I’ve been going to Mykonos for 30 years – here’s how to do the Greek island on a budget

PARTY isle Mykonos has always been sprinkled with more than a touch of glamour.

In the Fifties and Sixties, it was frequented by movie stars such as Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot as well as former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who lends her name to riotous nightclub Jackie O’.

ShutterstockHere are the tips and tricks to keeping costs low on your next trip to Mykonos[/caption]

SuppliedLaura Millar visited the island when she was in her 20s[/caption]

In recent years, it has played host to Beyonce and the odd Kardashian or two.

In 2023, George Clooney, Matt Damon and the Hemsworth brothers visited too.

I first discovered it 30 years ago, on a summer holiday as a hard-up student, and fell for its beautiful beaches, fantastic restaurants and enchanting maze of narrow lanes of main town Chora.

While there are some affordable souvenir shops, cafes and bakeries, you will also find designer stores, Champagne bars and bouji beach clubs.

I couldn’t afford those then, and let’s be honest, I still can’t.

So here’s my guide to enjoying Mykonos on a budget . . . 

FUN (ALMOST) FREEBIES

A POPULAR pastime in Chora is playing Spot The Pelican.

Pelican Petros, the island’s unofficial mascot, became famous in the 1950s, when legend has it a fisherman came across a wounded bird and nursed it back to health.

When he died some years later, Jackie Onassis donated a new pelican to the island.

Today, nobody is sure exactly how many Petroses there have been, but this one likes to wander around near Little Venice, where bars and houses sit on stilts that stretch into the sea.

Another must is to enjoy the island’s spectacular sunsets.

Bring a bottle to the small square opposite the five windmills — remnants of Mykonos’s former wheat-grinding industry — which sit above Little Venice, and watch the sun sink into the sea, turning the sky orange, scarlet and purple.

If you prefer to do this with a cocktail in hand, get to one of the waterfont bars, such as Caprice, Rhapsody or Katerina’s, early to bag a ringside seat.

BEACH LIFE

MOST of the popular beaches are on the island’s south coast.

If you want to avoid sun-lounger fees, invest in your own parasol at one of the beach boutiques and lay your towel on the sand.

Paradise, a glorious stretch of pebbly sand, tends to attract a younger crowd who like to dance to the music from the main bar.

Super Paradise, further east, was known as the island’s first dedicated gay beach.

Today it’s more mixed and attracts a party crowd.

Jackie O’ beach club is here.

More family-friendly is Ornos, which fringes a former fishing village of the same name.

It has a sheltered bay perfect for swimming, while pretty Paraga is more compact and laid-back and attracts boats which like to anchor in its calm, clear waters.

The “Shirley Valentine” beach is chilled Agios Ioannis, where, in the 1989 film, the fed-up Liverpudlian housewife found love, or lust, with a thickly-moustached taverna owner.

That taverna is now called Hippie Fish, where you’ll find upmarket cuisine.

CHEAP EATS

YES, there are some pricey places to eat, but if you stick to simple, bistro-style restaurants, you won’t go far wrong.

Some of my favourites include Nikos Taverna near the Old Port.

Try tzatziki, moussaka and grilled sardines — and a litre of house wine costs under £7.

At Rouvera, on the waterfront, you can sample tasty pastas, grilled fish and meat dishes while overlooking the harbour.

A popular snack spot in the centre of Chora is Leonidas, which serves mouthwatering chicken gyros, wrapped in the softest, fluffiest pitta bread, for £4.

Cafe Paraga, on Paraga beach, does good club sarnies, Greek salads and milkshakes.

BARGAIN BEDS

MYKONOS’S summer season runs until the end of October, but the peak is from around mid-July to the end of August.

For hotels, I recommend the affordable, newly-opened Yi, a 20-minute walk from Elia beach.

SuppliedLaura has been visiting Mykonos over the last thirty years[/caption]

GettyEnjoy a game of spot the pelican in Chora[/caption]

This chic building has 41 cool, earthen-toned rooms, some of which feature a plunge pool.

Most have sea views.

The heart of the action is the 40m long pool (one of the longest on the island).

There’s also a small gym and spa, bar and restaurant.

For friends, the Mycocoon Hostel promises Scandi chic akin to a boutique hotel with dorm beds from £30 a night.

TRAVEL & TIPS

OUTSIDE of peak season, April is the cheapest time of year to fly to the island.

And according to skyscanner.net, the cheapest time to book is around 40 days in advance.

Most beaches are served by buses from Fabrika bus station at the edge of Chora.

Buy your ticket before boarding and be warned that, at busy times, you may not get a seat.

Check the timetables at mykonosbus.com.

When you do reach your desired beach, you’ll find rows of sun-loungers.

On average you’ll pay around £21 per day.

PUSH THE BOAT OUT

TURKISH-butcher-turned-restaurateur Salt Bae has washed up on Mykonos’s shores.

So you can try his signature gold leaf-covered steaks and truffled fries.

Lio Mykonos, which started in Ibiza by club group Pacha, offers a stylish, if racy, cabaret show and dinner.

Minimum spend is £215 per person, and the open-air venue turns into a funky club afterwards.

Nammos beach club on Psarou beach is aimed at those who like their bottles of champagne adorned with sparklers.

It is the place to go for the best chance of spotting an A-lister.

ShutterstockWander the shops and bars of downtown Mykonos[/caption]

ShutterstockThe famous bay at Mykonos town is where tourists go to have a drink or a bite to eat while enjoying the view[/caption]

GettyLittle Venice is one of the most breathtaking sights on the island[/caption]

AlamyThe ‘Shirley Valentine’ beach is in Agios Ioannis[/caption]

ShutterstockMake sure to tuck into some traditional gyros[/caption]