Itineraries for Your Trip to Mykonos
3 Days in Mykonos for Foodies
Mykonos is most famous for its beach parties and nightlife. Long before the world’s yacht set discovered the island, it was a humble outpost of farmers, shepherds, and fishers. Today, this history lives on in the island’s excellent local cuisine, based on fresh produce, local wine and olive oil, and fresh-caught fish.
I have visited family in Mykonos for years, and interest in the local food scene has been steadily increasing. Locals now offer farm visits, food and wine tastings, cooking classes, and other culinary experiences to introduce visitors to Mykonian specialties, and the island is fast becoming a foodie destination. Here’s how to discover the Mykonian gastro scene in three days.
Summer has hot days and balmy nights, while winters are mild but often wet.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a phyllo pastry from Gioras, the island’s oldest bakery.
Get an island overview and sample local products on a sightseeing and tasting tour. Options include a driving tour with a beer tasting in the old town of Chora, or a tuk-tuk tour with a cheese-sampling dairy farm visit.
Take the edge off your appetite this afternoon with a hot gyros from a giradika, or spit-roasted meat stands. Leonidas in Mykonos town is a favorite. And make time for phyllo pastry treats from Gioras bakery. End with a sunset cruise along the Mykonos coast. You'll drop anchor at a picturesque spot as the sun dips beneath the horizon.
Combine culture and cuisine with a half-day cruise to Delos, an island that's 30 minutes by sea from Mykonos and home to UNESCO-listed ruins. Boat tours dock on Delos so you can explore the ancient site, and then offer a traditional Greek barbecue lunch of grilled seafood and local specialties.
Once you’re back on Mykonos, take the short ferry ride (about 20 minutes) to the neighboring island of Tinos for a winery tour and tasting. The Cyclades have been producing wine since ancient times, and a new generation of modern cellars is keeping the winemaking tradition alive.
Island-hop today to nibble and sip your way through the Cyclades. Begin with a morning ferry to Syros (about 30 minutes), where you can connect with a local cook for a hands-on lesson. Learn how to prepare a number of classic dishes, then relax and savor your handiwork over lunch.
In the afternoon, head to the neighboring island of Paros by ferry (about 90 minutes) for a food tour through the old towns of Parikia or Naoussa. Discover the hyperlocal cuisines of this group of islands as you sample local specialties before catching the ferry back to Mykonos (about 30 minutes).
