My husband and I will be cruising to Mykonos mid October and spending the day there. Our plan is to explore the Town of Mykonos (Hora,) go to the beach and then have a traditional fish dinner before heading back to the ship.

We are interested in the beaches to the south of the island...Do some beaches have better facilities than others? Food, bathrooms? Can you rent chairs, unbrellas?

And what is the best way to get to the beaches- we are thinking by taxi - but is it difficult to get a taxi back?

Any recommendations for seafood in the town?

thanks again...will post under cruises but thought I could get some great answers here too

Thank you

Mykonos Town is fun to wander around - check out Little Venice, the windmills, and try to get off of the main "streets" to head to the quiet back alleys and lanes of Mykonos Town. Not sure what time you arrive on your cruise ship, but you will have a full day hitting the beach, wandering around town and having dinner - it is definitely doable though...

I went to Platos Gialos, Agios Ioannis, Ornos, Paradise and Paraga beaches when I was in Mykonos. I took the bus to each of these beaches and it is VERY easy to do so by catching the buses in town. The bus schedule is probably a bit less frequent in October I would imagine...

I don't remember which beaches are on the South side of the island. I know I wanted to go to Elia, but the schedules to get there were very limited when I went and I didn't want to take a cab. They also have little boats that can take you from one beach to another, but again, not sure what that will be like in October...

You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas on each of the beaches. They were typically around 10E. Most beaches have many restaurants, cafes, etc. where you can get some food, drinks and use their facilities if needed.

As for a seafood restaurant, we really enjoyed a place called Kounelas. The fish is VERY fresh there and reasonable. They grill the fish in a coal oven built into the wall out on a little windy lane. When you order, you go into a room right outside the kitchen and they tell you what is fresh, pull open steel refrigerated drawers to show you their seafood and you can pick your own fish, octopus, prawns, etc. It was definitely one of my favorite meals in all of Greece and definitely worth a visit...

Enjoy Mykonos. I hope you are also visiting Santorini which is absolutely gorgeous and definitely my favorite island of the ones I visited. Have fun!!

You can get a taxi in Mykonos but be wary....when I was there in early June there were often very long queues. I found it ok to take the taxi in the early am to the beach, but always ended up taking the bus back.

I like more quiet Kalafatis beach - I don't remember a restaurant... you can rent beach chairs anywhere. Paradise, Super Paradise...there are lots of very popular beaches with restaurants.

Check out the English language bus schedule when you get to Mykonos - buses to the beaches were frequent so it shouldn't be too hard to figure out provided you have time.

Naxos

Hi

I would hire a car. October is starting to be low season. Rates are cheap. You'll see much more of the island. Bit chilly for swimming but still plenty to do. Wander the alleys of Chora - getting lost is part of the fun

October will be a nice time to visit Mykonos. Early in the month weather is warm, and sea temperatures still near summer peaks. Later in the month will still be pleasant.

If you don't want the hassle of car rental, walk up to the bus station (just a little square, really) and take the bus to one of the beaches. All have chairs and umbrellas, and there are beach bars and tavernas where you can buy a drink and use their facilities.

I'm not an expert on Mykonos Town restaurants, but there are many choices in all price ranges. I had a good, reasonably priced fish dinner at Marco Polo Taverna in the Laka area (near the bus station).

One more question ... is little venice part of the town of mykonos?

Thanks to all for your helpful replies!!

Finally one Fodorite who appreciates Marco Polo.
G

Gaspard, maybe it was the free extra half-litre of wine and mastic ouzo at the end of the meal. The fish was good too. ;-)

Sashie, yes Little Venice is part of the town