9 Best Beaches in Mykonos Greece, and How to Reach Each One
The short answer
The best beaches in Mykonos are on the south coast, sheltered from the north wind: Platis Gialos and Ornos for families, Paradise for beach bars, Agrari and Elia for space, Kalafatis for windsurfing. A bus or the €20 water taxi reaches most of them. The north coast, Agios Sostis included, has no bus, so you need a vehicle or a tour.
Mykonos beaches at a glance
The south coast is sheltered, and both the bus and the boat serve it. The north takes the wind and has no bus.
| Beach | Coast | Best for | Bus from the Chora | Water taxi | On a tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platis Gialos | South | Families | Fabrika, half-hourly | Yes, main station | A BBQ cruise boards here |
| Ornos | South-west | Calm water, children | Fabrika, 10 min | Yes, first stop | 5 min stop |
| Paradise | South | Beach bars | Fabrika, half-hourly | Yes | No stop |
| Agrari | South | Space and quiet | No bus | Yes | 30 min |
| Elia | South-east | A swim on a port day | Old Port, ten a day | Yes, last stop | 45 min |
| Kalafatis | South-east | Windsurfing, shade | Old Port, six a day | No | 10-20 min photo stop |
| Agios Ioannis | South-west | Quiet, the Delos view | Fabrika via Ornos, 15 min | No | 15-20 min |
| Agios Stefanos | West | Nearest the cruise port | Old Port, hourly, 10 min | No | 30 min swim |
| Agios Sostis | North | Empty sand | No bus | No | 15-30 min, private tours |
Bus times are the late-September 2026 timetable, which the operator revises through the season.
Short on time? The small-group half-day tour collects you from your hotel and gives you 30 minutes at Agrari. Check Availability
Which coast should you pick, and why does the wind decide?
The south is a run of sandy coves that face away from the meltemi, the strong north wind of summer. The north beaches face into it, and the municipality recommends them for days when that wind is weak.
The 9 best beaches in Mykonos
1. Platis Gialos: the family beach and the boat hub
A large sandy beach 4 km from the Chora. The municipality calls it an ideal destination for families with children. You have a bus from Fabrika every half hour from 09:00 to midnight, and the water taxi uses it as its main station. One of the catamaran and sailing cruises boards at the yacht dock here.
2. Ornos: the sheltered bay ten minutes from town
A wind-sheltered, south-facing bay, and the first of the southern beaches. The municipality rates it among the most family-oriented on the island. The bus from Fabrika gets you there in 10 minutes, every half hour from 10:30 to 23:30, and the water taxi starts here at 10:00.
3. Paradise: the beach bars
Coarse sand, 5.5 km from the Chora. Its beach bars run from midday into the early hours, so you come for the music and not for quiet. You have a bus from Fabrika every half hour from 10:15 to 22:45, and the water taxi stops too. Guided island tours do not stop at Paradise.
4. Agrari: the quiet half of the south coast
A more isolated beach, for you if you dislike crowds. Umbrellas and sunbeds take one of its two sections, and the other is free public space. No bus runs here, so you arrive on the water taxi or with a tour. The small-group half-day tour gives you 30 minutes.
5. Elia: fine sand and the longest tour stop
Fine sand, and the last stop on the water taxi. The bus leaves the Old Port station ten times a day between 10:30 and 18:00, and the last one back is at 18:25. If your ship is in for the day, the small-group tour for cruise passengers gives you 45 minutes here, the longest beach stop on a land tour.
A swim at Elia on a port day
Four hours, pickup at either cruise port and a written on-time return to your ship.
6. Kalafatis: windsurfing and natural shade
The island's windsurfing beach. Tamarisk trees line the sand, so you get natural shade, which is unusual on Mykonos. The bus runs six times a day from the Old Port station between 10:00 and 18:30, and the last one back is at 18:55. Tours treat it as a photo stop of 10 to 20 minutes.
7. Agios Ioannis: the view across to Delos
At the south-west tip of the island, 3.4 km from the Chora, this beach looks straight across the channel to Delos. It has tavernas and sunbeds but no watersports. The Ornos bus carries on to it, 15 minutes from Fabrika. Private tours stop for 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Agios Stefanos: the beach beside the cruise port
On the west coast, 3 km north of the Chora and a short distance from the New Port at Tourlos. The sand is sheltered, and your view takes in Delos and Rhenia. An hourly bus from the Old Port station takes 10 minutes. The sunset boat party stops for a 30-minute swim before it moves on to Little Venice. With a ship in port, compare the shore excursions first.
9. Agios Sostis: no sunbeds, no bar, no bus
A large sandy beach in Panormos bay, and the only well-known beach on Mykonos with no umbrellas, no sunbeds and no services on the shore. Bring your own water and shade. No bus reaches it, or Ftelia and Fokos nearby. A private driver-guide stops here for 15 to 30 minutes.
How do you get to the beaches without a car?
Two bus stations cover the south. A ride costs a few euros and you do not need to book.
- Fabrika station: Platis Gialos, Ornos, Agios Ioannis, Paradise and Paraga
- Old Port station: Elia, Kalafatis and Agios Stefanos
- Water taxi: Ornos, Platis Gialos, Paraga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia, on one €20 all-day pass
- No bus at all: Agrari, Agios Sostis, Ftelia and Fokos
For the water taxi you pay at the pier or a kiosk and hop on and off all day. The first boat leaves Ornos at 10:00 and the last one back leaves Elia at 17:45, though times may change in peak season. The map and ports page shows you both stations, and visitor information has the other costs of a day.
When is the sea warm enough to swim?
From June to October. The sea off Mykonos averages 21.5 °C in June, 23.5 in July, 24 in August, 23.5 in September and 21.5 in October. The weather page has the whole year, and the shoulder season guide covers May and October.
How long does a tour give you at a beach?
Between 10 and 45 minutes. You get 45 at Elia on the small-group tour for cruise passengers, 30 at Agrari on the small-group half-day tour, and 15 to 30 at Agios Sostis on the private tours.
A tour lets you see several beaches in a morning and choose one. The bus or the water taxi is for the beach day itself. Three days in Mykonos shows you where that day fits, and things to do in Mykonos covers the rest of the island.
The north coast has no bus at all, so a Mykonos island tour is the practical way to see Agios Sostis and Ftelia without hiring a vehicle.
Every trip named here is compared on price, hours and what the fare covers at Mykonos Greece Tours.
Frequently asked questions
Which beach is closest to Mykonos Town?
Which Mykonos beach is best for families?
Which beaches in Mykonos are quiet?
Can you get to a beach from a cruise ship in Mykonos?
Does Mykonos have Blue Flag beaches?
Tours that stop at a beach
Mykonos Greece Small-Group Tour for Cruise Passengers, with Port Pickup
Forty-five minutes at Elia, pickup at either cruise port and a written guarantee that you are back on time.
From $124 per person
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Small-Group Half-Day Tour in Mykonos
Hotel pickup, a maximum of twelve travellers and half an hour on the sand at Agrari.
From $129 per person
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Mykonos Exploration: Private Tour with Hotel or Cruise-Port Pickup
A private jeep or SUV onto the north coast: Agios Sostis, Ftelia and Fokos, with beach towels on request.
From $94 per person
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Mykonos Sunset Boat Party to Little Venice
A half-hour swim off Agios Stefanos, then two hours off Little Venice as the sun goes down.
From $44 per person
Check AvailabilityPick the coast by the wind, then the beach by who you are travelling with. Every tour named here refunds in full up to 24 hours before it starts.