Mykonos

Overshadowed in antiquity by its close neighbor, the important religious sanctuary island of Delos, the poor island of Mykonos gradually became a major tourist destination with its popularity steadily increasing since the 1950s; today, Mykonos with its 15,000 residents attracts over 800,000 visitors each summer. The Hora, as the city of Mykonos is often called, retains in its small, cubic white houses the traditional character of Aegean Cycladic architecture. Once popular with the jet-setters and artists of the seventies, Mykonos today draws all types of visitors and is also well-known for its gay-friendly attitude.

In the streets of Mykonos boutiques, jewelry stores and art galleries offer a chance for some sophisticated shopping, along with a remarkable variety of restaurants to fit all tastes. Myconos's lively nightlife, with a wide choice of bars and clubs that will stay up all night, is not far from the likes of Ibiza or Agia Napa. The island is active round the year, with many cultural events and even a small film festival, and a lot of people seeking to avoid the crowds of the tourist season choose to visit Mykonos in September or October.