INTERNATIONAL TOUR OPERATOR
Since 1985
MYKONOS
INTERNATIONAL TOUR OPERATOR
Since 1985
MYKONOS
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| Area 85 sq. km., Distance from Piraeus 94 nautical miles | |||
The capital, Hora, with its colorful harbor in which
little fishing-boats nestle happily side by side with luxury yachts, presents quite a
different picture from the majority of Aegean island towns. While it is usual for island
villages to be built on naturally amphitheatrical sites, Mykonos is spread out over a flat
area and conveys an impression of solid aesthetic cohesion.
Along the whitewashed streets stand brilliant white box-shaped houses with stepped walls
for sitting on, wooden doors and windows and brightly-colored balconies. These are
interspersed with small and impressive churches, pretty little tavernas and shops selling
souvenirs and other goods, and the overall sense is of being inside a film set.
On the low Kastro hill is the complex of churches known collectively as Our Lady , a
superb arrangement of whitewashed masses created over the centuries and now recognized as
a national cultural monument.
Of particular historical and aesthetic interest are the medieval houses in this district
of the town, which stand like a wall above the sea protecting the west side of Hora.
The Archaeological Museum of Hora contains finds from tombs on the nearby island of
Rhenia, sculptures, vases and figurines. The Folklore Museum brings together a number of
collections of furniture, icons, pieces of sculpture and folk musical instruments. Mykonos
is also the home of the Nautical Museum of the Aegean, which has interest all of its own.
The countryside of Mykonos is a mixture of gray-green rocks ringed by prickly pear plants
and little fertile areas carpeted with wild flowers. Here and there are tiny white-washed
chapels and windmills.
Mykonos is a busy island with all the amenities of a
modern resort and with plenty to do - by day or night - for those who want to have a
lively time. Yet visitors fond of more peaceful holidays will still find quiet corners in
which to relax.
