Mykonos Town (Chora)

General information

The Town of Mykonos, called Chora by the locals, is a traditional Cycladic village built around a bay.
It has whitewashed cubic houses with wooden doors, windows, and balconies painted in bright colors, narrow streets forming a labyrinth, beautiful churches, lovely chapels, and purple bougainvilleas contrasting with the bright white of the buildings' walls.

Cars are not allowed in the heart of the settlement for most of the day, which makes the walk among the labyrinth streets particularly pleasing, especially during the early morning. The area is calmer than ever since most people are at the beach or sleeping in after a long night of clubbing.

The best way to see the Town is to explore it on foot. It is simply not practical to enter its lively part by a vehicle because of the narrowness of the lanes. During evening hours, the main roads are blocked off.

The area is home to several charming lodgings and comprises the ideal location if you desire to stay in a central location and be close to lively activities. Accommodation options mainly include luxury and affordable luxury options (hotels, suites, and villas) but one can find some more budget-friendly options, too.

Discover an illustrated map of Mykonos Town.

 

More about Chora

Numerous cafes, chic boutiques, souvenir shops, and fine jewelry shops lie in the beautiful capital.
The picturesque Town also boasts an excellent gastronomic scene worth exploring! For a delicious lunch or dinner, look no further than Mykonos Town - it is home to some of the top restaurants in Greece.
Numerous bars and nightclubs can be found in the capital, proving the rumor of Mykonos being a party island. As soon as the sun goes down, the capital's narrow streets get packed with crowds that are ready to party and dance all night long.
Mykonos Town Beach is the closest beach to the capital and Little Venice. It is not organized and does not look like the island's frequented lively beaches, but its location is ideal for a quick plunge if your accommodation lies in Town!

Landmarks

A sight worth visiting in the Town is the church complex of Panagia Paraportiani, which is a listed national cultural monument and is a superb representation of Cycladic architecture.
Those beautiful churches are located on the hill of the old Venetian castle (Kastro), now in ruins.

The famous whitewashed windmills, the trademark of the island, are standing on a hill overlooking the city. From there, one can enjoy a magnificent view of Little Venice, one of the most beautiful parts of the capital.

Little Venice is located on a peak of land, like a small peninsula.
This peak of land consists of two-story Venetian houses of bright colors, built very close one to another, with colored wooden porches and balconies that seem to fall into the sea. The scenery forms an enchanting and unique image that charms everyone with its incredible beauty and magical atmosphere.
Many trendy cafes and bars lie in Little Venice, which becomes very noisy and lively during nighttime.

Another trademark of Mykonos is Petros the pelican, usually found hanging around the old port. He is quite a charmer and loves to pose for photographs. Be sure to look for him!

The capital also has an archaeological museum between the port and the Town. It exhibits various sculptures, pottery, and figurines originating from the islands of Delos and Rhenia. In addition, a nautical museum and a folklore museum housing a collection of icons, furniture, and folk musical instruments are also housed in the Town of Mykonos.

Hotels in Town

We have made a selection of the best hotels in Town.
This is a sponsored business. Find out more Recommended by Greeka

A Hotel

$$$
Hotel Apartments Studios Rooms Suites Junior Suites4 stars

A Hotel is located outside of the Town, combining a calm location with the convenience of having the Town’s facilities at a short distance. It offers both luxurious and budget-friendly rooms and suites, as well as great common facilities including a Mediterranean restaurant and a spa center.

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Recommended by Greeka

Apanema

$$$
Hotel4 stars

Secluded, yet at a short distance from the attractions and the famous nightlife of the Town, Apanema Hotel is a traditional complex of standard/superior rooms and lush suites. It is situated in the area of Tagoo which boasts fantastic natural surroundings and impressive views to the Aegean Sea and ...

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Recommended by Greeka

Oniro

$$-$$$
Suites 

Offering the opportunity to stay in the town, at a short distance from its center, Oniro Suites provides a stylish environment for your Myconian vacation. Among other facilities, a swimming pool and a fully furnished terrace are available, allowing you to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

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Things to See & Do in Town

Check out the things to see & do in Town during your stay and explore what the area has to offer.

Top Activities & Tours in Town

Experience once-in-a-lifetime moments by participating in well-organized tours related to Town.
  • Best Seller

    Simply Mykonos tour

    Category: Bus, City

    Stroll around the alleys of Mykonos Town on foot and explore its quaint neighborhoods! You will get to know the local life and admire the town’s main landmarks. Afterwards, you will hop on a bus that will take you to Ano Meria village and the beach of Kalafatis, where you can relax and enjoy a cup ...

    4 hours Map
    from € 48.00
    Book now
  • Beach escape and free time in Old Town

    Category: City, Shore Excursions

    Visit the beach of Elia and enjoy the crystalline waters of the Aegean where you can swim, snorkel, or try a water sport.

    6 hours Map
    from € 29.00
    Book now
  • Evening Mykonian Farm Experience and Barbecue

    Category: Gastronomy

    Spend time at a traditional animal farm and join the rural life of Mykonos! During the visit, you will learn more on how the farm operates, their daily tasks and more. You will also have the opportunity to join a traditional barbecue and try out some of the most famous delicacies of the local ...

    3.5 hours Map
    from € 95.00
    Book now

Town Map

Explore our interactive map of Town.

Reviews

4/5.0
13 Reviews
  • Liset 28 Aug 2022
    Nice little archeological museum
    Little archeological museum. Nice if you are interested in Greek history. Otherwise skip it.
    Interesting temporary exhibition on the Greek revolution.
  • tetaret 28 Dec 2010
    Good depiction of nautical tradition
    A small but interesting museum in the heart of Chora. You can't miss it, you will certainly meet it as you walk around the village. To visit, in the morning because if I am right, it closes early in the afternoon. Too sad, because there are a lot of tourists who go to the beaches in the morning and go for sightseeing in the afternoon, when the sun is not that hot. It is housed in the ground floor of a lovely building and inside you can see copies of ships, old maps, nautical tools from previous centuries, manuscripts of logbooks and interesting photos, among others. I think it represents well the nautical tradition of Mykonos and the other Cycladic islands. Only problem the labels that should be better informative in my opinion.

  • laura089 02 Nov 2010
    Very traditional quarter

    It is probably the most beautiful spot in Mykonos Town. Lovely small clubs, cafeterias by the sea that it was impossible to sit in the front tables if it was too windy, fabulous gyros restaurants and gift shops. Very traditional quarter. It didn't seem a lot the actual Venice, wonder why they named it like that? Probably because the houses are right in front of the water?


  • lolire 09 Oct 2010
    Impressively white
    This is a small church in Kastro, the most picturesque quarter of Chora (along with Little Venice). It is right next to the sea and the guide book said that the entrance doors of the Castle used to stand there, which is why the name of the church means "standing next to the doors". A beautiful church and impressively white. It is seen frequently in the postcards of Mykonos. I can't exactly describe you how to get there because the streets are too messing, you will just find it as you walk around.
  • rorylet 01 Jun 2010
    Elegant atmosphere

    The beautiful and tranquil island of Mykonos is full of surprises and scenic beauty. I fell in love with the natural beauty and the serenity of the atmosphere. One of the most elegant and eclectic neighborhoods in Mykonos is called Little Venice. The beauty of the water, the sturdy and wonderful houses surrounding the water makes this quarter a mini Venice. This idyllic and romantic place got us in a wonderful mood: vibrant colors, charming ambience, white buildings and colorful windows. Some old houses have been turned into cafeterias with tables at the waterfront. A perfect place to relax with a frappe and a view to the sea. I think it would be nice if some of these old buildings were turned into hotels.


  • terry23 01 Jun 2010
    The lovely mascot
    Before even going to Mykonos, we heard of course about Peter the Pelican by friends who had goen there and by the travel guides that presented the bird as one of the top things to see in Mykonos. We were so intrigued by the story that a pelican became the Mascot of Mykonos in a very short duration according to a tale which says that old fisherman of Mykonos nursed a pelican when he was ill. After gaining strength, he made Mykonos his home. People at Mykonos loved him so much and they brought in successors of Peter to Mykonos after the original one died. Certainly we too wanted to see what creature has stolen the heart of everyone at Mykonos. We saw three pelicans at the waterfront and Peter was walking gladly with his new girlfriend. We waited for Peter to stop walking and pose for pictures. The creature is so cuddly and lovely. We had such a great time at the waterfront caching after him!
  • susie67 01 Jun 2010
    Best spot to unwind
    I mostly enjoyed the balmy weather, the exotic Greek food and the flawless beaches of Mykonos. I completely forgot the hurry and flurry of the demanding and hectic lifestyle and enjoyed my vacation at this serene and beautiful Greek island. I felt I was re-connecting with nature in an explicit way.

    The spectacular windmills, the hallmark of Mykonos, was the best spot to relax and enjoy the view. They are located in a walking distance from Chora, on top of a hill. The dynamism of the windmills made me look at it from the viewpoint of an artist. The quintessential features of these traditional structures made me forget the traffic jam, honking cars and the hectic lifestyle of the modern city. Even if you are at a distance, you can view the majestic windmill and its revolving beauty that exudes elegance. The best spot to unwind, although ironically enough the wind blows a bit strong there!!
  • zucca 07 Feb 2010
    Sadly only for a day
    I stayed for only a day in Mykonos cause I was on a cruise. So I can't tell a lot about the island, only about Chora, the capital. It will not take more than 20 minutes to go from one side of Chora to the other: a tiny little adorable place with white houses, paved streets (no cars allowed, except for motorcycles that were really annoying sometimes with their awful noise), blue window shutters and the most delicious food of all the cruise!

    We didn't order something special, just the typical Greek souvlaki, but still it was the best gyros souvlaki we have tasted in Greece. It was in a venue in Little Venice, with colourful tables by the sea (don't remember the name!!). I liked the busy atmosphere of Chora, the colourful gift shops, the nice waterfront, the view from the windmills... If we had a little more time, we would take a taxi to a beach, but as we were supposed to return to the ship in five hours, we just took a quick dip in a small beach in Chora and then walked around.
  • daniella21 21 Jul 2009
    Crowded and expensive
    We spent just one evening in Mykonos as we stopped with a cruise ship there, so we had not much time to see all the island and preferred to stay in the Town. The place was picturesque, with labyrinth streets and small cubic houses. The architecture was beautiful, but there were no flowers and no parks. It was also very clean, situated in a valley by the sea, with local artisan activity. It is actully a fishing port with just a few churches and much touristy industry. There were a lot of restaurants, cafes, clubs, all proximate to the port, and very crowded and expensive. That is the bad thing of the town near the port, not enough lights and not enough people. My favorite thing about the village was the labyrinth streets. I also hated the fact that there were so many transexuals on Mykonosand that they hit on my father (age 50)! We were walking side by side, father and daughter, and there were people hitting him in a very bad and rude way! This should stop, because there may be families with children on vacations and these sites to see are not for children eyes!
  • markjj 22 May 2008
    Just lovely
    Chora is a strange town. Labyrinth streets, nice churches, busy and yet quite dirty and expensive. You do not need a car to get around the town, just a scooter, if you are not afraid of sun burning and bad roads. My accommodation was located close to Chora and that was convenient because I could find anything I wanted: banks, restaurants, travel agencies, post office. The pelican was my favourite clue of Chora Mykonos and the waterfront was the ideal place to drink your coffee.


  • K_Heyboer 25 Jul 2007
    A very relaxing and quiet area
    Hi, my name is Karin Heyboer and I'm South African. I'm 25 years old. I visited Greece and the island of Mykonos.
    I was staying in Agios Ioannis, which I reached by boat. The trip lasted for about 1 minute. Also the roads to the village were good. Only some sharp turns but good quality roads.
    The bus also was good because it comes on time.
    The trip to the Main Town by ferry was a bit long (5hrs) but not terrible. In order to get there I had to ask someone on our way. A friend of the family stays in the area and that’s the main reason we decided to go.
    This place is picturesque and has small cubic houses. There are no flowers, no parks by the sea, but there are offering views and very nice and friendly local people. Also it has nice restaurants, proximate to the beach. It is a very relaxing and quiet place. Just a lot of electricity and water cutting out occasionally on Mykonos.
    In the village someone could find telephone, mini market and shops. It certainly met my expectations as it’s a very peaceful place.
    I would definitely come to this village again and the best would be to come and live here forever!
    I cant’ recommend other villages as I haven’t done a lot of exploring. But I’m sure it’s all great.
  • sharlene95066 25 Apr 2007
    Incredible
    We stayed at the Hotel Eva which is a little outside of Mykonos.
    The hotel and family who run it are WONDERFUL.
    It was easy to get to Mykonos and spend the day.
    You must go to Delos and take the full tour.
    The whole Greek experience was wonderful!
  • Jared_M 07 Mar 2007
    A very picturesque town
    Nationality: South African
    Age: 23
    -How did you get to Mykonos town: Public transportation
    -Where is your accommodation located: Agios Ioannis
    -How much time did it take you to reach Mykonos town: 25 minutes
    -What are the conditions of the roads that take you to the village: Very good
    -If you used public transportations, did you have to wait long for the bus: No
    -Did you enjoy the trip to Mykonos town: Yes
    -In order to get to the village were enough signs in order to find it: I used a map
    -Why did you choose this particular village: Recommended by friends
    -How would you describe Mykonos town: Picturesque, no flowers, clean, by the sea, beautiful surroundings, local people, great atmosphere
    -Can everything, one might need, be found in the village: Telephone, mini market, restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels and other accommodations
    - Did the village meet your expectations? Yes Rate: 8/10
    - Favorite thing about the Mykonos town: Its quiet and very relaxing
    - Is there anything that you don’t like about the village or things that should be done by the authorities to improve it or is something missing: Water and lights cut out quite often
    - Would you come to this village again: Yes
    Other recommends villages? No, haven’t been to the other villages

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