I thought Mykonos was a wild party island. This dreamy trip changed my mind

07.10.2024 - 02:49 / euronews.com / Saskia ODonoghue

I have never been a party girl. When I was at university, you’d never find me out at student bars; instead, I’d be holed up in my accommodation, watching news analysis shows. 

I like to think I’ve become rather more fun in the intervening decade but, still, I was a little nervous ahead of my visit to Mykonos.

I needn’t have worried. 

Perhaps the world’s most famous party island, this Cycladian hotspot certainly boasts its fair share of wild parties and decadence both 18-year-old and 30-something-year-old me would baulk at - but my experience couldn’t have been more different. 

Arriving at Kivotos Mykonos, set on the banks of the truly breathtaking Ornos Bay, I knew I was in for a treat. 

One of the first boutique hotels on Mykonos, Kivotos opened its doors three decades ago. Today, it offers luxury I’d only dreamed of. 

Thanks to its 30-plus years open, the hotel manages to pay tribute to the rich traditional heritage of Greece, while still having its finger firmly on the pulse. 

As soon as I arrive in any hotel, the first thing I do is test the bed. At Kivotos Mykonos, it’s beyond comfortable with delectable sheets and the best pillows I’ve ever had the pleasure of laying my head on. 

From that vantage point, I can take in the rest of my surroundings: all white, with Grecian architecture-inspired curves and nods to ancient history. Think: statues of Greek gods on shelves and in the bathroom, and - my personal favourite - a coffee table modelled after a Greek man - all in white, naturally. 

Having settled in, it’s off to the resort’s in-house restaurant, Namah. I’d previously eaten at MAVRO, the glorious restaurant at Kivotos’ sister resort on Santorini, so I know I’m in for an incredible meal.

To start, the bread basket comes with a twist. On Namah’s menu, you’d be forgiven for being a little confused as to what is coming, as it reads: “reference to the manner of the Ancients about the sourdough bread, the figs and olive oil”.

In actual fact, that’s about as accurate a description as it’s possible to write. The sourdough comes in a bread tin, with a bed of grains and wheat sheaves as a garnish. Dipping it into the fig-infused olive oil, I’m convinced I’ve just tasted heaven. 

My super friendly waiter insists I try Namah’s twist on the Greek salad - a truly excellent recommendation. 

In my many years visiting Greece, I must have eaten hundreds of iterations of the famous dish - but this isn’t your standard green salad with perfunctory tomatoes and a block of feta plonked on top. 

Instead, this salad - called Ancient Greece - is a sight to behold. Buckwheat, cherry tomatoes, cucumber spirals, caper leaves and oxymel - a mixture of honey and vinegar - give this stunning salad texture and punchy flavour. But the