Mykonos

Mykonos has been the Cyclades’ cosmopolitan hub since the 1960s when artists, jet-setters, and free spirits discovered its whitewashed labyrinth and liberal atmosphere. The island’s capital, Chora, was built as a deliberate maze to confuse invading pirates — today its narrow streets are lined with designer boutiques, art galleries, and seafood restaurants leading to the waterfront Little Venice quarter, where colourful Venetian-era houses stand with their balconies directly above the waves. Above them, the Kato Mili windmills — once used to grind wheat from ships arriving from across the Aegean — form the island’s most recognisable skyline. The five-chapel Paraportiani church is considered the most photographed church in Greece. Beyond the glamour, a short boat ride reaches Delos, the uninhabited UNESCO World Heritage island believed to be the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Its Terrace of the Lions, ancient mosaics, and temple ruins make it one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. The island’s beaches divide between organised party strands on the south coast (Paradise, Super Paradise) and quiet northern bays like Agios Sostis and Fokos.