If you are visiting Mykonos Cruise Port on a cruise any time soon and haven’t booked a tour, then these tips may help you decide what to do in Mykonos from a cruise ship.
Mykonos is a small but cosmopolitan Island. If you want to head into port for a wander, there are some beautiful sights and viewpoints you can’t miss.
We don’t always plan our excursions. Favouring doing what takes our fancy when we arrive at a port! But Mykonos was definitely one of my favourite cruise ports our our recent cruise on Odyssey of the Seas.
What To Visit In Mykonos Port
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Mykonos town, otherwise known as Chora sits around a stunning bay overlooking the sea. Some cruise ships dock by tender and others dock in the old port. However it is so easy to get to the New Port by the SeaBus from the old port. Dont forget to grab a map in port, these were being handed out free when we disembarked. But as a quick overview heres what you need to see in Mykonos on Port Day.
- Wander The Winding Streets Of Mykonos Town (Chora)
- Visit The Windmills
- Check Out Little Venice
- Get The Sea Bus For Views Of Mykonos From The Sea
- Check The Shops For Local Crafts And Gifts
- Check Out The Churches In Mykonos
- Take A Walk Around The Bay Of The Old Port
- Find A Beach
Where do Cruise Ships Dock in Mykonos?
Cruise ships typically dock in the Old Port Mykonos which is the main Mykonos port for cruise ships (also known as the Tourlos Port) smaller ships may dock New Port in Mykonos The choice of port may depend on the size of the ship and availability, but both ports can accommodate cruise ships. We anchored in port during our trip to Mykonos, however ships do also tender. There were two tendering on the day we were docked.
Mykonos is Walkable From Mykonos Cruise Terminal?
Yes, it is possible to walk and do Mykonos on your own from the cruise ship, but expect a 45 minutes walk, the more pleasant to hop on the sea bus and take in the views of the bay.
How To Get From Mykonos Cruise Port to Town, The New Port to the Old Port
The Mykonos SeaBus operates a regular service from the New Port (Tourlos) to the old port of Mykonos Town (Chora). As you get off the ship in the old port the Mykonos SeaBus will have a sign at end of the pier.
The SeaBus takes around 8 minutes, costs €2 per person each way and the services operates continually around the bay. Thus the wait is not usually very long, I think we waited 15 minutes for our return trip. But the wait can be up to 30 minutes between boats, however that is only if you only just miss one.
Tickets can be purchased as you board and they only accept cash, make sure you have Euro with you. The WaterBus has two drop off points, one on one side of the bay and one in the old port Mykonos right near little Venice. We got off at the second drop off, but wandered around to the first drop off for our return journey.
In hindsight this was a bad idea. The SeaBus picks up at little Venice first for the return journey so it was really busy. If you want to visit the other side of the bay, which has lots of shops and cafe’s, get off here first and walk round the bay.
Walk From Mykonos Cruise Port to Little Venice
Little Venice is a glorious area with blue and white winding streets and alleyways. To get to Little Venice from Mykonos new port, go right as you get off the second stop of the SeaBus; this will take you into the winding streets. Head towards the sea, and it will take you to a row of cafes and restaurants overlooking the sea.
We did stop and have a drink and snack, however had heard bad reports about people being overcharged. Thankfully, our experience was good. Yes, it is expensive, but it was nice to enjoy drinks in the hustle and bustle, with the sea lapping against the rocks and a sea breeze. My advice would be to ask for a menu with prices before you order any food or drinks.
Wander The Winding Streets Of Mykonos
From here check all the beautiful winding streets, there were 3 cruise ships in port in during our visit. However thankfully although busy, Mykonos was not overcrowded. We do tend to avoid busy streets, this in my opinion is the best strategy as you get to see a little of the real island, the pretty rustic streets and gorgeous sea views.
As you can see from the above photo we were able to avoid huge crowds. We simply went in the opposite direction to everyone else. You will find many gift shops with locally made gifts on the main street. It’s hard not to stop and buy souvenirs. But then head out to find the quieter streets and pretty views.
Visit The Windmills
The windmills used to be a huge part of the Islands economy and used for many centuries to grind wheat and barley into flour. Now there are six remaining on the hill overlooking Little Venice and an important part of local tourism and I can see why, its a stunning location and the breeze when you get there is very welcome on a hot day.
You Walk To The Windmills in Mykonos From The Cruise Port
We walked to the windmills, they are past little Venice, keep walking away from the bay along the coast and you can see them in the distance. Its a 5-10 minutes walk and worth it for the glorious views.
Check Out The Churches In Mykonos
You will note that many, if not all, of the churches are named, starting with Agios, Agia (Agia is the feminine term), which means saintly or saint.
There are more than1000 churches on the Island, many private churches for families who want to worship alone. However we managed to see only 5, I feel we need to return to find more.
Churches To Check Out In Mykonos Cruise Port
- Agios Charalambos, behind the windmills, this is not one to miss and has the perfect viewpoint over the Aegean Sea.
- Agios Nikolakis (ST. Nicholas) this tiny church can be found in the old port overlooking the bay.
- Agia Eleni Church in Mykonos Town
- Metropolitan Church, in Mykonos Town, otherwise known as the “The Megali Panagia” is one of the main churches on the Island, make sure you visit as its simply beautiful.
Get From Mykonos Cruise Port To Beach Locations
There is a small man made beach at the far side of the bay of Mykonos old port. However if you head up to the Windmills, you will find small beach coves just past the windmills which are a little quieter.
There are also lots of pebbled, rocky areas that are quieter, and perfect spots to sunbathe and take in the views.
What Is The Currency In Mykonos
The currency is Euro many shops and bars we visited also took debit and credit card.
What Is The Weather In Mykonos
The best time to visit Mykonos is from the end of April through to October. The winter is remarkably cooler. However, this is a great time to visit it if you want to explore and do not like it too hot. Check out Weather.Com for more info.
| Temp | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| °C | 9 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 10 |
| °F | 48 | 48 | 54 | 59 | 66 | 73 | 79 | 77 | 73 | 66 | 57 | 50 |
Will Mykonos Cruise Dissapoint?
No, It is breathtaking; while we didn’t spend the full day on the Island, we found time to walk across to Agios Charalambos. The church is a 5-10 minute walk past the Windmills overlooking the sea and stunning views. Thus, it was so worth the walk, especially as we went in the opposite direction of the crowds.
If you find yourself on any cruises to Mykonos, take the time to check out the views, pretty shops, bars, windmills and winding streets. If we visited again, we would do a local tour; this little Island has many stories to tell.
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