Myconian bliss

One of the famous Mykonos windmills

Location: Greece

Famous for: windmills, pelicans, beautiful sandy beaches, trendy bars, gay nightlife and a constant sea breeze.

When to go: The Island opens in May and closes in October, and you will find it quiter at either nd of the season, whilst still glorious weather-wise (just take a light sweater for the evening at these times). Any other part of the season is very warm and gets increasingly busy as the months progress.

Time difference: + 2hrs

The pool at Casa Bianca hotel in Ornos Bay

Where to stay: If you are after a quite break, then you are best to stay away from the town centre, there are places such as Ornos bay, only 2.5k from Myknons town, which offer plenty of bars and eateries, without the crowds and there are lovely beaches here too. But you will also find smaller hotels outside of the town with their own, small, private beaches.

If it's the buzz that you are after, then you are best to stay in the thick of it, right in the heart of Myknos town, or as close as you can get and then you only have a short stroll to the action.

My personal favourite is a place in Ornos called Casa Bianca, which is a family run hotel with simple, modern rooms and a great personality. Andreas and Eleni make sure that everyone who stays with them is well cared for and they could certainly teach a few things about customer care to big hotel chains around the world. Casa Bianca have a private pool overlooking the bay and a jacuzzi alongside. They provide fabulous fresh cooked breakfasts and you can choose to self caer in one of their lovely private apartments, or just to chill in a gorgeous sea view room. Whatever you want, this place can provide it. You can check them out here >

What to see: Well there are, of course, the windmills in Mykonos town, which are conveniently located next to 'Little Venice' which is another place you really have to sit and have a drink in. Of course sampling the nightlife, from jazz clubs to pianos bars and trendy clubs is optional, but should be done at least for one night of your trip.

Pelicans: If you can find them, there are some pelicans on the island and those are worth tracking down, just to hear the story...

The lanes: Shopping in Mykonos town is a fab experience, best done at night in the maze-like lanes. If your looking for the unusual, you will find plenty of independent shops selling wonderful artistic creations as well as a large range of design houses and designer outlets. 

There are a plethora of sandy beaches to explore, whether you want to walk to them or take advantage of the many water taxis daily from pretty much every beach, to take you there and back. Some of the beaches have a definite vibe, so it's advisable to research which ones you want to visit (see below for just a few):

The buzzing and ecclectic Myknonos town lanes

Elia Beach – very long and sandy, Partly nudist, quite isolated but with refreshments and food on the beach (beware, food and drink on the beaches tends to be expensive due to the captive audience - go prepared).

Ftelia Beach – North facing with a good strong wind, best suited to wind surfing and the like - not really a sunbathing beach!

Kalo Livadi Beach – Extremely isolated with minimum amenities - make sure you take what you need with you.

Panormos Beach – Long and beautiful, partly nudist, can be windy here, so choose your days to visit wisely.

Paradise Beach – Generally considered to be the party beach and certainly the busiest on the island. Nude sunbathing is allowed here and isn't confined to a single area. If thumping music isn't your thing, you won't like this one at all, but if you are into your club-life, then this is the beach for you, day and night!

Super Paradise Beach – Virtually no hotels and no bus service, this beach is laregly gay orientated and is nude tolerant. There are a good range of bars, eateries and clubs here though, so there is plently to do.

There are many other beaches too, but do your research before you head out.

Essentials to take: Due to the constant breeze, you may find that mossie repellent is not needed here, but if you are prone to bites - better to be safe than sorry (I recommend Avon Skin So Soft - it's brilliant and actually is a light body oil , so only wear in the evenings!)

Pack plenty of sun lotion, it's easy to burn here without realising, due to the cooling breeze.

Take your own beach towels, not all hotels provide them.

What to expect: Expense – Mykonos is one of the most expensive Greek islands to visit, so especially in the town centre and trendier parts of the island, expect to pay London prices for meals and alcohol. That said, there are a great number of very reasonably priced restaurants and bars, you just have to look around.

Livin' the dream - Mykonos free range cats

Cats – Expect a lot of cats! The Greeks don't keep them as pets as a rule, although you will see the odd pampered puss with a collar on, especially in the town. But they won't harm them and so they just breed. If you want to give something to the animal protection group, who catch and spay/neuter them to try and keep the numbers down and the ones that remain, healthy, then you can do so at the airport via collection boxes.

A Rainbow – This is a gay friendly and quite bohemian island so you can expect a relaxed and welcoming attitude pretty much everywhere.

Breeze – If a constant sea breeze is going to get you down, then Mykonos isn't for you. There is always a breeze, especially in the narrow lanes of the town, and that's part of the island's charm.

Overall: Mykonos is a welcoming and relaxing place, which is why, since discovering it's charms, I have been back 4 times! It's easy to get to with direct flights from Thomson, BA and Easy Jet and less than half an hour after you touch down on this small island you will probably already be in your room and digging out the beach towels. Nothing is far away here and I do believe its the perfect tonic for a busy life.