1 Day in Mykonos: The Perfect Mykonos Itinerary

Are you looking for the best way to spend 1 day in Mykonos? This is the ideal itinerary for a day trip on this iconic Greek island!

Okay, full disclaimer: I didn’t think I would love Mykonos as much as I did! The island always had over-hyped vibes to me and the only reason I booked tickets was because I found pretty cheap flights and cannot resist a good deal!

We ended up spending a fantastic long weekend on the island and genuinely had the best time. As well as seeing all of the iconic sights of Mykonos, we also saw lots of people who were island hopping in Greece. 

Many were spending just a day – or sometimes even 12 hours for the cruise ship guests – in Mykonos. So, if that’s you, then this is your guide!

I’ve included all of the top things that we saw over our 4 days on the island and compiled them into the perfect day itinerary. So, if you’re only spending 1 day in Mykonos, here’s exactly how you should spend your time. 

9:00 – Start at the Mykonos Windmills

I thought it made much more sense to start on the outskirts of the old town and make our way into the centre. But, of course, this does depend on where you’re staying in Mykonos. If you’re based in Little Venice for example, you’ll have to go out to come back in. 

But…for the sake of this itinerary, let’s assume you’re staying just outside of Mykonos Old Town. 

The windmills are one of the island’s most iconic attractions. They’re beautiful and definitely worth a visit. If you aim to get here early, then you may even have the place completely to yourself, but this place gets pretty busy towards midday. 

You can’t go inside the windmills, so this stop is purely to look at them – and probably snap a million photos! The views over the ocean and over Little Venice are very impressive. 

Top Tip: It is VERY windy here! So, be careful walking around. 

9:45 – Walk to Little Venice

This is another of the most picturesque spots in Mykonos. It’s located just down the hill from the windmills and you can get there in around 5 minutes. You’ll walk past a small pebbly beach on the oceanfront and several small shops and stalls selling trinkets to tourists. 

Have a wander around and you’ll find lots of cocktail bars, colourful houses, and locals setting up tables for later. 

This is one of the most popular places to get a drink in Mykonos, although also one of the most expensive. Don’t get a drink here if you’re visiting Mykonos on a budget!

Another benefit of visiting this spot so early is that you won’t have to deal with as many of the crowds as you will later on in the day. But at the same time, you may want to come back here later as the sunset from this spot is stunning.

10:30 – Visit the Church of Panagia Paraportiani

Another few minutes walk away from Little Venice and you’ll find the most impressive church in Mykonos. This is another must-see during 1 day in Mykonos and the structure has a strangely peaceful feel to it. 

Perched on the waterfront, the church is entirely whitewashed. It was completed in the 17th century and is located next to the former castle’s entrance gates, although there’s not really much to see of this castle anymore as it’s just a ruin. 

It’s one of the most photographed churches in Greece and its asymmetrical shape and smooth design are different to any church I’ve ever seen. 

You can also climb down a small path from the church onto a rocky outcrop where you can see the windmills from afar. It’s a beautiful view.

Top Tip: If you’re spending longer than a day in Mykonos and want to visit Delos, you can get the boat from just around the corner from this church.

11:00 – Explore Chora

Once you’ve snapped plenty of pictures of the impressive church, carry on into Mykonos Old Town. Also known as Chora, this is the heart of Mykonos and a great place to see local life and experience the bustling vibe of Mykonos. 

You could easily spend an hour strolling the streets and get lost down the cobblestones and whitewashed alleyways. You’ll find trinkets, clothing stores, lots of restaurants, houses, and so much more. We also saw plenty of cute cats which were adorable!

12:00 – Eat Gyros

Next, it’s time to do one of my favourite things to do in all of Greece – eat! Greek food is just divine! It’s honestly so delicious, and if you only have a day in Mykonos, don’t skip eating a delicious gyro.

There’s a little place in the old town called Leonidas that we stopped at which was absolutely delicious. The smell wafting out from the shop was mouthwatering, and there was a queue stretching down the street! It was lunchtime after all.

I highly recommend this place. It was fairly affordable too – we paid 13 euros for two chicken gyros pittas and drinks.

13:00 – Walk around the Old Port

After your delicious Gyros, go for a stroll around the old port of Mykonos. You’ll find fantastic ocean views here, along with great restaurants, and more shops and stalls selling souvenirs. If you didn’t grab a drink with your gyros, this is a great place to snag a bottle of something. 

You can also get guided tours to the archaeological site of Delos from here. Unless you’re really interested in history, I don’t recommend doing this if you only have 1 day in Mykonos. However, if you have longer, this is worth seeing. 

For this itinerary, just go for a casual stroll around the water’s edge, taking in the views.

13:45 – Walk to Boni’s Windmill

From the old port, it’s just a short 10-minute walk (although it feels longer as a lot of it is uphill), to Boni’s Windmill. This is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Mykonos if you love a viewpoint. 

It’s also fantastic for sunsets and we came back at the end of our second day to watch the sunset from above the island. The panoramic views of the Aegean were stunning. However, there are so many good sunset spots in Mykonos and I have a great one planned for you on this itinerary!

Boni’s Windmill is one of the many iconic windmills that are dotted around the island, however, this one you can actually go inside. 

It’s part of the Folklore Museum, so you have to pay a small fee of a couple of euros to enter. However, you can climb into the windmill, see the mechanism, and learn a little about the history. 

Top Tip: The opening hours from this place can be random. When we were there, they closed it for most of the afternoon and then reopened at sunset.

15:00 – Sunbathe on Paralia Megali Ammos

Once you’ve admired the views from Boni’s Windmill, head back into Mykonos Town and continue on to one of the top beaches in Mykonos and the closest beach to the Old Town.

Paralia Megali Ammos is located just a 15-minute walk from the windmill. But take it slow, make a few detours, and the last section of the walk has pretty nice ocean views. 

Once you get to the beach, you can spend your time relaxing on the sand, grab a sun bed, and sip your drink (one of the reasons I recommended buying one earlier!). 

Top Tip: The sunbeds are only available here at certain times of the year. They usually remove them after peak season. 

17:30 – Grab Dinner with a View

Can you spend a day in Mykonos and not visit one of the famous sunset spots on the island? This is definitely one of the most expensive things to do in Mykonos – the sunset restaurants aren’t cheap! However, the views are some of the best in Greece, so it’s worth it. 

A few of the top restaurants to visit in Mykonos for that sunset dinner are:

• Katerina’s Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
• Noa Greek Restaurant
• 180 Sunset Bar
• Kastro’s Restaurant

These are some of the top places to eat in Mykonos town and will give you stunning views.

Top Tip: You may need to look at booking some of these in advance as they can get very busy.

19:30 – Have a Sunset Drink at the Famous Cocktail Bars

You know I promised you an incredible sunset? Well, after dinner, head to one of Mykonos’s glorious sunset bars. 

If you decide to eat at 180 Sunset Bar, then I recommend staying there as the views from that rooftop are magnificent. However, here are a few of the other bars that are well worth a visit in Mykonos:

• Negrita (one of the most iconic and Instagrammable spots in Mykonos)
• Blu Blu Cafe
• 54 Cocktail Lounge & Skybar
• The Garden (this place is stunning)
• Galleraki Cocktail Bar

There are plenty more sunset bars in Mykonos, but those are my favourites! Mykonos has some of the best sunsets in all of the Greek islands, so watching the sun go down is the perfect way to end your day on this gorgeous island.

FAQs for spending a day in Mykonos, Greece

Still have questions about visiting this beautiful island? Hopefully, I can answer them below

What are the must-see attractions in Mykonos for a one-day visit?

If you only have one day in Mykonos, I highly recommend visiting Little Venice, the Windmills of Mykonos, Panagia Paraportiani, and Mykonos Old Town.

How can I get around Mykonos in one day?

As you’ll be spending most of your time in Mykonos Old Town, it’s easy to get around on foot. However, the buses are affordable and reliable too, if you fancy going slightly further afield.

Is it possible to visit Delos and still have time to explore Mykonos in one day?

You could do it, but you might end up being quite rushed. The ferries run at 9:00, 10:00, 11:30, and 17:00, so if you got the 9am ferry to Delos, you could be back by about 1pm and walk around the town in the afternoon.

But you might not have time to see everything on this list and it would feel like much more of a rushed day. I recommend spending at least 2 days in Mykonos if you want to do a day trip to Delos.