Mikonos memories

I went through some of my pictures for inspiration this week and picked a few from Greece for a new triptych that is listed on Etsy. Two of these photos are from the very picturesque Mikonos Town, and one is from Santorini.

I touched down first in Athens and spent three days there (of which I will tell sometime in the future). But my arrival in Mikonos made me feel truly welcomed in Greece. I was greeted by a travel representative who ushered me to the taxi and booked me the Delos tour I really wanted to do.  Then the cab driver took me to a lovely hotel in Mikonos Town. It felt more like a bed & breakfast and it was my favorite room of the entire 17-day island hopping trip.

After the culture shock of metropolitan Greece (my first trip where I neither spoke or read the native language) the peace and quiet of Semeli Hotel was a nice respite. I took advantage of an in-room massage to ease the lone traveler tension and was provided a complimentary laptop for my stay. I had a full tub in the bathroom and a quaint balcony at which I sat and read one afternoon. The room felt like home and the staff was very courteous. Breakfast (included) and dinner (extra) were delicious. I highly recommend this place.

While Athens was a typical (and an original) metropole, Mikonos truly caters to the cycladic-minded tourist and plays it up to the hilt. The season was just starting and people were busy white-washing the picturesque churches of Mikonos Town.

My hotel was 10 minutes from the downtown area with a lovely harbor.

I visited the small archeological museum (every Greek island seems to have one), and also perused a lovely folklore museum which felt like going through grandmothers treasures. In both cases it is worthwhile checking the hours at the door rather than what might be posted on the Internet. Flexibility is required. Even the tours to Delos were canceled the day before and after my booked trip (this excursion warrants another post).

 

Most of my Mikonos time was spent strolling around town and taking in the harbor activity. I have no idea what streets I wandered and actually got lost one time going back up to the hotel, but each corner has lovely flagstones, white-washed homes and a lot of the greek blue we associate these islands with.

Of course the famed windmills are a favorite photo-op. I also made a feline friend there.

Mikonos Town is a touristy place and makes a lot of its living from the cruise ships passing through, so I found the shopping and food to be pricey compared to the other islands I visited (especially converting Dollars to Euros!). There is great support of artistry there though and I wish I had had a blowout budget to support their wonderful work.

It is a prime destination for shutterbugs looking to take postcard-worthy photos, with a Petros the Pelican sighting a nice bonus (there are actually three of them I am told). I’ll share more of my Greek adventures over time, but feel free to contact me if you are contemplating a trip there.