Four days on Mykonos means you can do it all without rushing: the town, the beaches, the Delos day trip, the north coast, and -- the thing three days doesn't allow -- a ferry to Tinos or a proper food experience. Here's a day-by-day itinerary that covers the highlights and goes beyond them.
In this guide
Three days is the standard recommendation for Mykonos. Four days is better. The extra day means you can spend a full morning on Delos without feeling the pressure, take a lazy afternoon at a beach you discovered the day before, or hop a 20-minute ferry to Tinos for an entirely different island. It's the difference between seeing Mykonos and actually experiencing it.
Day 1: Mykonos Town and First Beach
Morning: Walk the Town (08:00-12:00)
Start early while the lanes are empty and the light is golden.
Route: 1. Old Port / Harbour -- Fishing boats, pelicans, morning quiet (08:00) 2. Archaeological Museum -- Artefacts from Delos and Rineia, 1 EUR entry (08:30, 45 min) 3. Paraportiani Church -- The five-in-one church. Best photographed in morning light. (09:30) 4. Little Venice -- Waterfront houses over the sea. Quiet at this hour. (09:45) 5. The Windmills (Kato Mili) -- Walk up the hill for the panoramic view. (10:00) 6. Kastro neighbourhood -- The oldest part of town, narrow quiet lanes. (10:15) 7. Matogianni area -- Main shopping street, galleries, coffee. (11:00)
Midday: Lunch in Chora (12:00)
Eat at a backstreet taverna rather than on the waterfront -- better food, lower prices. A souvlaki from one of the shops the locals queue at (4-7 EUR), or sit down for grilled fish and salad (15-25 EUR).
Afternoon: Ornos Beach (13:00-17:00)
Bus from Fabrika (1.80 EUR, 10 minutes). Ornos is the closest organised beach -- sheltered bay, shallow water, sunbeds and tavernas. An easy introduction to Mykonos beaches without committing to a long trip.
Evening: Little Venice Sunset + Dinner
17:30 -- Arrive at Little Venice 45-60 minutes before sunset. Claim a waterfront seat. Cocktail: 12-18 EUR. The windmills silhouetted against the sunset sky is the image you came for.
19:30 -- Dinner. Try Niko's Taverna for traditional Greek, or Kastro's for seafood with a view. Budget 20-35 EUR per person including wine.
Day 2: Delos Day Trip
Morning: The Sacred Island (09:00-14:00)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Boat from Old Port | Departures from 09:00 |
| Journey | 30 minutes each way |
| Time on Delos | 3-4 hours |
| Entry fee | 20 EUR |
| Boat + entry total | About 45 EUR |
| Last boat back | Up to 17:00-19:30 in summer (check schedule) |
09:00 -- Take the morning boat from the Old Port. Delos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- the mythological birthplace of Apollo and one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean.
09:30-13:00 -- Explore the ruins. The Terrace of the Lions, the House of Dionysus with intact mosaic floors, the Sacred Lake, the ancient theatre, and the museum. With four days on Mykonos you can take your time here rather than rushing.
Bring water (at least 1.5 litres), sunscreen, a hat, and a snack. There's no shade on Delos and almost nowhere to buy anything.
13:00-14:00 -- Boat back to Mykonos.
Afternoon: Free Time (14:30-17:30)
Options: - Quick swim at Agios Stefanos or Ornos (both close to town) - Browse the shops in Matogianni - Visit Ano Mera village (bus, 20 minutes) for the Panagia Tourliani monastery and cheaper tavernas - Rest at your hotel -- you've been in the sun all morning
Evening: Explore the Food Scene
Tonight, skip the waterfront and try something different: - Jimmy's Gyros -- Budget legend. Fast, cheap, good. - A backstreet taverna -- Less touristy, more authentic. - M-Eating -- If you want a splurge on contemporary Greek fine dining.
After dinner, walk the harbour. Mykonos Town after dark is a different place -- lit lanes, buzzing bars, a completely different energy from daytime.
Day 3: Beach Hopping and North Coast
Morning: South Coast by Water Taxi (09:00-13:00)
09:00 -- Bus to Platis Gialos (1.80 EUR from Fabrika).
Buy a water taxi day pass (20 EUR) and hop between beaches:
- Platis Gialos -- Morning swim in calm, clear water. (09:30-10:30)
- Water taxi to Paradise -- See the famous party beach before the DJs start. (10:45-11:30)
- Water taxi to Elia -- The longest beach on the island. Relaxed, excellent water. Lunch at a beach taverna. (11:45-13:00)
Afternoon: North Coast by ATV (14:00-18:00)
Rent an ATV (from 15-25 EUR) and explore the side of Mykonos most visitors never see:
- Panormos Beach -- Bohemian beach bar, golden sand, warm water. (14:30)
- Armenistis Lighthouse -- The wild northwest tip. 19-metre tower, views to Tinos, empty landscape. (16:00)
- Return via Ano Mera -- Coffee or snack at a village cafe.
Evening: Windmill Sunset + Dinner
18:30 -- Sunset from the windmill hill. Free, panoramic, different angle from Little Venice.
19:30 -- Dinner somewhere new. Four evenings means four different restaurants -- use them.
Day 4: Tinos Day Trip (or Food / Party Day)
The fourth day is where your visit goes from good to memorable. Choose based on your interests.
Option A: Tinos Day Trip (Recommended)
Tinos is a 20-30 minute ferry ride and an entirely different island. Less tourists, more character, and arguably the best day trip in the Cyclades.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Ferry time | 20-30 minutes |
| Ticket price | ~9-15 EUR return |
| Departures | Multiple daily from Mykonos New Port |
08:30 -- Morning ferry from Mykonos (New Port).
09:00-09:30 -- Arrive in Tinos Town. Walk the harbour, then head up the hill to the Church of Panagia Evangelistria -- Greece's most important pilgrimage site. The church is grand and the view from the top of the approach road is excellent.
10:30 -- Rent a car or take the bus to the marble villages. Tinos has over 40 villages, many decorated with intricate marble carvings -- doorways, fountains, dovecotes, and church facades. The most photogenic:
- Pyrgos -- The marble village. The Artists' Museum, the Yannoulis Chalepas Museum, and marble-carved everything. A coffee in the village square is one of the best experiences in the Cyclades.
- Volax -- A surreal village surrounded by massive granite boulders. Basket weavers, a small amphitheatre, and a landscape that looks like another planet.
13:00 -- Lunch at a village taverna. Tinian specialties: artichokes (louza), local cheese (kopanisti and San Michali), and fresh fish at prices significantly lower than Mykonos.
15:00 -- Head to Kolymbithra Beach (Tinos's best) or Livada Beach for a swim before the return ferry. Sandy, clear water, uncrowded.
17:00-18:00 -- Ferry back to Mykonos.
Evening: Final sunset from your favourite spot. Farewell dinner at the restaurant you liked best, or try the one you've been walking past all week.
Tinos is what most people imagine when they think of the Greek islands before they actually visit the Greek islands -- quiet, authentic, whitewashed, with genuine village life and food that's as good as anything in the Cyclades. A day here gives you a perspective that Mykonos alone can't.
Option B: Food Tour + Cooking Class
Spend the morning on a Mykonos food tour (3-4 hours, 50-80 EUR). Walk through Chora's backstreets sampling kopanisti cheese, louza cured pork, souvlaki, and local sweets with a guide who knows the hidden spots.
Afternoon: Cooking class (4-6 hours, 100-145 EUR). Learn to make Mykonian dishes -- spinach pie, stuffed tomatoes, tzatziki -- with a local chef. Most classes include the meal you cook.
Or split the day: food tour in the morning, free afternoon at your favourite beach.
Option C: Party Day
If nightlife is what brought you to Mykonos, Day 4 is for full commitment:
- Morning: Sleep in. You'll need it.
- 12:00-17:00: Paradise Beach. DJs start at 15:00. Tropicana Beach Bar is the epicentre. This is the Mykonos party experience at its loudest.
- 17:00-19:00: Super Paradise Beach for a different atmosphere -- more upscale, LGBTQ+ friendly, Jackie O' Beach Club.
- 21:00: Dinner in Chora.
- 23:00-01:00: Bar hopping in the Matogianni area. Scarpa, Astra, and the lanes around Little Venice.
- 02:00-06:00: Cavo Paradiso -- the clifftop club above Paradise Beach, famous for sunrise DJ sets.
Budget Breakdown (4 Days, Per Person)
| Category | Budget | Moderate | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (4 nights) | 120-200 EUR | 240-400 EUR | 400-700+ EUR |
| Food (4 days) | 60-100 EUR | 120-200 EUR | 200-350 EUR |
| Transport (bus, water taxi, ATV) | 35-55 EUR | 55-85 EUR | 75-130 EUR |
| Delos (boat + entry) | ~45 EUR | ~45 EUR | ~45 EUR |
| Day 4 (Tinos ferry or food tour) | 15-25 EUR | 50-150 EUR | 100-200 EUR |
| Drinks / nightlife | 20-40 EUR | 40-80 EUR | 80-200 EUR |
| Total (excl. accommodation) | 175-265 EUR | 310-560 EUR | 500-925 EUR |
What Should You Know?
- Day 2 (Delos) is the most planned day. Book the boat in advance and check the return schedule. Everything else is flexible.
- The Tinos day trip (Day 4) is the insider's choice. Most Mykonos visitors never go. Those who do consistently say it was a highlight. And at ~9 EUR for the ferry, it's the best-value day trip in the Cyclades.
- Four dinners means four different experiences. Waterfront sunset dinner, backstreet taverna, food exploration, and a farewell favourite.
- If you swap Tinos for the party option, you'll need a recovery morning on Day 5. Plan accordingly.
- Book Delos and any food tours in advance for July-August. They fill up.
- Consider renting an ATV for two days (Days 3 and 4) if you're not doing Tinos. The north coast and the villages are much easier with your own wheels.
Four days in Mykonos: Day 1 Chora walking tour + Ornos + Little Venice sunset. Day 2 Delos day trip. Day 3 south coast beach hopping + north coast ATV. Day 4 Tinos day trip (or food tour, or party day). Budget 175-925 EUR for activities and food. The fourth day is what makes the trip.
Planning more adventures on the island? Browse our complete guide to the best day trips from Mykonos.
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