Planning a Trip
Getting There
By Plane -- Olympic Airways (tel. 210/966-6666 or 210/936-9111; www.olympic-airways.gr) has several flights daily (once daily in off season) between Mykonos and Athens, and one flight daily from Mykonos to Iraklion (Crete) and Santorini. Book flights in advance and reconfirm with Olympic in Athens or on Mykonos (tel. 22890/22-490 or 22890/22-237). The Mykonos office is near the south bus station; it's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 3:30pm. Travel agencies on the port sell Olympic tickets as well. Aegean Airlines (tel. 210/998-8300 or 210/998-2888; www.aegeanair.com) has initiated service to Mykonos, daily in summer.
By Boat -- Mykonos now has two ports: the old port in Mykonos town, and the new port north of Mykonos town at Tourlos. Check before you travel to find out which port your boat will use. From Piraeus, The Blue Star Ithaki (www.ferries.gr) has departures once daily at 7:30am. The Pegasus has two afternoon departures during summer at 7:30pm (Mon and Sat). The High Speed has two departures daily, one at 7:15am and 4:45pm and the Marina has three departures weekly at 11:50pm on Tuesdays, and 5pm Thursday and Saturday. From Rafina, the Super Ferry has one departure at 8am daily; the Super Jet 2 has two departures daily at 7:40am and 4pm. The Aqua Jewel has one departure daily at 5pm while the Penelope leaves at 7:35pm daily. High Speed boats line 2 and 3 have daily afternoon departures at 7:30pm and 4:30pm respectively. Schedules can be checked with the port police (tel. 22890/22-218). There are daily ferry connections between Mykonos and Andros, Paros, Syros, and Tinos; five to seven trips a week to Ios; four a week to Iraklio, Crete; several a week to Kos and Rhodes; and two a week to Ikaria, Samos, Skiathos, Skyros, and Thessaloniki. Hellas Flying Dolphins offers service from Piraeus (tel. 210/419-9100 or 210/419-9000; www.dolphins.gr) in summer. From the port of Lavrio, the Fly Cat 3 has an 11:15am departure daily to Mykonos.
On Mykonos, your best bet for getting up-to-date lists of sailings is to check at individual agencies. Or you can check with the port authority by National Bank (tel. 22890/22-218), tourist police at the north end of the harbor (tel. 22890/22-482), or tourist office, also on the harbor (tel. 22890/23-990; fax 22890/22-229).
Hydrofoil service to Crete, Ios, Paros, and Santorini is often irregular. For information, check at Piraeus Port Authority (tel. 210/451-1311 or 210/422-6000; phone seldom answered); Piraeus Port Police (tel. 210/451-1310); Rafina Port Police (tel. 22940/23-300), or Mykonos Port Police (tel. 22890/22-218).
Warning: Check each travel agency's current schedule, because most ferry tickets are not interchangeable. Reputable agencies on the main square in Mykonos (Hora) town include Sunspots Travel (tel. 22890/24-196; fax 22890/23-790); Delia Travel (tel. 22890/22-490; fax 22890/24-440); Sea & Sky Travel (tel. 22890/22-853; fax 22890/24-753); and Veronis Agency (tel. 22890/22-687; fax 22890/23-763).
Visitor Information
Mykonos Accommodations Center, at the corner of Enoplon Dhinameon and Malamatenias (tel. 22890/23-160; www.mykonos-accommodation.com), helps visitors find accommodations. It also functions as a tourist information center. Windmills Travel (tel. 22890/23-877; www.windmills.gr) has an office at Fabrica Square where you can get general information, book accommodations, arrange excursions, and rent a car or moped. Look for the free Mykonos Summertime magazine, available in cafes, shops, and hotels throughout the island.
Finding an Address -- Although some shops hand out maps of Mykonos town, you'll probably do better finding restaurants, hotels, and attractions by asking people to point you in the right direction -- and saying efcharisto (thank you) when they do. Don't panic at how to pronounce efcharisto; think of it as a name and say "F. Harry Stowe." Most streets do not have their names posted. Also, maps leave off lots of small, twisting, streets -- and Mykonos has almost nothing but small, twisting, streets! The map published by Stamatis Bozinakis, sold at most kiosks for 2€ ($2.60), is quite decent. The useful Mykonos Sky Map is free at some hotels and shops.
Getting Around
One of the best things to happen to Mykonos was the government decree that made Hora an architectural landmark and prohibited motorized traffic from its streets. You will see a few small delivery vehicles, but the only ways to get around town are to walk -- or to ride a bike or donkey! Many of the town's large hotels ring the busy peripheral road, and a good transportation system serves much of the rest of the island.
By Bus -- Mykonos has one of the best bus systems in the Greek islands; the buses run frequently and on schedule. Depending on your destination, a ticket costs about .50€ to 4€ (65¢-$5.20). There are two bus stations in Hora: one near the archaeological museum and one near the Olympic Airways office (follow the helpful blue signs). At the tourist office, find out from which station the bus you want leaves, or look for schedules in hotels. Bus information in English is sometimes available from the KTEL office (tel. 22890/23-360).
By Boat -- Caiques to Super Paradise, Agrari, and Elia depart from Platis Yialos every morning, weather permitting; there is also service from Ornos in high season (July and Aug) only. Caique service is highly seasonal, with almost continuous service in high season and no caiques October through May. Excursion boats to Delos depart Tuesday through Sunday between 8:30am and 1pm, from the west side of the harbor near the tourist office. (For more information, see a travel agent; guided tours are available.)
By Car & Moped -- Rental cars are available from about 50€ ($65) per day, including insurance, in high season; most agencies are near one of the two bus stops in town. Windmills Travel can arrange a car rental for you and get good prices. The largest concentration of moped shops is just beyond the south bus station. Expect to pay about 15€ to 30€ ($20-$39) per day, depending on the moped's engine size. Take great care when driving: Island roads can be treacherous.
Warning: If you park in town or in a no-parking area, the police will remove your license plates. You -- not the rental office -- will have to find the police station and pay a steep fine to get them back.
By Taxi -- There are two types of taxis in Mykonos: standard car taxis for destinations outside town, and tiny, cart-towing scooters that buzz through the narrow streets of Hora. The latter are seen primarily at the port, where they wait to bring new arrivals to their lodgings in town -- a good idea, since most in-town hotels are a challenge to find. Getting a car taxi in Hora is easy: Walk to Taxi (Mavro) Square, near the statue, and join the line. A notice board gives rates for various destinations. You can also call Mykonos Radio Taxi (tel. 22890/22-400).
Fast Facts
Commercial Bank and National Bank of Greece are on the harbor a couple blocks west of Taxi Square; both are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm. ATMs are available throughout town. Mykonos Health Center (tel. 22890/23-994 or 22890/23-996) handles routine medical complaints; serious cases are usually airlifted to the mainland. The tourist police (tel. 22890/22-482) are on the west side of the port near the ferries to Delos; the local police (tel. 22890/22-235) are behind the grammar school, near Plateia Laka. The post office (tel. 22890/22-238) is next to the police station; it's open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 2pm. The telephone office (OTE) is on the north side of the harbor beyond the Hotel Leto (tel. 22890/22-499), open Monday through Friday 7:30am to 3pm. Internet access is expensive here: Mykonos Cyber Cafe, 26 M. Axioti, on the road between the south bus station and the windmills (tel. 22890/27-684), is open daily 9am to 10pm and charges 16€ ($21) per hour or 5€ ($6.50) for 15 minutes. Angelo's Internet Cafe, on the same road (tel. 22890/24-106), may have lower rates.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
By Plane -- Olympic Airways (tel. 210/966-6666 or 210/936-9111; www.olympic-airways.gr) has several flights daily (once daily in off season) between Mykonos and Athens, and one flight daily from Mykonos to Iraklion (Crete) and Santorini. Book flights in advance and reconfirm with Olympic in Athens or on Mykonos (tel. 22890/22-490 or 22890/22-237). The Mykonos office is near the south bus station; it's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 3:30pm. Travel agencies on the port sell Olympic tickets as well. Aegean Airlines (tel. 210/998-8300 or 210/998-2888; www.aegeanair.com) has initiated service to Mykonos, daily in summer.
By Boat -- Mykonos now has two ports: the old port in Mykonos town, and the new port north of Mykonos town at Tourlos. Check before you travel to find out which port your boat will use. From Piraeus, The Blue Star Ithaki (www.ferries.gr) has departures once daily at 7:30am. The Pegasus has two afternoon departures during summer at 7:30pm (Mon and Sat). The High Speed has two departures daily, one at 7:15am and 4:45pm and the Marina has three departures weekly at 11:50pm on Tuesdays, and 5pm Thursday and Saturday. From Rafina, the Super Ferry has one departure at 8am daily; the Super Jet 2 has two departures daily at 7:40am and 4pm. The Aqua Jewel has one departure daily at 5pm while the Penelope leaves at 7:35pm daily. High Speed boats line 2 and 3 have daily afternoon departures at 7:30pm and 4:30pm respectively. Schedules can be checked with the port police (tel. 22890/22-218). There are daily ferry connections between Mykonos and Andros, Paros, Syros, and Tinos; five to seven trips a week to Ios; four a week to Iraklio, Crete; several a week to Kos and Rhodes; and two a week to Ikaria, Samos, Skiathos, Skyros, and Thessaloniki. Hellas Flying Dolphins offers service from Piraeus (tel. 210/419-9100 or 210/419-9000; www.dolphins.gr) in summer. From the port of Lavrio, the Fly Cat 3 has an 11:15am departure daily to Mykonos.
On Mykonos, your best bet for getting up-to-date lists of sailings is to check at individual agencies. Or you can check with the port authority by National Bank (tel. 22890/22-218), tourist police at the north end of the harbor (tel. 22890/22-482), or tourist office, also on the harbor (tel. 22890/23-990; fax 22890/22-229).
Hydrofoil service to Crete, Ios, Paros, and Santorini is often irregular. For information, check at Piraeus Port Authority (tel. 210/451-1311 or 210/422-6000; phone seldom answered); Piraeus Port Police (tel. 210/451-1310); Rafina Port Police (tel. 22940/23-300), or Mykonos Port Police (tel. 22890/22-218).
Warning: Check each travel agency's current schedule, because most ferry tickets are not interchangeable. Reputable agencies on the main square in Mykonos (Hora) town include Sunspots Travel (tel. 22890/24-196; fax 22890/23-790); Delia Travel (tel. 22890/22-490; fax 22890/24-440); Sea & Sky Travel (tel. 22890/22-853; fax 22890/24-753); and Veronis Agency (tel. 22890/22-687; fax 22890/23-763).
Visitor Information
Mykonos Accommodations Center, at the corner of Enoplon Dhinameon and Malamatenias (tel. 22890/23-160; www.mykonos-accommodation.com), helps visitors find accommodations. It also functions as a tourist information center. Windmills Travel (tel. 22890/23-877; www.windmills.gr) has an office at Fabrica Square where you can get general information, book accommodations, arrange excursions, and rent a car or moped. Look for the free Mykonos Summertime magazine, available in cafes, shops, and hotels throughout the island.
Finding an Address -- Although some shops hand out maps of Mykonos town, you'll probably do better finding restaurants, hotels, and attractions by asking people to point you in the right direction -- and saying efcharisto (thank you) when they do. Don't panic at how to pronounce efcharisto; think of it as a name and say "F. Harry Stowe." Most streets do not have their names posted. Also, maps leave off lots of small, twisting, streets -- and Mykonos has almost nothing but small, twisting, streets! The map published by Stamatis Bozinakis, sold at most kiosks for 2€ ($2.60), is quite decent. The useful Mykonos Sky Map is free at some hotels and shops.
Getting Around
One of the best things to happen to Mykonos was the government decree that made Hora an architectural landmark and prohibited motorized traffic from its streets. You will see a few small delivery vehicles, but the only ways to get around town are to walk -- or to ride a bike or donkey! Many of the town's large hotels ring the busy peripheral road, and a good transportation system serves much of the rest of the island.
By Bus -- Mykonos has one of the best bus systems in the Greek islands; the buses run frequently and on schedule. Depending on your destination, a ticket costs about .50€ to 4€ (65¢-$5.20). There are two bus stations in Hora: one near the archaeological museum and one near the Olympic Airways office (follow the helpful blue signs). At the tourist office, find out from which station the bus you want leaves, or look for schedules in hotels. Bus information in English is sometimes available from the KTEL office (tel. 22890/23-360).
By Boat -- Caiques to Super Paradise, Agrari, and Elia depart from Platis Yialos every morning, weather permitting; there is also service from Ornos in high season (July and Aug) only. Caique service is highly seasonal, with almost continuous service in high season and no caiques October through May. Excursion boats to Delos depart Tuesday through Sunday between 8:30am and 1pm, from the west side of the harbor near the tourist office. (For more information, see a travel agent; guided tours are available.)
By Car & Moped -- Rental cars are available from about 50€ ($65) per day, including insurance, in high season; most agencies are near one of the two bus stops in town. Windmills Travel can arrange a car rental for you and get good prices. The largest concentration of moped shops is just beyond the south bus station. Expect to pay about 15€ to 30€ ($20-$39) per day, depending on the moped's engine size. Take great care when driving: Island roads can be treacherous.
Warning: If you park in town or in a no-parking area, the police will remove your license plates. You -- not the rental office -- will have to find the police station and pay a steep fine to get them back.
By Taxi -- There are two types of taxis in Mykonos: standard car taxis for destinations outside town, and tiny, cart-towing scooters that buzz through the narrow streets of Hora. The latter are seen primarily at the port, where they wait to bring new arrivals to their lodgings in town -- a good idea, since most in-town hotels are a challenge to find. Getting a car taxi in Hora is easy: Walk to Taxi (Mavro) Square, near the statue, and join the line. A notice board gives rates for various destinations. You can also call Mykonos Radio Taxi (tel. 22890/22-400).
Fast Facts
Commercial Bank and National Bank of Greece are on the harbor a couple blocks west of Taxi Square; both are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm. ATMs are available throughout town. Mykonos Health Center (tel. 22890/23-994 or 22890/23-996) handles routine medical complaints; serious cases are usually airlifted to the mainland. The tourist police (tel. 22890/22-482) are on the west side of the port near the ferries to Delos; the local police (tel. 22890/22-235) are behind the grammar school, near Plateia Laka. The post office (tel. 22890/22-238) is next to the police station; it's open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 2pm. The telephone office (OTE) is on the north side of the harbor beyond the Hotel Leto (tel. 22890/22-499), open Monday through Friday 7:30am to 3pm. Internet access is expensive here: Mykonos Cyber Cafe, 26 M. Axioti, on the road between the south bus station and the windmills (tel. 22890/27-684), is open daily 9am to 10pm and charges 16€ ($21) per hour or 5€ ($6.50) for 15 minutes. Angelo's Internet Cafe, on the same road (tel. 22890/24-106), may have lower rates.
