Venture beyond the chic streets of Mykonos Town and a totally different side of the island is revealed. This private, half-day tour gives you a chance to see a more local and traditional side of Mykonos with a visit to Ano Mera, the island’s second-largest town.
As you venture into the island’s interior, you’ll get to see its sun-baked, rock-strewn hills and can experience a more authentic side of island life away from the large resorts. Stroll the cobbled streets, visit the monastery and the traditional little tavernas, before following it up with a visit to a nearby beach.
Your private driver picks you up from your hotel in Mykonos Town, then, leaving behind the bustling streets of the port town, you’ll head inland across the dry, rugged hills of the island’s interior to the small, traditional town of Ano Mera.
Although Ano Mera is the second-largest town on the island, few visitors make it here and local residents go about their daily lives unconcerned by the animated crowds in the coastal resorts. The central square is lined by small tavernas and dominated by the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani, which dates to the middle of the 16th century.
You’ll enter the monastery with your guide to find out more about the Greek Orthodox Church, as well as looking at the collection of icons and the intricate altar inside. You can also stroll around the quiet cloisters and the bougainvillea-filled courtyard outside the monastery.
After the visit, you’ll part with your guide and your driver will drop you off at one of Mykonos’s beaches for three hours of sun and relaxation. Shielded from the northerly winds, the beaches on Mykonos’s southern shore are known for their soft sand, calm, clear waters ripe for swimming, and stylish beach clubs.
You can unwind on a lounger shaded by a parasol, listening to the sound of lapping waves and cooling off with a dip in the water. You’ll also find a few restaurants nearby where you could enjoy lunch. Later, your driver will return to collect you and take you back to your hotel.