Mykonos - Greek Islands

Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June

Friday Evening

We actually arrive in Mykonos on Friday 20th by ferry from Samos. It is a car ferry very similar to Cook Strait ferry. This ferry carries on to Athens. We left Samos at 5 and arrive at 8.30pm.

The sun is setting . The island is so dry and rocky and everywhere it is dotted with gorgeous whitewashed houses in "Mykonos Style". Our hotel is at Ornos Beach - Casa Bianca - 5 minutes from Mykonos Town.

Our Ferry

The view from the ferry as we arrive on the port.

Our Hotel - love it. Would love a house like this - really love the shutters!

Once unpacked we head to Ornos Beach restaurants to find some dinner . 

Delicious Chicken Souvlaki for me and a traditional Greek style beef dish for Sam. Day done. More exploring tomorrow.

Saturday

With all of the Islands you really need a car to explore them fully. There are bus services, but they are not that frequent or reliable and not much fun standing in the heat - there are no shelters. 

We catch the bus into town to check out Little Venice - named for its little narrow streets and the fact it is built right near the water. The famous Mykonos windmills stand nearby too.

The windmills look gorgeous against the blue, blue sky.

The gorgeous little whitewashed streets and houses/shops. It's a real rabbit warren - actually worse than Venice ! Everything really looks the same. Sunglasses are an absolute must with the glare!

Mykonos has so many churches they are so cute! There are supposed to be up to over 600 churches on the island.

The water in the port is so clear! Sam spots his new dream fishing boat in the harbour!

Dreams are free! Maybe if we win Lotto!

We pick up a car - actually a Suzuki Jimmy, much to Sam's delight and head off with our map to find Paradise Beach. 

It's a gorgeous spot of course. The resort is aimed for the younger market, with numerous bar/ clubs, there are some people our age around too. It's full on party time here.

A good friend of ours used to live and work here a 'few' years ago, so we are going to look up her friends who own and run the resort . They are thrilled to meet us and receive the card and are very welcoming.

We had a lovely time with the family, spent some time on the beach and had a swim of course.

On the way back we stopped in at Paraga Beach. It has a few resorts on the beach also, but not quite the size of Paradise a Beach Resort. Nice sandy beach and a spot for watersports.

This is typical of the landscape here. It's so stony. There has been no rain here for a year and water supply is real concern according to the locals. It is great for goats though!

This goat was just down the road from our hotel - so a bit more grass, but there are plenty up in the hills.

The sea is so salty here, it's nice to jump in the pool at the hotel at the end of the day.

Day done, ended with a lovely meal at Ornos Beach, not far from our hotel, right on the beach.

Sunday

Our wonderful hosts at our hotel have provided us with a sun umbrella and recommendations of some of their favourite beaches around the island, so we're off on a beach hopping tour!

We have a little taverna that has been recommended too. There are tavernas - restaurants/bars on every beach, even in the remotest spots. So off we go!

Kapari Beach

Fokos Beach

Lia Beach

Agrari Beach

Elia Beach

Stopped here for a bit of a swim and some sun. 

Tummies rumbling - it's around 4 and haven't had lunch we head for the taverna Kiki's in the North at Agia Sotis Beach. When we get there it is so popular there is a queue but while you wait there is a cask of ice cold rose and water to drink.  We opt for .... Rose!

Agis Softis

The view from the taverna

Wow! Huge meal pork chop and stuffed chicken breast with sundried tomatoes. All grilled in a wood fired oven. That's lunch and dinner.

We head back to the hotel for a swim in the pool and desalination before heading into town to see the sunset! Beautiful!

Loved it here. Beautiful beaches, lovely people, great food and those gorgeous white buildings with blue shutters - want one of those!

Samos - Greek Islands

Thursday 19th and Friday 20th June

An early start to catch ferry to Samos. The trip is 1 and a half hours from Kusadasi. Going to Samos first is the only way to get to Mykonos. We

Loved our stay at Ladies Beach - our hosts have even packed us a breakfast seeing as though we were too early to eat it in the restaurant .

Beach looks nice this morning too!

At the port a huge cruise ship is in and Turkish dancers are out to greet them. It is huge business for this area.

"What do you reckon, shall we hope on this one instead?"

Goodbye Turkey! Looks like we are leaving the rain behind too!

The time seems to pass quite quickly and before you know it we are there!

Samos - Greece. Funny - I imagined a flat small island! Turns out Samos is quite a big island and very hilly. It is 43 km long and 13km wide. It was the birth place of mathematician Pythagoras and is well known for it's white wine - Muscat.

We get settled into our hotel - Scorpio Apartments. They have almost a home stay feel to them. The hostess Nancy is lovely and very helpful.  There are only 2 other people staying . We have a sea view and the pool sits on the cliff overlooking the sea. Lovely and quiet. 

The view from our window and terrace.

We head to town which is about a 2 km walk to a little restaurant right by Gangou Beach. It's hot around 30 degrees. The water is so blue and crystal clear.

Sam has sardines - he's been dying to try them! I have Moussaka . Delicious!

After lunch we head back to the hotel and decide to chill by the pool for a couple of hours. So nice to relax! It's been pretty full on for the last 5 weeks. Now the rest and relaxation begins !

We decide to hire a car - only 45 euro as we have to get to port at other end of Samos - Karlovassi to get ferry tomorrow and Nancy has given us a list of spots to visit on the way.

On the other side of the island is Pythagoreion- named after ... You guessed it - Pythagoras. It is also a port and there are yachts moored in the harbour right by the restaurant area. Pythagoreion has been inhabited for 5000 years.

Yachts one side and fishing boats the other.

The cute little fishing boats

We had a lovely seafood platter, Greek salad and dessert - not bad for 22 euros.

Managed to find our way back to our hotel in the dark. The roads not too bad - at least not too narrow.

Still some pretty crazy drivers - in a huge hurry to get places!  

Friday 20th June

Nancy our host has made the most beautiful homemade breakfast overlooking pool - lovely eggs, special potato dish (put in our recipe book), fresh tomatoes and feta. Homemade jams and freshly made bread, fresh fruit and a traditional Greek dish - can't remember the name of it - semolina, sultanas and marinated strawberries. Delicious! They really look after you here.

After breakfast we head off to explore some beaches on our way to the port. The ferry leaves at 5 and we can leave the car there so lots of time to explore.

Samos town - from top of hill

The beautiful clear waters.

Kokkari Beach - known as a great spot for windsurfing. They were certainly getting a great ride.

Some of the lovely churches on the way. They are perched on the steepest hills in the middle of nowhere!

We stop off at Tsmadou Beach - a stony but lovely sheltered beach. Most beaches here have loungers and umbrellas to hire - around 3euro for the day. You can just sit on the stones but not that comfortable and shade is a must!

We head up into the mountains to a little village called Man ...... This is the area they grow most of the grapes for the famous Samos wine. Wine not really to our taste very sweet. The land is all terraced.

The sea is pretty close to the road on the way into Karlovassi - there is extensive work going on to build a sea wall and repair washed out roads.

We have a bit of a late lunch/early dinner and drop the car off before the ferry arrives.

The ferry was similar to the Cook Strait ferry, but not as big. Unloaded and loaded within a half and hour! Hilarious to watch.  Mykonos here we come!