Mykonos, Greece - a party-obsessed hotspot for Europeans and world travellers alike. But for us, it was the destination for my family's first joint family vacation since 2013 (almost seven years ago). To celebrate my dad's 65th birthday and retirement, all my siblings and my parents flew from Calgary through Amsterdam via Athens to Mykonos. Lucky for them, Monika and I were already in Milan for Fashion Week, so for us, it was a quick jaunt over from Italy to Greece.
this post is not sponsored
It wasn't our first time in Greece (we picked Santorini for our Honeymoon in 2015), but it was our first time in Mykonos. And although most people associate it with Lyndsey Lohan and partying all day, we actually discovered five luxury things to do on this Greek island to feel totally relaxed. Today, I am sharing them here.
-- one: book a boat --
Is there anything more luxurious than a private yacht chartered for an afternoon of cruising down the sea with lunch in the middle of the water? On the actual day of my dad's birthday, we completely surprised him with a day cruise that ended with sunset on the beach. We went with Mykonos Dolphin - they were able to customize our entire experience, from the pick-up time to the meal they served.
We booked a private transfer to the dock, and all the staff and crew we encountered were friendly and professional, and truly, they made the entire experience so enjoyable and amazing. My dad was beyond surprised and to sail back right before sunset and see the magnificent Mykonos windmills against the waterline was just breathtaking.
Ours even came with daily housekeeping and we could have arranged for a private chef too. Overall, for us especially because it was a family vacation, it was great to have private but dedicated dining and living spaces. And seriously, everyone enjoyed that pool overlooking the sea.
-- two: book a private villa --
There is lots of luxury hotels and resort style accommodations available, but for Mykonos, I would 100% recommend investing in a private villa. We had a total of seven adults, two couples and three others, and we found a hillside three story villa with a pool and multiple balconies, with a dedicated bedroom for everyone, and bathrooms to spare.
And the best part? We found this gem on AirBnb! Again, not sponsored, we just did our research, checked reviews, and booked. In full transparency, there was some electrical and plumbing issues, but the staff here was amazing and tended to them right away. A word to the wise, though, this specific property is about 25 minutes one way by car to town, so every time we headed to Mykonos proper, we had to call a private taxi.
Our first night, we just walked by a random spot and ordered some Spritz' and seriously felt like we were in a movie. Long story short is you don't need hours of research or a reservation. Find a spot, order up, and enjoy nature's greatest nightly show.
-- three: a sunset cocktail --
They say that Greece has some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world, and I am here to tell you, they ain't lying! Every night, we made sure we managed to discover some of the magical lights slowly dipping into the sea. And the best way to do it luxuriously is to find one of the many restaurants, bars and taverns and order up a cold glass of something delicious.
-- four: the shops --
Apart from a few small Louis Vuittons and an Off-White, there isn't many big name shops in Mykonos. What there is, is luxury concept boutiques. We walked into one called Luisa World that had a few key pieces from every major designer: Valentino, Chloe, Burberry, Dior, Prada, Givenchy, Balmain etc. Let's just say, buying something (his and her's Valentino bags) from Mykonos felt very right.
-- five: the beach club --
There's nothing like soaking in the sunshine, with sand at your feet, delicious food and drink at your service, and not a care in the world. This is why visiting / eating a beach club in Mykonos definitely rounds out my list of top five luxury things to do. We found this one randomly and plopped down for a perfectly amazing seaside lunch.
Mykonos was truly a luxury vacation and yes we did save for it, but yes it was so worth it.
Greece will always have a very
special place in my heart, and
Mykonos just sealed the deal
