Mykonos from the water!
Pack your windsurf gear! The WKNDTRP app adds a brand new city guide to its stylish collection of the world’s best weekend destinations - Mykonos. As the app expands into so many new and exciting places that we want you to visit and explore, we hope you are enjoying our travel suggestions and app features and hopefully inspiring you to travel more outside your comfort zone. Our new travel guide celebrates yet another party spot where the best nightlife, cuisine, sightseeing and hyped summer blowouts can happen especially in the peak season July. There’s also the beach clubs, private villas and boutique hotels that are just top-class and unmatched, you’ll see. Mykonos, also called Chora or Hora is actually the largest, busiest and most famous out of all the Greek islands out there and the story of the island is just as fascinating. According to Greek mythology, the island was rumored to have been formed from the petrified bodies of giants killed by Hercules. The island’s unique name is said to take after Apollo’s grandson. It is also a photographer’s paradise and why so many bloggers flock here for that perfect Instagram-worthy holiday pic! Celebrities included - Nina Dobrev we see you! A short walk through Mykonos and you’re bound to come across the exquisite Cycladic architecture - it is very hard to miss as every house, cottage and shop is marked by those idyllic whitewashed walls, bushes of bougainvillea peeking out through cracks in the open windows and of course the bright sunny doors and banisters painted in various shades of blue from prussian to aquamarine.
Speaking of aqua, while the island is so popular for its one-of-a-kind bohemian fashion in colorful shops lining the quaint stone paved alleys and delicious Michelin-starred cuisine both Greek and seafood served in extremely generous portions by the seaside promenade with a view of the famous windmills, we need to talk about the crazy amount of watersports Mykonos boasts for travelers and adventurers. The sapphire crystalline waters of the Aegean Sea and soft golden sands create that perfect setting for watersport activities and we haven’t even started on the picture perfect weather conditions! Travelers visit from all parts of the world to try out wakeboarding, flyboarding, parasailing, water skiing, jet skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, kite surfing and much much more. But a water activity close to the hearts of aqua lovers and Mykonos fans will have to be windsurfing. In fact it comes as no surprise that Mykonos is nicknamed Island of the Winds. The northern Meltemi winds blow in the Cyclades and helps the island cool off during the hot sweltering summer months dropping temperatures to that sweet spot which is perfect for surfing the winds!! If windsurfing in Mykonos is on your bucket list then read on!!
Surfing locations in Mykonos
Okay so if its one spot that is world famous for windsurfing in Mykonos it’s go to be Kalafati Beach which is on the southeast of the island and which also happens to have the only professional windsurf centre - Pezi Huber. The beach is pretty spectacular with its crystal clear waters and soft sandy beaches and that exceptional strong cool breeze that blows over the surface of the water all day and all night from side-offshore and speeds up after bouncing off a small hilltop. If you’re planning to sail, small sails are probably best. Pezi Huber’s launch site has a small wind shadow where beginners can practice their moves before really heading to the waters and giving it a go. In terms of the surfing, it’s all freeride and freestyle over here and somewhere downwind of the centre the wind grows steadier and the water gets rougher providing perfect conditions to try a windsurfing jump! Pezi Huber centre packs a killer set of windsurf boards from Tabou and Fanatic, about a 100, and also 140 sails with almost half bought brand new from Gaastra. Tip: Remember to watch out for the “sleeping man” - small rocks which jut out of the water and could injure you. During the summer months, buoys are placed to mark the site so that surfers don’t have any accidents.
Other cool windsurf spots in Mykonos
Apart from Kalafati, there’s also Ftelia Bay where surfers take their equipment and head to once the winds start getting stronger and stronger. Even though Ftelia Bay doesn’t have its own windsurf centre, it has a perfect spot for launching! There’s a cool freeride spot in lighter winds and you’ll find what is considered some of the most steady winds to surf through in Greece. It also has the advantage of keeping that “natural” untouched-by-humans vibe with the greenery all around and also a beach club and restaurant, Ftelia Beach Club, a short distance away. Other surf spots include Kalo Livadi, a good spot for light winds coming from the South as they do in the winter and spring, although the winds are more up and down here than Kalafati or Ftelia. Korfos is also pretty cool with its own kite centre with sail repair, flat water, and bump and jump conditions. Korfos would be a good spot for beginners because its sailing entrance is sandy and flat, easy for breaking in the sails, and who can forget the hip and stylish Ornos Beach within walking distance? Overall June to September, when the Meltemi wind is blowing, is a good time to crash any of these Mykonos windsurfing spots so get your plane tickets ready and start planning this water adventure out right away. You could be here on the board very soon!
Getting ready to wind-surf
How do you get there? Chill. Mykonos International Airport has flights from all over Europe and even ferries leaving from Athens every single day, including the off-season.
Be warned that if you come to Mykonos during the off-season, it’s best to go with the flow and if you’re super unlucky with the winds, you sometimes need to gather your surfboard and sails and move to a better spot to chase the winds.
What do you wear? First-timers will get loads of information and advice from locals surfing up a storm there and if you’ve booked time at a surf centre, whether its kitesurfing or windsurfing, you’ll be in good hands and the experts there will give you a full rundown on what to do. However, most will tell you this. During the wintertime a go with a 4mm wetsuit. Board shorts or a shorty wetsuit will work best during the summer.
Nearby eats & shopping post-surfing
After all that surfing, you would have worked up an appetite. When I think of Mykonos food, there’s so many types of cuisine to choose from so your palate will never be bored for too long. Everything is honestly really great and delicious. There’s of course the world cuisine - fusion cuisine of all kinds, and then the incredibly signature Mediterranean and Greek food that’s just out of this world!
We’ve made a list of some of our favorites to eat at & a couple of cool shopping spots to hit up when in Mykonos.
Restaurants: Niko's Tavern · Leonidas · Eva's Garden · Pasta Fresca Barkia · Interni · Salparo. Buddha Bar.
Shops: Bazaar at Scorpios · Dew · Luisa at Nammos · Amnesia · Jardin · FreeShop · Rarity · Liontis.