17 Million Tourists to Visit Greece this summer !

According to data published by the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises, from January to May, Greek tourism has been running with a  6.05% increase in air arrivals compared to last year. In absolute numbers, in the first five months this year 2,441,276 tourists arrived, while in 2012 there were 2,302,107 tourist arrivals.

There has been a significant increase to all Greek destinations. There has been a 125.5% increase in arrivals on Mykonos compared to last year. Other tourist destinations may not follow the explosive rise in arrivals like Mykonos, but the double-digit rates give this year’s sign: Zakynthos has an increase of 33.2%, Kefalonia 29.5%, Chania 26 3%, Santorini 22.7%, Corfu 23,9%, Kos 20.2%, Skiathos 18.3%, etc.

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Mykonos

If the mention of Mykonos doesn’t immediately bring to mind bright white buildings, turquoise skies and tanned bodies lining golden sandy beaches, you’ve been living under a rock. The most popular Greek Island in the Aegean Sea is all about energy and attracts a diverse and upscale crowd that thrives on its stylish nightlife. During the day some privacy can be had in the more secluded north beaches, but the south beaches are all party. Ski, jet-ski, windsurf, horseback ride, parasail or just save up your energy for the evening ahead, like most of your fellow travellers in Mykonos.

Mykonos (MickLurcher, Jul 2007)

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Plan your dream Wedding in Mykonos!

The cosmopolitan atmosphere of Mykonos Island is the perfect choice for an original unforgettable glam wedding or a small intimate one!

Let us, at Kouros Hotel, inspire you and assist you in all aspects of your wedding day preparations. 

From your marriage licenses, the wedding cake, the hair styling, the photographer, to the flower bouquet, our professional staff will provide you with an impeccable service all the information you need.

We can organise everything and make it happen just the way you have dreamt it.

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What to do in Mykonos

The beaches and nightlife are the main reason people visit Mykonos. However, the island also offers a handful of off-beach activities. Architecture buffs will also find plenty to enjoy as Mykonos' buildings are some of the finest in Cycladic-style properties. Travelers also love Little Venice for its restaurants, shopping and postcard views.

• On Mykonos-you can spend the first day and evening enjoying appealing Mykonos town, where a maze of beautiful streets are lined with shops, bars, restaurants, and discos; spend time on one of the splendid beaches; and, if you want to indulge in some hedonism, partake of the wild nightlife." -- Fodor's
• Losing yourself in its colorful alleyways is one of Mykonos Town's cheapest and most exhilarating experiences. A stroll to the kastro area -- behind the Delos ferry pier, at the far left of the port when facing the water -- will take you to the Paraportiani, a cluster of white churches. ... From there, walk through Little Venice, where the Aegean's sapphire waters lap at the legs of cafe tables and chairs." -- Let's go Greece

Historic Attractions

Mykonos is home to a few historical buildings that writers say are worth at least a break from the beach and partying. The most noteworthy of the hundreds of churches in Mykonos, the Paraportiani beach in Chora is actually a collection of four smaller churches. Paraportiani features unique and sloping whitewashed exteriors, and is perched on the top of a rock that looks over the Aegean Sea.

Also in Chora are the six windmills of Kato Myli, which were once used to power Mykonos' granaries. Although they do not function anymore, visitors can get splendid views of the city from within them.

Writers say it would be a shame to visit Mykonos and not take the 30-minute ferry ride from Chora to the island of Delos. The birthplace of the mythical Apollo and Artemis, the famous island is one of the most important archeological sites in all of Greece. Today, visitors can see the island's impressive ruins, including the Temple of Apollo and the ancient theater, and then stop by the fantastic Archeological Museum.

• Visit the small island of Delos, just six miles from Mykonos. Once revered as the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, the now-uninhabited island has many ancient ruins, including the Temple of Isis with its mosaic-lined marble theater." -- Sherman's Travel
• Mykonos' most famous church is the rocklike Panagia Paraportiani. It comprises four small chapels plus another on an upper storey that is reached by an outside staircase. Visitors should avoid entering during services, unless for genuine worship rather than sightseeing." -- Lonely Planet

Museums

If you are looking for large museums, Mykonos is not really the place for you. What you will find are small kitschy museums -- all in Chora -- that showcase the island's history. Mykonos' Archeological Museum in Chora features finds from the island of Delos. The Aegean Maritime Museum nearby houses model ships and other maritime memorabilia, whereas the Mykonos Folk Art Museum is housed in the 1700s home of a fishing captain.

• The Folk Museum, housed in an 18th-century house, exhibits a bedroom furnished and decorated in the fashion of that period. On display are looms and lace-making devices, Cycladic costumes, old photographs, and Mykoniot musical instruments that are still played at festivals." -- Fodor's
• Save time to visit the island's clutch of pleasant small museums." -- Frommer's

Beaches

The southern shores tend to be far more crowded and developed than their counterparts in the north. The waters are generally calmer and the sands are softer and more pleasant for relaxing. Parties are also centered on this part of the island, especially on beaches like Paradise and Psarou. The northern beaches are naturally wilder and rougher, making them particularly popular for those who want to engage in watersports.

Potential visitors should also note that Mykonos beaches are clothing optional. The amount of nudity varies beach to beach. Southern beaches like Paradise, Paranga and Elia see bathers with less attire, but Ornos Beach is more kid friendly.

• Mykonos has a beach to please everyone. Although all the island's beaches are nude, the degree of nudity depends on where you go." -- Let's Go Greece

Shopping

Shopaholics can find plenty of jewelry, clothing and antiques -- the vast majority of which is locally made. Most of the stores lean toward the luxurious end (with prices that match) and are mainly clustered along the winding streets of Chora.

• Forage for fine silver jewelry -- the best souvenir to bring home -- in the scores of boutiques hidden in Chora's labyrinth of streets. Though most shops are expensive, you can still find the occasional bargain. Take time to shop streetside vendors throughout the city for hand-made crafts and jewelry." --Sherman's Travel

Nightlife

Mykonos is well known throughout Greece for its nightlife. In fact, many Mykonos beach parties start in the day, continue into the night and don't stop until the sun breaks the next day. Paradise and Super Paradise beaches are some of the most popular spots after dark, since they are chock full of bars, clubs and tavernas. If you're looking for something more urban, Chora also has many of Mykonos' top clubs. Within Chora, Little Venice attracts many of the island's gay visitors.

• Drinks in Mykonos are expensive; rarely will they cost less than 9€ ($12), but the good news is, if you are planning to head out at night, there are many supermarkets all over where you can buy a decent bottle of wine for no more than 6€ ($8) and begin your own party in your room, or on your balcony before hitting the town." -- Frommer's

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Psarou Beach in Mykonos

Psarou Beach is one of the most famous beaches of Mykonos.It is sourrounded by luxury hotels fancy restaurants, tavernas and mini markets. Every year thousands of tourists and celebrities visit this sandy beach.There are beach umbrellas, wooden  loungers, the best beach service on the island, a waiting list for August week - ends and extremely stringent face control - the result being the most unmixed public anywhere on the island. Due to Psarou"s popularity, specially during August, which is the peak of high season, there is a waiting list for the sunbeds and umbreallas. 

It is located 5.4 km from Kouros Hotel & Suites and it is close to Platys Gialos .This medium size well-sheltered beach offers good accommodation, restaurants and various water sports which include a diving school.

Contact ahead our concierge experts for booking a sunbed infront of Nammos restaurant by emailing here

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Mykonos booking enquiries up 433% after being on the X Factor

BOOKING inquiries for Greek island Mykonos rose 433% after it was on The X Factor.

Eight groups flew out to sing for judge Tulisa, right, and now tourists want to follow them.

Travelsupermarket.com said: “We all dream of visiting beautiful places we see on screen.”

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Mykonos' natural beauty

Stroll around the maze of Mykonos' town and seek for the natural beauty and preserved style of the island. We would love to share with you a photo that captures the combination of white and blue along with the trees and the fresh vivid red flowers. 

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Mykonos is #2 WOW travel destination

Lonely planet numbers WOW destinations. 3 out of 10 are in Greece!!  Number 2 is Mykonos island!! Where will you choose to go this year?? Find the other 9 destinations here

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Pic of the day...

Beautiful day today, clear skies, calm sea... have a glimpse at whast we are looking at now here at Kouros

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Mykonos Video

2 minutes are enought to convince you to visit Mykonos. What do you think?

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Little Venice

The best sunset view in Mykonos (besides from your own balcony at Kouros) is from Little Venice in downtown Mykonos.

photo by Harry Thephotofreak

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Mykonos weather changes

What a difference a few hours make... This was in Mykonos today, 5 hours apart.

Photos taken from our Lobby and Pool area

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Need some culture? Visit some of the most interesting museums of Mykonos

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

The Archaeological Museum, located alongside the harbor, was built circa 1900, mainly to house finds from the excavation of the “Pit of Purification” (dating from the 5th century B.C.) and the necropolis of Rhenia. There is a large collection of vessels especially represented of Cycladic ceramics dating from the Geometric period until the 6th cent. B.C. Also on exhibit are wonderful black figure and red figure pottery and diverse finds, including Hellenistic period gravestones and other sculpture. Among the finds from Mykonos, especially impressive is the pithos of Mykonos: a large jar, (made in a workshop on Tinos the 7th cent. B.C.) richly decorated with bas – relief zones of bas-relief depicting various scenes from the Trojan War (the central composition shows Achaian warriors with the Trojan Horse).

Open 8:30 a.m to 3:00 p.m, daily except Monday and major public holidays.(tel.: +30 22890 – 22 325)

MYKONOS FOLKLORE MUSEUM

The Folklore Museum is the located in an old, two-story, captain’s house in the Kastro of Mykonos town, a few meters distant from the proud Paraportiani church. There are six main exhibition halls which house collections of antique furniture, Byzantine icons, Folkloric ceramics, historical commemorative plates, decorative prints and gravures, as well as embroidered and hard-woven fabrics, locks and keys, weights and measures, a lovely collection of model boats, and other historical artifacts. There are also import archives of manuscripts and printed matter, photographs, maps and a significant library.

Open from April to October 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily except Sundays. (tel.: +30 22890 – 22 591)

AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM - BONI WINDMILL AND LENA'S HOUSE are divisions of the Mykonos Folklore Museum

The first, located on the edge of the town at Apono Mili, is an outdoor museum, which presents the traditional Mykonian agricultural installation used for the production and processing of farm products: the threshing floor, the well, the oven, wine-press, etc. The museums centerpiece is the Boni Windmill, which is in full working order and may be visited from June to September daily, 4:00-8:00 p.m.

The second, near the Three Wells, is a charmingly preserved, authentic 19th century Mykonian middle-class dwelling, which is completely furnished and equipped with antique furniture and house utensils.

Open evenings, except Sundays, from April to October, 6:30p.m. to 9:30p.m. (tel.: +30 22890 – 26 246) (tel.: +30 22890 – 22 390)

AEGEAN MARITIME MUSEUM

Located by the Three Wells, next door to Lena’s House, this museum displays scale models of various rowing boats, sailing vessels and steam-powered ships which, in turn, from Prehistoric times until the present, have traversed the Aegean. Also there is a rich collection of maps and other engravings can be seen a collection of reproductions of ancient gravestones, carved with sea-themes; there, as well, is the tower with the mechanism of the Armenisti Lighthouse (1889). The “EVANGELISTRIA”, a traditional sailing vessel belonging to the museum, is moored every summer in the old harbor where it may be boarded by interested visitors.

Open, April to October, daily, 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and evenings from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. (tel.: +30 22890 – 22 700)

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Getting around Mykonos

Mykonos, being just 15 km long and 10 km wide, is one of the smallest islands of the Cyclades complex. However, with its beautiful Town located West and its sandy beaches East, it is probable that by the end of your trip you will have covered a fairly large distance during your time on the island.

Here is a small summary of the means available on Mykonos for getting around the island:

By car or by motorbike
Easily the best way to go is to rent a car, motorbike or ATV (which are quite the trend of the island, actually). This way you will be able to reach all corners of the Island without having to worry for taxi fares and bus schedules. Motorbike and car rentals are readily available on the Island (Main Town Entrance and Windmills area) and can also be arranged directly at our Front Desk by our experienced staff. Prices range from 35 to 50 Euros for small air-conditioned cars and from 20-25 for scooters and ATV’s. Valid driver’s license is needed, as well as a credit card (usually Visa, Mastercard, AmEx & Diners are accepted).

By taxi
Mykonos Island only has 30 taxis to serve thousands of visitors, a fact that renders taxis as the most unreliable means of transport. In Mykonos Town the queue for the taxis can be found at Manto Square (or Taxi square as we Mykonians call it) and Fabrika Square, and people sometimes even have to wait for hours just to get one. There are taxi meters inside the vehicles. Generally, fares are quite reasonable. The telephone numbers for calling a taxi are +302289023700 and +302289022400.

By bus
Twenty three different lines cover the Island when it comes to public bus transportation. There are two bus stations on the Island, one at the Entrance of the Town (just 5 minutes away from Kouros Hotel) and a larger one at the upper part of the Town at Fabrika Square. Bus schedules are clearly written on big notice boards at the two stations and there is no connection between them. Most destinations around the Island can be reached using the buses and the trip frequency is quite high in high season. Tickets can be bought before boarding the bus at the stations, mini-markets and tourist shops. Note though, that buses in Mykonos are almost always full during the busy hours of the day (noon & after midnight) and rides can become uncomfortable in some cases, as drivers tend to squeeze in as many people as they can before departing.

By boat
One of the most enjoyable experiences you can have in Mykonos is going from one beach to the next one on the small boat. The smell of fresh sea water combined with the crystal clear waters of our beaches is sure to give you nice memories for a long time. Every day from Platis Yialos fishing boats that have been converted into tourist transport leave every half hour to the beaches of Paranga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia – in that order. The first one is at 10:15 in the morning and and the last one coming back late at 20:00 (from Super Paradise) and 18:00 (from Elia beach). You can also board the boats at Ornos, only far less rides take place starting there (just 3 inside the day at 10:00, 11:00 and 13:00).

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How to get to Mykonos

I know everyone is always unsure on how to get to Mykonos so here is a sum up guide we think can help you.

Before booking your tickets make sure first to check on charter flights coming straight to Mykonos from London, Rome, Paris or Zurich. Those charter flights are definately better priced than getting a flight to Athens and then switching into a flight for Mykonos. From time to time there are more destinations you can get a charter flight from, but it is better if you consult a travel agent for specific details.

For those getting flights to Athens (ATH) you can connect with another flight to Mykonos (JMK) which is just 20 minutes flight and here are the companies that do that and that you can book directly to them your flight:

http://www.aegeanair.com/

http://www.athensairways.com/

http://www.olympicairways.com/

Another way to get here from Athens instead of taking the plane is by boat. In Greece, this is a very frequent choice of transportation since there is a much fair than the airplanes.

In Athens we have TWO ports: PIRAEUS and RAFINA both reachable from the airport.

From PIRAEUS

From the airport you take the metro and change to a train (just by using one ticket) and you reach directly the port it is about 45 minute ride in total. Or you take the express bus that is about 3,5-4 euro that takes about 40minutes or less depending on the hour you are travelling. Or of course you could get a taxi with a fare approximately around 40-50 euro.

There are two types of boats that get to Mykonos. Simple boat that takes 5,5 hours and costs about 20-25euro. High speed boat that takes 4 hours and costs about 40-45 euro.

From RAFINA

From the airport I there are buses that can take you to Rafina port, or you take a taxi which is approximately a 30 minute ride to the port and costs about 30-40 euro.

There are two types of boats that get to Mykonos.Simple boat that takes 4,5 hours and costs about 18-25euro. High speed boat that takes 2.5 hours and costs about 35-45 euro. Boat companies that work for both ports and you can book online are:
http://www.bluestarferries.com/

http://www.hellenicseaways.com/

Another link you could use to find all uploaded boat schedules for anywhere in Greece to anywhere in Greece and with direct links to the boat companies i s: http://www.gtp.gr/

We do inform you that all the prices stated in this post are approximates and the hotel cannot be responsible for third party pricing or agreements. This post is only suggestions for your assistance.

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Artistic Photographs of Mykonos... just to get inspired

We were pleasantly surprised to receive from our guest Helena Virpi, an avid scrapbooker and photographer, photographs of our hotel and especially some really artistic photographs of Mykonos town.
Get a taste of what you will be seeing here…..

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Spring in mykonos

Mykonos Island is all about rocks, rocks, rocks, and wind, wind, wind.
It is otherwise called the island of Aeolos, the god of wind (those who will visit us during the summer season will definitely notice the origin of its nickname). The winds are usually so strong that do not permit the growth of high plantation and cactuses and tiny palm trees is the only green you get to see during the summer.
In the winter though, it is eye-pleasing to see short grass hoping amongst the rocky fences and occasionally some spring flowers popping around.
Here is a picture taken today of our outdoors “garden” leading to the pool, yes, it is spring time here!!

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