Mykonos

Mykonos brings together Cycladic simplicity and an unmistakably contemporary lifestyle. Whitewashed lanes, lively waterfronts, stylish beach clubs and polished hospitality have transformed the island into one of the Mediterranean's most vibrant summer destinations.

Mykonos is a dry, rocky island of about eighty-five square kilometres in the heart of the Cyclades. Its main town, Chora, is a maze of whitewashed lanes designed to confuse pirates, with the windmills of Kato Mili above the waterfront, the houses of Little Venice built straight out of the sea and the church of Paraportiani at the old harbour.

Most beaches lie along the south coast, sheltered from the north wind: Ornos, Psarou, Platis Gialos, Paradise and Elia among them. A short boat ride away, the uninhabited island of Delos — birthplace of Apollo in myth and a UNESCO World Heritage site — preserves one of the most complete ancient cities in Greece.

The island’s season runs from May to October, and most hotels close for the winter. July and August are the busiest and liveliest months, when the beach clubs and Chora’s bars are at full strength and the meltemi, the strong northerly summer wind, can blow for days at a time. On those days the sheltered southern bays are the places to be.

June and September are the most comfortable: the sea is warm, the light is soft and the crowds are thinner. Late May and October are calm and pleasant for walking Chora and visiting Delos, though some restaurants and beach clubs keep shorter hours at either end of the season. Easter, celebrated with candlelit processions in Chora, is an early opening for some hotels.

Mykonos’s leading hotels spread around the island: Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos, on its own beach at Ornos; Cavo Tagoo, carved into the hillside north of Chora; Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge at Megali Ammos, close to the town; and Kensho Psarou, set above the bay of Psarou on the south coast.

LVXVRY books Santa Marina through Marriott STARS & Luminous — at the official hotel rate, with the privileges the programme attaches to the stay. For the independent houses, LVXVRY advises on rooms and timing and arranges the stay directly with the hotel. High-summer weeks, especially in August, are best reserved well in advance.