Arrival 8:00am – Departure 9:00pm

9:00am (3 Hours) A Stroll Through Mykonos

According to mythology, after Hercules had killed the giants, he threw them into the sea where they petrified and turned into huge rocks, forming the island of Mykonos. So much mythology in the Greek isles.

Mykonos is Greece’s most famous cosmopolitan island.  It is a dry, barren island that gets 300 days of strong winds. We are definitely experiencing strong winds today and loving it. Due to the strong winds this is a very popular location for wind surfers.

One of the best ways to discover the charm of Mykonos Town is on foot so we set off from the harbor to explore the town of Hóra. In an attempt to foil the attacking pirates of yesteryear the town’s narrow winding streets (lined with whitewashed houses and walled gardens) have a deliberately confusing layout, somewhat like the streets of Atlanta! All doorways face towards the back and away from the sea front and the strong winds.

Once again cube-shaped buildings and whitewashed exteriors dot the landscape. The narrow winding lanes twist through the main city center past expensive storefronts and small family churches. As we are trying to walk about, we are doing battle with small delivery vans and motorcyclists. The lesson we’re learning….pedestrians have NO right of way! So beware!! After 2pm the streets are restricted to pedestrians only so the delivery vehicles are hustling to deliver goods before the time cutoff.

Once upon a time, much of the industry on Mykonos was focused on grain production, specifically wheat. The windmills were first constructed by the Venetians during the 16th-century for use in grain production. Like many of the islands in modern day Greece, Mykonos once lay on an important trade route, the “Silk Road”, and its windy weather was perfect for operating windmills. Now, much of industry in Mykonos and Mykonos town is focused on tourism.

Our walk continued through the picturesque “Little Venice”, an 18th century district, dominated by grand captains’ mansions with colorful balconies and stylish windows. With balconies perched over the sea, the area is reminiscent of the famous Italian city of Venice.

We were very lucky today. While walking through Little Venice, we spotted Pétros the Pelican, the official mascot of the island. He is a pink Pelican who spends his days wandering about the town getting fed fresh fish from the fishermen when they return with their catch. Pétros the Pelican was found by a fisherman after a storm in 1954, and eventually became the locals’ companion. When he died, the grief was so deep that a replacement was soon found for him.

We popped into the small Mykonos Maritime Museum to get a glimpse of the maritime history of the island. There is a beautifully restored lighthouse contained within the museum. Of course, we have stopped to pet several sweet kitties along the way today.

After our walkabout we stopped at a little outdoor restaurant to enjoy a taste of ouzo and traditional Greek meze snacks before returning to the ship. I mentioned to our guide that the ouzo was so smooth compared to what I’ve tried to drink before. That’s when he informed me that they diluted the ouzo for us! Interestingly, Ouzo is crystal clear but turns cloudy when an ice cube or water is added. Live and learn!

After lunch we returned to our cabin to sit on the balcony and enjoy the fabulous weather and watch the lively waterfront activity. There are fishing boats, sail boats as well as yachts and several very large ferries coming and going in the gorgeous azure waters.