Where Mac Went

Mykonos for the Low-Key Traveler: Scenic Views, Ways to Save $ & Local Culture

Day 1

We landed in Mykonos from Rome on the evening of September 11 and were there until the morning of September 14 (3 nights). We dropped our bags at our Airbnb around 7pm and went to dinner. We were so tired that we didn’t feel like researching restaurants, rather we went toward a busy area and picked the first restaurant we saw, aka, a tourist trap. We ate at Nice ‘n Easy for just under $100. We did get cocktails, apps, and entrees, but still pretty expensive for a normal meal.

We tried ouzo for the first time at this dinner, and it was also the last time we tried ouzo – very strong liquor that did not go down smooth, at least that’s what we both thought. We promptly went to bed and were ready to hit the ground running in the morning.

Day 2 – First Full Day

Our Airbnb host recommended a bakery right near us for breakfast, and we went every morning- it was called il forno di Gerasimo. They have authentic greek pastries, dishes, coffee, and snacks- 2 coffees and 2 pastries were €5-8. We waited for the local bus to take us to Ornos Beach where we planned to spend most of the day (€1.50-2.50 each way). There are SO many beaches in Mykonos, but a lot of them are “party beaches” with DJs, lots of drinks, music, etc – not our scene these days.

Ornos Beach has cabanas and chairs to rent that are usually connected to the restaurants on the beach where food and drink is required for purchase. If you are looking to save some money, go off to the side where there is open space on the sand and stake your claim. We brought our own towels and went down a block to get snacks and drinks at a local shop. For about €8, we got 2 hard ciders, crackers, grapes, deli meat, and cheese! We spent several hours here and took the local bus back to station nearest our Airbnb. *Link to the Mykonos Bus Timetable below*

We showered up and got ready for the rest of the day exploring the beautiful flowers, vines, and trees that line the white-washed stone alleyways – truly beautiful! We made our way to the infamous windmills (Kato Milli) and took tons of pictures, though it is very windy over there due to it being on the side of a cliff. We went to another market to get Greek wine and beer for €3 and watched the sun set into the ocean from a stone wall near the beach.

We went to dinner at Kadena Kafe in Little Venice; it’s a very boho, earthy aesthetic with phenomenal food. This meal was $65, much cheaper than the first night’s meal as it was in a slightly less touristy part of town.

Day 3 – Second Full Day

Day 3 started with another breakfast stop and beach trip to Psarou Beach, which we used the local bus again to get to. This beach is more off the beaten path and way less crowded, which we really enjoyed. We didn’t rent cabanas at this one either to save some money. We brought more snacks and drinks from the market and plopped ourselves down in the sand.

Crystal clear, blue waters at Psarou Beach

While we waited at the bus station to take us back to the city center, we stopped into a local bakery (Platis Bakery) and got 3 baked goods, including baklava, for €7. When baklava is available, you get it! To hold us over until dinner, we went to Sakis Souvlaki for traditional gyros. This is a must-do touristy visit – super cheap and authentic gyros, but there will be a line as this place is tiny. We went to dinner at Sal e Pepe for some Italian food that I was craving, even though we had just left Italy. The amount of food we got here was insane, we were filled to the brim but it was incredible and $80 for 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, and wine.

Day 4 – Leaving for Paros

Day 4 started at the same bakery for breakfast and last minute souvenir shopping. Souvenir shopping was some of the hardest shopping I’d done because there are so many beautiful items you want to take back for yourself or loved ones, but we didn’t haven early enough room in our suitcases to get as much as we wanted. And, souvenirs really aren’t the point that make a good trip, so we dialed it back right away. We took a local bus to get to the ferry port which was about 4km from our Airbnb.

We waited for our ferry to take us to Paros and waved to Mykonos as we left.

Things to Note

  • The local bus system is an incredibly easy way to get around the island- it’s cheap and reliable
  • It is very normal for ladies to be topless at nearly any beach you go to in Mykonos – do with that information what you will
  • Yelp really helped us narrow down where we were going to eat for dinner every night
  • Much like most European countries, lunch isn’t really a thing, rather everyone has filling breakfasts and filling dinners. Keep that in mind as some places close during typical lunch hours
  • Buy alcohol at the market for a fraction of the price of what you would pay for drinks at a restaurant

Helpful Links

Top of the hill above Psarou Beach