Mykonos Sunset Cruise with Snacks

Mykonos Town and the old harbour

Mykonos Town, known locally as Chora, is a maze of whitewashed lanes, blue doors and small chapels wrapped around a sheltered bay. The old harbour, where fishing boats still tie up beside the seafront cafés, is where the town's life has always centred. Your cruise meets in the town, so you can spend the afternoon exploring the lanes and simply walk to the boat.

As the boat leaves, you see the town from the angle the old sailors knew: the white cubes climbing the hill, the church of Paraportiani shining at the water's edge and the boats rocking in the harbour. For many visitors, a Mykonos sunset cruise is the most peaceful way to enjoy the island, away from the crowds that gather on land at dusk.

Little Venice from the water

Little Venice is the district of Alefkandra on the western edge of Mykonos Town, where eighteenth-century houses of sea captains and merchants were built directly on the shoreline, their colourful wooden balconies hanging over the waves. The name comes from this resemblance to the palaces on the canals of Venice.

On land, Little Venice gets very crowded in the evening, and finding a spot by the water can be difficult. From the boat you have the full view of the façades lit by the setting sun, with the waves splashing below the balconies, a classic picture of the Cyclades. Is a Little Venice sunset worth it? From the sea, without the crowds, it truly is.

The windmills of Mykonos

On the low hill just south of Little Venice stand the windmills of Kato Mili, the symbol of the island. Built from the sixteenth century onwards, they ground wheat and barley brought by ships, using the strong north winds that blow across the Cyclades. Their round white towers and thatched roofs are some of the most photographed sights in Greece.

From the boat the windmills appear in a line along the ridge, perfectly framed against the sky. The captain slows down so you can take photos of the windmills and Little Venice together, a view that is impossible to get from land. The best time to see them is late in the day, when the light turns warm and soft.

Sunset at anchor in the Aegean

The cruise continues along the west coast and drops anchor in open water facing the horizon, where the sun sets behind the neighbouring islands. This is the moment to relax on deck with snacks and soft drinks, watch the sky change colour and enjoy the calm of the sea. The cruise runs from mid-April to mid-October, and the best time for a sunset cruise in Mykonos is May, June and September, when the evenings are warm and clear.

The west coast is exposed to the meltemi, the strong summer north wind, so in July and August the sea can be lively; the captain picks the most comfortable route, and on very windy days the cruise may be rescheduled. After sunset the boat returns to Mykonos Town as the lights come on along the shore.