Sheira like to sleep late whenever possible, whereas I can’t wait to get up and head out for my morning run. The morning run has become more than part of my routine, it’s more like an essential part of my daily existence.
On an ideal day, I like to run for about an hour, and then do 45 minutes or so of strength training; sometimes in a gym, sometimes on an empty beach.
On this particular day I left Sheira still blissfully asleep, turned on my iPod (I must have music!) and headed out from the hotel into the centre of Mykonos. As I ran past some windmills and into the town itself I made a mental note to keep an eye out for a sandal shop, because Sheira was on the lookout for some sandals for our daughter Zoe.
Most of the town was quiet as I ran through the gorgeous cobbled streets. If ever there is a place where an early riser can have the whole town to themselves, this nocturnal, eternal hotspot is it! The shutters on the shops were still down, and the silence was somehow very comforting. I love the quiet of an early morning run. About a kilometre from the hotel I made my standard “shopping stop.” On just about every run, I stop at a local convenience store or deli and buy two bottles of water (one sparkling, one still) and a mixed bag of fruit (apples, pears, bananas, grapes, etc.) That’s my regular breakfast: bottled water and fresh fruit.
Of course, for the rest of the run I look a bit odd carrying those two bags, but it’s worth it once I’ve found a private spot to sit down and eat breakfast. Just me, my iPod and the morning.
I love it.
Mykonos is a sensational place for people watching, and the scene at Paradise Beach was something definitely worth seeing. Later in the afternoon after lunch, we found a spot on the beach and just soaked up the sights and sounds of the afternoon.
It quickly turned into a full on party scene, with beautiful, 20-25 year olds dancing on the tables. Everyone appeared to be gorgeous and completely care-free. They are a remarkable and vibrant gathering of people, drinking, smoking and partying the day away.
Of course, some people (like us) were more than happy to just quietly sit or lay on the beach and soak it all in. In fact, we’re fairly certain we saw Princess Caroline of Monaco’s daughter Charlotte Casiraghi having an unashamedly good time in the middle of the festivities.
The Paradise Beach scene is not something I’d do for hours on end, day after day, but it’s something definitely worth seeing. It’s quite an experience.
But, of course, there’s more than one beach on Mykonos. In fact the island has some the most beautiful and popular beaches in the Aegean. The hard part is choosing a favourite.
If Paradise Beach isn’t enough for you, there’s actually a nearby beach called SUPER PARADISE BEACH. It’s a popular nude and gay beach, and home to a serious party scene.
LIA and ELIA are also extremely popular southern beaches. They’re a little more family friendly, if you’re thinking of taking kids. Elia actually holds the distinction of being the longest sandy beach on the entire island.
They’re all gorgeous beaches, but I must admit, I’m particularly fond of Psarou. Maybe it’s just because I spent more time there because of its closeness to my base, Mykonos Blu. Whatever the reason, Psarou is my favourite beach on the island.
One thing’s for certain, there’s no shortage to choose from.
Beside its beaches, Mykonos is also famous for its windmills. These whitewashed, pointy roofed icons are found all over the island, but I personally think the best places to see them are in the town of Mykonos itself (also known as CHORA) and more specifically, in the ALEVKANTRA (or LittleVenice) neighbourhood. The winds on Mykonos blow all year round, so in olden times these windmills got quite a workout. None of them are operational any more, but many of them have been restored beautifully. The best of these is probably the BONIS MILL, which has been transformed into a museum. These old, rustic hard workers really add charm to the island, which has come a long way from its roots.
For as long as it’s been in existence, Mykonos has been a working port. It still is. The new deep water port is just a couple of kilometres north of the city centre in a town called TOUROS. Touros is actually an attractive place in its own right, but we found that a really fun thing to do was to go there at night at look at the big cruise ships at anchor. It’s a spectacular sight, and if you get a vantage point on the hills, it’s a fantastic photo opportunity.
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