Anyone who has heard about Mykonos knows that this island carries with it a certain reputation--a place with chic shopping and parties that last all night.
Anyone who knows US knows that we aren't exactly of that ilk, but we wanted to check out Mykonos and see what all of the hype was about. We were not disappointed!
We arrived on a beautiful, albeit windy, day, and were greeted by the amazingly friendly staff at Hotel Tagoo (rated #1 on Tripadvisor for good reason). Tagoo far exceeded our expectations. Not only was it beautiful, but it was affordable (on an island that is not too friendly on your pocketbook). The hotel is run by a family (Greek-Canadian) and immediately upon arrival they greeted us with a map, a run down of the best restaurants/deals on the island, a towel for the pool, and a drink at the bar. It was great!
The town of Hora (or Mykonos) was originally laid out like a maze to confuse pirates. The tiny, white-washed streets also do a great job of confusing tourists! After about an hour of looking for a certain restaurant, we gave up and settled into a standard Greek taverna for some souvlaki and ouzo. Since arriving in Greece, we proudly congratulate ourselves on mastering the art of lingering. We sat for about three hours before heading back up the hill to Hotel Tagoo.
We relaxed by the pool and had a few more drinks at the bar with friendly bartender, Jimmy, and newly found friends from New York who were on their honeymoon. The four of us went out to dinner at an amazing Italian restaurant in the main town and headed home before the pounding club music could get to us!
The next day we rented a car and headed to Paraga Beach, which was fantastic! We got there before the crowds and enjoyed a long, relaxing day at this very low-key beach. The water was clear and cool and refreshing. The day was just hot enough to make it easy to take a dip, but not so hot that it was uncomfortable. Honestly, one of the best beaches we've been to.
We stayed all day and were served food and drinks under our umbrella. Why aren't there places like this on the West Coast?
We hopped the last ferry back to Athens and dreamed of going back to Mykonos! It was so easy to be there, we might have really just turned around to go back if given the chance!
Few things compare to swimming in crystal clear water on a warm summer day. We found a spot on a remote road close to the town of Ramnous on the east coast of Attica. We parked the car, scrambled down white, salty rocks and brush, and jumped into the turquoise colored Aegean. There weren't many people around so we felt as if we had stumbled upon a secret swimming spot and had it all to ourselves. It was a great day!
Anyone who has heard about Mykonos knows that this island carries with it a certain reputation--a place with chic shopping and parties that last all night.
We arrived on a beautiful, albeit windy, day, and were greeted by the amazingly friendly staff at Hotel Tagoo (rated #1 on Tripadvisor for good reason). Tagoo far exceeded our expectations. Not only was it beautiful, but it was affordable (on an island that is not too friendly on your pocketbook). The hotel is run by a family (Greek-Canadian) and immediately upon arrival they greeted us with a map, a run down of the best restaurants/deals on the island, a towel for the pool, and a drink at the bar. It was great!
The town of Hora (or Mykonos) was originally laid out like a maze to confuse pirates. The tiny, white-washed streets also do a great job of confusing tourists! After about an hour of looking for a certain restaurant, we gave up and settled into a standard Greek taverna for some souvlaki and ouzo. Since arriving in Greece, we proudly congratulate ourselves on mastering the art of lingering. We sat for about three hours before heading back up the hill to Hotel Tagoo.
We relaxed by the pool and had a few more drinks at the bar with friendly bartender, Jimmy, and newly found friends from New York who were on their honeymoon. The four of us went out to dinner at an amazing Italian restaurant in the main town and headed home before the pounding club music could get to us!
We stayed all day and were served food and drinks under our umbrella. Why aren't there places like this on the West Coast?
We hopped the last ferry back to Athens and dreamed of going back to Mykonos! It was so easy to be there, we might have really just turned around to go back if given the chance!
