The cosmopolitan Island, Mykonos, Greece

The island of Mykonos, in the heart of the Cyclades, Greece.

I returned to the Mykonos of my childhood and found it a thousand times more captivating than I remembered. During those intervening decades, the Mykonians had achieved something remarkable. Almost half a century had passed, yet everything remained in perfect harmony with the island's traditional architecture.

"I didn't expect to find it like this," my friend Evita exclaimed, looking around her. "I was convinced Mykonos had lost its soul. Apparently, it hasn't."

We arrived at the harbour, where the morning was just beginning to stir. The fishing boats had returned, and a small fish market had sprung up beside the little white church with its turquoise dome, built in the eighteenth century under the patronage of Empress Catherine II, when the Aegean was briefly under Russian influence.

A donkey, laden with fruit and vegetables, made its way along one of the cobbled streets, while the first rays of the sun illuminated the opposite hillside, where whitewashed houses cascaded gracefully towards the sea.

A charming, traditional windmill in idyllic Mykonos, Cyclades, Greece.

We wandered to Little Venice for coffee. It was simply wonderful without the crowds, most of whom were still asleep. The old captains' houses stood at the water's edge, with the waves breaking almost beneath their balconies.

I found myself thinking how vulnerable the town must once have been to pirate raids. Its greatest defence was the labyrinth of narrow, cobbled alleyways, where strangers could lose themselves and never find their way back. Yet the Mykonians themselves were fearless sailors, merchants and, at times, pirates. Today they prosper in different ways, and during the winter many spend time in European resorts, perhaps to remind themselves that their own island has become one of the world's most celebrated holiday destinations.

During my stay in Mykonos, I experienced something I had always longed for but had rarely found in the Greek seas: a house by the water. Every morning I woke at sunrise, slipped into my swimsuit and climbed down to the rocks for an invigorating swim, without ever needing to search for a beach. I would dive into the crystal-clear, refreshingly cool water, completely alone.

Across the sea lay Delos, waiting quietly to receive the first light of dawn.

It was one of those rare moments of absolute peace that remain with you long after the journey has ended.

In my book GREECE, The Dance of the Seas, I share my treasured memories of summers spent in Mykonos.

Related Articles

The Cyclades, Greece: A Stormy Crossing from Mykonos to Paros
Caught in the fierce Meltemi winds, a ferry crossing across the Aegean became a powerful reminder of the sea's beauty, unpredictability and enduring strength.
Read Article

Amorgos, Greece: Discovering the Untouched Soul of the Cyclades
A journey through an island of dramatic cliffs, whitewashed villages and sapphire waters, where the authentic beauty of the Cyclades remains wonderfully unspoilt.
Read Article