Holiday Sports & Activities on Mykonos
In our recent blog posts, we’ve enjoyed telling you all about the things you can discover if you take a day trip from Mykonos to the islands of Tinos and Delos. This month, we want to focus on Mykonos again, and tell you how this fantastic island is such a great holiday destination for sports and activity lovers. So whether you’re the sort of person who likes to keep fit on holiday, explore and discover new things to do, an adrenaline junkie, or you’re looking for some fun activities for kids and the whole family, Mykonos is sure to offer something for you!
Mykonos Beaches
We couldn’t begin any guide to the activities and sports on Mykonos without first mentioning the island’s jewels – her beautiful beaches! Anyone who has spent any time in Greece or knows the Greek islands will know that the Greeks consider a day at the beach a major activity – and who can blame them when there’s so many things to do, and so many beaches to choose from on Mykonos? Each beach has its own unique qualities and highlights, so you’re sure to find a beach on Mykonos that suits you perfectly.
You probably won’t have to go far either, right in front of the Mykonos Panormos Villas is the stunning Panormos beach, one of the best beaches on the whole island! This expansive beach is ideally located in a sheltered cove that protects it from Mykonos’ famous winds, and was once the haunt of both celebrities and hippies. That laid back vibe persists to this day, and the beach is an ideal place to spend the day. There are both cushions and beds on the beach for a really comfortable sunbathing experience, and the private cabanas at Panormos beach are the perfect base for families wanting to spend all day at the beach. You can stay refreshed throughout the day and into the night with cocktails from one of the three bars, and the gourmet restaurant serving delicious Mediterranean dishes at Panormos beach is a great place for a spot of lunch or dinner. As well as all the fun to be had sunbathing and swimming in the sea, there’s two beach volleyball courts if you fancy an energetic game to burn off the calories from lunch. If shopping counts as a major activity for you (we know it does for us!) the boutique beach shop has you covered, with items for sale from a host of top Greek designers. Panormos beach really does have something to offer to keep you entertained from morning until night!
Other great beaches on the north coast of Mykonos include the isolated beaches of Fokos and Agios Sostis. Fokos is a relaxed beach well off the beaten track (you’ll need a car to get there), while Agios Sostis is a nudist beach where you can go back to nature and enjoy the beautiful blue waters of the Aegean. Mykonos’ south coast is home to some of the island’s most famous organised beaches, with the famous Paradise and Super Paradise beaches both offering all day beach parties and watersports, with Super Paradise being one of the best gay beaches on Mykonos too. Elia beach is the largest beach on the island and another one of Mykonos’ most popular beaches, with a Blue Flag award, sunbeds, umbrellas, beach bars and tavernas. Located close to Mykonos Town (Chora) in a beautiful bay, with fine sand that gently slopes into the sea, Ornos bay is a fantastic Mykonos family beach with lots of tavernas and beach bars nearby. Psarou beach is a great destination for those who fancy a bit of celeb spotting whilst on holiday, whilst the beautiful Agios Ioannis beach is altogether more calm proposition, well protected from the wind and perfect for snorkeling. And we’ve barely scratched the surface, there’s a wealth of fabulous Mykonos beaches just waiting for you to discover them!
Water Sports on Mykonos
Of course, all these great beaches make Mykonos the perfect destination for people who fancy some fun in the sea. There’s all the watersports activities you’d expect from a Greek island holiday, with jet ski rental, wakeboarding, waterskiing, wakesurfing, parasailing, tube rides and banana boats on offer at beaches like Platis Gialos, Elia, Paradise, Kalafatis and Kalo Livadi to name but a few.
That’s not all that Mykonos offers for watersports though! Heading over to Agios Sostis beach just a few kilometres from Mykonos Panormos Villas, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the incredible experience of sea kayaking. With day trip excursions you’ll be able to see a whole new side of Mykonos from her coasts, as well as having fun spotting some of the island’s wildlife. It’s a Mykonos family activity for the day too, with special tour groups for families with younger children. Honeymooners, birthday and party groups can even arrange their own private kayak trip tours.
It would be a shame to visit Mykonos without fully experiencing the subaquatic world of her stunningly clear Aegean waters, so those in search of a little adventure and discovery can go diving in Mykonos at the island’s PADI certified diving centres at Lia Beach, Paradise Beach and Kalafati beach. There are an amazing choice of diving experiences and sites to suit divers of all levels of experience, as well as lessons and certifications for new divers. Children can enjoy diving too, with specialised diving trips for kids over 8 years old. Those who don’t fancy diving can still take a peek beneath the waves by snorkeling in Mykonos at the Kalafati beach diving centre, and this is a great way for both adults and younger children to get their first taste of underwater discovery. At the more extreme end of the watersports spectrum, the famous Meltemi summer wind creates the optimum conditions for kite surfing and windsurfing in Mykonos. Visitors to Mykonos Panormos Villas are rather spoiled, as Ftelia beach in Panormos bay is one of the best windsurfing and kite surfing beaches on Mykonos, and only 10 minutes away from our sea view luxury villas. There’s even a fantastic restaurant at Ftelia beach too, and it’s the perfect place to crash after some intense surfing! Two other great kitesurfing and windsurfing beaches on Mykonos are Ornos beach and Korfos beach, both of which offer lessons. The kite surfing school at Korfos beach, has a team of multilingual instructors on hand to (literally) teach beginners the ropes, and there are also rental facilities, secure storage and boat taxis too.
Mykonos Boat Trips
One of the nicest ways to explore Mykonos and the surrounding islands is by boat. You may already know from our blog that the nearby island of Tinos is a fantastic place to visit on a day trip by boat, as is the stunning archaeological marvel that is Delos island. Our attentive team at Mykonos Panormos Villas is on hand to organise a fabulous private boat trip or cruise for you as part of our range of tailor made services. We’re even putting together some exclusive private boat tour packages for our guests, so stay tuned for some news from us in the future! There are a host of different boat trips on offer in Mykonos, with luxury motor yachts, sailing yachts, rib boats, catamarans and glass bottom boats, so our team will able to organise the perfect Mykonos boat trip that suits you.
Exploring Mykonos
Away from the beach and the water, there’s some great fun ways to discover the magical sights of Mykonos island for those who enjoy a holiday with a bit of intrepid exploring. One of the easiest ways to get around for Mykonos sightseeing is to hire a car in Mykonos. With a car you can easily access Mykonos’ glorious beaches, and take a trip into Mykonos Town (Chora) whenever you please. Once in Chora, you can walk the town’s beautiful cobbled streets, fall in love with Little Venice, visit the Aegean Maritime Museum and the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, and admire the stunningly photogenic Paraportiani Church. Any serious fashionista knows that shopping is a serious activity on holiday too, and it’s something that Mykonos Town is famous for, so enjoy whiling away hours in the boutiques and craft stores around the town. With your hire car you can also journey out to other parts of the island too – like the beautiful Panagia Tourliani Monastery and also the Armenistis Lighthouse in Fanari, where you’ll be treated to some truly stunning views of the sea.
For a more unorthodox way to discover Mykonos, you can also rent a motorbike, scooter or ATV, and those with a real sense of adventure can embark on a self drive 4×4 jeep tour safari of Mykonos, taking in beaches, countryside, and a ruined Venetian castle. To explore things at a more relaxed pace and keep fit at the same time too, you can take a leisurely bicycle tour around Mykonos and savour the magic of the island’s natural beauty. Bicycle tours begin and end at the Mykonos Vioma Organic Farm, where you can sample wine and local homemade Mykonian delicacies in a special tasting session.
Activities on Mykonos
There are some other great activities on Mykonos too that cater for all sorts of interests. Animal lovers will relish the once in a lifetime opportunity to go horse riding in Mykonos, with the chance to ride a horse along the beach and couples can even experience an incredible romantic sunset beach private horse ride too! Thrill seeking petrolheads can enjoy go-karting in Mykonos by taking a spin around the 700m Mykonos karting track near Ano Mera. Paintballing in Mykonos can be a great activity for older family groups to let off a bit of steam, so adrenaline junkies can head over to the paintball field near Ftelia beach where anyone aged over 15 can unleash their wild side in a mock battle.
Just a few kilometres south of Mykonos Panormos Villas in Messaria, visitors will discover the Mykonian Spiti, an amazing house that offers Mykonos cookery classes, allowing you to learn a host of new cooking skills and discover the best kept secrets of traditional Mykonian cuisine. It’s a magical insight into a real Mykonian house and the traditional Greek way of life! The Mykonian Spiti also offers a farm BBQ experience with a traditional style Greek barbecue, with a tour of an organic farm, and then a walkthrough of the Greek barbecuing techniques followed by the meal itself. It’s a great way to pick up some tips and tricks to let loose when you return to the BBQ at your sea view villa at Mykonos Panormos Villas! You can even enjoy hiking tours of the surrounding countryside from the Mykonian Spiti, exploring the Mykonos countryside and sampling fresh local delicacies along the way.
Arranging Tours, Sports & Activities on Mykonos
Hopefully we’ve given you a little taste of the sports and activities available to you during your holiday in Mykonos. Of course, part of the fun on your holiday can often be making your own discoveries on your excursions, but at any moment during your stay with us the Mykonos Panormos Villas team will be ready to assist you in your itinerary planning for the day, offer you our expert local advice of the best spots and activities, and arrange whatever you like – from booking your hire car to arranging a diving lesson, private boat tour or horseriding expedition. We’re here to help you make the most of your time on Mykonos and your sports, excursions and activities, so you can relax and have the time of your life!
