Mykonos
This Cycladic island has been hosting the jet-set and the party animals since 1960s, with its gay clubs and sunrise parties. Still, it has something for everybody. Besides iconic windmills, popular sunset spots like Little Venice and hedonistic beach clubs like Paradise and Super Paradise, there are pristine beaches and calm corners as well. The main town of Mykonos, Chora, has a bohemian vibe with several art galleries and design shops. For the best beaches, and most stylish restaurants and hotels, you should check pristine bays like Ornos, Agios Ioannis, Platis Gialos and Psarou Beach.
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Caprice Bar
A seafront bar on Little Venice, with signature sundowner cocktails and entertainment till the morning.
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Jackie O’, Super Paradise Bay
Offering superb food and beach, this beach club and restaurant is famous for its dj sets and gay shows at the sunset.
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Kalita
A restaurant serving traditional dishes with a modern twist, in a secluded garden in the middle of Chora.
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Katrin
The best Greek home-cooking, tucked away at a romantic tiny street. Its stuffed cabbages are amazing!
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Matsuhisa Mykonos
The signature Asian restaurant of the famous chef Nobu, within Belvedere Hotel.
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Scorpios
A stylish beach club offering an alternative cultural and social atmosphere where you could enjoy life with great music, healing therapies, and barefoot dancing.
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Spilia, Agia Anna Beach
A quiet seaside restaurant and cocktail bar with a stylish simplicity, also offering a cave room.
Paros
Although it is overshadoved by its more glamorous sisters, Mykonos and Santorini, Paros is one of the most authentic islands in Cyclades archipelago to have a decent summer vacation. The main port town of Parikia is full of nice taverns, cafes and little shops, while it still retains its local spirit. To have a bird’s-eye view over the island’s capital, you can climb upto the Agii Anargyri monastery. Naoussa is the best seaside town with amazing fish restaurants, while Marpissa and Prodromos are the most photogenic inland villages. The island is a swimmer’s paradise with almost 30 beaches too! Pounda, Santa Maria, Kolymbithres and Chrissi Akti (Golden Beach) are the top ones to visit, each with enjoyable seaside taverns and restaurants that you could linger all day long.
Antiparos
Only 10 minutes from Paros, this is a very small and quiet island with crystal clear waters. Most of its beaches are natural (without any establishments or beach clubs), pebbled and nudism friendly. There are many shops, cafes and restaurants, but old men still sit under ancient oak trees and play backgammon. 10 kilometers away from its main port, the island has a huge cave of stalactites and stalagmites, that is descended with 411 stairs.
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Beach House
A restaurant, beach bar and 9 suites on the island's best-sheltered beach.
Naxos
The largest island of the Cyclades, Naxos is more green than most of the other islands in the archipelago. Due to its high mountains, it can attract rain clouds and produces enough fruits and vegetables to feed itself. In the middle of the island’s rugged inland, you could have a nice driving tour, visiting charming mountain villages like Halki and Apiranthos, settled around the Cyclades’ highest peak Mount Zeus. Due to the variety of high quality products, the island also has better local restaurants. Their speciaties include a local goat cheese, as well as a digestive drink called “Kitron”. The island’s main town Naxos is also quite attractive with its hilly old quarter called Kastro. Here stands an impressive castle, which was the seat of Venetian Duchy of Naxos, who ruled most of the Cyclades between 1204 and 1537. That’s the reason why you would find many Venetian tower-mansions scattered around the island’s countryside.
Koufonisia
Very easy-going twin islands just off Naxos: Ano Koufonissi (Upper Koufonissi) and Kato Koufonissi (Lower Koufonissi), which are separated by a 200-metre sea channel. Here, you could revisit the summer vibe of the good old days. The Chora of Ano Koufonissi is the only settlement on the island. Pori Beach, one of best beaches of the Cyclades, is just nearby. This long, golden sandy beach can be reached easily on foot or by taxi, where you could swim in crystal-clear turquoise waters with superb caves. There are no shadows, but only two cafes along the beach.
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To Koskino Koufonisi
Setting the ultimate standards for the island chique in Koufonisi, it also serves the best food of the island.
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Bar Sorokos
It is “the place” that characterizes the island spirit at Loutro Cove, which is a 15 minutes of walk away from the main port. During the day, you can swim and sunbath here as well.
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Fanos Seaside
A beach restaurant-bar serving simple but delicious seafood for lunch, providing sunloungers as well. It is part of Fanos Studios, which offer decent accomodation.
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Gastronautis
This restaurant serving contemporary Greek food only opens for the dinner!
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Karnagio
Although being a shabby fishermen’s restaurant just by the sea, it can attract a surprisingly high-heeled clientele at times!
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Mikres Cyclades
One of the best culinary spots of the island on a side street at the heart of Chora. A humble place that attracts clients with a rich menu.
Tinos
Just a 20-minute boat ride away from Mykonos, this “under the radar” island is famous for its craftsmanship of marble carving, which has also been included in Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Many artists were born here since the antiquity! The island is also an Orthodox pilgrimage site with its famous Church of Panagia Evangelistria, which is located in the main town of Chora. Among several villages worth visiting, Pyrgos is the number one to visit. It is perhaps the most beautiful village of Greece with its marble paved streets, marble fountains and marble doors found everywhere. Among many museums scattered around the island, Giannoulis Chalepas Museum and Tinian Artists Museum are not to be missed. For swimmimg, the remote and idyllic beach of Agia Thalassa is the best, near the village of Panormos.
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Thalassaki
A tavern ideal to have lunch by the water, at the beach of Ormos Isternia.
Ios
This island has a very nice Chora, where every house turns into a bar, fastfood place or disco, catering to the college students flowing in from all around Europe to party and have fun. So, if you are looking for a nice peaceful summer destination, you should search it elsewhere!
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Christos Taverna
Very simple but great food, served at a humble location on a superb beach!
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Grandma’s
Ideal dinner spot in Liostasi Hotel, with a fine-dining approach to local cuisine.
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Katogi
This little buzzy restaurant is perhaps the best of the island! They receive no reservations, so there is always a line in front of it.
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Salt Restaurant & Bar
A very enjoyable restaurant and bar that offers a private space for sunbathing on the Mylopotas Beach. Its dedicated owner Nikos serves fusion style dishes here and takes care of each client individually.
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Folegandros
The Chora of this small barren island lies on a cliff, offering super sunsets that could even compete with Santorini. The central town is quite cool and interesting, while the island is generally very relaxing far from the tourist crowds. Actually, the island is so remote that it has been used as an exile place since ancient times. This remoteness is an advantage today, of course! Folegandros is also famous for its wild beaches, some of which can only be reached by boat.