Mykonos is a seasonal island, and the right month depends on what you want from it. The beach clubs, cruises, Delos boats and most hotels run from about April to October, July and August are the hottest, busiest and most expensive months, and from November to March many places close and the island becomes a quiet working community. This guide takes the year in order so you can match your dates to your plans.
April and May: green, mild and waking up
Spring is the island at its freshest, with wildflowers on the hills and the lanes of Chora scrubbed and painted for the season. Days are warm enough for walking and sightseeing, though the sea is still cool for swimming, and the first beach clubs and boat trips open as the weeks pass. Hotels begin to open in April and May, and some, including mid-range properties near the Old Port, open in April, while many luxury hotels wait until May, so confirm dates before you book. The Delos site reopens after its winter closure, and this is one of the best times to walk the ruins, with wildflowers among the stones and no summer heat.
June: the sweet spot
By June the sea is warm enough for a proper swim, the days are long and almost everything is open, but the island has not yet reached the summer crush. It is the best month for a mix of beaches, boat trips and sightseeing, and prices are usually below July and August. Sailing and catamaran cruises run daily, and the south-coast beaches such as Paradise and Super Paradise are lively without being impossible.
July and August: peak summer
These are the months for the nightlife, the beach clubs and the people-watching. They are also the hottest and the windiest, since the meltemi, the strong north wind, blows hardest in high summer. It cools the air, but it also churns the sea, and boats can be delayed or cancelled, especially on the north and exposed coasts. Hotels and restaurants are fully booked, prices peak, and the lanes of Chora are packed until the early hours. Book hotels, cruises and dinners well ahead, go to Delos on the first boat, and plan beach days around the wind, using the sheltered side of the island.
September and early October: warm sea, calmer island
Many regulars consider September the best month of all. The sea is at its warmest, the crowds thin, the wind often eases and prices begin to fall, while everything stays open. Sunsets are earlier, which suits the evening drinks at Little Venice, and the light is soft for photography. By mid-October the first hotels and beach clubs close, and some, such as Porto Mykonos Hotel, shut from 16 October, so check before you plan a late trip.
Late October and November: the shoulder season
The island empties quickly. Delos stays open daily with shorter hours, from 08:00 to 16:00 in November, until it closes on 1 December. Many hotels, beach clubs and nightlife venues have closed by now, but bakeries, kafeneia and local tavernas stay open, and days can be sunny and mild. The weather becomes less predictable, with rain and wind arriving, and ferry and flight schedules thin out, so allow a buffer day around any onward connection.
December to March: the quiet island
This is the season for people who want silence, walking and a different kind of Greece. Chora is calm, many shops and restaurants are closed, and the Delos site is closed from 1 December to 31 March. The sea is cold and the wind can be fierce, and some roads and beaches are rough in storms. Bring a windproof jacket, expect some days of heavy rain and check ahead that your hotel and restaurants are open. Semeli Hotel stays open longer than most, with a midwinter break, and is a useful base if you are travelling in the cooler months.
Choosing quickly
For beaches and boat trips, choose June or September. For culture and Delos, choose April, May or October. For nightlife, choose July or August and accept the prices and the crowds. For quiet, choose the shoulder months but check what is open. Whatever the month, keep a spare day for wind, because boats and ferries only sail when the sea allows.
