As I boarded the plane to Mykonos, I was somewhat skeptical that my dream of a laid-back, relaxing holiday was instead going to be full of rubbing shoulders with tourists at every twist and turn, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. There is no doubt about it—Mykonos is one of the most overpopulated places in the world—it even featured on the list of the EU’s most overcrowded tourist hotspots earlier this year.
The island is suffering from the masses who arrive on the beautiful island’s shores, who are all searching for a beautiful Greek escape, much like myself. Attracting two million people every year, the island is renowned for its picturesque beaches, white washed towns, and incredible food. I was well aware that the island’s popularity has put a strain on local infrastructure and led to long waits at restaurants and crowded beaches, and therefore decided to head to the island in late September in the hope that the crowds would have dispersed even just a little bit.
My best friend Michael and I opted to stay in Mykonos Town, which is within walking distance to the island’s best nightlife, shops, and restaurants.
But with these attributes comes crowds of people; however, as we walked up the hill to our four-star hotel, all I could hear was the relaxing pool music.
Despite just being a 10-15 minute walk away from the hustle and bustle of the town, the hotel couldn’t have felt more secluded – in fact, as we dragged our suitcases to the front of the hotel, we quickly realised there was no one but us and two other people by the pool.
Noticing us with our heavy bags, the friendly receptionist quickly rushed out, helping us with our bags and offering us our welcome drinks.
As we sipped our cocktails overlooking the pool, which glistened in the sun’s rays, Michael and I couldn’t quite believe the peacefulness we were greeted with.
The hotel remained lovely and peaceful throughout our stay. There was no rush and clutter at breakfast; instead, the few visitors who dined at the alfresco buffet did so at a more easygoing pace.
I believe the peacefulness of the hotel was down to it firstly being late September – the island seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief from surviving the tourist highs of July and August, and that the hotel was a boutique, not a massive five-storey chain.
Nestled on a tranquil hillside in the southwest part of the island, Livin Mykonos hotel aspires to provide guests with an authentic experience, and that it did.
With the town being just a short walk away from our glorious hotel, we easily walked to the centre every evening, and despite it being busy as such, the true charm of Mykonos easily shone through.
The cobblestone lanes were quiet enough for a laid-back stroll, and I took advantage of doing a spot of window shopping and actually shopping myself.
The restaurants had a bustling charm about them, but there were no long queues and. Staff would always find a space for you, meaning there was no need to book. Every local greeted us with a smile, and we found the people of the island to be some of the friendliest.
One day we took a stroll down to the marina and had a pick of bars along the waterfront to choose from. We even had our pick of seats as the gorgeous marina was so peaceful.
As I sipped on a glass of sangria, I couldn’t help but ask a member of staff why it was so quiet. He responded that September is one of the windiest months, and tourists often choose to visit the island in the two months prior.
Windy it certainly was, but the breeze offered a refreshing break from the uninterrupted sunshine.
Even when we went to the beach we were not met with hordes of tourists. Instead a few visitors lay on some sunbeds whilst a few other locals and holidaymakers laid on their towels and took a refreshing dip in the turquoise waters.
As I looked out across the white sand to the magnificent blue sea, I felt rather lucky that we had chosen to come at a more peaceful time and got a more authentic experience.
Some may say Mykonos is overrated and touristy, but I say you just need to choose when to go wisely. Michael and I know we will definitely return around mid-late September to soak up a slice of this picturesque island, whilst it is quieter but still lovely and warm.