GTA took time out of office to take an Oh too short trip to Mykonos… We loved it.
Mykonos is a jet setters’ summer paradise and a dream destination for those incentive groups looking for sun & style, luxury & leisure, fun & fine dining, sea & shopping and so much more.
We explored, ate in style, sampled Greek wine and visited dinner venues, four hotels (including new hotel and refurbs) and a number of beaches. Plus we met up with George from Optimum while he was conducting a site inspection for a very large incentive.
Our conclusion – we wanted to stay, will return and next time take the trip to Delos…. Four and a bit days was not enough.
Friday
We left Gatwick at 08:00 on a not so good day. We arrived to glorious sunshine and close to 25 degrees (and it got warmer every day).
The flight was great – just over 3 hours and were through passport control just as our luggage arrived. We love smaller efficient airports. Take off to hotel arrival in under 4 hours!!!
A late lunch & a glass of wine by the pool as we checked out the sunshine and chilled. This was followed by a short taxi ride to the edge of Little Venice (vehicles are banned from the centre’s streets) and a stroll round the streets.
Overhanging balconies, crazy paving, windy streets, window shopping upscale shops, funky bars, The Windmills and bar/café seats on the sea wall. Just sit on the wall enjoy a brill cocktail or two and watch the sunset show… surprising how fast times passes or was it how fast a cocktail disappears!!!
There was only one option for dinner – a no brainer – Remezzo’s a Myconian legend. George was in town for a site inspection venue dinner with Remezzo so dining here gave us a chance to share a drink. And the lovely venue with its port location is a sublime dining experience.
Our starters were a Greek Salad and Roasted Scallops with Aegean Salt, roasted aubergine mousse and Greek Truffle.
Main course were grilled red mullets, tomato carpaccio and smoked eggplant with sweet & sour vinaigrette and braised chicken breast in its own juice, topinambur sauce & vegetable roots.
And we shared delightful strawberries in their juice with yoghurt cream and yoghurt sorbet for dessert.
Yummy!!
Saturday
We had chosen a rural location and small, not quite finished, boutique hotel. A beautiful sunrise lit the hills nearby while three distant cockerels provided an early morning call.
After breakfast by the pool we left to pick up our hire car. So pleased we decided on a convertible as we could “sunbathe” on the move. With 4×4 we were able to follow our “nose” and take dirt track roads- amazing little bays complete with private roads, beautiful villas with private beaches.
Our plan was to check out the local bay then the surrounding hills and move on to visiting the eastern beaches. Mykonos was not busy enough for the eastern beaches to be busy, some were empty and all were within small beautiful bays nestling between hills.
We were delighted to find that aside from Mykonos town Mykonos is scarcely developed and even in Mykonos development is modest so that the enchantment of the island remains.
The fields and roadsides were a mass of wild flowers – reds, yellows and more so that driving the windy roads is a pleasure.
Lunch was delightful and in a trendy beach front venue. It was too hot to try out their beach sun beds, or was it that the menu was too tempting.
We ordered a toasted halloumi that was covered in really crisp breadcrumbs and a superb sauce and Greek salad and followed on with marinated pork spit roasted with honey sauce and oven baked baby potatoes. There was enough in the main course for three or more and we ate so much that a dessert was not possible.
We returned to our hotel poolside to check out the sun, relax, answer a few emails and chill with a glass of wine. We dined by the pool – still too full to eat more than another Greek salad.
Sunday
We started with a drive on the wild side – the north of the island – spending an hour or two bouncing over switchback, winding, dirt tracks and passing the occasional remote villa.
Then onto a divers’ beach to the north east before coming back to check out the southern beaches, the odd drinks stop and a late lunch on Ornos beach. Ornos is yet another lovely sandy beach and only a few kilometers from Mykonos town centre.
Beach side restaurants provide free sunbeds if you order drinks/food.
Given the size of Saturday’s lunch we played safe and ordered four appetizers. Did I say played safe – we had not realised the size of the appetisers and were so full we took time out on the restaurant’s sun beds.
If you visit Ornos beach check out the on the beach massage options. The opening offer was 35 Euros for thirty minutes of leg massage and reflexology but don’t commit too soon as the cost comes down!!
Not sure if it was the heat, lunch or reflexology but I was asleep before my second foot was done.
A late afternoon return to our hotel and still hot enough for a poolside sunbathe and drink plus catching up on a few emails.
Yet again so full we settled for a large Greek salad for dinner by the pool.
Monday
An early (well earlier than previous days) start as we had hotels to view – and what a view these hotels offer.
A pool view at The Royal Myconian Resort with filter coffee, fresh orange and Greek pastries was an elegant way to start our show round. Two and a half hours later we were overwhelmed by a succession of hotel, villa collections and more.
The Royal Myconian has had a recent refurb and we loved the effect to the main entrance.
Next up, literally as it is further up the hillside, was the Royal Imperial Resort where the pool and other areas are just finishing a major remodeling and the Myconian Villa Collection.
And third step up is Utopia. We loved the quirky décor and after seeing three “hotels” each with incredible style it was difficult to believe that Utopia could be as original as the previous three yet so different – but it was.
Finally the newcomer to the collection Myconian Avaton Resort – still as elegantly stylish as the others but once again so different. The Avaton is dues to open soon.
Their location at Elia Beach is stunning and so convenient – under thirty minutes from the airport Mykonos town.
The room options are amazing and include rooms with own pool and/or Jacuzzi and more. Just too many variations across the five properties to detail here.
Post our visit is was time to return our hire car, take another light hotel lunch poolside before taking a serious look at the shops in Little Venice – and how could we resist the seafront view with a cocktail.
Tuesday
We wanted to stay – then who would not want to stay longer on this glorious island!!
And what a welcome back to the UK – our Gatwick landing was aborted first time round when we were so close to touch down!!! Gusting side winds meant it was not certain we would land on the runway.
We were dreading being diverted but second time, on the northern runway, lucky.
And on the subject of flights, access into Mykonos from across Europe has improved this last two years. Our flight time out was just over three hours and our return flight was close to three and a half hours. Factor in fast airport transit times, very short transfer times and the magic of Mykonos and you have a fab incentive destination.
GTA and Optimum Greece DMC are looking forward to working with you in Mykonos
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