Greece lightning
WALKING ON SUNSHINE: Mykonos is one of the Cyclades Islands that lies between Tinos, Siros, Paros and Naxos in the Aegean Sea, south east of Athens
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Monday July 21 2008
As I sip my warm coffee the cafe is playing a classical string quartet CD. Around the circular harbour the cafes and restaurants are opening their shutters and arranging tables and chairs.
In the distance, sheer white cubist igloo type houses are bleached by the early morning sun as they nestle on arid hillsides. I have an earnest desire to Hoover up all this tranquillity and freeze this serene moment, to bottle it.
It’s the perfect time to wander round the narrow, intimate, winding streets of the town centre. Some of the building fronts are having their whitewash touched up, and I can’t help but think I should be investing in the paint company that supplies whitewash to Mykonos.
Can this really be the same island that is known for its after-club intense party scene? Surely someone should be falling out of somewhere from the night before. This is another side to the island, one perhaps most visitors are too busy sleeping off the night before to experience.
Mykonos is one of the Cyclades Islands that lies between Tinos, Siros, Paros and Naxos in the Aegean Sea, south east of Athens.
It is renowned for its rocky contour, green sea and wind. With an area of 86 sq km and a relative elevation of 364 metres, it is one of the middle-sized Greek islands, but what it doesn’t have in size it makes up for in action.
The main town, situated on the harbour mouth, is on the west coast of the island. The island is easily accessible from Piraeus with a frequent ferry system and also hosts a small international airport.
The islands are apparently named after Apollo’s grandson, Mykonos, and although steeped in history there is little by way of archeological sites to visit.
The archeological museum of Mykonos does house a large number of vases, ranging from the prehistoric to the late Hellenistic period (25th-first century BC), grave statues, stelae and funerary urns from Rheneia. But more worthy of a visit is the island of Delos close by.
Delos is one of the most important archeological sites in Greece, despite the fact that only a fifth of it has been excavated. Much of the site has been plundered through the centuries for building materials.
The remaining ruins, however, flirtatiously entice your imagination to travel back to ancient times and conjure images of an ancient era when 30,000 inhabitants lived here. It’s well worth getting a tour guide.
The history of the island is fascinating due to its role as a holy sanctuary.
According to Greek myth it was the birth place of Apollo and, according to the tour guide, in the sixth century BC, under orders from Athens, all graves on the island were to be dug up and removed to the extremities of the island.
A century later, all graves were removed and it was ordered that no one should be allowed to either die or give birth on the island, due to its sacred importance so that no one could claim ownership through inheritance.
For those more interested in the beach, Mykonos has a good selection, whether you want to go starkers, or merely avail of a quiet patch in order to grab some rays.
Many of the beaches offer water sports from snorkelling to jet skis. Super-paradise beach, Paradise beach and Paranga beach are more popular with the younger crowd and party scene, although Paranga is quieter. These beaches all have dedicated nudist areas.
Agios Ioannis, Ornos, Agios Stefanos and Platys or Elia beach may be more suited to families or the more shy, retiring types.
My favourite was Agios Stefanos, 2 km north of Mykonos town. With a large, terraced cafe hugging the beach it had a really relaxed, quiet atmosphere.
When the sun starts to fade and the hunger pangs kick in, Mykonos is a great place to be.
Whatever you want to eat, the island offers an eclectic mix of cuisine in its many restaurants or taverns, from fast food to garden terrace- style restaurants, there’s something to please everyone.
If it’s atmosphere as part of the dining process that you’re after, well, there’s no better place.
However, the more traditional Greek food is also well worth trying, but be prepared to do some exercise at the beach the next day to work it off.
Some of the most delicious sideorders would include horta (cooked greens gathered from the countryside), gemista (usually, rice stuffed tomatoes and green peppers) and fasolakia (green beans, cooked with a few variations, usually with oil, potatoes and tomatoes).
The tomatoes in Mykonos are a total must for first time visitors. I don’t even like tomatoes but these were special.
While having lunch in Kuros, to the north side of the harbourmouth, the notice on the toilet door reads: “Please do not put anything into the toilet unless you have eaten it first.”
Mykonos may have a reputation for being a party island, and there’s no arguing that the night life is great, but if you’re seeking a quieter time then you can certainly find that too.
