One Day in Mykonos, Greece: The Perfect Cruise Port Itinerary
Originally published in 2018 and updated in October 2026 with current information and additional tips.
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The few hours we spent in Mykonos was our first taste of Greece and what cemented our eagerness to explore more. For our honeymoon, we were on a 9-day Mediterranean cruise that stopped at 4 ports in Greece and 3 in Italy. Our first Greek port was the gorgeous Mykonos! Prior to leaving, Mykonos was near the bottom of our list of what we were most excited for with such a pack itinerary. However, after we were done exploring Mykonos town, it was our number one place to go back in Greece. It has the beautiful white-washed buildings, archeological ruins, great beaches, nightlife, and extremely friendly residents. If you are dropped off in Mykonos just for a short bit of time, here is a guide on how to make the most of it.
Mykonos Town
Mykonos Basics
Mykonos is a popular greek island in the Aegean Sea. The island itself is 85 sq km or 33 sq miles. The island is home to just about 11,000 year-round residents, most of which live in Mykonos town. You will also see the town referred to as Chora, which is “town” in greek. Like many greek islands, Mykonos has a nickname – which is “the island of the winds”. Mykonos neighbors Delos, one of the most important mythological and historical sites in Greece. In greek mythology, Mykonos was named after Mykonos, the grandson of the god Apollo. It is said that Mykonos was the location of the great battle between Zeus and Giants – where Heracles killed the giants. The large rocks all over the island are said to be the corpses of the giants.
Nowadays, Mykonos is most popular for its tourism (and nightlife). If you will be arriving via cruise, the ships dock at the New Port in Tourlos. Tourlos is about 2 miles from Mykonos Town and you can reach the town via a fast ferry (Mykonos SeaBus), a shuttle bus, or a taxi. It is generally not recommended to walk since there is no sidewalk and the walk is along a busy road. We took the SeaBus, it was just a couple euros and under 10 minutes to take this beautiful journey to the town.
One Day in Mykonos: at a glance
8:00am – Get off the ship and head towards Mykonos town
8:30am – Explore the town by foot
9:30am – Mykonos windmills
10:00am – Explore Little Venice
10:30am – Panagia Paraportiani Church
11:00am – Wander the shops and back streets
12:00pm – Lunch in town
1:00pm – optional beach time or return to ship
Walking map
This walking tour will start at the Sea Bus stop for “Old Port” and end at the Sea Bus stop for “Mykonos Town (Chora)”. If you follow just this path, it is 2.2km or 1.4 miles. However, I would recommend wandering around the side streets and stopping into the shops or just down the alleyways that interest you.
What to do on the island
If you are coming from a cruise ship – skip the shore excursion.
The town itself is extremely walkable and easy to navigate. You will likely feel extremely crowded in a guided tour walking around the narrow pedestrian-only streets. Tours also go at a quick pace, limiting your ability to take pictures and enjoy all the small details of the town.
Narrow streets of Mykonos Town
Narrow streets of Mykonos Town
Go into town as early as you can!
The day we were there, 3 ships were in port. Mykonos town is small. Too small to accommodate 3 cruise ships' worth of people. Luckily our ship arrived first, so we got off the ship, took a boat to town, and began wandering as soon as we could. At the beginning of the day, we had the cobbled-stone alleyways nearly to ourselves. About an hour or two later, tour groups started crowded the streets and it began to get claustrophobic.
View of little Italy in Mykonos
Mykonos Windmills
Get lost in the maze-like streets.
The first few streets closest to the port are mainly filled with souvenir shops or luxury stores. As you get past those, you will hit some smaller hotels and cafes then restaurants, bars, and apartments. They also have some art galleries and small local museums. The white-washed buildings are adorned with beautiful blue (and the occasional red) trim on the windows, doors, and railings. The crooked narrow streets near seem to meet at right angles. You will find flowering trees growing up the houses and flower pots with vines flowing down from 2nd story porches. You will likely meet a new resident in every alley busily sweeping up every single fallen petal. The residents truly care about the upkeep of their community. Despite the hordes of tourists that come daily, Mykonos town is the idyllic Greek island community.
Visit the iconic windmills.
The iconic windmills are one of Mykonos Town's most recognizable sights—and they're an easy stop to combine with Little Venice and the surrounding streets. While they do not necessarily look like the windmills you might be familiar with, they once served the vital function of grinding agricultural yields. These windmills are just outside of town, just a 5-minute direct walk from the port. If you manage to make it there early enough, you will likely have them to yourself.
Mykonos Windmills
Find and photograph every cat you can.
My favorite part of Greece: there are cats everywhere. You will find them chilling in the alleys or walking on the beaches. While most of them are feral, it seems like the locals have adopted them. Each cat has been named and some have their own beds in window sills or stairs of local businesses. Approach at your own risk, but the ones we interacted with were either friendly or shy.
Wander down to Little Venice.
Near the windmills is the area of the town known as "Little Venice" for its old homes right on the sea. After spending the previous week in Italy, "Little Venice" was a bit reminiscent of the actual Venice with a lovely Greek twist. There are bars and restaurants right on the water: a great spot to eat lunch. These restaurants are just as good and likely less busy than the ones you find right on the port for lunch. They do, however, get very busy around sunset. We also found a local father & son art shop in the area and bought a small canvas painting of Mykonos at sunset, since we would not be around to capture it ourselves.
Residential street in Mykonos Town
In little Italy, Mykonos Town
Mykonos Town
Find all of the unique churches you can.
Throughout the island of Mykonos, there are an estimated 600-1500 churches or small chapels. That amounts to a chapel for about every 10 residents. 60 of which are right in the main town alone. You will likely inadvertently walk past multiple without realizing it. The most famous is the Panagia Paraportiani – which itself is made up of 5 distinct small churches built next to and on top of each other. While you are walking, try to find as many as you can and notice all of the unique styles, despite them all being Greek Orthodox churches.
Eat lunch in town
Greek food is one of my absolute favorites and there are plenty of options in Mykonos. You can find traditional tavernas, romantic courtyard restaurants, and quick gyro spots. We picked up a gyro on our walk from Jimmy’s Gyros – which had multiple vegetarian options. The food was delicious and the prices were fair for being in Mykonos Town. If you want more of a traditional sit down meal, there are plenty of options for that as well.
What to do with more time
Hit up a beach for a few hours. Mykonos is home to many beaches – some for every type of traveler. From families with kids, sun bathers, partiers, and more. One beach that I’d recommend is Platis Gialos, a lively (but not a party beach), that is great for families and couples. There is options to rent sunbeds and water sport equipment like jet skis and paddle boards. You can get to this beach via private taxi or transfer from port. Or for a more affordable option, you can take the local bus from Fabrika Square to Platis Gialos. You can also take a water taxi to the other beaches from Platis Gialos.
Visit Delos – Explore Ancient Greek history on this well preserved island. Hear the stories behind the temples, artifacts and monuments.
Mykonos ATV Tour – Explore the island of Mykonos on ATV bike. Visiting multiple sites throughout the island that would not be possible on foot. Exhilarating and beautiful!
Cooking class – Take a cooking class on Mykonos to learn how to cook local dishes.
Maze like streets in Mykonos Town
what to read before or after visiting mykonos
I love reading books that fit the destination I am visiting - whether they took place there, were inspired by it or just give off similar vibes. Here are some books that are either about or set in Mykonos or the neighboring Delos or a similar place. The books span multiple genres so hopefully you find the ideal fit for you:
Murder in Mykonos by Jeffrey Siger – the first in a series of mystery novels that is set in Greece. In this book, the new police chief of Mykonos has to solve a homicide on the beautiful island of Mykonos.
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid – A couple escaping a war-torn country, live in a refugee camp on Mykonos. This highly rated novel is about immigration and people leaning on each other during times of hardship.
A Lone Red Apple by Aurelia Smeltz – A love story set in modern times but surrounded by greek gods. The story follows a British professor and a greek artist in Mykonos and Delos.
Death on Delos by Gary Corby – This is a fascinating murder mystery book Set on the island of Delos in 5th century BC.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides – A thriller about a movie star and her friends on a spontaneous trip to a private greek island near Mykonos.
Greek Islands by Lawrence Durrell – Our non-fiction pick is a travelogue of the idyllic Greek islands
The few hours we spent in Mykonos was our first taste of Greece and what cemented our eagerness to explore more. For our honeymoon, we were on a 9-day Mediterranean cruise that stopped at 4 ports in Greece and 3 in Italy. Our first Greek port was the gorgeous Mykonos! Prior to leaving, Mykonos was near the bottom of our list of what we were most excited for. However, after we were done exploring Mykonos town, it was our number one place to go back in Greece.