Mykonos Island was never on our to do list but during our September 2025 trip we had one day of exploring what the island has to offer. What brought us to the Island was our bucket list item of visiting the uninhabited Sacred Island of Delos. The best way to access Delos Island was via Mykonos, so Mykonos it was! We booked an extra day here to check out some of the Island.

Mykonos Island is quite charming and after exploring quite a bit of the island, it is more rural than we expected. Of course you have the famous Mykonos Chora, which although charming, became more crowded than we like by noon. You also have the famous clubs and beaches which we gave a pass to. Instead, after exploring the Chora, we spent the rest of our day on Mykonos Island enjoying a couple of places off the beaten path.

We explored on our own, but if you prefer a tour to some of these spots, Viator has a 5 hour tour that visits some of these places and more. Click here to view their tours.

Mykonos Old Port

We headed for Mykonos Old Port directly after breakfast. We were advised this was the best place to park if we wanted to see Mykonos Town. It worked very well. We had no problem finding a parking spot, although it was early, and the walk along the port to the town was lovely.

Mykonos Town

Mykonos Town was fantastic and one of the prettiest Greek Island towns which I thoroughly enjoyed exploring. We arrived there early and enjoyed roaming through the charming blue and white town. The narrow streets alone were lovely with the cobblestones outlined with white paint throughout the town. We did a bit more shopping than we had planned but it was so much fun. The town was filled with unique stores of all kinds and we were able to find some very unique pieces to take home with us.

Anapolo

We found this shop a bit of fun as we shopped for coffee mugs and a Christmas ornament. Lots of unique and interesting items here!

Sokaki

This store really caught our attention to the local art. We purchased a unique wall art piece by a local artist and enjoyed chatting with the shopkeeper. It looks great in our home! If you are in Mykonos, give this shop a visit!

Little Venice

Ah, Little Venice, the perfect spot for a photo or two of the quaint Venetian buildings painted white with colorful trim and balconies. Watching and hearing the waves lap up on the shore, almost touching the doorways, was mesmerizing.

Little Venice was also the perfect spot for some mid morning coffees. We enjoyed slowly sipping our Greek Coffees while being enchanted by this amazing place. There were not many people around at this time, other than a few other coffee drinkers, so we could just sit by the sea, watch the waves, and take it all in. Truly a coffee break I will never forget.

The Windmills

The iconic Mykonos Windmills make for a picturesque site. These seven white stone windmills with wooden and thatched roof, situated on a hill and overlooking Little Venice, contrast perfectly with the blue Aegean Sea. The windmills face north to capture the strongest wind. Known as the Kato Mili (High Mills), most of these windmills were built in the 16th century to grind wheat and barley. They produced flour both for island use and also for trade. At one time at least 16 windmills graced this area.

Beach Time

As the Chora became more crowded, the day became much hotter and so we left shortly after noon to check out a couple of beaches. We prefer exploring undeveloped, less crowded beaches so we headed north on Mykonos Island to Merichias Beach. This practically deserted beach was just what we were looking for, unfortunately, it was too rough and windy for us to swim. Nevertheless, we cooled off wading along the shore as the waves slapped up upon us. Swimming would have to wait until another day.

Ano Mera

Our next stop was the quiet village of Ano Mera. Although not as much of a tourist attraction as Mykonos Town, Ano Mera had its own charm and vibe.

Armenistis Lighthouse

It is a bit of a nail biter drive to the Mykonos Light House. The road is very narrow and steep. When another car approaches, you have to determine if you can move over or if the other car can to pass each other. Some times, the only option is for one car to back down the road or one car back up the road until there is a safe spot to pull over and someone can pass. Luckily, there were not that many cars on the road.

Located on Cape Armenistis, this lighthouse sits strategically high above the sea. Built in 1891 it is 19 meters tall (62.3 feet) and is still fully operational. The views from around the lighthouse are fantastic. It was very windy when we were here so we didn’t stay long but still enjoyed the scenery. You can not go in the lighthouse, but you can walk around the lighthouse base.

Dinner Time

After returning to our hotel and swimming a bit at the pool, we headed out for dinner. We were not very adventurous in Mykonos as we dined at the same taverna each night we were here. After eating at Mortissa Taverna our first night we didn’t think we could find anything better so we ate here all three nights. They say to go where the locals eat, well, we felt we were the only non-Greeks here so I guess we did well! The food and service were both absolutely fantastic. If we ever return to Mykonos, I would dine here again!

Where We Stayed

We stayed at Sunset Hills Suites. This location is north of the airport but we had good views of the island and sea. Surprisingly we did not hear the airplanes, we occasionally would see them but we did not hear them. This boutique hotel was quiet and serene. The infinity pool is a nice size and there are plenty of lounge chairs around it. Our room was comfortable. Mina and her staff were very friendly and Mina made sure we had everything we needed. Plus she had many great tips and ideas for the Island. Breakfast was very good.

Conclusion

All in all, we only had one full day exploring Mykonos Island. Unfortunately, the first afternoon our flight from Athens was running quite late, and our last day we visited Delos Island so that just let us this day for exploring Mykonos. Personally, I felt one full day was enough, and we explored every place we had wanted to. We did not see the Pelican though!

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You can check out my other posts from our 2025 trip to Greece and also previous years Itineraries by following these links!

Delos Island-A Comprehensive Self Guided TourSelf Guided tour to Delos Island, Sept 2025

Navigating to the Plakias Tunnels; Crete, Greece

Sometimes the wonderful sites are easy to find, yet somehow we make it difficult. This proved to be true during our 2025 trip to Greece in our aim to discover the old Plakias Tunnels at Plakias Crete.

Location

The Plakias Tunnels are located on the eastern side of Plakias Bay by the town of Plakias in southeastern Crete. Located in the Rethymno Prefecture, It is about 90 km (56 miles) south of Chania and 35 km (22 miles) south of Rethymno. Although you will have to park near the beach and walk to the tunnels, it is just under a 1.5 km (less than a mile) walk from the beach.

History

The Plakias Tunnels of Crete, also known as Paligremnos Tunnels, as they are carved into the Paligremnos Cliffs near Plakias. The tunnels were originally built to transport coal via a narrow gauge rail from a mine inland to the coast for shipping. Plakias Bay was too shallow for boats to pick up the coal so the tunnels bypassed the bay by cutting through the rocks to reach deeper water on the other side.

These tunnels have also been referred to as the German Tunnels. This is due to the fact that during the WWII Nazi Occupation, the German military took control of these tunnels. The soldiers enlarged the tunnels and added an additional opening in which to hide a secret submarine supply base.

Today, the tunnels are no longer in use other than for tourists, like ourselves, who are curious and want to check them out. It is important to note though, bring a flashlight or headlamp and go slowly. The tunnels are dark, and one ends without warning which can be quite dangerous.

The Wrong Path, Thanks A Lot Google Maps

The Plakias tunnel are easy to find, unless you follow Google Maps. Once again, we blindly trusted Google Maps. We drove outside of Plakias, around the hill, and back up the hill to an empty lot like area. All in all, it seemed feasible to be a parking lot to us. Kind of odd though, there were a couple of old boats up here, high above the sea!

We followed the Map and immediately saw a path. Google showed we could just walk around this cliff and basically back to Plakias. It didn’t take long for us to find ourselves on a tough trail with narrow drop offs. Once again , we were questioning our decision making skills.

After making it around a tight corner, with a steep drop off, and loose rock, we continued to climb upward. Fortunately, we met a couple hiking towards us. We asked about the tunnels. Luckily they knew the area well. They informed us this trail does lead to Plakias but then we would have to back track a bit for the tunnels. Ultimately, the best way to get to the tunnels was from the end of the Plakias Beach. and follow the path. We were very thankful, turned around and carefully mountain goated our way back to the car.

Hiking Trail to Plakais Tunnels

Once at the far end of the beach, we easily found the clearly marked trail. It was a nicely packed easy dirt trail, more of a walk than a hike. The scenery was beautiful and we were both excited to be on our way to the tunnels.

We passed by the impressive Paligrenmose Cliffs and watched a couple of rock climbers work on scaling it. Technically it is a vertical geographical fault made of limestone and is 80 meters high (262 feet). It is pretty impressive as it shoots straight up, like a wall.

Cave

We came across a cave that we briefly explored. The view looking out of the cave made for a great photo.

The Tunnels

We continued on to the tunnels, enjoying the views along the way and also happy we were on a much better trail.

After donning our headlamps, we cautiously entered the tunnel. It felt nice and cool in contrast to the hot day. We were very glad to have the headlamps as it was dark in the tunnels.

Needless to say, these tunnels were a lot of fun to explore. We did see the abrupt drop off and were glad we were going slowly and cautiously. Also, it was nice to know about the drop off before we visited the tunnel so we knew to look for it.

After finishing our explorations, we followed the trail back the way we came. Overall, it was a fun adventure.

Calypso

Our next stop was just a few minutes away at Calypso, the old pirate fjord. I have read a lot of hype on this area and it was beautiful, but very developed and touristy. I felt the hotel in addition to instagramers dominated the landscape and area. It was more of a resort atmosphere which I felt detracted from the area’s natural beauty. We walked along the coast and also down to the water, and decided it was time to find a place to eat.

Where We Ate

We found this lovely taverna while driving through the village of Myrthios. Plateia Taverna was everything we loved about a taverna. Although not on the sea, the views of the sea were phenomenal! Despite being hot, we elected to sit outside to enjoy the view throughout our meal. The traditional Greek food was delicious. Our server was fantastic and also patiently listened to my attempts at ordering in Greek, encouraging me and correcting as needed. Hopefully we will stop here again someday.

Conclusion

The Plakias Tunnels are well worth visiting and also show a unique side of Crete and its history from early mining days to the WWII era. I would visit here again if in the area, not just for the tunnels, but the amazing scenery as well. The southern coast of Crete is really quite spectacular.

Planning

I do recommend a map. I used the National Geographic Map of Crete and was glad we had it as we lost GPS several times. The map is also very accurate and durable. Although the map is quite large it folds up like a typical map. Half of Crete is on one side of the map while the other half of Crete is on the other side. I have been using this same map each time we travel to Crete and it is still in great condition.

While planning our trips to Crete, I found the travel guide Top 10 Crete to be very useful. For one thing, it lists the top 10 places to go, restaurants, and sites. Additionally, it also lists the top 10 by region and area. Given these points, I felt it was a great planning tool, plus it came with a pocket size map which we did use. All in all, I have found many great places to visit in Crete through this book, including the Plakias tunnels.

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In addition to this post, you can also check out my other posts from our 2025 trip to Greece, our other Crete adventures, and also previous years Itineraries by following these links!

Aptera Archaeological Site, Sept 2025

Chyrsoskalitissa Monastery, Crete-Sept 2025

Falasarna Archaeological Site in Crete-Sept 2025

Beaches on Milos Island -Sept 2025

The Villages of Milos, Greece -Sept 2025

Sulfur Mines at Milos Island – Sept 2025

Kleftiko Boat Tour on Milos Island – Sept 2025

Discover the Quiet Beauty of Folegandros, Sept 2025

Hike to Livadaki Beach at Folegandros, Sept 2025

Hike to Agios Nikolaos Beach at Folegandros Sept 2025

Great Places to Eat in Plaka, Athens and Nearby. Updated Sept 2025

Self Guided Tour to Acropolis Sept 2025

Tower of the Wind, Athens Sept 2025

The Roman Forum in Athens, Sept 2025

National Archaeology Museum Athens, Sept 2025

8 Days in Greece, Athens, Milos,Santorini. Oct 2018

10 Days in Greece Athens ,Crete, Santorini Sept 2019

14 Days in Greece Crete, Naxos, Santorini, Athens Sept 2021

2 Weeks in Greece, Delphi, Meteora, Corfu, Santorini Sept 2023

10 Days in the Peloponnese Sept 2024

The Gen-X Travels recommendations for hotels, restaurants, activities or tour companies are based on our own experiences unless noted. We are not sponsored by any business or company and all trips are at our expense. All photos are by myself or my husband unless otherwise noted. We are affiliates of some companies such as Amazon,Viator, and others which we do receive a small commission from, at no cost to you if you buy or book through one of our links.