Mykonos Greece

#Mykonos_Greece_Island_Winds

According to Greek mythology the island was named after Mykonos, the grandson of Apollo
 Also the area is known as The Island of Winds, hence the windmills dating back to the 16th century as the Venetians built them to mill grain

KeyTip:
 They advertise walking tours at $45.00US / Per Person
Save your money and just stroll the narrow streets yourself as you will never get lost as the area is too small 
Then find the free attractions like some of the 60 Churches in Mykonos town , Rarity Gallery, Armenistis Lighthouse, Monastery of Tourliani, Folklore Museum and the Beaches

 Mykonos Town is called Chora (Greek for Town) 

 It is small plus a maze of narrow streets

 as the rumor has it was done so to confuse the pirates when they raided this area

  They were always nearby because of the islands location in the Aegean Sea so fortifications were built during the Byzantine era to fend off the intruders

Later on after the Turks took control of the island, Greek Pirates used the area as a hideout which then fought for Greek independence

 

Mykonos has a strict color code that requires all doors and windows to be painted blue, green or red.

This dates back to the tradition where sailors painted their doors blue, farmers were green plus everyone else was red.
Also the reason why all the houses are painted white is to keep the homes cool during the hot summer

There has been many movies filmed here because of its picturesque landscapes, unique architecture plus beautiful beaches
Because of this exposure it has became popular destination for artists, celebrities and European royalty

 Some Box Office Examples
 Shirley Valentine, Bourne Identity, The Greek Tycoon, Greed and  The Kings of Mykonos

There are around 15,000 residents on the island which will increase to over 50,000 in the summer months with tourists and only 30 Taxis.

Sounds like a business opportunity 😃

Some street sketches i found and assuming its paying homage to the sea

Mykonos has a vibrant and flourishing art scene which is known for its numerous contemporary galleries, international exhibitions plus cultural events which attracts a high end cosmopolitan audience 

Throughout history Mykonos was considered a poor island because of the limited agricultural resources
.
That all changed as the rest of the world discovered the island  through exposure and soon followed the tourists
But at a price to pay as its a very expensive place to visit so before you get sticker shock

A) Beach Clubs; $150 US per chair plus a minimum spend for food or drinks
B) Fine Dining; single meal $200+
C) Designer Clothing and Jewelry; i do not want to know price 😂
D) Cocktails; will run your black Amex $45 US per drink 

Mykonos has over 800 churches but the most famous is Paraportiani  (1425-1600s to complete)
  It consists of five separate churches which are joined (four are at ground level with the fifth on top)

Over the years the church has been damaged by fires, earthquakes plus natural disasters but has survived and is one of the most photographed churches in the world 

Mykonos belongs to the Cyclades Complex which consists of 33 islands forming a circle (cyclos)
 and in the center is the sacred island of Delos

The cobblestone streets are made of rock with a crushed seashell powder which will reflect light for that "glow" look at night

The island produces water by reverse osmosis, a method that uses the sea water to create fresh aqua to supply the population and growing numbers of visitors each year

Now this process is safe to drink as its a highly effective purification method that removes up to 99% of contaminants
But ( yes there is always a but jajaja) it removes the beneficial natural minerals like calcium and magnesium
So what i am trying to say is bring your own bottled water

This area is known as Little Venice as the wealthy Venetian merchants constructed these buildings in typical Italian architecture style
But in its past this area was once a notorious pirates den and some say the buildings have secret entrances in their basements

As you can see most of Old Town is a pedestrian zone, so this is why owning a private vehicle here very limited 

Immigration

The Greek Golden Visa Program is a minimum 250,000 Euro investment in for example real estate to qualify for a five year residency permit
After seven years and a few other requirements it is possible to apply for Greek citizenship 

The waking ambassador of Mykonos is Petros (Peter) the Pelican, who roams around the narrow streets of Old Town