can’t really beat those Greek blue skies and sunsets 🙂
I’ve heard similar things about Mykonos! So sad that it doesn’t exactly have the same charm, but luckily Greece has so many other amazing spots to visit! Thanks for your point of view!
Ah I am glad to hear it wasn’t just me. Yes it definitely does, thank goodness! Greece is so beautiful. Thanks for your comment, Lara!
I do know that it is meant to be quite the party location, but the fact that everyone is on bar crawls & there is only atmosphere there for a short period of time would really start to annoy me! I genuinely like reading negative reviews about places when they are backed up like yours are, that way you get the true impression of the place.
Yes it was really strange! I mean what’s the point of “nightlife” if it doesn’t truly kick off until the early hours of the morning? Maybe I’m missing something, hehe. Thanks for your comment, Emily 🙂
Thanks for sharing your honest opinion. Haven’t been to Mykonos yet but I’ve seen tons of catchy photos. I’d probably go and check for myself but in general I’m not impressed.
Thanks for commenting, Evelina. You definitely shouldn’t just take my word for it, experience it for yourself – Mykonos may surprise you in a good way! But it’s handy to know these things in advance to be prepared 🙂
haha I love a good rant blog! Great photos! Thinking about going to Greece this year with a tour company. Need some more planning though! Great blog! Thanks for the advise!
Hehe that means a lot, thank you Natasha! Oh you should totally go, Greece is wonderful! If you go with a tour check if they will spend more time in Santorini than Mykonos… Santorini is worth the extra time ?
Great post, it’s so good to read a realistic blog about a location that you didn’t love. I personally go to Corfu quite a lot as it’s so beautifully green and mountainous; the desert, cacti and donkeys of Myknons don’t appeal to me! Ha!
Thanks for your lovely comment, Zara! I’m dying to visit Corfu, it looks incredible and is at the top of my bucket list. Yeah most of Mykonos island looks the same away from the main town to me.
Having been to Mykonos, I do get where you are coming from on some of these points. But it sure is beautiful there!
I agree, some parts surely are beautiful. Maybe because I’d been to Santorini before I was a little let down with Mykonos. Thanks for your comment, Alexis!
I’ve heard great things about Mykonos, but after reading your post, I may reconsider… It seems like we have similar travel styles! Still, you managed to capture beautiful photos. 🙂
Thank you, Alison! It’s still nice to see, but it’s just good to know these things so it’s not a surprise when you get there ?
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I’ve never been to Mykonos, but I guess maybe it is better to go to smaller and less-known islands than Mykonos and Santorini
Thanks, Liz. That’s true, although for some reason Santorini was much nicer than Mykonos for me. None of these niggly things, hehe. I’m sure Mykonos is more enjoyable in the off season, I did visit at he height of summer. The smaller islands would be beautiful, too!
Everything you said is SPOT ON
I’m glad you agree, Maya! Although I wish Mykonos didn’t have the pretentious hype that it does 🙁