Mykonos, Greece, Finishing our Trip Strong with One More Incredible Island

July 10th

This was our only full day in Mykonos so the plan was to take the bus into town and see a new city on the island. The first bus was at 10am and breakfast opened up at 8am, so we had some time to make it a slow morning. I wanted to go to the ocean early in the morning because we had an adorable beach but during the day it's swamped with clubbers so this was our only opportunity to enjoy it alone. 

Well, we weren’t alone. We were joined with two kittens that followed us and danced around our legs. It was a small joy that brought a smile to my face. It was a windy day, so we got whipped around more than I was expecting, so the photos did not turn out swimmingly, but upon further reflection, I have many others to memorialize this trip, probably more than I’ll ever need. We made it back to the hotel right when breakfast was being served, so we snagged our favorite table with the best view and got to have a home cooked breakfast with a view of the expansive sea and yachts poking holes in the water. I had toast with fresh tomatoes, a modified pan con tomate, along with some toast and jam. Not the most nutritious breakfast, but it did the trick. Along with the coffee. 

We got ready to go a bit early, to make sure that we could figure our way to the bus stop, plus, we had plenty of time and thought we might as well begin our venture out. In order to get to the bus stop, we had to walk on the beach. While we were eating breakfast, the clouds cleared and the strong sun struck the ocean and radiated the most vibrant blue sea I’ve ever seen. It was the most incredible pigment. I could have stared at the water forever, one of the most beautiful shades I've seen, rivaling the Philippines.

I wanted to stay for a bit longer, but we kept making our way to the bus stop. When we arrived, we could still see the water and I thought it must be the prettiest bus stop I’ve ever been to. The bus was later than expected, to the point I was nervous I directed Mom to the wrong place, but soon enough it arrived and took us from our cute beach town into the city of Mykonos. One last call out for the view of the ocean on the way to the city, I was in awe as the bus climbed up the hill, giving us a new look at the view. 

We made it! To Mykonos town! I was a bit disoriented when we hopped off the bus, but knew that if we began our walk we would surely find ourselves in the heart of the town. To guide ourselves in the right direction, I pulled up maps and set the windmills to be our first destination.

The windmills were so cool! I won’t lie, I was going a bit crazy while we were here because the wind was out of this world wild, to the point that I thought it might knock me over. I was really nervous this would be the feeling we’d have the entire day, but thankfully, once we entered the city, the buildings shielded us almost completely from the wind, so it was just this first stop the wind whipped us about. 

Once we got our fix of the wind and windmills, We walked down to the ocean toward Little Venice. Because of the swirling air, massive waves crashed against the shore, with homes right next to the water getting caught in the splash zone. It is called Little Venice because these homes and shops were right up against the water, similar to the homes along the canals in the city of Venice, Italy. It was a beautiful place and a great second stop in the sightseeing tour around Mykonos. 

Mom and I were ready to get out of the wind and start doing our favorite activity, walking, shopping, and wandering Greek towns. And we did just that. We made our first purchase on the first road we walked, and within the first five shops we passed. Mom got this cute Mykonos mat that we set in our basement kitchenette. We kept walking about, picking up more souvenirs as we both recognized this was our last stop, and our last opportunity to buy mementos from this beautiful country. So, of course, we bought some stuff.

Mom wanted a white t-shirt, and we found a cute shop and I also got one with her. She also picked up a coaster, and I got a postcard of course. The town was bustling with people, for sure more crowded than Paros, but I didn’t mind it. I know that is a common complaint of Mykonos, but I see why so many people are drawn to this island. It has been absolutely beautiful thus far, and for it, I’m willing to share the experience with others.

Just walking around the city was an event. We didn’t have a set path, but would try to walk down corridors and streets we had not yet explored. We did work up an appetite, so we stopped at Souvlaki Story for a more affordable lunch option that we both actually raved about.

We had not yet stumbled on Matogianni, a famous street per my research, so after lunch I navigated us there. Thank goodness we made a point to direct ourselves here, because this ended up being our favorite place in the whole city. The street was lined with colorful stairs and cute shops below. It was a picture perfect street and we were both obsessed with it. The bright colors, not just blue but some reds and yellows, appealed to us both. 

We filled the rest of our afternoon with more walking about, we also stopped to sit at a bench with a sea view and take in the reality of our day. Mom and daughter in Mykonos, Greece with the sun shining down, the cutest town explored, stores shopped, and yummy food ate. We were having another near perfect day (the wind is the only reason this day got knocked down from its otherwise high rank) feeling awfully grateful for our stop here and the whole trip we embarked on. I will always look back on this trip so fondly as the time I went with my mother to explore another corner of this beautiful world, filled with the coolest experiences, and a Greek wedding! I would not be here without her and because of her sweet, lovable self to all her friends. I really hope I take after and learn from my mom how to be a great person and friend.

We had seen as much of the town as we could, knowing so because we were starting to retrace our steps, so we made one more stop to pick up a vegan dinner at Rhino Vegan in town (it was incredible) and made our way back to the bus stop. We were both so happy about what we did in town, but equally excited to go back to the hotel and fit in some relaxation time by the pool overlooking the sea. 

Back at the hotel, we sat poolside, I went for a swim and then read my book, staying until it closed at 7pm. The rest of the night was spent at our patio table outside our sea view hotel room. A magical place, an incredible day, leaving me feeling so privileged to be able to be here to experience it. And that was our Greece trip!!