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3 DAYS IN MYKONOS ITINERARY: WHAT TO DO IN MYKONOS GREECE

ByRachel Shulman | On June 20,24 | 0 Comment

I had high expectations going in to Mykonos, with my love for house music and little stunning towns, and I was not disappointed…Not to mention the sunsets while sipping amazing cocktails. And did I mention the parties. I have visited Mykonos twice (once in 2015 once in 2022) and lived to tell the tale. This guide will tell you everything to do in Mykonos in a long weekend (3 days in Mykonos is perfect), including where to eat, where to party, where to stay and where to soak up the amazing Greek weather.

Disclosure: This 3 days in Mykonos guide post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I would never post about something I have not personally used/verified.

3 Days In Mykonos Travel Tips

For all of my Greece travel tips, head to my Greece Travel Guide!
NOTE: Most of the restaurants, beaches and clubs in Mykonos are only open during the summer/shoulder months as it primarily shuts down in the winter.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world. We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

MYKONOS PACKING: For all of my fave travel/packing essentials I bring on any trip compiled together, head to my influencer page on Amazon here for a complete list or my descriptive carry-on packing guide here! It’s suuuper hot in the summer (when you will likely be visiting) don’t forget your sunscreen (my fave travel one here) and your water bottle (my fave here)! I also newly swear by this portable fan (and charger/flashlight!) that I can’t believe I traveled to summer destinations without for so long. Also if you are planning on hitting the day parties/nightlife here get your most trendy outfits + heels together (lots linked on my amazon page)!

How To Get To Mykonos

My first visit I took the ferry from Athens to Mykonos which was super easy and quick and honestly quite beautiful. We took it from the Rafina port, which has more time options than Pireus. The ferry was about 2 hours with assigned seating, like an airplane. It was a really interesting experience as well as affordable (around $60). You can book your ferries here.
My second trip we flew directly to Mykonos from Tel Aviv. There are TONS of flights daily from Athens and many other European cities in the summer and this is great option if you are coming from far away and don’t want to spend hours on a ferry!

Mykonos Itinerary: Everything to do in Mykonos Greece

Explore Chora town

Spend a full day in Chora (the main town) and get lost in the alleys is one of the best things to do in your Mykonos itinerary. The whole town is tiny but you can easily get lost roaming these streets, eating amazing food, marveling at the all-white buildings and blue accents and shopping in the stores. The shopping is incredible. The cutest boutiques you will ever see with honestly the nicest people! I did a lot of shopping damage on my most recent 3 days in Mykonos trip in 2022 and I love everything I bought! I suggest spending your morning and early afternoon doing this and eating plenty of good meals (eat gyro at Jimmy’s Gyro!!!) and ice cream in between!

Related Post: Greece Travel Guide

Mykonos Windmills

One stop you must make on your Mykonos itinerary is on the top of Chora at the windmills – it’s an amazing site. Four windmills line the hill and you can look over the water and edge of Chora and Little Venice together. This is the most famous view of Mykonos. Sunset views here are also amazing.

Mykonos Town Sunsets

When the afternoon starts to come to an end, head to the Little Venice area (part of the town on the border of the water) or to the other side of Mykonos town overlooking the sunset as well where the restaurants and beach are. These area consists of tons of bars that overlook the sunset. It is the most stunning view…and the cocktails are amazing, but they will cost you. There are a myriad of bars to choose from, and I suggest picking wherever you can get a seat legitimately on the water. We sat at Scarpa and the drinks were amazing. Galleraki is another great option right next door and Kavos is an amazing restaurant for dinner. The sunset is absolutely perfect.

Related Post: Athens Travel Guide

Rent ATVs Scooters

Rent them for a day and ride around the island stopping at different areas like the locals do. There are many gorgeous beaches on the island that you can travel to on them. You can rent one from any beach or area in town.

Beaches: Best Mykonos Beaches To Visit

If you are staying in town and not on a beach, I highly suggest going to check out and lay at one of the famous beaches in Mykonos. Some gorgeous ones are: Paradise Beach (a party one, but gorgeous), Psarou (trendy, famous celebrity-heavy beach), Platis Gialos (close to town) and Paraga (one of most popular and crowded). You will find paradise at any of the Mykonos beaches.

Delos Island: Best Mykonos Day Trip

While I didn’t have time for this, I heard this day activity was amazing if you have more time in Mykonos. You can take a short ferry trip (30 minutes) to Delos Island which is known for its awesome archaeological ruins.

Click on any of the Mykonos activities above to get more information!

Related Post: Santorini Travel Guide

Where To Party In Mykonos: Best Mykonos Clubs (Day & Night!)

Ok so this is probably what you have been waiting for in this guide anyway but many people that come to Mykonos to party. Daytime parties nighttime parties until the morning, bar hopping, restaurants with breaking plates…. Mykonos party scene has it all.

Mykonos nightclubs: Mykonos is the elite party scene in Europe. No question. Generally the party area is on Paradise Beach. This is where the two biggest clubs are on the island for the nighttime, both making the top 20 in the world, Cavo Paradiso and Paradise Club. They alternate nights so not to worry, you can go to both. These clubs hold the top DJs in the world, so they do not disappoint. Do not worry, all of the bars in Chora town are also a huge party every night of the week so you can go out in town in a much more toned down bar instead of a huge club – highly recommend Caprice Club – the back opens onto the water and it’s amazing.
Mykonos day clubs: There are a few famous beach day parties in Mykonos. And by a few I mean a lot. Nammos, Alemagou, Sant Anna, Tropicana Beach Club, and, of course, the absolute best, Scorpios. Scorpios on a Sunday late afternoon into night is an absolute necessity. Make a reservation well in advance. I prefer the Sunset Beach area for reservation, around 6PM. It is stunning and massive and everything you want in a sunset club. All of these beach clubs you can also just eat lunch/dinner at so they are perfect for any type of person.

Where To Eat In Mykonos: Best Restaurants in Mykonos

We went to amazing places for dinners as well as sunset drinks (mentioned above)! Greek food is amazing. You must, must, must make reservations at all of these places beforehand (as far in advance as possible in peak months!)

Sea Satin: If you want a party at dinner, this is your spot. Come here any night of the week and what will start as a chill, good dinner will slowly turn into a party into the late hours with everyone dancing on the chairs. Highly recommended. One of my favorite nights in my 3 days in Mykonos itinerary.
Interni
Spilia
Jimmy’s Gyros: casual take out, but hits the spot. Best gyros in Mykonos town in my opinion.
Hippie Fish: Amazing restaurant with the great food, wine and the best views over Turquoise waters.
Nikos Taverna: Traditional Greek food, definitely recommended.
M-Eating: Another option for great traditional Greek food.
Raya: Cute little restaurant overlooking the old port in Chora. Good breakfast food!
Nobu Matsuhisa: If you are feeling fancy. In the Belvedere Hotel.
Kavos Taverna: Great Greek restaurant overlooking Mykonos town and the sunset. Not a party vibe, good for one of the chill nights.
Nammos: This restaurant is on one of the beaches, Psarou. It is one of the most famous (and nicest) restaurants and beaches in Mykonos. Go here for lunch. This is the beach all of the famous celebrities tend to go to.

Click on any of the restaurants above to learn more and book reservations!

Related Post: Paphos, Cyprus Travel Guide

Where To Stay In Mykonos

On my first visit, we stayed in Paradise Beach, where the late-night (and daytime!) beach partying happens. There is a bus that goes straight into Chora and leaves every 30 minutes right from the hotel and only takes 15-20 minutes to get there, it was so convenient. The hotel was Tropicana Hotel and it was absolutely perfect for what we were looking for (2 people only) with stunning views and a balcony. While many other people would say to stay in the middle of town, I say otherwise if you are there to party. We much preferred to take a bus to and from town during the day as opposed to 2 AM from the club and back into town.
On my second and third visits, we were a group of friends both times and we rented villas about 15 minutes from town and 15 minutes from most of the beach clubs and it was the perfect house and location. If you rent a villa or stay outside of town, you must must MUST hire a driver company, which you can easily find by googling. They were ready for us on demand whenever we wanted, multiple times a day and at any time a night. In our 3 days in Mykonos we did 17 rides total! It was so convenient and I promise you do not want to see the lines of busses and people calling taxis at 6 AM in the morning after the clubs when you just want to get to sleep. There are also minimal taxis on the island so this is a must.
If you are visiting Mykonos for the town only and not the clubs, then there are plenty of good hostels and small hotels located right in the middle of the town, check out some Mykonos town hotel options here!

Book Tropicana Hotel Mykonos here or book other Mykonos town hotel options here!

Check out some more of the top things to do in Mykonos here!

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Did I miss something in a 3 days in Mykonos itinerary that you loved? Let me know in the comments for my next visit! Don’t forget to check out my full Greece travel guide here! Looking for more Greek city travel guides? If you are visiting Athens head here and if you are visiting Santorini head here.

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About The Author

Rachel Shulman is the owner of From East To West and a seasoned traveler having been to 45+ countries and no intention of stopping soon. She is obsessed with planning and specializes in creating detailed, efficient travel itineraries and guides so you don’t have to when planning your next destination.

Greece

BEST THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI GREECE

ByRachel Shulman | On April 30,18 | 0 Comment

Santorini surpasses Mykonos and any other place I have ever been on its beauty and I have never seen anything like it. The cities are on huge cliffs and the views are absolutely breathtaking. Keep reading to find out what to do in Santorini Greece!

Disclosure: This “Best Things To Do In Santorini Greece” post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I would never post about something I have not personally used/verified.

Santorini Travel Tips

SANTORINI PACKING: Looking for what to pack for Santorini? For all of my travel/packing essentials I bring on any trip compiled together, head to my influencer page on Amazon here for a complete list or my descriptive carry-on packing guide here!
TRAVEL INSURANCE: When visiting Santorini, I highly recommend getting travel insurance. You never know what may happen to your flights, a death/personal emergency in your family, or an accident happening while traveling (think: getting mugged, falling while hiking and spraining your ankle, literally any accident than can happen ANYWHERE!). World Nomads makes it super easy and I never leave for a trip without getting their insurance. Most importantly it’s extremely affordable: get your World Nomads travel insurance before your trip here!

How To Get To Santorini

Like Mykonos, we took a 2 hour ferry to Santorini which was quick, easy and cheap ($55). This ferry had an open deck and not assigned seating and the views were gorgeous! There are also plenty of Athens to Santorini flights and even flights from other select European countries.

BEST THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI GREECE

The two main towns are Fira (Thira) and Oia (pronounced ee-ah). Fira is more residential with many hotels and where I suggest staying. Oia is the sunset town, and stunning. Of course there are plenty of gorgeous villas here as well, but not as much to do.

Santorini Beaches

There are many gorgeous beaches in Santorini, which make for great day trips. You can take busses to pretty much anywhere on the island from Fira. I suggest Perissa or Kamari beaches which are both black sand beaches.

Santorini Wine Tours

Santorini has great wine and the Santo Wine Tours is supposed to be amazing. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time for this and when we tried to make a last minute reservation they were all booked. You must make a reservation in advance.

Day Trip to Oia

If staying in Fira, take an entire afternoon trip to Oia. You can take a bus here from Fira, which takes about 30 minutes and costs 1.6 Euros. It has the cutest little town, all along the water, with stunning views on top of the cliffs. The little alleys are lined with cute Greek stores for all your tourist souvenirs. There are so many gorgeous churches to look at and stunning white buildings with blue tops. And of course, the sunset. Oia is equivalent to the words Santorini sunsets. THIS IS THE SPOT TO WATCH THE SANTORINI SUNSET. People line up for the best sunset views at least 2 hours before the sunset. I wish I was kidding. Make your way to the top point of Oia and you will see everyone standing and the beautiful view. Post up there until after the sunset and just watch the stunning beauty.

TIP: Instead of trying to get a dinner with a sunset view (unlikely), have dinner AFTER the sunset. It will be empty as everyone will have left and you will still get to enjoy the amazing food and views at night.

santorini sunsets oia

Hike Fira to Oia

There is an amazing hike from Fira to Oia that you can alternatively do to get there. The hike takes about 3-4 hours and provides stunning views. Highly suggested if you have extra days there and love to be active.

Spend A Day In Fira

Fira is a bustling town with lots of shops, views restaurants and activities. You can spend hours in these streets shopping for anything you want, eating the best Greek food and riding donkeys. Fira also has a stunning sunset, so make sure to post up here on your other nights!

Santorini Donkey Ride

Many Greeks get around Santorini on donkeys and you will always find tourists riding them up and down at the edge of Fira to the water. It is 5 Euros to ride them either up or down (one way) and is definitely an experience you must not miss. There is also a cute little dock and boats area when you get to the bottom so definitely plan to walk around a bit at the bottom of Santorini!

TIP: Ride the donkeys DOWN the hill and take the cable car back up. Riding the donkeys up the hill hurts wildly due to the bumps and steps.

Fish Eating In Santorini

While highly ticklish, my feet were definitely smoother and cleaner afterwards! Fish eating is a fun activity when you want to cool down or relax in Santorini! You will see many places around Fira that offer this service – choose the cheapest one for a little real-life spa service.

santorini fish eating

Looking for more to do? Take a quick ferry over to another amazing Greek Island, Corfu!

Also check out this guide to find even more on what to do in Santorini!

Santorini Restaurants

Typical Greek food, here are some recommendations in Fira I loved!

Idol Santorini: Great breakfast and sunset view
Aris Santorini: Greek food with an amazing view
Our Corner: Amazing crepe place for the morning! On the main street in Fira on the way into town.

Where To Party In Santorini

The Santorini nightlife isn’t as magical as it is in Mykonos but there is still plenty to do! Some fun bars in Santorini are:

Where To Stay In Santorini

I highly, highly suggest staying at hotels in Fira over Oia as there is much more to do! We stayed in Fira about a 2 minute walk from town. The hotel was called Golden Star Santorini and it was a perfect location and perfect budget hotel. The rooms were small but great for two people and they had a gorgeous pool in the back with stunning views of the ocean. Highly recommended Golden Star, you can book by clicking here! Read reviews on Golden Star on TripAdvisor here!

AIRBNB Santorini: There are also so many cute apartments in Santorini with extra nice hosts. They are generally cheaper than hotels so if you like the Airbnb route instead of hotels I definitely recommend it. Also, if you use my Airbnb link you get $40 off your first stay!

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Did I miss what to do in Santorini that you loved? Let me know in the comments for my next visit! Head here if you are looking for my Mykonos Greece guide or here for my Athens Greece guide! Don’t forget to check out my full Greece travel guide here!

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Greece

WHAT TO DO IN ATHENS GREECE

ByRachel Shulman | On March 24,17 | 2 Comments

You only really need one day in Athens to hit the famous ruins and museums. The city was built around all of the ruins and it is awesome. Look up while you’re strolling the streets of the city and you can see the Acropolis on top of hill! Keep reading to see what to do in Athens, Greece!

Disclosure: This “What To Do In Athens” post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I would never post about something I have not personally used/verified.

Athens Travel Tips

ATHENS PACKING: For all of my travel/packing essentials I bring on any trip compiled together, head to my influencer page on Amazon here for a complete list or my descriptive carry-on packing guide here!
TRAVEL INSURANCE: When visiting Athens, I highly recommend getting travel insurance. You never know what may happen to your flights, a death/personal emergency in your family, or an accident happening while traveling (think: getting mugged, falling while hiking and spraining your ankle, literally any accident than can happen ANYWHERE!). World Nomads makes it super easy and I never leave for a trip without getting their insurance. Most importantly it’s extremely affordable: get your World Nomads travel insurance before your trip here!

How To Get To Athens Greece

Generally you will fly into Athens airport (ATH) which is a big hub in Europe itself. The main Greek airline is Aegean Airlines. To get to the city center from the airport, there are three options:

Metro: Easiest and most efficient. Line 3 goes directly into the city center. The metro leaves directly from the airport, runs every 30 minutes, 7 days a week, and takes 40 minutes to get to the main city. Cost: 8 Euros.
Bus: There is an express bus route that connects directly to the city center and airport 7 days a week. Little more complex than the metro as there are four different lines, so make sure you have the correct one. The bus takes around 60 minutes to the city center, but is dependent on traffic. Cost: 5 Euros.
Cab: A cab will be the most private way into the city, but will cost you 35 Euros from 5AM-midnight and 50 Euros from midnight-5AM and will take about an hour. It is also dependent on traffic.

WHAT TO DO IN ATHENS GREECE

Known for the unbelievable archaeological sites all around the city, Athens is truly a remarkable site. I personally think one day is enough in this city to cover the main sites and you will get a feel for Athens life.

TIP: Watch out for gypsies, especially around the main sites, they are all over the city.

TIP: Buy the 12 Euro pass which gives entrance to ALL of the sites and is good for four days. The only place it does not include is the Acropolis Museum, which was an awesome museum so I do suggest adding a trip there. If you have a student ID, this pass will be even cheaper and it is so worth it for ALL of the sites. You can buy this ticket at any of the site’s kiosks. All places are within walking distance of each other.

TIP: All archaeological sites are closed on Sundays and they all close around 3PM on other days besides the Acropolis which is open until 7PM. All sites open at 8 AM.

Main Sites To See In Athens:

Acropolis: Most well-known archaeological site in the world; a must-see. On top of the big hill in the middle of the city and visible anywhere in the city. Leave at least 1-2 hours to explore.
Acropolis Museum: Not included in the sites package, but one of my must-sees. Such a well-done museum to help give historic perspective. I suggest going here after visiting the Acropolis. It is located on the bottom of the slope. There is also a cafe here for lunch which has amazing views of the Acropolis from the outdoor tables.
Ancient Agora: A well-preserved temple and should definitely be visited.
Olympia Zeus: One of the largest ancient temples in the world.
Library of Hadrian: Has an awesome museum in it, make sure to leave about an hour to visit here.

Other noteworthy archaeological sites: Kerameikos, Roman Agora, North and South slope of Acropolis, Agora Museum and the Kerameikos Museum.

Non-Archaeological Spots: Evzones Changing of the Guard, Zappeion Gardens, National Gardens, Athens Flee Market, walk around Syntagma Square and Omonia Square is pretty too!

Where To Eat In Athens

Greek salad and gyros are what you think of when you hear Greek food and it did not disappoint. While there are not so many noteworthy restaurants in Athens (as opposed to Santorini and Mykonos) there are some good areas to eat and things to try!

All around Syntagma Square there are tons of street stands and little shops with amazing gyros and little greek salads. Make sure to eat lots of Feta cheese – it’s amazing. A good vegetarian option is Avocado, in Syntagma Square. Also Fisherman’s Taverna which is near the Acropolis as well as Strofi Tavern Athens which has unreal views of the Acropolis. There are tons of restaurants and they will all have amazing Greek food, so try out your favorites!

Where To Stay In Athens

I suggest staying in Syntagma Square if you want to be in the most central, crowded area of the city. However, we stayed in Omonia Square, a 5 minute walk from Syntagma Square, and it was perfectly great! We stayed at the cutest little hotel called Hotel Cosmopolit and it was perfect. It was extremely clean, the rooms were a decent size for two people, and the breakfast was included daily and had a large selection. The staff was beyond nice and helped us getting around the city. I would highly recommend Hotel Cosmopolit and the price is great for budget travelers.

AIRBNB Athens: There are also so many apartments with Airbnb options in Athens. They are generally cheaper than hotels so if you like the Airbnb route instead of hotels I definitely recommend it. Also, if you use my Airbnb link you get $40 off your first stay!

Where To Party In Athens

Unfortunately we did not go out in Athens as we had a very early flight the next day and were tired after touring the city all day! However, Athens has a lively nightlife and some well-known DJs often. I suggest going out around the Gazi area which is fun at night!

Other Helpful Tips When Visiting Athens: The Athens Ports

Athens is obviously the main Greece hub and is the gateway to all of the hundreds of Greek islands. There are three main ports to access the islands:

Piraeus: Main, largest port. Only port accessible by metro. Serves most Greek islands.
- Metro: The green metro line takes 25 minutes and goes through Omonia Square (costs 1.4 Euros).
- Bus: There is no direct bus to Piraeus port.
- Cab: A cab will take about 30 minutes from the center and will cost around 20 euros.
Rafina: Second largest port & closest to the airport. Provides access to some Cyclades islands (Tinos, Mykonos and Syros) as well as Evia and Andros.
- Bus: From the city center, which takes 70 minutes (costs 2.4 Euros). I recommend this route.
- Cab: Takes 85 minutes and costs about 50 Euros.
Lavrio: Smallest Athens port and serves Eastern-Aegean islands and a few Cyclades islands.
- Bus: From the city center, which will take about 2 hours (costs 4.9 Euros).
- Cab: Takes 85 minutes and costs 65 euros.

If you are visiting Athens for longer than a day check out this longer Athens itinerary.

Love this “What To Do In Athens” guide? Pin it for later or share with friends!

Did I miss what to do in Athens that you loved? Let me know in the comments for my next visit! If you are looking for my full Greece Travel Guide head here or head here for my Mykonos Greece guide or here for my Santorini Greece Guide!