My Mykonos

“Okay this is it, I have found my new favourite spot”. I think I say the same thing every time we travel somewhere new. The beauty of travel is that each place is unique and special in its own way, meaning it is impossible to compare one place against another. That said, Mykonos really was like nothing we had ever experienced before. The island opened our eyes to a whole new culture, experiences and incomparable scenery we had only seen photos of before. It has to be one of the most ‘Instagrammed’ places in the world and its not hard to see why. Before we had even landed, we gazed down on a blanket of marbled bays and a mesmerizing sunset painting the sky with a million shades of red, pink, purple and blue. It was at this point I knew that this week was going to be one of the most memorable yet.

When it came to accommodation, Mykonos is notorious for its swanky hotels, modern interiors and exclusive infinity pools, but usually at a ludicrous price that isn’t realistic for majority of travelers. We were after somewhere which still captured the luxurious vibe but remained authentic, was in an accessible location to Mykonos town AND wasn’t going to break the bank. We genuinely didn’t believe such a place existed, until we came across Eagles Nest. Set 5 minutes drive outside of town, Eagles Nest features a handful of self catering, sea view suites in a great location. Overlooking the old port on one side, Mykonos town and the windmills on the other and gazing out over the undisturbed horizon, it was perfect. The pictures we had seen online did not do it justice, so we were absolutely blown away on arrival. With a good size infinity pool, white lounging seats around the exterior and pink bougainvillea tucked in the corners, it was everything we had dreamed of. We expected the communal areas to be crowded around the pool – it couldn’t have been any different. Tranquil, private and utter heaven… how did we get so lucky?! Our room the ‘Moroccan Red’ suite had a stunning sea view and we watched the ships come in and out morning and evening, it was larger and brighter than the advertisements, the bed was super comfy, we had aircon, a balcony, all the essentials (hairdryer, ironing board) and it worked a treat for our week stay. The room was cleaned every day and the team were lovely and made us feel totally at home.

Sadly we didn’t get to meet the owner, however our host for the week, Roni, was absolutely wonderful in looking after us, he was able to give us advice on where to visit, lifts to and from the airport and helped to hook us up with a quad bike for the week.

From the eagles nest you can see the windmills, the town, the ports and everything in between. The views really took our breath away. What we really loved about the Eagles Nest was the various outdoor sitting areas around the pool, on the terraces and around the apartments. Stone hideaways lined with cushions, large tables to sit round in the evenings and steps to private hidden tables for two. It was never busy so we had plenty of options and loads of space to spread out and feel totally at home.

Recommendations…

• Get up early. Being a party island, the town was lively day and night. However if you want to get the cobbled white and grey lined streets to yourselves, get up and go at 9am, the rest of Mykonos is still sleeping at this time after partying until the early hours ( till around 7 / 8am – not kidding!). We were able to get lost in the maze of stunning streets with very little disturbance.
• Get the boat to Delos. If it is a windy day it will be a rough ride at sea but it is worth it to see Delos. It is very interesting seeing the ancient ruins and is only half an hour away by boat.
• Obviously you must see the Windmills in all their glory. They are beautiful at sunset, great for taking photos. Just down the steps is the restaurant ‘Nice n Easy’ which is a great spot for dinner afterwards.
• Visit Fokos beach. While it can be a fairly windy beach, it is one of the quietest on the island. It is one of the only ‘unorganised’ beaches. Organised beaches are lined with sunbeds you have to pay a day rate for, so to find an organised one you can just throw your towel down on, is rare. It lets you see the other side of the island and if you are an animal lover / horse lover like me, you can do a hack from the nearby stables and ride along Fokos beach. That was something ticked off the bucket list!
• Rent a quad bike. This was the most efficient way to get around, getting you across the island easily and enabling you to park literally anywhere – so much more convenient than a car and very good fun! We had one between the 2 of us for 35 euros a day and it was fine. Make sure you get yourselves helmets (safety first!) and I would suggest getting one with a storage box you can lock on the back, so you don’t have to carry your beach bag everywhere you go.
• Eat and eat some more! The food on offer is extensive and delicious. I have a list of restaurants I can recommend (especially for gluten free / coeliacs) that we absolutely loved HERE.

Be prepared for…

• The wind. From talking to the locals, we gathered it is pretty gusty all year round and you will get pummeled on the seafronts. There is also n0 point in doing your hair, you will have dreadlocks by the end of it. I recommend taking maxi skirts and pants, as ladies, your short skirts can fly up very easily! You want to head to beaches on the south side of the island on particularly windy days, as they won’t cover you in quite as much sand and you will have a better chance of keeping your towel from flying off!
• The price. Mykonos town is not a cheap place. As we expected, meals and excursions were more than usual so if you are on budget, I would prioritise the activities you wish to do and be prepared to spend more than you initially planned. By the time we added everything together it was fairly pricey. However, I think if you are savvy you could figure out where to eat cheaper – party places such as Paradise beach have considerably cheaper food options.
• The transport. One of the biggest issues on the island is the lack of taxis. There are about 15 on the entire island, and even when you arrive at the airport, you have to wait a while at the taxi rank before getting a ride. It is nearly impossible to get a taxi in the evenings back to your hotel so I would recommend sorting alternative arrangements if you fancy a drink, or try and stay somewhere within walking distance!

We absolutely LOVED Mykonos. What a beautiful and unique place – I can’t wait to return!
Where shall we travel next!?

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Seen on me:

• Rust shift dress – TOBI. See HERE.
• ‘Mykonos’ maxi dress – TOBI. See HERE.
• Off the shoulder, palm swing dress – TOBI. See HERE.

*I love TOBI as they do FREE UK shipping! No minimum spend and the quality is fantastic. Check them out.

*Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored. All opinions and views are my own.