Old Port

The Old Port of Mykonos is the small harbour in front of Chora, the island's main town, and it was the original arrival point long before ferries and cruise ships moved to larger quays. The curved quay is lined with whitewashed buildings, blue-shuttered houses and fish tavernas, and traditional wooden boats, the caiques, still bob at their moorings next to the stone breakwater. From the Aegean Sea, the first sight of the town is this waterfront, backed by the hillside of white houses and the windmills along the ridge.

The most welcome sight for many visitors is Petros the pelican, the unofficial mascot of Mykonos. According to the story, an injured pelican was nursed back to health by a fisherman in the 1950s and stayed, and since then there has always been a pelican or two strolling along the quay, posing for photographs and begging for fish. The whitewashed church of Agios Nikolaos, patron saint of sailors, stands at the water's edge, its blue dome visible from across the bay. In the morning, fishermen mend nets and sell fish directly from the boats.

The harbour has a practical role as well. Boats to Delos, the sacred island of Apollo and a World Heritage archaeological site just a short crossing away, leave from the Old Port, and day-trip tickets are sold on the quay. Local excursion boats also run along the coast to nearby beaches such as those on the south side of the island, and some sail on to other Cyclades. Large ferries and cruise ships use the New Port at Tourlos, a few kilometres to the north, which keeps the Old Port calmer.

In the evening the waterfront is lively. Tavernas set their tables along the quay, music drifts from bars, and the town's lanes behind the harbour fill with shoppers and diners. The southern end near the little harbour wall is the busiest place for evening drinks, with lanterns and lights reflected in the water. It is a short walk northwest along the shore to Little Venice and the windmills.

The best time for the quay and the rest of Mykonos Town is early morning, when it belongs to fishermen and locals, and the light is soft on the white walls. Prices at waterfront tables are higher than in the lanes behind. The walk is free, level and easy at any hour, though the meltemi can make it breezy in summer.