GREECE IS | MYKONOS | SUMMER 2016

greece is experience culture, gastronomy & more

MYKO N O S

SUMMER 2016

ISSN: 2459-041X

F I R S T e d iti o n

10 - 64

65 - 102

103 - 138

139 - 175

W E L C O ME

DIS COVE R

IN D UL GE

EAT & D RINK

Let’s meet Petros the Pelican, wander around the whitewashed maze that is Chora and check out the season’s top cultural events.

The sacred island of Delos; snapshots of life before the tourists started coming; traditional architecture; The Meltemi, the wind that shaped an island.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to shopping on Mykonos – but first, let’s decode the different looks of the world’s most fashionable island.

From authentic seaside tavernas to world-class dining, from chilled-out sunset cocktails to all-night parties, our comprehensive guide has it all.

© ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA ALIVIZATOU

WE LCOME

Is Greece Mykonos?

BY GIORGOS TSIROS e d i t o r - I N - C H IE F , G REE C E I S

I’m writing this introductory note while under the influence of a recent report in a leading Greek newspaper, suggesting that the minimum cover charge at an upscale seaside nightclub in Mykonos on an evening that featured a popular Greek singer and a famous Latin music band, came to €1,000 per person at a front-of-stage table of 10, and €500 for somewhere at the back, and all this without extra bottles of premium liquor, jugs of shots or other frills.

A quick calculation, and I put the evening’s take at seven figures.

This piece of information has me doubting this magazine’s title: Greece Is Mykonos. Considering Greece today – in the grips of the crisis – and how many Greeks cannot afford a Mykonos holiday, it’s not. Mykonos – like Santorini, though perhaps to a lesser degree – is a global brand name, a different country; another planet all together. Veteran visitors – like many of the locals – moan about the assault of tourism, the outrageous prices and the omnipresent new construction. First-time visitors, some of whom have crossed the world to get here, simply enjoy it as it is.

There is little point in analyzing Mykonos’ love-hate relationship with tourism. It was once a poor yet beautiful

island, with hospitable, open-minded and hard-working people who did everything they could to make it a worldclass destination. End of story. Today, these people offer mostly high-end services, explore new trends and ideas, reach out to international professionals and charge what they believe is fair for what they deliver – and obviously, there are a lot of people who are prepared to pay.

This is Mykonos in the summer. In winter, it becomes more introverted. Ferry connections are less frequent and glamorous Chora turns into a ghost town, with stray cats wandering its streets, and its alleys turning eery come nightfall. Many of its residents leave. They need to recharge their batteries in Athens or some exotic destination, so they can do it all again next summer.

Can Mykonos extend its season, temper its contrasts and enrich its profile? That’s the next challenge. Little by little, forward-thinking Mykonians – both born and adopted – are taking initiatives in the fields of gastronomy, culture and art. They believe that the ultimate party island can reconnect to its soul. We hope that this magazine, which is like no other in Mykonos, can help them make that happen.

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CONTENTS Greece Is - Mykonos, Summer 2016, First Edition WELCOME 22. The Pelican Brief. The story of

DISCOVER 74. The Abode of the Gods. The sacred,

EXPERIENCE 124. Chasing the Sun. The Mykonian

Petros, the island’s mascot.

sea-worn and ghostly island of Delos.

“beach menu” has something for

26. Beautiful, Free. A personal account

86. In Times of Black & White. Old

everyone.

of how Mykonos evolved.

snapshots of life on Mykonos.

130. My Kingdom for a Sarong.

32. The Beat Goes On. Mykonos’ battle

94. Building Mykonos. From

Dressing to chill on Mykonos.

to reclaim its cool vibe.

traditional architecture to million-euro

134. Maximum Happiness. Our

36. Amazing Photos 42. Exploring Chora. The contradictory

villas.

fashion photo story, starring Aleksandra

102. Trendsetting Textiles. The age-

and Daniel.

capital of Mykonos.

old art of weaving.

148. Twinkle, Twinkle. Greek-inspired

50. Editor’s Notes. Cine Manto; Two

106. Inspired by Mykonos. Introducing

pieces of jewelry and watches from the

some of the island’s top artists.

island’s boutiques.

Cyclades; Arts calendar; Treating body

118. Wild is the Wind. The Meltemi,

154. Simple Roots, Delicious Dishes.

and soul; Local feasts; Rhenea, the island

the true emperor of the Aegean.

right next door.

must-see museums; Jewelry stories in the

An introduction to the Mykonian food culture.

164. Ready to Order? Our restaurants guide.

172. A Nighttime Odyssey. Our pick for eclectic bar-hopping.

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Published by: Exerevnitis - Explorer SA, Ethnarchou Makariou & 2 Falireos St, Athens, 18547, Greece ISSN: 2459-041X Editor-in-chief: Giorgos Tsiros (editor@greece-is.com) Commercial director: Natasha Bouterakou (sales@greece-is.com) Creative director: Thodoris Lalangas / www.youandi.gr Creative consultant: Costas Coutayar Deputy editor: Natasha Blatsiou Art director: Ria Staveri Pagination: Natasha Kaika Editorial consultants: Dimitris Tsoumplekas, Vassilis Minakakis Translations/Editing: Don Domonkos, George Kolyvas, Alexia Liakounakou, Damian Mac Con Uladh, Stephen Stafford, Danae Seemann, Christine Sturmey Proof-reading: Don Domonkos, Christine Sturmey Photo editors: Maria Konstantopoulou, Marika Tsouderou Photoshop: Christos Maritsas, Michalis Tzannetakis, Stelios Vazourakis Advertising: Sophia Tsepa (stsepa@kathimerini.gr) Advertising department: Tel. (+30) 210.480.80.00 Head of public relations: Lefki Vardikou GREECE IS - MYKONOS is a yearly publication, distributed free of charge.

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It is illegal to reproduce any part of this publication without the written permission of the publisher.

ON THE C OVER “Pelicano 4� by Erik Abel (2015) Acrylic, marker, colored pencil on wood panel. www.abelarts.com

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ICON

THE PELICAN BRIEF A wounded bird adopted by a local in the mid-1950s, Petros the Pelican generated unexpectedly substantial income for his adopted home of Mykonos, of which he was – and still is, through his successors – the beloved mascot.

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o be brutally honest, that bird kind of freaks me out. I type the words at my own peril, as I could be risking banishment from my beloved island for putting such sacrilege down in print. However, truth be told, when our paths cross in the port area, I try my best to avoid Petros, the.

Pelican of Mykonos. Or rather, one of the island’s pelicans, as there are now more than one.

Petros, the wounded pelican that was rescued and adopted by a Myconian fisherman in 1958 was, indeed, a lovely, fascinating creature. His survival is proof of the tenderness that lies beneath the rugged exterior of the islanders. Petros had an extremely interesting personality. He settled on the island.

He made friends. Not metaphorically. I mean he really made friends, going with his buddies for a stroll, sitting down with them for some seafood meze, while his human mates enjoyed their wine, tsipouro or a heavily sweetened cup of Greek coffee at the kafeneio. The locals treated him pretty much as a fellow citizen, albeit one too lazy to work for a living. Petros was spoiled rotten by the delicious fish, fresh from the early-morning catch at the port that he received as a treat from nearly everyone.

In the end, as the island gained destination glamor status of unimaginable proportions, Petros the Pelican managed to generate substantial income for his adopted home. By charming locals and tourists alike – posing patiently for a “click”

alongside kings, hippies and jetsetters – the tireless and docile bird was soon promoted to island mascot. Pictures, sketches and portraits of him by local artists made their way onto postcards, souvenirs, t-shirts, coffee mugs, cigarette lighters, hotel and restaurant brands and so on. Not bad turnover for a freeloader.

Mykonians rely heavily on livestock, but were never culturally inclined towards keeping animals as pets. However, their adoration for Petros was undeniable. One fine morning, the still young and restless bird decided to fly and visit the nearby island of Tinos. The residents there considered the visit as voluntary migration and decided to keep him. Petros’ alleged entrapment in Tinos was the first (and last) court case in Greece where the custody of a bird was disputed, the avian equivalent of the abduction of Helen of Troy. When the authorities decided in their favor and the captive pelican was returned to them, the Mykonians threw a welcome party with music, dancing and a public feast. Even the solemn Orthodox and Catholic priests (both denominations are present on the island) literally chimed in, festively ringing the bells of all the churches in town.

Petros died in 1985. There is a lot of folklore surrounding the circumstances of his demise, but the only sure thing about his death is that it came at the end of a very long and prosperous pelican life (he was around 30 years old). His death did

One of the many reincarnations of the feathered King of Mykonos, posing in full glory.

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© Giannis Giannelos

B Y R i k a Z . Vay i a n n i

© Dmitri Kessel/LIFE Collection/Getty Images/Ideal Image

fun fact The original Petros is embalmed and exhibited in Mykonos Μuseum. Τhe live birds, when not strutting around the main port promenade, usually hang out by Nikos’ Taverna, in the Porta area, near Little Venice.

The original Petros plays with a cat, under the watchful eye of Thodoris Kiradonis, the fisherman who, according to legend, rescued him and brought him to Mykonos.

not leave Mykonos pelican-less. There was already a female, shipped from Florida at the zenith of his glory to keep him company, sent as a gift by Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who had also fallen under the bird’s spell. In addition, the Hamburg Zoo is said to have provided a pelican, who became known as Petros II. This pelican was very good at his job as successor and achieved stardom status so quickly, that an official stand-in, Dimos, had to be recruited for special occasions and tours abroad. At some point, there were three or more Petros the Pelicans roaming the streets of Chora – not all of them male, but then, who notices such things in Mykonos?

Pelicans are not indigenous to this part of the Aegean and the original feathered “King of Mykonos” bore no natural children, despite wholehearted matchmaking efforts with two different females. His first mate died, and the second candidate, Irini, was an ill-fated match for him: Petros refused to mate with her, despite the long years they spent together as the sole male and female pelicans in Mykonos. And enough with the “Gay Petros” theory – the joke is so old, nobody laughs anymore.

The birds that followed Petros I and 24

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II all had different personalities. Too shy, or too over-demanding, one or two of them were even accused of having, at times, exhibited downright sociopathic tendencies. Pelicans are big creatures – strong, smart and fast – and the power of their angry beak when they panic is not to be taken lightly. The Cycladic island is not their natural habitat and, were it not for the steady import of new birds, the Mykonos pelicans would have gone dodo on us a long time ago.

On an even darker note, this forever young, forever vibrant, octopus-eating, Petros-like undead creature which has outlived all the people that originally loved and raised him, is not a concept I like, especially during a serious hangover, when I end up portside for an omelet and a hair of the dog.

On the other hand, can you blame the birds? The serene, sparsely inhabited fishermen’s island that took in the original Petros in the mid-1950s was a very different place to the glamorously crowded, music-pumping, traffic-congested destination that is the Mykonos of today. So, when I say that the modern-day pelicans creep me out, I guess I mean exactly the opposite: it is the birds that naturally are upset with me.

Or the hundreds of thousands of visitors flooding a place that is not even their natural habitat either.

After too many summers to count spent on the island (a few of my own feathers now ruffled with age), I have come to a deeper understanding of why Petros managed to rise to such mythical status, reaching a point where he effectively overshadowed many of the impressive local symbols, such as the marble lions of Delos and the whitewashed, stone-carved churches. At one stage, he almost competed in worldwide recognition with the perennial landmarks of the island, the famous windmills.

My theory is that Petros arrived in Mykonos at a very young age. He was lost and he was found. He was wounded and healed. He came to call “home” a poor, unknown barren island, far away from his birthplace. He made friends with the humblest of the humble locals and was petted by Brigitte Bardot and the Persian Queen Soraya. He chose his partners, who were not necessarily the ones that nature, or society, dictated.

He got in some serious trouble and got away by the skin of his beak. He ate the best food a pelican (or a human) could ever dream of. He was an anomaly, a stranger, a welcome misfit. The island shaped him into a very different pelican than the one he would have been had he been rescued by someone else, somewhere else.

Petros lived the perfect Mykonian adventure: this unique essence of “anything is possible” that still hangs in the island air, still waves elusively from somewhere around the next bend and still rises with every full moon in August.

Petros the Pelican had the time of his life in Mykonos.

For life.

CHRONOLOGY

Beautiful, Free Though often misunderstood, the free-spirited nature of Mykonos endures as a paragon of unfettered good living.

BY CHRISTOS ZAMBOUNIS

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sarou Beach, April 1979. Confident in my good physical condition, acquired while training for the Panathinaikos polo team, I stride fearlessly to the sea and dive into the crystalline waters, knowing that all eyes are upon me. After just a few strokes of the crawl, I am seized by brain-freeze.

The water is ice cold. A mixture of idiotic pride and an even more idiotic desire to show off prevents me from stopping.

Coming out of the water quite some time later, I am relieved to see that the beach, which a few years later would become Mykonos’ flagship stretch of sand, is deserted. This is my first memory of the island. My next is at night, outside 9 Muses, the famous discotheque at Gialos. I run into the legendary James Bond, Roger Moore. I don’t have the nerve to address him, but his – to my eyes – supernatural bearing will haunt me for weeks. My third and most

vivid memory is of the insatiable sexuality that grips me throughout my sojourn. It seems I am not the only one to experience such virility; I am told there is a magnetic force that has a beneficial and erotic effect on everyone.

I belong to the second or, rather, third generation taking the baton from the Greek Magellans of the forgotten Cycladic island, so forgotten in fact that older tourist guides would refer to it only in connection to its neighbor Delos. I ask one of these original explorers, Zachos Hadjifotiou - a famous bon viveur, writer and TV personality now aged 93 - what drew him to this particular island. His answer is disarming: “When we first went, in the summer of 1940, the girls among us wore shorts.

We would have been kicked out of any other place for that in those days, but on Mykonos the locals gave us a warm welcome and embraced us without car-

In the late sixties, restless spirits discovered a new promised land in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Mykonos represented a counterpoint to the uniformity of the industrial culture they so deplored.

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ing how we were dressed.”

Zachos fell madly in love with Mykonos, so much so that he bought a house and spent several winters there, when his flirtation with shipping fell through.

Speaking about shipping, another shipowner, Aristotle Onassis, put the island on the jet set map in the late 1950s. These happy few post-war European yacht owners, along with similarly privileged kindred spirits from America, made this Eden on Earth their new port of call. The island became fashionable, but there was another factor that really gave Mykonos its global renown.

In the late 1960s the sexual revolution raised its banners in the Western world and the youth called out, or rather demanded, greater freedom. With protests raging at American universities and in the streets of Paris, restless spirits discovered a new promised land in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Mykonos represented the counterpoint to the uniformity of the industrial culture they so deplored. The gays were in the vanguard of this new wave of explorers.

It is they who transformed Mykonos into a pole of attraction for sundry celebrities, from the melancholy Queen Soraya to Angelina Jolie and Ronaldo.

Napoleon used to say of his sister that she had plenty of taste, but it was bad.

The gays too had a lot of taste, but it was good. The gay takeover of Mykonos gave

© WWW.BRIDGEMANIMAGES.COM

Jackie Kennedy’s Mykonos visit in June 1961 sent the island’s reputation into the stratosphere and was instrumental in turning it into a jet setters’ destination.

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© James Burke/LIFE collection/Getty Images/Ideal Image

CHRONOLOGY

the island a sense of style that set it dramatically apart from the other islands of the archipelago. With Pierro’s leading the way – the first gay bar in Europe, opened by Mykonian Andreas Koutsoukos and named after his Italian-American friend Pierro Amversa – Matoyianni, the narrow main cobbled strip in Gialos, became globally synonymous with wild partying. Freedom ruled.

Everyone, or almost everyone, swam naked at the pristine beaches; everyone, or almost everyone, slept around; everyone danced wildly to disco tunes at the bars and nightclubs that sprang up like mushrooms. We lived – this is around the time I entered the picture – as if there were no tomorrow.

In 1980 I passed my exams for the School of Tourist Guides. Delos was among the archaeological sites on the field trip program. It was an astonishing experience. The sanctuary of Apollo, the god of light, illuminated my existence. It didn’t take much to swell my ego. What with my build, the curls in 28

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my hair, my youth and the comments of friends and acquaintances, I became obsessed with the idea that I was the reincarnation of an ancient Greek. From that point on, every time I visited Mykonos I paid homage to the seat of the Athenian League; this culminated in a feature I wrote for the French magazine Le Figaro on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the French Archaeological School. With the permission of the French archaeologists, I spent a night on the forbidden – being a protected archaeological site – island of Delos and hag a both earthly and transcendental experience. Abusing the hospitality of my kind hosts, I invited the girl I’d been with for almost two years to spend the night with me. All this time we had been making sweet love without using a condom. We were convinced that a child was not on the cards. But two months after our assignation on Delos, she announced that she was late. She took the test and we watched the strip turn blue together. I immediately associate this

new piece of information with an older one: in antiquity, the Mykonians would travel to Delos to give birth. For reasons beyond my control, that child never saw the light of day. But what I can’t get out of my mind is that miracles are not random.

By the late 1990s, Greece was experiencing its own “miracle.” With tweaked statistics, the southernmost (and previously poorest, along with Portugal) country of the European Economic Community was on its way to join the European Monetary Union and to adopt the euro. A few years later, the country’s selection as host of the 2004 Olympic Games drove expectations, as well as borrowing, to all-time highs. Money poured in from everywhere. The country was swiftly transformed and Mykonos became the stage where Greeks

Petros being photographed in 1960.

© Patrick Zachmann/Magnum Photos

CHRONOLOGY

loudly declared their newfound wealth.

Villas were built on every inch of this craggy new mecca of the nouveaux riches. Gold watches glinted on the wrists of businessmen, while the women insolently paraded along its pristine whitewashed alleys in clothes from the latest collections of the top fashion designers.

Monstrous SUVs inundated the rough roads and boats of all size and shape sailed in and anchored, haphazardly blocking the view from all the tiny bays.

The sun loungers that suddenly blanketed the until-then deserted beaches triggered bidding wars over who would occupy the most privileged spot, while at the local branches of popular Athenian nightclubs, a front-row table became synonymous with success. This was the era when lobster spaghetti was declared the national dish, at least on the island. Amazed, the locals watched as millions of euros streamed into their pockets from the sale of land, the rental of business premises and the provision of sundry services. Overnight, many be30

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came hoteliers, restaurateurs, owners of supermarkets (one even had a DJ), beach bar managers or rental agents for cars, rooms, everything. In winter, they traveled to Thailand and other exotic lands to recharge so they could throw themselves back into work in the summer. Nothing seemed to daunt them, nothing was able to stop them. They had strong roots, confidence and a powerful legacy: the unique beauty of their island. None of them paused to consider that the party might end one day, none of them heeded the handful of Cassandras prophesying disaster.

Then the crisis hit. In 2010, Prime Minister George Papandreou – speaking from another island, Kastelorizo – announced that the country was effectively bankrupt. Recourse to the IMF seemed inevitable. The rescue packages rolled in with billions of euros. Greece’s economy collapsed. Businesses closed; unemployment hit the unfathomable rate of 25 percent; salaries and pensions were slashed. And while everyone

Party at Super Paradise in 2003.

expected the tsunami to sweep through Mykonos, the opposite happened. As Greek visitors abandoned the island like rats leaving a sinking ship, a fresh wave of visitors from Turkey, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates made its appearance, giving the island a new lease on life. Taking their cue from Saint Tropez, these dusky newcomers popped open magnum bottles of champagne and soaked up the sun on the cosmopolitan beaches, oblivious to the bad news elsewhere. They organized lavish weddings on a scale that would have made Scheherazade blush. Diving into the crystalline and cool Aegean waters, they felt, in their own way, the same allure I had felt 37 years ago, when I first stepped foot on this blessed -by-Apollo and outrageously beautiful island.

TE S TIMONY

The Beat Goes On One of the world’s most tolerant islands is winning the battle to reclaim its cool vibe from the rampant ambitions of nouveau riche wannabes.

By CHRISTINA POLITI I L L U S T R A T IO N K A T E R I N A A L i V I Z A T O U

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ykonos is like a vampire. And the most beautiful one in the world, at that. It mesmerizes you, gets you hooked and keeps you enslaved forever. Yet, despite its supernatural powers, the island is barely hanging on, fighting tooth and nail, trying to survive the onslaught of construction.

The half-built shells of bankrupt wannabes have blighted its beaches; lovely stretches of its coast have been ravaged by concrete ambitions; villas occupy once-beautiful rocky landscapes and reed-lined streams. Rapid and unplanned development have erased the dirt roads and the rock ‘n’ roll vibe of an island that, until 20 years ago could only be navigated by four-wheel drive or dune buggy.

I’ve been visiting this island for 35 years; the first time I saw its port gleaming like a swirl of Chantilly cream, I knew I had come to the most beautiful place on Earth. Of course, even then the old guard of the jet set and of Greek high society had already started to whine about change, just as I’m doing now. But all these years later, what hasn’t altered is the feeling this place evokes. And just when you start to think that maybe the throngs and the high prices are getting the upper hand, the island throws them a curveball.

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Even in the throes of the crisis, Mykonos remains in a league of its own.

As a holiday island widely considered the most tolerant in Greece, it has seen it all. The Mykonians have always been cool, which is why things like nudism and a vibrant gay community flourished without raising an eyebrow.

Somehow, in a parallel universe of picturesque alleyways that were once piously whitewashed on a regular basis, good crazy became a comfortable fit.

Maybe the secret lies in the energy from Delos, but the simple fact is that, as soon as you step foot on the island, you feel different. Bright, easy to get around and with welcoming sunrises and sunsets, the island intensifies emotions, both good and bad. Anything goes. And no one ever gets tired in Mykonos, the island that never sleeps.

The past is impossible to escape.

Where Vengera – a legendary bar and now home to a Kessaris jewelry store – once stood, the heart pitter-patters with memories of wild nights. Can you turn back time, back to that beautiful, exotic party crowd that you could only find on Mykonos? Apparently not. Today, it’s just humdrum faces staring blankly around Aroma, formerly a bar called Nectar, where Penthouse models in cowboy boots and hippy-style kaf-

Bright, easy to get around and with welcoming sunrises and sunsets, the island intensifies emotions, both good and bad.

Anything goes.

TE S TIMONY

tans once danced with Greek playboys from good families.

Today’s crowd is made up of regular people, poseurs and second-rate celebrities hoping to get their photograph in a gossip rag. They drag their bored selves around the overly-lit streets of the Matoyianni district, now filled with shops selling everything from nice clothing to nonsense. In the 1980s, if you walked through here after five in the morning, the streets were filled with broken beer bottles. Back then, for a night out, you’d throw on gypsy skirts and neo-romantic shirts, sandals or cowboy boots and big-buckled belts. By the time you’d parked, you’d have seen Donald Sutherland pass by. You’d go to the Ibiza Bar to catch a glimpse of Babis Pasaoglou, who looked like a native American.

Babis is the last of the Mohicans of the Mykonos club scene. Back in 1987, he got celebrity designer Minas to make him the most beautiful bar in the world, with star-studded ceiling and a luxury hippy vibe. That bar, Astra, has now evolved into a see-and-be-seen spot for the jet set, where tens of thousands of euros are spent on magnum bottles of champagne at the coveted central tables. Every corner holds a thousand memories of razzle-dazzle, scandal, extravagance, jealousies, trysts and passion.

As AIDS started to take its deadly toll in the 1980s, sexual escapades diminished somewhat and the newly pent-up energy needed an outlet.

An entire generation celebrated the ephemeral with loud music, strong drinks and other substances, punishing their brains and livers while smiling into the lenses of Polaroid cameras.

Now gone, this generation has been replaced by nouveau riche dreamers.

As for those of us who’ve seen it all, things are changing, too. Sure, gay cruising around the Church of Paraportiani has never stopped, but what you hear most often is: “Come over for a bowl of pasta and some TV.” Together with the invasion of upstart Greek 34

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businessmen who until then could only imagine Mykonos, we ourselves slowly but steadily entered the phase of “a night on the couch, a quiet game of cards and maybe a jaunt out to Matsuhisa for dinner”. In the years of the financial bubble, we went to parties at new villas and wondered where the money to build and maintain them came from. At the same time, we watched those who just a few years ago had been happy to dance a rut into the disco floor gradually retire and utter the dreaded phrase: “I can’t be bothered to go out tonight.”

In the end, the bubble burst, and many of the villas were sold, abandoned to the elements or seized by creditors.

Yet, Mykonos still has it all: from souvlaki shops to the best cuisine in the world, from Learjets lining up for takeoff at its airport to bumpy roads with hundreds of annoying mopeds. It is also acquiring a reputation for having the most spectacular bars, restaurants and clubs in Europe: last year I was amazed by Scorpios on Paraga Beach, a super-impressive beach club with haute cuisine and the best sound system you’ll ever hear. Rock-strewn dirt roads take you to paradise – but how you get back is an entirely different matter.

Scorpios, like Nammos and JackieO’ before it, has given the island its stripes back. If you don’t feel like going to the massive, off-the-hook beach parties at Super Paradise, you can always try the hyper-stylish drag shows around the pool at JackieO’, where you might spot Jean Paul Gaultier enjoying a glass of champagne up at the restaurant.

At Nammos on Psarou Beach, Zannis Frantzeskos created a beach venue that is a destination in its own right. People who line up to be squeezed in on one of the wonderful loungers may end up dancing on tables. The same businessman has also executed another winning move by taking over the legendary Philippi Restaurant and transforming it into one of the most beautiful Ηakkasan Restaurant venues in the world.

Ling Ling takes your breath away: as soon as you spy its red fish tank and

the sexy, sleek purple decor, you know you’re not going anywhere. Racing to make it in time for the season, he’s also created a club on the lower level. The prices are steep, but this is not a venue for the hoi polloi: Ling Ling wants to fill its tables with the daughters of magnates and the world’s enfants gâtés, who seek comfort in quality and don’t care what it costs.

As I write, a dozen more venues come to mind, places that have changed names and proprietors like shirts but still offer tailor-made sparkle and shine for every taste and every age. The question is: how much can you take? Nights in Mykonos are a wild ride, but they turn out okay. You’ll drive around or walk around, with the music from the bars switching like a radio on automatic station search until you find what you’re looking for.

Take my advice and end the night dancing at JackieO’ at the port. Go for dinner at Raya and take in the view.

Splash out at Matsuhisa and Ling Ling, have a drink at Moni. Dance till you drop at Guzel, just like the 20-somethings I hear recounting tales of midnight madness when they wake up the next afternoon. As for me, I’m always ready to do it again, and if there’s a good dj at the club, I’ll set my alarm for five in the morning. Mykonos time of course.

As I write, a dozen venues come to mind, places that have changed names and proprietors like shirts but still offer tailormade sparkle and shine for every taste and every age.

GALLE RY

AMAZING PHOTOS

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UPLIFTING LUMINOSITY

© GIANNIS GIANNELOS

“From afar, as you gradually set eyes on the island, you feel an odd ache. For a body floating at times on the surf of the sea, at others again in the sky’s endless canopy of blue, but always in a light that is diffuse, bright and light, that passes transparently through you – so that I say ‘what a sweet ache this is’…”

Aris Konstantinidis, Two ‘Villages’ from Mykonos, Athens, 1947.

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REALM OF THE UMBRELLA

© SAKIS GIOUMPASIS/Getty Images/Ideal Image (Excerpts were drawn from Panagiotis Kousathana’s book Mykonos, a Photographic Memento, Vol II, 1951-1985, Crete University Press)

“There’s a Mykonian saying that goes: ‘Dance away, Marou / But bear your home in mind.’ Dance, yes, as much as is proper and permissible, but also make sure to love this place, lest it falls down around our ears,” writes Panayiotis Kousathanas, a researcher of local customs and history. But have the locals been bearing Mykonos in mind? This “river” of tourism can never be reversed. The island’s biggest and most beautiful beaches, like Kalafati (seen below), are now covered in umbrellas and loungers, end to end.

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LITTLE VENICE

© VISUALHELLAS.GR

Crumbling balconies, chimneys and foundations eaten away by the force of the waves and the salt air, support posts to hold up the walls in their battle with the northerlies all create an anarchy of lines that catches the eye and keeps you looking… Where else, other than in Mykonos (or perhaps in the real Venice) could a kitchen hang so perilously and yet look so proud?

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© PERIKLES MERAKOS, PENELOPE MASSOURI, POLA KOURI, COURTESY QUEEN OF MYKONOS

The homes of Little Venice were built by wealthy merchants and ship captains in the late 18th c.

The majority today have been turned into bars, restaurants and rooms-to-let.

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1. The island’s seaside capital has maintained the signature architecture of the Cyclades and the only way to really explore it is on foot.

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2. The bust of Manto Mavrogenous. The heroine of the Greek Revolution spent her fortune on the war effort, dying in poverty and obscurity.

3 - 4. Chora never sleeps. Art galleries and famous fashion houses, restaurants and small tavernas, bars and clubs cater to every desire, around the clock.

CHOR A

the Contradictory Capital You’ll find it easy to feed your inner consumer monster, but don’t forget to keep your eyes open to other things: this outdoor shopping mall has other charms that should not be missed.

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tubbornly, I clear my mind of the image of the island parading across the lists of the best party destinations in the world and instead embark on my trip to Mykonos guided by modernist architect Aris Konstantinidis’ (1913-1993) book, Two ‘Villages’ from Mykonos. Throughout his career, this profound thinker focused on the essential element of architecture: the relationship between the building and its surroundings. Thinking about this, I feel some anxiety as I approach Mykonos, but even though intense residential development has compromised in places the natural contours of the landscape, I can still see traces of the island he describes: “Stones that were so bright from afar, and that you thought were strewn here by the Great Maker of the world, prove from up close to be nothing more than loving, small and innocent buildings, the work of man in the zeal of his daily toil.”

It is such “small and innocent buildings” that make up Chora, the capital and center of island life for locals and visitors alike. Built along the coast in order to facilitate maritime commerce, Chora is sheltered by two small hills, one topped by the castle and the other by the island’s iconic windmills. As is the case in all the capital towns on Cy-

cladic islands, the charming architectural composition of houses arranged along narrow maze-like streets is an invitation to any explorer. The difference is that here, instead of wandering along quiet cobbled alleys admiring the shadows cast by the harsh island light, or enjoying the dramatic views as you would in any other Cycladic castle-town, you find yourself in the middle of an open-air shopping mall of chic boutiques, trendy galleries and pricy jewelers.

Many big fashion houses are here: Hermes, Dolce&Gabbana, Ferragamo, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior... I can almost hear my credit card sighing in my purse. I resist all temptation until I am drawn, as if by a magnetic force, to a pair of children’s shoes in a shop window. More artwork than footwear, they cost three times more than I would usually consider spending. My resolve crumbles as my cosmopolitan surroundings convince me that I, too, can be part of the elite that makes such a purchase without blinking. I’m not even sure if I’m buying the right size.

I snap out of this shopping trance as I trip on my way out of the shop, catching my foot on its entrance step. I look down and see a beautifully crafted slab of marble, a fine piece created by some

I duck into alleys looking for snapshots of daily life: a bustling home, a family out shopping, children playing. It’s not as easy as I think, as the crazy number of shops means that the only spaces left for residents to congregate are a few public squares and church courtyards.

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1. Fishermen peddle their catch on marble benches and farmers put their fresh produce on display every morning at Gialos.

2. Sunset is the best time to head out of the narrow alleys in town and explore its seaside.

3. The party may have moved to the island’s beaches, but in Chora you’ll still find plenty of places to dance the night away. Moni Club is one of the trendiest.

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anonymous local artisan. I look back, and this time I’m noticing the wonderful building that houses the store. The red shutters and window frames, the wooden door, the stone staircase leading to the upper floor indicate that this was once someone’s home. The changing room was probably the dining area where the family gathered for lunch.

In the adjacent building, now a bar, I imagine a child’s bedroom in one corner and, through the front window of the jewelry store two doors over, I can see the housewife who, half a century ago, stood patiently scrubbing her laundry right where the display cases are now.

I silence the little voice telling me to shop on and I start walking, this time to get a proper look at Chora, an architectural wonder that prompted Le Corbusier to claim during one of his trips to Greece that: “Unless you have seen the houses of Mykonos, you cannot pretend to be an architect.” There is little doubt that this is among the most impressive towns in the Aegean, with its two-story houses and their simple yet elegant external staircases, the cascades of bougainvillea and pots of geraniums adding yet more color in the bright light, all while basil discreetly perfumes the air.

The simplicity of the white walls give them an almost plastic quality, a softness that creates a sense of interminable movement.

I duck into alleys looking for snapshots of daily life: a bustling home, a family out shopping, two children playing. It’s not as easy as I think, as the crazy number of shops means that the only spaces left for residents to congregate are a few public squares and church courtyards. I recall the words of Mykonian writer Melpo Axioti, an early 20th century intellectual force, and I get goosebumps remembering her prophetic words: “The island’s soul tries to burrow into an ever-condensed space, constantly being frightened off with the threat of death... and everything, but everything, is for sale.” If you want to know how many shops open in Chora every year, just count the number of deaths, a local tells me cynically:

© PENELOPE MASSOURI, EFFIE PAROUTSA, PERIKLES MERAKOS, COURTESY MONI CLUB

TR AVE LOGUE

The Religious Factor

The most famous church in Chora is Panaghia Paraportiani, located on the edge of the Kastro neighborhood, near the castle. Considered a jewel of folk architecture, the structure is, in fact, five separate churches joined together. There are another 80 churches in the area, most with unexceptional interiors that belie some of the wonderful icons within, while marble plaques – both old and new – provide the visitor with significant historic details. A group of these churches are built in a row, one next to the other, earning them the nickname of “The Gossips,” because from a distance they look like local ladies gathered together to share comments on the latest village scandal.

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1. Life moves at a more conventional pace in the town’s back alleys.

2. Dry rusk, fresh tomatoes and local cheese, or mostra, is the perfect snack to go with a cold glass of ouzo.

3. The strong winds may be annoying at times, but they were also the driving force for the windmills that ground the island’s grain and have become its symbol (here, in souvenir version).

an older person dies, a house is closed down, a shop opens – that’s the cycle of life here.

There’s no denying that it’s a challenge to maintain a home in Chora.

The money being offered for rent or purchase of property from businesses eyeing a piece of the tourism pie – which last year brought in estimated revenues of €14.2 billion throughout Greece (with Mykonos being one of its main money-making machines) – is hard to resist. Another problem is that the significant rise in the standard of living brought about by this tourism has prompted many Mykonians to built bigger, more comfortable homes with more amenities out in the countryside, usually on a family-owned plot of land, so there’s no incentive for them to continue living in Chora.

I wander around the neighborhood of Lakka, away from the high street, 46

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and it dawns on me from an examination of the laundry hanging out from the window and balconies – always a good indication of people’s backgrounds, economic status and habits – that many of the residents of Chora are not locals, but migrant workers, both permanent and seasonal, feeding the voracious tourism machine.

I finally come across some locals hanging out at Giora’s Bakery. This establishment is a living monument, active since the 17th c., right below the windmills on the hill that once supplied flour to the islanders and to passing ships. Today, it serves coffee to the older folk at a handful of tables and continues to supply traditional bread to residents who will invariably stop for a chat. It is also a favorite among tourists looking for an authentic experience.

The baker’s wife, Chloe Papaioannou, tells me that they only started offering

coffee when tourism started to pick up, and that they serve local delicacies like soumada (orgeat syrup), almond cakes and other products from small-scale local producers. Not a Mykonian herself, Chloe describes how she came to fall in love with the island back in its last throes of innocence. “It was the summer of 1989, and I came in on the afternoon boat. I sat down on some stairs waiting to meet a person about a job, and I promptly fell asleep. When I woke up, there was a small tray next to me: on it was a Greek coffee, a small plate of fruit preserve and a glass of water. An old lady dressed in black was sitting beside me, watching over my bags.”

“What about now?” I ask her. Could such a thing still happen? She just shrugs. I follow the locals to their next stop, the small market they call Banga just before the Town Hall (easy to spot thanks to its distinctive red-tile roof) in

© GETTY IMAGES/IDEAL IMAGE, EVELYN FOSKOLOU, PENELOPE MASSOURI

4. Many residents left Chora for the countryside, where they built larger and more comfortable houses.

© PENELOPE MASSOURI

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1. Winter shuts down the cosmopolitan madness of Chora and turns into just another town in the Aegean – quiet and slow-paced.

2. A nice smile, on a window frame.

Gialos, where fishermen sell the catch of the day on marble benches and about a dozen farmers display fresh produce: bright red tomatoes, cucumbers, fragrant melons and juicy watermelons; whatever they can get to grow on this arid, rocky island. The farmers, too, are struggling to resist the siren song of tourism development. Their fields, they explain, are worth so much more as residential or commercial property, and who wants the toil of farm life when you can have money in the bank instead?

Across the street, the cafe-ouzeri Bakogia is like a vortex that has successfully obliterated all traces of modern Mykonos: the lounge sofas, the foreign hors d’oeuvres, the sun loungers that evoke fancy hotels and the sexy beauties swaying their bikini-clad bodies to the latest beats, they’re all conspicuous by their absence. I sit for a proper ouzo and nibble on mostra (rye rusks sprinkled with olive oil and topped with diced tomatoes and fresh, white kopanisti cheese). When winter comes and the island’s streets start to empty, this little cafe will still be open for the handful of Mykonians who live here all year round, another point of re48

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sistance against the transformation of Chora into a residential ghost town ripe for commercial exploitation.

It is getting on towards late afternoon when I return to the center of the town, this time more confident about exploring its unnamed alleys. In Matoyiannia, I peek through the open window of a neoclassical residence.

Though somewhat incongruous amid the vernacular architecture, its beautifully adorned ceilings and period furnishings impress me, as does the owners’ apparent ability to put up with the noise and foot traffic all summer long. I stroll past the only oasis of green in the town, the open-air cinema Cine Manto, and stop at Lena’s House, a small museum, to learn more about the island’s folk traditions and about the local women who played such pivotal roles in island history. Foremost among them is Manto Mavrogenous, a woman who roused her fellow islanders to fight during the Greek War of Independence and who sacrificed her fortune to fund the war effort. The Aegean Maritime Museum is located right next door; a lighthouse from 1890 stands in its courtyard.

As dusk descends, the streets have become so crowded that I feel as though

I’m standing in a supermarket checkout line at closing time. I look for a way out of the throng, but I’m completely disoriented. Where’s the sea? Every 10 meters or so, I stop and ask the way to Little Venice. As I finally reach the shore, the strong northerly wind known as the meltemi blows everything away and clears my head. I sit down at Caprice and look across at the row of captain’s houses that feature on so many postcards and in so many articles on Mykonos. Straight ahead, there’s the vastness of the sea. The sun is starting to set, but the island is not about to slow its tempo just because it’s getting dark. Quite the opposite; the music gets louder, as I dive back into the river of humanity looking for that tiny part of Mykonos that corresponds to me.

I embrace the “Manhattan of the Aegean”, ready to burn the midnight oil with this insomniac town, keeping it company through the night. When the last night owls stumble out of the bars at dawn and I head for my bed, the shops will be opening their doors again, welcoming the early birds from the latest cruise ships to arrive - but sleepless Mykonos will not have had a moment to catch its breath.

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

E DITOR’S NOTE S

Heroic Cinema I f y o u ’ r e e x h a u s t e d f r o m t h e n o n - s t o p p a r t y i n g o r s i m p ly w a n t t o e s c a p e t h e c r o w d s , Ci n e M a n t o i s t h e i d e a l r e f u g e .

Situated in the greenest neighborhood of Chora, it’s tucked away among oleander, olive, cypress, palm, pomegranate and pine trees, from where the local cicadas perform their usual summer-long concerts. According to the British Independent newspaper, it ranks among the most beautiful open-air cinemas in the world. Although it’s named after Manto Mavrogenous, a heroine of the 1821 Greek Revolution, for locals the cinema’s location will always be known as the Garden of Meletopoulos. Privately held until the middle of the last century, it was donated to the municipality of Mykonos in 1957 by the lawyer, benefactor and founder of the town’s public library Ioannis Meletopoulos. For 40 years, its potential remained untapped 50

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until it began to operate as a municipal cinema in 1995 before being sold off in 2011 for economic reasons. It was a turning point for the cinema, which was now in the hands of three creative and discerning locals with a love for film: brothers Andonis (a film director) and Dimitris (a designer) Kioukas and film producer Thalia Kalafata. They took particular care of the garden, transformed the old dovecote into an allday coffee-bar and opened the Chapel of the Archangels to the public. They even put goldfish in the old cistern, which is surrounded by a 200-year-old cactus plant. (It’s said that Meletopoulos brought it to Mykonos when it was already quite old and that its flowers only bloom for one night.) The cinema

doesn’t restrict itself simply to showing films. It also hosts exhibitions, book presentations, children’s theater and art workshops. It has become a popular haunt for artists, a recreational area as well as a cultural focal point for locals and tourists. Finally, don’t be surprised if you happen to catch a glimpse of the local pelican pushing his way through without a ticket to nab a goldfish from the cistern. He has a little house of his own in the garden.

- A L E X A N D R A T Z AV E L L A

Info Ci n e M a n t o : Screenings: 21:00 and 23:30 • Café-Restaurant: 10:00 till late • Tel: (+30) 22890.261.65 • www.Cinemanto.gr

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The Way It Was

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

T w o s m a ll m u s e u m s i n C h o r a T E L L TA L ES F ROM T H E L AN D AN D SEA

AEGEAN MARITIME MUSEUM

LENA’S HOUSE A typical 19th c. middle-class Mykonos home, this house bears the name of its last resident, Lena Skrivanou, who died in the late 1960s. The inheritors of the property, Georgios and Ioanna Drakopoulou, donated it to the Mykonos Folk Museum, and the house opened to the public in 1972. In the drawing room, be sure to look at not only the furniture but also the prints, the embroidery, the mirrors and the decorative plates. From the bedrooms, fitted with Viennese furniture, continue to the rear courtyard to see a copy of one of the famous Mykonos dovecotes. Before you leave, take a look at the display case with the 18th century Mykonos costume. It was assembled by designer Giannis Metzikof, using Mykonos fabrics and working from early 18th c. drawings and descriptions by French traveler and botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort.

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This museum, which is housed in a 19th century Cycladic-style building, offers visitors a tour through Greek maritime history and traditions, focusing on the development of merchant ships in the Aegean from the pre-Minoan era to the early 20th century. You can see fascinating ship models, historical shipping documents, rare engravings and maps, nautical instruments and coins (with nautical themes) from the 5th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D. The most impressive exhibit is perhaps the mechanical workings taken from the Armenistis Lighthouse, built in 1891. Its light shone brightly from the northern coast of Mykonos for a whole century before being replaced by a more modern beacon. The museum’s founder, Mykonian benefactor Georgios Drakopoulos, received the Academy of Athens Award for his efforts in establishing this institution.

Info Info L e n a ’ s H o u s e : Tria Pigadia, next to the Aegean Maritime Museum • Tel: (+30) 6942.487.224 • Open 18:30-21:30.

A ege a n M a ri t ime Museum: 10 Enoplon Dinameon, Chora • Tel: (+30) 22890.227.00 • Open 10:30-13:00 & 18:30 - 21:00.

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

E DITOR’S NOTE S

Capturing The Essence Of Mykonos “ D I O H O R I A ” B R E AT H E S N E W L I F E in T O T H E I S L A N D ’ S A R T S C E N E

The Dio Horia platform for contemporary art and culture in Mykonos offers residencies to artists from all over the world so that they can capture, through their work, the essence of this iconic island, complete with its contradictions.

Finding that a contemporary artistic perspective had been lacking on the island in recent decades, Marina Vranopoulou, curator and art historian, decided two years ago to bring the younger generation of creators to the foreground of the global cultural scene.

Having spent her childhood summers on Mykonos, Vranopoulou watched the island change and saw that everything that happened there drew reactions of either love or hate, even in those who had never visited.

She set out to open an artistic dialog around the question: “What is Mykonos?” Is it the island about which Le Corbusier wrote: “Whatever architecture had to say, it said it here”? Or is it a debauched, greedy, egotistical and glamorous tourist destination? She collected definitions os Mykonos from various historical periods – from antiquity to the present day – and then invited artists from all over the world to live on and draw inspiration from the island in order to create works for an exhibition. The response was enthusias-

tic; the artist began to arrive. The three-story building on Panahra Square, near trendy Matoyianni Street, is where Vranopoulou houses both artists and their work; it also hosts group shows. It serves as a meeting place, much like an 18th-century salon, as she describes it: a place for dialog, interaction and interesting evenings for travelers on Mykonos searching for a richer cultural experience. In the garden, a pop-up bookshop offers titles by artists and art catalogs.

This summer, Vranopoulou plans to launch her own publishing program with Greek Gotham, edited by Maria Brito, which will feature the work of 15 artists who trace the invisible coordinates connecting ancient Athens with modern-day New York. She also intends to open the first art bar in town, on the top floor of the building, where there’s a lovely roof terrace.

Vranopoulou’s goal is to make Dio Horia (which means both “two villages” and “two spaces”), a force of opposites that strengthens the attraction between domestic and foreign art, and between her island venue and a pop-up located somewhere else, with work that begins its life on Mykonos and then travels to the rest of the world. Her goal: to create a cultural platform with Greek roots that enjoys international recognition.

Info D io H oria : Open daily 10:00-14:00 and 18:30-02:00, to October 31 • Tel. (+30) 22890.264.29 • For a detailed schedule of exhibits and events, visit www.diohoria.com

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E DITOR’S NOTE S

Gallery-Hopping T H E best p laces to see and b u y art

pieces are also available upon request.

18 D. Mavrogeni, Goumenio Square • www.mykonosgallery.com • Tel. (+30) 2890.272.44 • Open daily 10:00 – 24:00

Goumenio Square, Chora • www.minimagallery.com • Tel. (+30) 22890.232.36 • Open 10:30-14:30 & 18:30 -02:30

ing, sculpture, photography and handcrafted art objects

by Greek and international artists.

12 Delou • Tel. (+30) 22890.285.60, (+30) 6944.687.296 for appointments • Open 11:3014:00 & 18:30-02:00

Addiction Located in a chic space right on the seafront, Addiction sells rare decorative pieces, vases, hand-poured scented candles, and other luxury items, including the original handmade humidors by Principauté de Mykonos.

Seafront, Manto Square • www.addictionmykonos.com • Tel. (+30) 22890.249.55

Rarity Gallery Kapopoulos Fine Arts The exhibition hall of Kapopoulos Fine Arts in Mykonos, which opened in 2006, presents contemporary art from both Greek and international artists. Their 2016 summer exhibitions include artists Yannis Kottis (July 16-July 28), Benjamin Spark (July 30- August 12), as well as French sculptor Laurence Jenkell, presented in collaboration with Mykonos’ Cavo Tagoo Hotel.

Established in 1995, this was the first gallery in Mykonos to exclusively feature internationally known contemporary artists. Permanent exhibitions include a wide range of different artwork. Now showing, the Summer Contemporary 2016 group collection, featuring 10 globally distinguished artists.

20-22 Kalogera • www.raritygallery.com • Tel. (+30) 22890.257.61 • Open daily 10:00 – 03:00

15 Enoplon Dinameon • www.kapopoulosart.gr • Tel. (+30) 22890.270.05 • Open daily 11:00- 02:00 •

Open daily 10:00 – 01:00

Art and Soul

Established 30 years ago by the Rousounelos family, the gallery exhibits and sells paintings, sculptures, and objets d’art by award-winning Greek artist Yannis Souvatzoglou. Custom-made

Located in a beautifully renovated house dating back to 1756, the gallery features contemporary art from new and established Greek and international artists. This summer will bring an array of artists in solo and group exhibitions, including as Ventures by RedD and Erotica by Fornasetti.

24 D. Mavrogeni, Goumenio Square, Chora • www.spyralartgallery.com • Tel. (+30) 22890.290.33 • Open daily 10:00-01:00

Minima Gallery The gallery first opened in 1997 to showcase the varied work of established and upcoming Greek and foreign contemporary artists.

Abstract paintings, sculptures and landscape photography are on permanent display.

Spyral Art Gallery

Skoufa Gallery The gallery, which was established in 1981, opened its Mykonos space in 2014 and has been showcasing paintG R E E C E IS

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Jewelry Stories In The Cyclades A N E X HI B I T ION OF W ORK FRO M P REHIS T ORIC T I M ES T O T HE P RESEN T D AY

© APOSTOLIS KOUKOUSAS

e d i t e d b y M a r y S i n a n i d is & X e n i a G e o r gi a d o u

More than 200 items from the Cyclades relate the history of jewelry in the region, in an exhibition or work dating from the prehistoric period through classical antiquity, the Middle Ages and up to the present day at the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos.

Even in prehistoric times jewelry played an important role in people’s daily lives. Seen as having magical properties, these objects were kept as family heirlooms or offered as gifts.

Throughout the ages, jewelry has implied social class, revealed aesthetic tastes, denoted economic status and fed human vanity. Over the years, jewelry styles changed while much of the sumbolism of jewelry remained the same. That is exactly what the exhibition, entitled “Vanity: Stories of Jewelry in the Cyclades,” aims to show. “The idea was to help visitors see that little has changed in people’s attitudes in 6,000 years, even though techniques have evolved and tastes and fash56

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ions have changed,” says Dimitris Athanasoulis, head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades. Bracelets made from shells and stone and ring-shaped pendants from Neolithic communities in Andros and Antiparos, are brought together with bronze pins from Kythnos from the archaic period, Hellenistic-era gold earrings from Rhenea, a late 18th-century gold cross belonging to Manto Mavrogenous, a heroine of the 1821 Greek Revolution, and the necklaces of famous self-taught designer Maroulina. The exhibition concludes with a look at original jewelry by such contemporary Greek designers as Sofia Vamiali, Lito Karakonstanoglou, Nikos Koulis, Sophia Kokosalaki, Ileana Makri, Eugenia Niarchos, Yannis Sergakis, Ioanna Souflia, Elena Syraka, Deux Hommes, Minas and Two is Company. The exhibition was designed by Stelios Kois and the lighting is by Eleftheria Deco Design.

Above: Golden earrings from Paros, 1st c. BC Below: Roman-era gold ring with a semi-precious stone, engraved with a Theran theme.

Info Archaeological Museum of Mykonos From August 2016 to 31 August 2017, Old Harbor, Chora • Tel. (+30) 22890.223.25

culture

ART LOVERS REJOICE! Exhibitions, events and festivals to add a cultural touch to your vacation EDITED BY MARY SiNANIDIS & XENIA GEORGIADOU

Marina Vernicos

Sotiris Sorongas

Municipal Art Gallery 45 Matoyianni, Chora. • Tel. (+30) 22890.271.90, www.kdepam.gr

UNTIL /7 Mykonos hosts two exhibitions featuring the works of artist/architect Mihalis Katzourakis, a pioneer of mixed media.

Variations, housed in the Matoyianni Hall of the Mykonos Municipal Art Gallery until July 28th, revolves around man’s interventions in the urban landscape and reveals the close ties of the artist with photography. Windows 1995-2016, at the Mykonos Annex of the Athens School of Fine Arts until July 31st, features works inspired by the windows and walls of abandoned buildings or shop windows.

22/7– 14/9 Curated by Nikos Stambolidis, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Crete, the exhibition Homer and the Aegean: The Heroes of the Trojan War, the Pithos of Mykonos and the Warrior of Eleutherna will feature tales of war in antiquity based on scenes painted on large ancient earthenware storage jars. Artifacts from 58

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important sites such as Eleutherna in Crete will be on display in multimedia format, as will replicas of ancient weapons. A special screening will accompany the exhibition, which is being held in cooperation with the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades and the University of Crete (Matoyianni Hall).

1-17/8 The exhibition Sea Wood by artist Sotiris Sorongas features 12 works in charcoal which illustrate details of the landscape and life of the island (Kalogera Hall)

18-31/8 Marina Vernicos presents her new photographic collection titled Up Above & Down Under. With no photoshopping or filters, she captures the beauty and colors of Mykonos (Kalogera Hall)

16-21/9 Τhe exhibition Drawings and Sketches, Mykonos and the Greek Space focuses mainly on architect Aristidis Romanos’ study of Mykonian architecture.

(Matoyianni Hall and Kalogera Hall).

NEEDLES OF LIFE July 15 – September 15 | There was a time when Greek women could skillfully make intricate crochet lacework.

Their handiwork, from the collection of the Greek Folk Museum, is on display at Kivotos Luxury Boutique Hotel, Ornos, in an exhibition titled Lacework on Mykonos: Needles of Life. • Tel. (+30) 22890.240.94 www.kivotosmykonos.com

advertorial

Jewelry born with the wind! “ L u x u r y i s i n e a c h d e ta i l”

- Hubert de Givenchy

It is true: Fotis Poniros creates witty and exciting precious pieces, paying attention to the smallest details. His “Windmills Collection”, inspired by Mykonos and dedicated to the island, consists of iconic jewels that are prized for their originality and enduring beauty.

Designer, G.I.A gemologist, gem-setter and jeweler, Fotis Poniros draws inspiration from the magical and breathtaking beauty of Mykonos. A third-generation jeweler and creator of precious jewelry pieces, he develops family’s tradition in a youthful, yet refined way, transforming gemstones into treasures to make women sparkle forever. The astonishing, world-famous, Mykonian windmills, standing out among the rest of the beauties of this Greek island, inspire Fotis Poniros’ iconic collection “The Windmills Collection”, especially designed for Mykonos boutiques and island’s jet setters.

Alluring diamonds in the characteristic colors of Greece - bright yellow, deep blue and crispy white - combine harmoniously with yellow, white and pink gold in luxury jewelry that leaves no wish unfulfilled. The designer breaks boundaries, inspired by the sparkling precious stones from the exotic places he visits, in order to create his new pres-

tigious collection “Personal Gem Selection”. Impressive rings with vivid green Colombian emeralds, yellow sapphire from Sri Lanka, blue sapphire from Madagascar and fascinating green tourmaline from the Mina de Batalha of Paraiba, are combined with sparkling white diamonds, as well as elegant earrings with intense green Zambian emeralds to satisfy even the most demanding woman.

Poniros’ unique selection of rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings in gleaming diamonds and precious gemstones manage to embody a blend of Greek tradition, elegance and glamour.

Presently, there are six “Poniros” boutiques - two on the cosmopolitan and world-famous island of Mykonos, three luxury boutiques in picturesque Santorini, as well as the Athens Showroom, located on one of the city’s most important shopping streets.

www.poniros.com

culture Mosaic Odysseys

NOBU FOOD FESTIVAL July 31 - August 4 The 13th annual Nobu Food Festival brings Nobu Matsuhisa to the Belvedere Hotel. Born in Tokyo, the world famous chef-restaurateur is a culinary master whose work incorporates diverse culinary influences acquired over a lifetime of travels around the world. This year’s Nobu Festival is extra special as it coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Belvedere Hotel, which is located in the School of Fine Arts District. • Tel. (+30) 22890.273.62.

23-30/9 A group of eleven mosaic artists from Greece and the UK join forces to present Mosaic Odysseys, a unique exhibition of 55 mosaics inspired by Homer’s Odyssey.

Each artist critically interprets the ancient hero’s epic journey using mixed techniques and various materials. (Matoyanni Hall and Kalogera Hall)

DELOS ISLAND 22/8 Talented Greek singer Eleftheria Arvanitaki, gifted in a wide range of genres from rebetika to contemporary music, sings the Greek poets, from the ancient Sappho to Nobel Prize-winning Odysseus Elytis, the major exponent of romantic modernism in Greece. • Ferry boat departure: 19:30; Concert: 20:30; and Return to Mykonos: 23:30. Cost: €50. • Tel. (+30) 22890.261.65

3/9 The Ancient Theater of Delos, one of the few such structures that was completely built of marble, was constructed in 314 BC. After lying unused for 2,100 years, the theater will host a play based on Euripides’ Hecuba. The Greek-language work, titled Hecuba, a Refugee, is presented by 60

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the Municipal Regional Theater of Agrinio.

If you’re planning to attend, note that the Municipality of Mykonos will begin issuing free admission vouchers around two weeks in advance.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.232.61/222.01)

16/9 Dionysis Savvopoulos, a prominent selftaught Greek singer/songwriter, imprisoned twice by the Greek military junta for his beliefs, always puts politics in his music, whether it be Greek rock, laika (folk music) or rebetika. As a songwriter, he has helped forge an alternative approach to contemporary music in Greece.

• Ferry boat departure: 19:30; Concert: 20:30; and Return to Mykonos: 23:30.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.232.61/222.01.

Mykonian Folklore Museum 11/9 The vine harvest is celebrated at the Agricultural Museum in the Bonis Windmill, Chora, with traditional dances and food at sunset.

14/9 A breakfast consisting of traditional fasting fare, such as halva and tahini, is served in observance of the Feast of the

Cross (commemorating the finding of the True Cross) at the old Cathedral of Aghia Eleni. After this breakfast of Lenten staples, join the tour of the Castle of Chora.

25/9 A guided tour of Lena’s House, situated close to Tria Pigadia and next to the Aegean Maritime Museum, makes for an interesting step back into the island’s rich history, as the charming building features artifacts from the 19th century and allows visitors to better understand the traditions and daily habits of the islanders.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.228.41, 694.248.7224.

SKOUFA GALLERY 12 Delou, Chora • Tel. (+30) 22890.285.60, www.skoufagallery.gr

22/7 – 4/8 Τhe group exhibition Blue Line features works by Efi Haliori, Katerina Kaloudi and Yiorgis Yerolymbos, three renowned Greek fine art photographers. Inspired by the captivating sea, they offer us stunning minimalistic seascapes.

culture Spark Kapopoulos Gallery

Toby Bothman “White Bikini” Skoufa Gallery

Avaf Skydancers Dio Horia Gallery

TANIA DIMITRAKOPOULOU Skoufa Gallery

6-22/8 International Contemporary Artists 2016, which aims to explore current artistic approaches and trends, brings together works by seven emerging artists from around the world.

will be able to meet the artist on the opening night.

CINE MANTO

24/8 – 7/9

Limni, Chora • Tel. (+30) 22890.261.65 • www.cinemanto.gr

The group show Beyond the Frame features selected works by five Greek artists focusing on portraiture and figure art.

2/10 The Priest Within Our Hearts, a documenta-

KAPOPOULOS FINE ART 15 Enoplon Dynameon, Matoyianni •Tel. (+30) 22890.270.05

16-28/7 Works by leading Paris-based Greek artist Yannis Kottis’ offer an escape from the urban environment, as they are inspired by themes from nature.

30/7 – 12/8 French-Belgian Benjamin Spark presents his new series of works inspired by comics, cartoons and advertisements. His vibrant creations bring to mind pop art and street art aesthetics. Visitors 62

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ry by Andonis Theocharis Kioukas, focuses on the life of a 100-year-old priest whose life is interlocked with developments on Mykonos.

Dio Horia • www.diohoria.com 29/7 – 28/8 For the first time, art advisor Maria Brito is taking on the role of curator, presenting the works of 16 visual artists who are making an impact on the New York and international art scene. For this exhibition, titled Greek Gotham, each of the artists has been asked to “illustrate” a concept born of ancient Greek culture or a Greek word that has entered the vocabulary of the western world.

THERE WILL BE FUN August 17-24 Launched in 2009, the exclusive XLSIOR International Gay Festival is chock-a-block with events, including an opening pool party at Elysium, and happenings at Cavo Paradiso and other trendy hotspots around the island. More than 30,000 people from around the world are expected to come to Mykonos just for this festival. www.xlsiorfestival.com

E DITOR’S NOTE S

Take A Deep Breath T r e at i n g b o d y a n d s o u l o n t h e h e d o n i s t i c i s l a n d o f e x c e s s

SALUTING THE SUNSET “Based on the hatha yoga (vinyasa breathing) system of Ashtanga, Sunset Vinyasa will be taught at a beginning level, but modifications to intensify the asanas will be given.” If the above makes sense to you, jump into your yoga garb and head up to Castle Panigirakis, a listed, post-industrial monument overlooking Chora, at around 19:00. Up there, overlooking the town, Ukrainian-born Victoria Omelchuk holds the most enjoyable yoga sessions that are timed to get the most out of the sunset view, with support from Delos in the distance, emanating its magical energy.

Info Sunset Yoga: Τel. (+30) 694.645.6006 • www.yogamyk.gr • Cost: €30

Beauty and the Beach Alternative therapies expert Ilaira Bouratinos, founder of the Oriental Medicine Training Center in Greece, hits the beaches of Mykonos with her mobile spa, offering a variety of rejuvenating massages as well as her “three steps to perfection” signature treatments, including Green Clay Rejuvenating Mask, Aromatherapy Salt Scrub with organic oil blends and Aloe Vera Aromatherapy Facial Therapy. Treatments start at €15.

Tel. (+30) 694.479.6945, www.ilaira.com

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E DITOR’S NOTE S

YOUR ONE-STOP FOR TOTAL TRAINING If you prefer to salute the sun on the beach, call on Varvara Solomonidou’s AthensTrainers, which has been active in Mykonos for the last 18 summers. Every Thursday before sunset, certified yoga instructor Fenia Vracha offers yoga sessions next to the sea (just bring a mat, a pareo, bottled water and mosquito repellent). Learn about their other programs, including aerial yoga (which involves being suspended in hammocks), wake-up yoga and various kinds of fitness activities, such as cross-training and TRX, as well as the use of power bags, agility ladders, kettlebells, medicine balls and more.

Info At h e n s T r a i n e r s : Tel. (+30) 695.061.4115 • www.athenstrainers.gr, www.personaltraininginmykonos.gr

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LOCAL FE A S TS

Old-school Parties M O R E T H A N C E L E B R AT I O N S O F I M P O R TA N T R E L I G I O U S O C C A S I O N S , C H U R C H F A I R S , OR PANI Y IRI A , A RE OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN COMMUN A L SPIRIT

BY ELEFTHERIA TR AIOU

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espite the sweeping societal changes brought about by the island’s frontline position in the Greek tourism boom, the Mykonians – like Greeks all around the country – continue to cherish their traditions and their communal identity, both of which are indelibly linked to their faith. One of the best ways to see how this works is at a church fair, or paniyiri, which is not just a celebration of an important religious occasion, but also an opportunity to strengthen community spirit and its bonds with the past.

Dimitra Sikiniotou-Nazou, a local researcher of folk traditions, explains the background of the paniyiri and how this institution has evolved. “The island’s livelihood used to depend on the sea, and the construction of a new church, along with its annual paniyiri, was a votive offering made by sailors,” she explains. “They would vow to a particular saint to build a church in his or her name and to hold a fair every year in their honor in exchange for their beneficence. At these churches, they would pray for successful journeys and a safe return to their island. Even after Mykonos began depending

on tourism rather than maritime commerce and fishing, the fairs remained much the same, an offering by locals asking for good health, good business or whatever other protection one asks from one’s saint.”

There are around 600 churches in Mykonos today, and each will hold a paniyiri, big or small, on the day their namesake is celebrated. These fairs are usually organized by a few families who are responsible for looking after the particular church. Friends and neighbors will pitch in, donating money or time, to ensure that the fair is a success. Putting such an event together is no easy task, and preparations can begin as much as a month earlier. On the eve of the saint’s day, the church will be freshly whitewashed and decked out in the flags of the nation and the Greek Orthodox Church. The cooking will start in the kitchen area of the church’s “keli,” or utility room. The star dish of any paniyiri is almost always a hearty stew made with goat or ewe. The juice from the stew is often served separately in glasses, like a good wine; it’s said to brace the body and settle the stomach, which is a wise precaution

June 24, the feast day of Ai-Yiannis Klidonas, is one of the most important dates on the summer calendar.

One of the customs is burning the flower wreaths that signify the coming of spring on May 1.

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© PANAYOTIS KOUSATHANAS

© E.POLYMEROPOULOU

Folk musicians performing at a local “pig feast”, 1983.

A church festival at St. Lazarus in the ‘50s.

given the abundance of actual wine and heavy food (including the stew itself, sausages, spicy cheese or perhaps some onion pies) that is usually consumed during the course of the fair.

In the summer, rows upon rows of tables are set up in the church courtyard and, depending on the turnout, this makeshift dining room may even spill over into an adjacent field or street. On the day itself, the faithful attending morning mass are offered Greek coffee, mastic gum liqueur or cognac, biscuits, sweets and other dainty delicacies. The feast starts after the evening mass and, once the musicians get the crowd dancing, things usually carry on well into the wee hours of the night, although some fairs can last two or even three days.

The success of a paniyiri, whether great or small, is a matter of pride for its organizers. The smaller ones tend to be the most interesting because they often retain their sense of occasion and modesty, not turning into the drunken party that some of the larger ones can become. At these smaller events, visitors contribute by bringing along a bottle of wine or a dish they have prepared at home. The musicians perform on traditional instruments like the tsabouna (bagpipes), the

toubaki (a drum), the fiddle and occasionally the accordion, all unplugged. The whole crowd joins in age-old dances, with some of the men taking the opportunity to improvise flashy new moves.

Wealthier organizers tend to put on a bigger show, attracting hundreds of guests with abundant food and wine and a clear emphasis on wild revelry. At these fairs, larger musical ensembles, sometimes even from other islands, pump up the volume and let everyone know the party is on. Here, you’ll find sound systems, more instruments (including the bouzouki, the lute, the baglama and the guitar), and different genres of music, too, like rembetiko – always a hit with tourists – and dances drawn from other parts of the country, such as the classic hasapiko (with a Mykonian twist, of course).

The church fairs on Mykonos have a reputation for being among the liveliest in the Cycladic islands, so don’t be shy about dropping by. Once you’re there, no one will let you leave before you’re wined and dined. It’s always a good idea to bring a bottle of wine or a dessert to pay your respects to your hosts, but more importantly, bring a healthy appetite for fun.

Masters of merriment

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

The most celebrated musical instrument on Mykonos is the tsampouna, a proud member of the bagpipe family. Its bag, or main body, is made from goatskin and its mouthpiece is made from reed, goat bone and cow’s horn. Michalis Kounanis, aka “Babelis”, is a master of the instrument.

He never misses an opportunity to play for an audience, even today at the tender age of 80 and despite the fact that his instrument of choice demands endurance and strong lungs. “A good musician,” he explains, “is not necessarily someone who remembers all the tunes; it’s someone who drinks, sings and entertains his listeners with a story or two. We old-timers know very well how to create a good time, simply because in our days there was no other way to have one. No television, no mobile phones.”

- N ATA S H A B L AT S I O U

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© NIKOS KOKKAS

E DITOR’S NOTE S

Where Hoteliers Become Farmers Rhenea, Mykonos’ small and lesser-known sister offers a glimpse into the simple agr arian life

The Mykonians may have developed every nook and cranny of their island, but there is one place they still hold sacred – at least for now: Rhenea. This 16 square kilometer islet just 6 nautical miles from Mykonos (and a stone’s throw from Delos), is a protected archaeological site that has not been excavated as extensively as Delos, and has retained its purely agricultural character over the past two centuries.

Many Mykonians rent land on the islet from the municipal authority for a small fee and use it to grow fruits and vegetables, or graze their animals. In the past, the products grown on Rhenea brought in a meager income that ensured the survival of the poorest families. Today the small allotments mostly cover day-to-day household needs, but they are also cultivated by 70

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part-time farmers who are involved mainly in tourism and work the land in their free time.

Escaping from the “developed town” of Mykonos to the tourism-free island is like taking a journey back in time, according to anthropologist Despina Nazou, who writes: “We arrived at the port to sail on the caique they call the Ox Ferry… together with a few farmers, a mule and substantial supplies… and good traveling weather, we set off for Rhenea. The people in the caique were talkative as they shared their news… On Rhenea, I was impressed because it had been a long time since I had seen a landscape that had not been built on, where the natural contours of the land weren’t marred by houses. The route we took crossed ‘Apano Diles’ from the east to the west,

allowing me to see for the first-time these allotmens with their little huts and their small herds. The huts – mostly built of stone – showed their age and the care that had been invested in them by their tenants… The other thing that surprised me was the ‘soundtrack’ to this experience; the bleating of sheep and a few human voices. The comparison between what I felt on Rhenea and what I felt in Mykonos was inevitable and constant. I had a feeling that I had not just traveled through space, but somehow also through time.”

- N ATA S H A B L AT S I O U

Excerpts from Despina Nazou’s doctoral thesis, The Multiple Personalities and Their Reenactment at a Tourist Island of the Cyclades: ‘Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Locality’ (University of the Aegean)

discover GREECE IS

MYK O N O S

ANCIENT HERITAGE From history to art, from architecture to meteorology, our collection of stories will make you an expert on Mykonos. © Freddie Carabott, poster for the Greek National Tourist Organization, 1962.

From the catalogue of the exhibition Design Routes – Freddie Carabott, Michalis & Agni Katzourakis, Benaki Museum, 2008

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THE ABODE OF the GODS One of the most memorable and fascinating experiences to be had during a visit to Mykonos is not actually on Mykonos, but a thirty-minute boat ride away‌ On the sacred, sea-worn and ghostly island of Delos.

BY John Leonard

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© GJON MILI/LIFE collection/Getty Images/Ideal Image, EPHORATE OF ANTIQUITIES OF CYCLADES/HELLENIC REPUBLIC, MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORTS/Archaeological Receipts Fund

Naxian marble lions (late 7th c. BC), erected as dedicatory offerings to Apollo and Artemis, stand guard near the Sacred Lake.

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f you are the type to believe in ghosts, then you’ll agree they must be here.

The millennia-old history of Delos is filled with the drama, angst and spirit of the ancient Mediterranean human experience. Delos was once the abode of powerful gods, a place of religious reverence and hard political struggle, a playground for the fabulously wealthy, an important port-of-call for Aegean seafarers and the scene of untold human misery, as the region’s central market and clearinghouse for human chattel, bought and sold in iron restraints.

An Island of Contr asts The stark contrasts that are characteristic of Delos and its landscape are among the first impressions to strike a visitor approaching the island.

In springtime, one is faced with the port’s distinctive, barren scenery with low stone-built foundations stretching up and away on surrounding slopes,

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yet visible here and there among the bleached walls or in dense patches covering open ground are vibrant, colorful wildflowers in shades of yellow, purple and red. Some roofless, low-lying ruins near the residential Hill Quarter become weedy, seasonal ponds where frogs croak loudly, calling to one another. Verdant, broad-leafed fig trees, also drawn to pockets of moisture, sprout from deep, rain-filled cisterns, courtyard wells, and the narrow, overgrown banks of the Inopos — an ancient stream that still continues to flow stealthily from the prominence of Mt. Kynthos, just beyond the theater, down through the ruined city.

In the summer, Delos (the “Visible” island) radiates with its extraordinary, lauded light, but also with intense heat exacerbated by the lack of available shade. Hardly a single tree can be found anywhere on the archaeological site, a fact that compels visitors to seek

The Delos we know today began to emerge in the early centuries of the Iron Age, especially after 800 BC. The island’s sanctuary quickly became a coveted headquarters of religious authority, second only to Delphi in ancient Greece.

HISTORY Giants, tombs and towers on Mykonos

1. The House of the Dolphins was undoubtedly one of the grandest houses on Delos.

© VISUALHELLAS.GR, Walter Carone/Paris Match/Getty Images/IDEAL IMAGE, EPHORATE OF ANTIQUITIES OF CYCLADES/ HELLENIC REPUBLIC, MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORTS/Archaeological Receipts Fund

2. Shipowners and other visiting dignitaries tour the Sanctuary of Apollo ad Artemis in 1962.

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shelter beneath their own parasols or, for those less well prepared, in a sliver of shadow beside a house wall. In these conditions, Delos is both a feast and a torture — just as it must have been more than two thousand years ago, when affluent merchants lolled within their breezy, portico-shaded courtyards decorated with finely-laid mosaic floors, while, somewhere below their hillside villas, slaves collected from throughout the Greel East shuffled to the auction block across the baking stones of the open-air markets. the Heart of the Aegean A primary reason behind Delos’ importance in antiquity was the island’s geographical position at the center of the Aegean Sea, where it became not only a prosperous, international emporium, but a clash-point between eastern and western powers and, in later times, the desolate haunt of crusaders,

pirates, and eventually antiquarians.

Since 1873, archaeologists from the French School at Athens, in collaboration with the Greek government, have excavated large areas of the island’s port city. Particularly intriguing are the maze-like pathways and narrow lanes, onto which opened hundreds, perhaps thousands, of doorways leading to the houses and shops of the city’s former residents.

Delos has so much to see: the remains of numerous temples, altars, colonnaded marketplaces, houses, palaestrae, a gymnasium, a theater and a stadium. For an unforgettable panorama of this magnificent site, you should climb nearby Mt. Kynthos. From the top, you can look down on much of this, while beyond, in the blue expanse of the sea, you can make out the neighboring islands: Rhenea to the west, Tinos to the north, Mykonos to the northeast and Naxos and Paros to the south.

Rejoice, Blessed Leto…

First and foremost, Delos was home to a religious sanctuary, sacred to Apollo and his sister Artemis, who were reported in myth to have been born here.

Their mother, Leto, and several key Delian landmarks are celebrated in the Third Homeric Hymn (early 6th c. BC): “…Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bore glorious children…as you rested against the great mass of the Cynthian hill hard by a palm tree by the streams of Inopus...” The palm was an unusual tree in ancient Greece and specially revered in Delos — another arrival from afar, conveyed to the island on the sea-going ships that were the life-blood of Delos.

In the first century BC, Roman visitors, including the orator and statesman Cicero, could still see “Leto’s” palm tree standing beside the Sacred Lake. Today, a symbolic palm continues to mark the landscape, although the adjacent lake is now long gone, filled in over a G R E E C E IS

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century ago as a preventative measure against malaria.

Sacred Headquarters Delos’ rise to great economic power and prominence occurred relatively late in its history. Limited evidence of a Mycenaean presence during the Late Bronze Age (latter half of 2nd millennium BC) has been discovered in the port area, but the Delos we know today began to emerge in the early centuries of the Iron Age, especially after 800 BC. The island’s sanctuary quickly became a coveted headquarters of religious authority, second only to Delphi in ancient Greece; control over it was similarly contested by powerful neighbors, which, in this case, were Naxos, Paros and Athens.

The Naxians underscored their particular dominance with the now-iconic row of white marble, dedicatory lions (late 7th c. BC), standing just west of the Sacred Lake. Within the Apollo sanctuary proper, near the port, they erected further monuments, including the colossal statue of Apollo (590-580 BC); an L-shaped stoa (colonnaded walkway) that helped to define the sacred space (ca. 550-500 BC); and the Oikos of the Naxians (ca. 575 BC), which may have served either as the first temple to Apollo, a ceremonial dining hall or a storage space for sacred items and valuable dedicatory offerings.

Catering to Pilgrims A significant amount of practical infrastructure became necessary on Delos to accommodate the needs of visitors, especially during religious festivals such as the Greater (every four years) and Lesser (annual) Delia. The hymn to Apollo further avows: “…In Delos…the long-robed Ionians gather in your honor with their children and shy wives: with

The view westward from the uppermost rows of the Hellenistic theater of Delos, with the island of Rhenea in the distance.

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boxing and dancing and song, mindful, they delight you so often as they hold their gathering…” Among Delos’ mazelike ruins, the architectural remains of several palaestrae (primarily for wrestling, boxing), as well as those of the gymnasium (running, other athletics), the stadium and the theater (collectively 3rd or 2nd c. BC) all stand witness to these past activities. Of similar date is the Hypostyle Hall (208 BC), northwest of the sanctuary, which may have served as an enormous dining hall. A forest of forty-four columns supported its roof.

Near the theater, a gigantic, roofed cistern with six internal arches was installed to collect precious rainwater.

Impressive Dedications The Delians’ initial prosperity stemmed mainly from cult-related riches, most clearly discernable in the votive offerings brought in by affluent pilgrims.

On religious gatherings, the hymn to Apollo continues: if one “should…come 80

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upon the Ionians so met together,…[he] would be pleased in heart gazing at the men and well-girded women with their swift ships and great wealth.” In addition to the impressive Naxian lions and their colossal Apollo, many other statues with inscribed bases as well as other impressive votive objects filled the sanctuary and lined the route approaching its monumental gateway, or propylon.

Polykrates, the tyrant of Samos, went so far as to dedicate the entire island of Rhenea to Apollo (ca. 530 BC), then demonstrated the adjacent islands’ inseparable bond by connecting them with a massive iron chain.

Purification, Power & Patronage Many objects from Delos have been discovered on nearby Rhenea, due to ritual cleansings of the Apollo sanctuary — during which the contents of prehistoric graves, discarded votive offerings and other materials were swept

up and buried in sacred pits across the channel. The Athenian tyrant Peisistratus conducted the first such purification in about 540 BC. After the Persian Wars, Athens took control of Delos (478 BC), making it the headquarters of the Delian League, but later revealed its true exploitative intentions in 454 BC when Pericles removed the League’s treasury and installed it on the Athenian Acropolis. In 426 BC, Athens again purified Delos and henceforth banned all births and deaths on the island.

1. A Mykonian laborer poses between two important Roman (1st c. BC) statues, shortly after their discovery in 1894: the “Pseudo-Athlete of Delos” (left) and the “Diadoumenos” (right, a Roman-era copy of a 5th c. BC bronze by Polyclitus). Both are exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens (Archives of the French School at Athens).

2. Mosaic floor depicting Dionysus seated on a panther, from the House of the Masks.

© GETTY IMAGES/IDEAL IMAGE

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Athenian hegemony in the Aegean waned in the fourth century BC, as Macedonian power waxed. By the mid-third century BC, Delos had come to enjoy a level of independence under the benevolent eye of Hellenistic kings.

It was during this period that the approach to the sanctuary was enclosed with two colonnades: the South Stoa, built by King Attalos I of Pergamon (post 250 BC), and the Stoa of Philip V of Macedonia (ca. 210 BC).

Crisis, Rebirth, Decline With the rise of Roman power in the region, however, Delos abruptly lost its sovereignty in 167 BC, after backing Rome’s opponent, King Perseus of Macedon, and allowing a pirate commander to use Delian port facilities to launch attacks on Roman shipping.

Rome declared Delos a free port, open to all merchants for trade without taxation, setting the stage for the island to reach new heights of affluence. Its new

status as the Aegean’s leading emporium for the trans-shipment of goods was confirmed when the Romans destroyed Corinth in 146 BC. Newly rich Roman elites sought a vast range of products from the East, many of which passed through Delos, including not only slaves and grain, but also perfumes, unguents, bronze and marble statuary, metal wares, culinary specialties, ornate textiles and fabrics, and other luxury items.

At the peak of its success, Roman Delos was a sight to behold. In the sanctuary itself stood three temples and other shrines of Apollo; five treasury buildings to safeguard offerings; the unparalleled Monument of the Bulls that housed a votive trireme; the lengthy Stoa of Antigonos; the Ekklesiasterion for the people’s assembly; and the Artemision, or Temple of Artemis, framed by another L-shaped stoa. Outside the main precinct, there were also shrines dedicated to Leto, Hera, Zeus,

Affluent merchants lolled within their breezy, portico-shaded courtyards, while, somewhere below their villas, slaves shuffled to the auction block across the baking stones of the open-air markets.

Athena, Herakles and Asclepius as well as to the Twelve Olympian Gods collectively. Foreign deities similarly had temples, including those of the Syrian gods and of Egyptian Serapis and Isis — the latter’s elegant facade now partly reconstructed and visible from many vantage points.

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Colonnaded stoas, warehouses and marketplaces were a common sight in the port and sanctuary area, where the Roman geographer Strabo (early 1st c. AD) reports that the number of slaves traded every day was as high as 10,000. Delos’ multi-ethnic population of merchants tended to cluster separately in their own club-like market halls and cultural/commercial centers, as attested by the Agora of the Delians (4th cent. BC, early 2nd cent. BC); the Koinon of the Poseidoniasts of Berytos, merchants and ship owners from Beirut (ca. 110 BC); and the Agora of the Italians (ca. 110 BC).

Perhaps most evocative of Delian life in late Hellenistic and early Roman times, however, are the many charming villas and other private houses that offer a sense of the individuals who once resided there, and of their diverse tastes and habits. The Delians’ multilingualism and international character were as worthy of note in antiquity as they are today: “The girls of Delos, hand-maid-

A MUST-SEE MUSEUM The Delos Museum is a mustsee for visitors, where one finds displayed an array of ancient offerings and personal possessions: elegant statuary, finely painted vases, figurines of gods and goddesses, as well as intriguing household items including wall paintings, mosaic floors, marble tables, and simple cooking equipment.

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View of the area around Mount Kynthos, the sacred mountain of Delos.

ens of the Far-shooter…sing…of men and women of past days…They can imitate the tongues of all men and their clattering speech: each would say that he himself were singing, so close to truth is their sweet song” (HH3).

Sadly, this newfound prosperity lasted only a century, as the island once again picked the wrong side (this time Rome) in the Mithridatic Wars between Rome and Pontus. Beginning with the massacre, in 88 BC, of 20,000 Delians by the forces of King Mithridates, the island was subjected to two decades of repeated assaults. After a final destructive attack by Cilician pirates in 69 BC, Delos went into decline. By the second century AD, the Greek traveler Pausanias describes the island as virtually abandoned: “…Delos, once the common market of Greece, has no Delian inhabitant, but only the men sent by the Athenians to guard the sanctuary.” He could have been describing the Delos of today – its only permanent residents are the archaeologists, conservators and guards who watch over this invaluable cultural treasure, preserving it for the lucky, awe-struck visitors.

Delos Tours Boats to Delos depart from the Old Port daily: Mon 10:00 & 17:00, Tue - Sun 9:00, 10:00, 11:30, & 17:00. Return journey ticket costs €20 • Tel. (+30)22890.230.51 The entrance to the archaeological site and museum costs €12 (€6 for concessions) • Tel. (+30) 22890.22259 • Tip: You can reach the point of departure with boat, which connects the New Port with the Old Port (ticket costs €2)

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© DIONYSIS KOURIS, SHUTTERSTOCK, EPHORATE OF ANTIQUITIES OF CYCLADES/HELLENIC REPUBLIC, MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORTS/Archaeological Receipts Fund

Delos has so much to see: the remains of numerous temples, altars, colonnaded marketplaces, houses, palaestrae, a gymnasium, a theater and a stadium.

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

DE LOS

Guarding The Sacred Island A r c ha e o l o g ists a n d c o n s e r v ators ar e f i g hti n g a d ai ly b att l e to m iti g at e th e d a m a g e c a u s e d b y stro n g w i n d s , s e a sa lt a n d w e e d s

B Y A L E X ANDRA T Z A V E L L A

When the day’s visitors have left Delos, the “residents” remain; men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting, preserving and showcasing one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Greece. They include day and night guards, archaeologists, conservators of mosaics, wall paintings and ceramics, craftsmen, architects, land surveyors and cleaners, all employees of the Ministry of Culture. In summer, the team is reinforced with seasonal personnel and augmented by Greek and foreign researchers – French, German and American – who together form a small, multinational village.

All of them live an austere life in small dwellings without any amenities or luxuries. Winters are particularly difficult. The team shrinks, the boat connections become less frequent and the opportunities to resupply dwindle. If someone falls ill, he or she must be taken to Mykonos.

The biggest challenge for the “self-exiled”, as they call themselves, isn’t enduring the difficult working conditions under the blazing sun, or even their loneliness and yearning for home; it’s the enormous responsibility they bear for the

protection of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A daily battle is waged to ensure that the “open-air museum” of Delos remains standing and safe. The most important work focuses on protecting the monuments against the effects of strong winds, the sea air and the enroachment of vegetation. This may involve removing weeds from the mosaic floors or using a laser-scanning drone for 3D surveying of the monuments, so that every detail can be electronically examined.

No matter how carefully and skillfully the work is carried out, time is never kind to the monuments. The most important finds are given a safe haven in the Archaeological Museum of Delos, which houses the original large lion statues and significant mosaics. The Ministry of Culture is now planning to modernize and expand the museum so that it can house a greater number of artifacts, and to give it more facilities for storing, documenting and conserving antiquities. At present, there are many items waiting to be moved into the museum, including sculptures and the most important of the 3,000 inscriptions found to date.

* Special thanks to Zozi Papadopoulou, the Head of the Department of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities at the Ephorate of the Cyclades.

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ME MENTOS

IN TIMES OF BLACK & WHITE Old photographs help us fully understand what Mykonos is all about, and how much it has changed over the years.

BY N ATA S H A B L AT S I O U

TRAGONISI ISLAND, 1904

“They scurried into hiding when they saw us land, afraid that I was a Maltese pirate.

The entire island was scattered with pieces of marble arms and legs, and fragments of pottery.” - Johann Hermann von Riedesel, 18th century.

Photo: Henry Convert, Benaki Museum Photo Archive

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THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

“We learned to work as children… joining the harvest at four, five years old.

We learned what exhaustion meant. We would water, sow and plant all day… and wake up in the middle of the night, in the cold, to feed the animals…”

Excerpt from “The Multiple Personalities and Their Re-enactment at a Tourist Island of the Cyclades: ‘Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Locality’ in Mykonos,” by Dr Despina Nazou, University of the Aegean).

Photo: Voula Papaioannou, Chora (1945-1955), Benaki Museum Photo Archive

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NOTHING COMES EASY

“I would wake up at five in the morning, load the merchandise onto the boats and then return to the grocery store two hours later…

Sunday was a workday, too. But we got tired… the wife and I… and rather than get sick and suffer the taunts of people wondering what happened… we decided to close the shop in 1976. At the same time as the shop, though, I had made the hotel with 14 rooms and had built four houses that we rented out.”

Photos: Petros Broussalis (ca 1965), Voula Papaioannou (1945-1955), Benaki Museum Photo Archive

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ME MENTOS

female power

“On the second day after giving birth, she went down to a remote corner of the beach to wash the clothes. Rushing along with her basket, Mrs Irene gave the signal. The people were informed. She was ‘free’ again. And once more, her husband’s respect for his wife grew. But don’t think that the respect shows in the clothes or in her husband’s endearments.

There, women earned respect from their work and from the many children calling her: Our mother.”

Excerpts from Melpo Axiotis’ memoirs “My Home”, Kedros Publications, Athens, 1986.

Photo: Voula Papaioannou (1945-1955), Benaki Museum Photo Archive

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ME MENTOS

SCARPA, 1936

“Alas, our land was too beautiful for it to be left only to us, and twice alas that the people were too poor and tormented to have the luxury of such stunning beauty to themselves and their children – nor, after all, to manage to resist as much as they should have.”

Source: “Mykonos, a Photographic Memento, Volume II (1951-1985)” by Panayiotis Kousathanas. Photo: Theoklitos Triantafyllidis, from the book “Mykonos, 1908-1977,” Eleftheroudakis Publications.

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ME MENTOS

EPIPHANY AT THE WATERFRONT (1907-1908)

In this stunning photograph, the priest has just thrown the cross into the sea and youths scramble in the surf for the honor of retrieving it first. On the boats to the right, two or three strapping young lads prepare to join the fray – most went in fully clothed.

Beneath their humble, threadbare mended clothes you can discern their powerful bodies, nurtured on beans, potatoes, olive oil and bread. Who was the lucky one this year?

Source: “Mykonos, a Photographic Memento, Volume I (1885-1950)”, by Panayiotis Kousathanas

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ME MENTOS

MYKONIAN FAMILY, 1908

A family poses for a portrait at a photo studio in Syros. The husband: Athanas Kambanas, baker.

The wife: Mario Markoulaki-Kambana, housewife. The children: Marina, Nikolas and the youngest, Eleni.

The girls are wearing dresses cut from the same bolt of cloth, so they won’t get jealous of each other.

Source: “Mykonos, a Photographic Memento, Volume I (1885-1950),” by Panayiotis Kousathanas

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ARCHITECTURE

BUILDING MYKONOS Some of the island’s most renowned architects express their admiration for the humble yet ingenious traditional architecture and discuss the evolution of the topography of Mykonos.

BY STELLA GEORGIOU

Chora in the ‘50s. A shortage of building materials dictated the small size of most houses, while the narrow streets were once a means of protection from pirates. (Photograph by Voula Papaioannou from the Benaki Museum Archives)

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Interior designersculptor Deborah French’s house has a strong, sculptural quality and none of the angular elements of modern villas. The layout was designed to follow the contours of the hillside.

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COURTESY BC ESTUDIO ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECTURE

Javier Barba’s design proposal for this villa near Lia Beach is aimed at tempering natural challenges like the rugged terrain and strong winds through a succession of courtyards.

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ARCHITECTURE

Scarpa in Chora, seen in the 1960s. (Photo by Loukas Benakis from Mykonos, a Photographic Memento (1885-1985)

by Panayiotis Kousathanas)

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t is a scorching hot, midsummer’s day up in Ano Mera and, standing atop a brown, rocky formation, typical of the Mykonian landscape, Dimitris Mantikas, an architect who has built more than 200 houses here since 1981, is left to the inspiration brought in by the strong Meltemi wind whipping the hillside. He ponders upon the challenges of the deteriorating ground and the clusters of rocks that need to be preserved. He has to take everything into account: the strong winds, the ever-changing course of the sun, the durability of his designs, the environmental impact of the structure and, of course, the view from the finished edifice. In front of him lay different but very similar white blocks, all typical samples of Mykonian architecture.

For some, these are simple forms offering practical benefits. For others, they are a means of showing off wealth.

But for the architects and designers that we meet, these materials are the physical embodiment of a love affair, with all the turmoil and excitement that pathos usually brings along with it.

LIKE Tetris blocks The colorful crowds that flock the streets of Matoyianni every summer probably don’t know that once upon a time, long ago, the island was filled with castles, the remains of which can still be found in places like Lino and Portes. From this very well organized defense system that protected the island from pirates and thieves to the huge villas with the crisp swimming pools that are found today on every little hillside, there have been centuries of evolution and transformation, always adding new elements to what we

call today traditional character. And all of these changes were driven by the needs of the day. The little houses were built one atop the other and the streets were made as narrow as possible in an attempt to close up the town against the pirates. The houses were small due to the scarcity of basic building materials and their shape and color were in reaction to unique weather conditions.

Square formations and white colors protect from strong winds and the melting heat.

All this takes place in Chora, the central stage of the island. Ion Stavropoulos, an architect who has known the island since the seventies, also talks about the simple, plain cottages in rural Mykonos: “These were bright examples of the so called ‘additive architecture’, little gems of anonymous folk creativity, symbols of another type of civilization, created by poverty and inventiveness, edifices that the modernist architect Aris Konstantinidis called ‘god-built’”, he says.

Basic living dwellings were formed by cell-like rooms creating “wings” around shaded little patios. A corral for the animals, a wood-fired oven, a winepress, a water cistern, a well, and, in many cases, a small chapel would complete the farmhouse or “chorio”, a word used euphemistically for these farmhouses scattered in the rural areas, since it actually means “village” in Greek. “This organic and shabby creation of unities ended up becoming a masterpiece of unique character”, says architect Nikiforos Fokas, while Apostolos Nazos, a born and bred Mykonian architect actively involved in strengthening the protection afforded by the local urban planning, adds: “The people

who created these masterpieces were very much aware of the concept of space.

Today, we are left speechless when we think of their simplicity and moderation. Every little cube is placed in the right part of the field that surrounds it, correctly oriented, and of a size barely fitting the soul of a man. What they used to say was, ‘A house just enough to fit in, a field just as far as you can see’”.

A sculptural masterpiece Round rocks, dry earth patches and scattered little whitewashed chapels create a dreamscape that, since 2005, has been protected by law; the island itself is legally classified as one of distinctive, natural beauty. When the sculptor and interior designer Deborah French first set foot on Mykonos in 1978, she instantly fell in love with the island. She kept coming back almost every year, until finally moving here in 1985. “Though one could argue that other places had some of these qualities, Mykonos is where I found them,” she says. “The architecture, the sculptural quality of the structures that, being white, stand out so well, allowing the eye to see the shapes as a union and to follow the undulation of the surfaces… Other Cycladic islands had this, but none quite as perfectly.” So she decided to set up her home here, calling it “Re-inventing Mykonos”: “The original architecture of the island was my general inspiration but I took much of it from a small old farmhouse where I’d had spent my summers. It was so simple yet very alive, because of all the movements of its surface and the simple rustic details. Being a sculptor I could fully appreciate its beauty and uniqueness.”

What Mykonians used to say was ‘A house just big enough to fit in, a field just as far as you can see’

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An animal shed at Platys Gialos in 1957.

(From Mykonos, a Photographic Memento (1885-1985) by Panayiotis Kousathanas)

The swimming pool of a Mykonos residence designed by Dimitris Mantikas. In all his work, the architect takes into account, among other factors, the strong winds, the course of the sun and the structure’s incorporation into the landscape.

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The firm law of the land It is safe to say that, having worked here for 35 years, Dimitris Mantikas knows the island like the back of his hand. “The reasoning of nature, of the landscape here, is much more powerful than that of the builders who tried to impose their vision on it”, he says.

Javier Barba, a Spaniard who has built more than six houses here since 1997, finds his calling to be the integration of each project into the landscape: “We work the architecture from the land, with the land, adjusting to the natural pre-existing conditions. The landscape conditions you, inspires you and gives you guidelines to work on,” he says.

The wind, too, is a force to be reckoned with on Mykonos. The tough one, the Meltemi, comes from the north.

The Mykonians situated their houses with their “backs” turned to the north, to shield from the wind. “On a windy day in the old houses, you could stand on the front veranda and be completely protected. This simple intelligence has been lost to those of us who are disconnected with nature and the concept of bending to it for our ultimate advantage” says Deborah French. Nikiforos Fokas believes in the elements as well.

“The landscape, the climate and the strong Mykonian tradition can only bring inspiration,” he says. That inspiration, however, may come at a price.

Looking back on his first ever commission on the island, Apostolos Nazos remembers he was frozen, unable to use everything he had been taught. It was impossible to intervene in what to him was – and still is – magical scenery.

Thankfully, the law has worked to the advantage of Mykonos. For her house, Deborah French had to get spe-

cial permission that allowed her not to paint it white. At that time, only the animal shelters were left unpainted.

“I saw that a large white house up on the hill would look ostentatious and detract from its surroundings. But built from rock, the residence blends in and almost disappears into the hill.

A few years after the house was built, a rule went into effect that houses up on the hills should not be painted white.

Someone got the point!”

It was, in fact, Dimitris Mantikas who brought the revised study of her house to the architectural committee, and he was also the first architect to design and establish the double walls that resembled the shapes of old farmhouses, starting a trend back in the mid’80s. “The buildings blend well with the environment and the land has been respected,” he says. “So, if you want to talk about eco-friendly architecture, it is not always about the use of double windows or putting solar or aeolic energy to use. The way the island has been built is totally eco-friendly. Not to mention that traditionally the roofs were insulated with sand and seaweed!’’

The inevitable «facelift» Ion Stavropoulos talks about a violent rise in construction that started in the mid-’80s and has changed the landscape: “From being something to satisfy the basic needs of the dwellers, the house gradually became a vessel for luxurious vacation and a sign of the owner’s wealth. Contemporary materials, often imported, allowed for buildings that wouldn’t have been built by the architects of old,” he says.

Deborah French adds: “The town of Mykonos was transformed in a matter

of a few years from one whose streets were pristinely clean and white-washed with lime wash, bathed in soft, natural light, to one where, once high-end retailers descended, the lights became garish and the streets dirty, painted once a year at best, and with latex or enamel paint. It is a good example of how insensitivity and ignorance have eaten away at what was once so special about Mykonos.”

Wealth, well hidden Skyrocketing land prices and high demand for real estate have turned Mykonos into a unique case study. According to Ion Stavropoulos, architects are often called in to design structures on secluded tracts of land, chosen solely for the purpose of offering its owner the privacy he seeks. This seclusion poses numerous challenges, including not having access to basic infrastructure, such as sewage systems and water supply.

Nikiforos Fokas believes the island has been going through a nouveau-riche phase for a long time, but Dimitris Mantikas is more optimistic: “Although there has been an effort to create a golden facade through Mykonian architecture, in general the buildings haven’t lost their traditional shape thanks to the urban planning laws. The only place left for showing off is the inside of the houses.” According to a spokesperson from the architectural design firm Zege, “it is easy to assume that Mykonos is an island of loud manifestations of wealth. But in architectural terms, there is a constant struggle to keep our traditional Cycladic building principles, devoid of excess and modernity.”

“Once there merely to satisfy the basic needs of the dwellers, the house gradually became a vessel to serve luxurious holidays and become a tell sign of the owner’s wealth” Ion Stavropoulos, architect

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A house “just big enough to fit” in Angelika, 1974. From “Mykonos, a Photographic Memento, Volume II, 1951-1985,

by Panayiotis Kousathanas.

Thick walls, asymmetrical cubes and the play with heights and rough textures pay homage to the traditional houses of Mykonos, in this residence designed by Javier Barba.

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cr af ts

Trendsetting Textiles The everyday clothes crafted by the island’s women caught the attention of visiting couturiers and celebrities and launched a cottage industry that endured for 25 years.

by A l e x a n d r a T z av e l l a & Nata s h a B l at s i o u 1

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© dionysis kouris, kousathana-micheli anezo, panagiotis chatzidakis

I

n 1962, German philosopher Martin Heidegger offered the following description from his trip to Delos – the “island of islands” – in his Sojourns: The Journey to Greece: “In the morning the boat glided slowly on the calm water toward Delos… We were just disembarking when we met with some women forming a line along a barely seen path. They had spread out colorful textiles and embroideries for sale – a joyful spectacle, witness to a poor but assiduous life.”

What Heidegger saw that day was, in fact, part of a very long tradition. Archaeological finds from Mykonos and the neighboring islands of Delos and Rhenea tell us that, even in ancient times, textile weaving here was extremely sophisticated, as indeed it was in other parts of Greece. As the centuries went by, the custom remained strong here. The women of Mykonos would spend hours at their looms every day, creating their family’s wardrobe, household linens and other necessities, and enriching their daughters’ dowry chests – in addition to all their other household chores. It was not an easy life.

The advent of tourism, however, changed not just the island, but the lives of these women as well. Early excavations of Delos in the late 19th c. and organized cruises in the 1920s brought thousands of vis-

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73 year-old Niki Xidaki in Little Venice and 67 year-old Ioanna Zouganeli on Gialos, are the last weavers active on the island.

2. The shop of Vgenoula, a famous weaver.

Seen hanging beside her colorful ties, that once took fashionistas by storm, is a portrait of her daughter Amalia, painted by Luis Orozco.

3. A 1967 outdoor fashion show by Mykonian designer Yiannis Galatis, presenting woven dresses to his international guests.

5. The Mykonians only started appreciating their own woven clothes when they realized how popular they had become with foreign visitors.

Seen here, a dress by Katerina Nazou.

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© panagiotis chatzidakis

Hem detail from woven skirt, decorated with Delian dolphin motif, from the collection of Frasko Monogiou-Syrianou.

itors seeking authentic experiences and products to the Aegean archipelago. As outside interest in Mykonian textiles grew, Mario Zouganeli (1885-1965) played a critical role in getting her fellow island women to see the products of their looms in a newer, more commercial light. One of the women she influenced was Vgenoula Kousathana (19071984), a skilled and forward-thinking craftswoman who decided to experiment with new items that she could sell. She began by making trousers and silk throws, and tourists bought them.

Her work even earned her a story on the front page of the newspaper Mykonos in 1934: “She is doing brisk business with her textiles. Aside from common cloth, she has now started weaving shoes for the promenade that her husband then soles with rope.”

The other women soon followed suit and all together they managed not only to improve their family’s lot in life, but also to contribute to the island’s fortunes. The first sign of international recognition came in 1937, when the textiles of two Mykonian merchants – Theodoros Harakoulos and Taro Kodizas – won awards at the famed Exposition Internationale des Arts et des Techniques in Paris.

After the temporary halt in all commercial and tourist activity imposed by World War II, Mykonian textiles made a comeback in 1954 and for the next 25 years or so experienced something of a heyday both within and beyond Greece’s border. The exotic adventurers and aficionados of all things traditional who visited the island at the time thirst104

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ed for anything authentically ethnic – and the ladies of Mykonos were not about to let them down. Working day and night, they turned Chora into one giant mill, with their 500 looms falling silent only on the eve of major holidays.

Living rooms were transformed into working spaces and, thanks to their entrepreneurial spirit, the ladies were able to generate plenty of custom.

Magazine and newspaper articles from that period show models, actors and celebrities walking around the streets of Chora in both simple and glamorous clothing procured from these homegrown “ateliers.” It’s said that Christian Dior, a renowned fan of Mykonos, used its textiles in his creations and even dedicated an entire line to them. Givenchy came to the island to dress his models, in cooperation with Joseph Salachas, a local tailor who built a stellar reputation. Greek designers like Jean Desses and Nikos&Takis drew inspiration from these crafts, too, and local creative spirit Yannis Galatis pioneered a new loose-weave technique.

Mykonian weaving also influenced art. Painters, folk artists and craftsmen used pieces of textile to compose impressive tableaux or to construct dolls. The island’s fabrics were made into clothing, paintings, bed and sofa covers, curtains and tablecloths that graced not only trendy Athenian homes but even the royal palace itself. Cloth items became so ubiquitous on Mykonos that shirts, skirts and woven bags could be seen displayed alongside buckets, brooms and braids of garlic in convenience stores across the island.

The craze for Mykonian textiles endured until industrialization finally caught up with the island. Cheap imports pushed down prices to the point where only a handful of weavers were able to make a living. The once-bustling ateliers were gradually transformed into brand stores and rooms-to-let, as the art of the loom perished.

Today, the Mykonos Folklore Museum is the foremost treasurer of this tradition, showcasing 620 samples of the craft. The tradition also lives on thanks to 73-year-old Niki Xydaki in Little Venice and 67-year-old Ioanna Zouganeli in Gialos who maintain the only two working looms on the island, attracting visitors not just with their beautiful wraps, but also with the ambience of a bygone era that can be found in their workshops. Now we can only hope that Zouganeli’s 7-year-old granddaughters – who often bicker over who gets the next turn at the spinning wheel – will carry on this tradition and, who knows, possibly bring it back to glory.

Source: Mykonian Weaving in the 20th century

by Dimitra Sikinotou-Nazou & Panagiotis I. Hadjidakis.

Special thanks to Dimitra Sikinotou-Nazou, a specialist in traditional arts and crafts, and particularly well-known for the dolls she makes.

She has twice served as president of the Cultural and Folklore Association of Mykonos Women and is vice-chairwoman of the Friends of the Mykonos Folklore Museum Association. She works with the museum as a curator and also as a supervisor of the children’s art workshop program, where she teaches arts and crafts to children and adults on a voluntary basis.

A stack of woven Mykonian blankets; heavy wool for winter, light cotton for summer.

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

ART

inspired

by Mykonos The island’s natural interplay of light and shadow, together with its traditions, has always fed the imagination of artists.

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Still life: Watermelon and pomegranates, detail, oil on canvas (2007) Opposite page: Portrait, oil on canvas (2016).

Both by Luis Orozco.

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© DIONYSIS KOURIS

The Cat, oil on canvas (2016)

The Flower, oil on canvas (2016)

Luis Orozco

A Mykonian from Mexico

“Home is where you’re happy and loved. To me, home is Mykonos. I’m a Mykonian from Mexico,” says artist Luis Orozco, or “Louisakos” as the locals fondly call him. We meet around lunchtime in Chora, at the Cine Manto open-air cinema, where he is holding an exhibition titled “Beyond Mykonos.”

I see ants crawling around his work and ask him whether he minds. “Ants have a right to art as well,” he replies.

Orozco, aged 85, has had a fascinating life: he studied at the National School of Fine Arts in Mexico and fought in the Korean War, before borrowing just enough money to follow a group of friends to Mykonos after falling under the spell of Henry Miller’s The Colossus of Maroussi. “I set sail from New Orleans on a Liberty cargo ship, holding a Greek textbook in one hand and a guitar in the other. We traveled for 40 days. At night, I’d listen to the songs of the Greek sailors; by the time we reached Piraeus, I had learned all the words.”

It was 1960 when he first stepped foot on Mykonos, then an 11-hour trip from Piraeus on the ferry Kyra Despina. His friends left once their vacation was over, but he was held back by what he describes as: “Two lights: A Myko108

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nian woman who didn’t want me in the end, and the light of the island, which is ideal for a painter.” Even though he has stayed true to the island motifs – the sea, fishing boats, alleys, stray cats – his canvases overflow with color, from vibrant green and fuchsia to purple and turquoise. In fact, he remembers that one art critic had accused him of introducing the colors of Mexico to Mykonos, which she described as a “white dove.”

“But I saw color on the island,” he says. “I saw deep-green cypresses, red stone walls pulsating with heat; I saw the colors transmitted by the magical light of Delos every dusk onto the Mykonian balconies and doors. Mykonos may be a white dove to the visitor, but it is not so to the artist.”

For someone who has traveled the world, Orozco has managed to find a full and happy life in such a small place.

He has flourished as an artist, holding exhibitions abroad, and his personal life has been full, too. He has married three times, has two sons – one is an artist in the United States and the other married a Greek and lives on Mykonos where he works as a sound designer – and a granddaughter who loves music. He never turned his back

on the island and has always “promoted” it in his work, though he did in fact try living elsewhere with his first wife, first in Denmark, then in Spain. “That’s when I realized that I would rather be on this island, in this dream, this architectural treasure,” he says. “You feel comfortable even in the narrowest alleyway. Back then, doors were kept open at night, everyone waved to each other, the tourists were well-educated and fishermen sang in the dark. I have never regretted my choice to live here.

You get what you dare. I took risks and survived, and was fortunate.”

Like the island he has made his home, Orozco exudes light, even in adversity, such as the recent loss of his wife. “My paintbrushes have frozen and I can’t paint anymore.” But even though he no longer captures the colors that he loves, he still cherishes the magic they work over the landscape he calls home.

Info To contact the artist or see samples of his work: tel (+30) 697.246.4857 • www.luisorozcomykonos.weebly.com

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Irene Syrianou

Reviving an ancient art

Slip away from the madding crowds on Chora’s high street and duck into the small square of Aghios Vlassis, where you can hear the tap-tap-tapping of a chisel on stone from the open door of Irene Syrianou’s workshop. Surrounded by hundreds of colorful stones, each waiting their turn to be glued with flour paste onto the gauze, the Mykonian artist tells me about how she discovered mosaic art.

“I was a resident guard on the island of Delos and, for 10 years, I would wake up every day among 350 mosaics; I simply fell in love with them,” she says, describing her work on the island-wide

archaeological site just off Mykonos.

“Delos is truly the ‘capital’ of this ancient art, which flourished in the Hellenistic period, but then disappeared for centuries. I want to be one of the artists to help bring it back.”

Irene began learning under the tutelage of Nikos Tolis, the head of the Greek Mosaic Association and an art restorer, and then went on to hone her craft in Athens before returning to Mykonos and opening her own workshop. Her work, which visitors can see her executing on site, includes exact replicas of the Delos mosaics. She works with marble, local limestone and Venetian or Russian

glass.

“My most well-known mosaics are probably those of the dolphins and the rosettes, which I copy exactly, even in regards to the number of tiles,” she says.

Her biggest seller, however, is a small mosaic depicting Tanit, an ancient Carthaginian goddess, whose image is believed to ward off evil.

Irene has been teaching the art of mosaic making to adults and children on the island for the past 17 years, hoping to keep the craft alive. “I am,” she says, “gradually acquiring fellow companions on this journey. I feel as though I am carrying on a tradition.”

Info A s t e r i a : Aghios Vlassis Square, Chora • Tel. (+30) 22890.278.22, (+30) 697.735.5079 • www.art-mosaic.gr

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advertorial STELLA KAPEZANOU

MANUEL FELISI Aaron Majoros ELENA PAPADIMITRIOU YANNIS BEKIARIS

KADIR AKYOL ANTONIA KONTAKSI

YORGIS YEROLYMBOS

Inspirational Art f r o m G r ee c e a n d t h e W o r ld Skoufa Gallery Mykonos offers its audience a rich program of group theme exhibitions, featuring both Greek and International Artists, showcasing contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, as well as handcrafted art objects.

12 Delou St., Chora, Mykonos 84600 Tel: +30 22890 28560 Daily Opening Hours: 11:30 - 14:00 and 18:30- 02:00 E-mail: mykonos@skoufagallery.gr Website: www.skoufagallery.gr

4 Skoufa St, Kolonaki, Athens 106 73 Tel. +30 210 3643025 Opening Hours: Mon-Wed-Sat 10:00-15:30, Tue-Thu-Fri: 10:00-15:30 & 17:30-21:00 E-mail: info@skoufagallery.gr

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

ART

Monika Derpapa & Richard James North A Mykonian love affair

Richard was a well-traveled Londoner and up-and-coming artist in the US back in the 1970s, holding solo shows and selling to important buyers (his work graces the central offices of both Playboy and the Chicago Stock Exchange). Monika was born in Dresden and studied in Hamburg, where in 1962 she met her first husband, George Derpapas, an important proponent of magical realism. They had two sons. One passed away at a young age; the other, Michalis, is an artist. She moved to Greece in 1966, bought a summer home in Mykonos and settled permanently on the island in 1986, after opening a bar here in 1981.

She was separated; he had just suffered the painful loss of his father and was looking to start life afresh. The Greek islands seemed like the perfect 112

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place for that, far from rainy Seattle where Richard was living when he decided to come to Greece. The couple met in Monika’s bar in 1984; for him, it was love at first sight. “I was interested in buying the bar; who would have guessed that it came part and parcel with the owner,” he says jokingly.

They ran the bar together for the first few years they were together and business went well; every night was a party. The artists inside them, however, wanted more. “We didn’t want to get old serving drinks.” So they turned the bar into the Studio Gallery and have been showcasing their work here for the past 30 years. Their art is inspired by the island. Monika makes colorful mosaics out of marble and porcelain; Richard paints, using acrylic on wood. In their free time, Monika takes Greek dancing

classes, they tend to the garden (“if you let it go, it will turn into a jungle”) at their home above Chora, or they drive their vintage Fiat to Ai-Yiannis Beach or to the Irish pub Dublin in Aghios Stefanos. For 11 months of the year – they also spend a few weeks in Athens – they live a simple life here that they would not change for the world.

“The studio is our winter haven.

You open the windows and beauty just pours in,” says Monika. “Mykonos is an endless source of energy, and I’m upset every time we leave. I’m addicted.”

Info • www.artistsofmykonos.com • Tel: (+30) 6972.774.389

“Jubilation Little Venice... Mykonos”, Acrylic on wood, 2010 by Richard James North

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ART

Mercourios Dimopoulos

When the saints go marching in

All of the saints depicted in the icons of Mercourios Dimopoulos have pleasant, oddly familiar faces, exuding serenity and spiritual beauty. Perhaps it’s reflective of the artist’s own happiness at where he finds himself. The self-taught Athenian icon painter – nicknamed the “Saint of Mykonos” – fell in love with his grandmother’s island on his first visit and has lived here since 1987, in a 50m2 house near Faros.

“I make just enough money to get by,” Mercourios says. “But I have the luxury of going to bed every night listening to nothing louder than the wind

and of waking up to a gorgeous view of the Aegean.” Every day, he trades the quiet of his home for the solitude of his workshop (called Apocalypsis, or Revelation) tucked away on a small side street in Chora, near the area known as Little Venice, where he works without being distracted by the crowds.

Following the painstaking process of sanding down the wood, sealing it with chalk from Bologna and then gilding it in 22-karat gold leaf, Mercourios creates replicas of icons from the Cretan, Russian and Ionian schools, which he sells to tourists, as well as to locals

who hang them either in their homes or in privately owned churches.

“There are more churches than beach bars in Mykonos,” says the artist, who has a deep sense of the island’s spiritual aura, which, he says, is most apparent in the winter, “when the air smells of rain, and the landscape itself changes.”

“I really like it when my icons evoke a sense of devoutness in those who see them. They are an excellent medium to help concentration. They can speak to your heart and move you to tears, just like a photograph of, say, a dearly departed father.”

Info A p o c a ly p s i s : Aghios Vlassis Square, Chora • Tel. (+30) 22890.242.67 • Blog: mercourios.blogspot.gr

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advertorial

Blissful simplicity S A N G I O R G I O H O T E L & S C O R P I O S B E A C H - R E S TA U R A N T German dynamic duo Thomas Heyne and Mario Hertel sensed Mykonos’ need for a nomadic enclave where design and simple pleasures would attract in equal measure when they created the San Giorgio hotel, originally intended as a pop-up for the summer 2012. The endeavor, however, was such as resounding success that the pair developed it into the 32-room heaven that it is today, on a privileged perch 20 meters above the rocky shoreline, with sweeping 270-degree views, between Paradise and Paranga beaches.Understanding that the forces of design are best harnessed to unite, the hotel is equal measures history, heritage, style and simplicity. The crisp splendor of the whitewashed building is dominated by light and air, with a spotlight on origin and craftsmanship. Seeing a clear shift from thumping beats to balance-restoring cultural gatherings, the makers of San Giorgio Mykonos launched the beachside bar and restaurant Scorpios in 2015.

Part ceremonial, part cerebral celebration, the once weatherworn modern-day agora encompasses a sandy sunset beach, restaurant and live event space, along with ample open-air terraces along the Cycladic coastline. At Scorpios, honest, fresh ingredients from the local farmer and fisherman are used to compose classical Italian dishes inspired by the Umbrian countryside, and served up family-style to both locals and guests. The bar is the epicenter of social interaction,with big, colorful, sink-in cushions and exotic lanterns while retaining the whitewashed walls and furniture that are intrinsic to the local flavor. Uniting both venues is a harmonious design concept by interior designer Annabell Kutucu and creative director Michael Schickinger of Lambs and Lions, the creative duo responsible for the design of San Giorgio Mykonos. Together with the Athens-based award-winning architects Dimitris and Konstantinos Karampatakis of K-studio, they developed the holistic design treatment for Scorpios, placing an emphasis on the essential and the celebration of traditional craftsmanship that fosters an environment of effortless ease. San Giorgio Mykonos and Scorpios are designed for those who seek simple pleasures like waking up to views of the sea, sharing good food prepared with love and care, and feeling the ritualistic energy of a crowd dancing under a starry sky.

Paraga Beach, P.O. Box 153, Mykonos 84600, Greece www.sangiorgio-mykonos.com, reservations@sangiorgio-mykonos.com, Tel. (+30) 22890 27474 www.scorpiosmykonos.com, reservation@scorpiosmykonos.com, Tel. (+30) 22890 29250

E LE MENTS

WILD IS THE WIND Behold the one and only Meltemi, the true emperor of the Aegean: a yearly, northern wind that can turn from a light breeze to a serious, sea traffic-stopping gale and has shaped the Cyclades.

B Y R i k a Z . Vay i a n n i

born of two extremes: Every summer, the low barometric pressure from the Balkans clashes with the higher, hot blasts from Africa. In this way the Meltemi is formed, fluctuating in force from playful to fierce, gaining strength as the sun rises and calming down as dusk falls.

This natural “air-conditioner,” as the locals call it, tames the heat and lowers humidity. Deeply Greek in its essence, it has shaped the geography, architecture and civilization in this corner of the world for millennia. From classic antiquity, when the etesians (“yearly winds”) were thus named after being studied by the great Aristotle himself, to this very day, the Meltemi (from mal tempo, or “bad weather” in Italian) still affects the lifestyle of both locals and visitors. It will ultimately leave its mark on your own Mykonos holiday album.

May I share a secret? People, especially Greeks, who come to the Aegean in August and spend their precious time here whining about the wind irritate me even more than a bad case of sand-whipping,

The sound of sea and waves, the continuous murmur of the ever-present Meltemi, will leave a distant echo locked in memory.

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A

ccording to literary lore, the Eskimos have 79 words for “snow,” but the residents of the Aegean islands could give them a run for their money when it comes to describing “wind.” On top of the scientific measurements pertaining to both direction and strength, there are countless local words for different kinds of wind, all of them so poetic-sounding and ethnically rich in origin as to qualify as linguistic candy. Every term is a useful tool if you are a local fisherman or skipper in these waters, but a basic understanding of “windology” in the Aegean, and particularly in Mykonos, is vital for the visitor, too. It can mean the difference between an idyllic vacation and an unsatisfactory stay.

Because, you see, there are many names and there are many winds. And then there is “The Wind.”

The Meltemi is a mainly northern wind that often joins forces with its neighboring directions of the compass – mostly pairing with the east to create the Gregos, or slightly less often, with the western wind to produce the Maistros. The Meltemi itself is a child

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hair-destroying, all-day blowing Meltemi. I’m not Aristotle, but I do possess the basic intelligence to understand that the wind can be relentless in the Aegean, even if only for at least a few consecutive days during the summer. It is a given, as night follows day. All the first-class airplane tickets, all the hotel stars in the resort sky, all the expensive sets of designer luggage cannot and will not make the Meltemi stop when it decides to put on airs, pun very much intended.

Greece offer dozens of other destinations, equally beautiful, and completely Meltemi-free. If you don’t like the wind, you might consider visiting the inner Sporades; or Corfu; or any other Ionian island, for that matter. If you can’t stand the ever-present Meltemi, leave and return in October, when Aristotle’s etesians have all but died out. Whatever you decide, please stop complaining about the wind in Mykonos. It is beyond uncool.

That said, I must admit that the northern summer winds can drive someone a little bit cuckoo. I remember one morning when, after 40 days of waking up to the never-ending whistling sound of sea and whirling

sand, with the pristine Aghios Sostis beach in front of me clouded in a foamy, salty mist, I had had enough.

Much to the endless mirth of my roommates in the beach house, who continued their lives completely unaffected by the sandstorm (and in fact, loving the fact that in mid-August we had the beach all to ourselves), I got in the car and fled. I had breakfast alone in wind-protected Chora, the island’s main town, and sought the assistance of a dear, now sadly departed, friend: the legendary Phillipis, a retired naval officer.

He was one of the most successful businessmen of his time, not to mention a true philosopher and a pillar of island wisdom.

“I want a break. I need to go somewhere and enjoy my day without being constantly sandblasted and forced to eat dirt. I want to have a swim without almost drowning in the waves, that’s what I want,” I ranted.

“So tell me, where do I go?”

“Now, now, stop fretting. Come sit with me, have a “reposado,” he suggested, offering me tequila (always a solution during times of Mykonian distress). “Or, you could go to Psarou beach.”

A basic understanding of “windology” in the Aegean, and particularly in Mykonos, is vital for the visitor, too.

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E LE MENTS

There are precious few “protected” beaches in Mykonos. In these sheltered spots, the wind, or rather the absence of it, has also shaped the lifestyle of the place, by providing a milder, less intense background that has allowed the celebrities, the international beauties of all sexes and the ultra-rich crowd to shine in all their immaculately groomed splendor. Psarou is such a beach, and its beach restaurant Nammos is a world-famous synonym for delicious Mykonian decadence.

That day, I took the tequila alternative and drove back to the beach house, at peace with the wind and myself. After all, the Meltemi will eventually fade away.

Just like summer. This is common knowledge among the community of surfers who rejoice at the violent gusts of air from the north, and who prefer to frequent the choppy waters of Ftelia Beach. There, you can observe the opposite phenomenon: a general anxiety hangs in the air every time the Meltemi shows signs of laziness. Why should they feel upset, I wonder? After all, this is a Greek wind. You cannot expect it to be predictable or timely. The mere idea is absurd. If there is one thing the Meltemi teaches you – apart from the wisdom of securing your sarong with heavy pebbles when sunbathing – is to expect the unexpected.

I can even recall the rare occasions when the Meltemi did not arrive at all, leaving us melting in the heat, exhausted, stuck indoors hiding from the scorching sun all day and only heading to the beach at sunset to avoid being roasted. Those were also the gloriously calm days of early-morning boat outings to Delos and Rhenea, the afternoons of freshly caught fish and sea urchin served on impromptu barbecues, the windless evenings of purple swims in the becalmed, pink and mauve waters, just after the sun had set. And the nights of silver swims, of skinny-dipping under a canopy of stars (not that broad daylight was ever an obstacle to that). Those were – and still are – the unforgettable, full-moon parties when it was just too good to leave the beach at all. We’d gather around a fire and

pass secrets around in soft voices; secrets and stories and memories spilled on the soft sand, waiting for the next morning’s reborn Meltemi to sweep them up and scatter them far and wide over the Aegean waves.

What happens in Mykonos never stays in Mykonos – it simply gets blown away.

It has been a few years now since I stopped spending summers on the island, abandoning my semi-permanent residency status. “You are in danger of becoming a permanent fixture, like the Pelican,” my Athenian friends used to joke, as I simply refused to get on a boat to Athens until the last possible minute, well into mid-September. I disliked the pelican analogy, much preferring to be compared to a Meltemi.

“Don’t you ever feel the need to leave, do something different and see something else?” they would ask. Eventually, I did leave. But it was not the urge to “see something else” that made me leave. If one needs to experience something different, every minute of the day, all they have to do is plant themselves firmly on a Mykonos beach. The world lands at their feet and is then swept by the wind, and another world follows, another season comes and goes. The barren rocks in the hills take the shape of the northern blasts, the branches of the sparse trees are bent and twisted to the will of the strongest wind and, for a second, all directions are open, all possibilities are equal.

You might stay forever, you might leave and come back or you might never set foot on the island again.

But the sound of sea and waves, the continuous murmur of the ever-present Meltemi, will leave a distant echo locked in memory.

I have a name for this phantom wind, too. I call it “Windmills of your Mind,” after a melody composed

by Michel Legrand, for the film The Thomas Crown Affair. I liked the title and stole it to name my very own ghost Meltemi, my Mykonian wind of nostalgia.

Because, of course, that is exactly what we needed: yet another name for the wind.

You might stay forever, you might leave and come back or you might never set foot on the island again. But the sound of sea and waves, the continuous murmur of the ever-present Meltemi, will leave a distant echo locked in memory.

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experience GREECE IS

MYK O N O S

A PLAYGROUND FOR ALL With its heady mix of style, shopping, world-class dining and all-night parties, Mykonos is no place to spare your credit card. © Artwork by Richard James North “Mykonos harbour Celebration”, Acrylic on wood, 2015, 37x45

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BE ACHE S

Chasing The Sun Τhe ultimate Mykonos “beach menu” has something for everyone, regardless of taste, budget or mood.

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KALO LIVADI

PSAROU

PARAGA

SOUTH

Agηios Ioannis

Beautiful and familyfriendly. All-day, excellent accommodation and dining facilities. Bonus: the chance to swim in the gold and purple colors of the evening, watching a spectacular free show as the sun sets behind the sacred island of Delos.

Ornos

A fishermen’s settlement, popular with families and boaters who appreciate the docking facilities. An easygoing place to spend the day relaxing, swimming and having a simple meal, or perhaps an impressive gourmet feast, in one of the nearby tavernas or restaurants.

Psarou

Once a safe haven for humble fishing boats during bouts of serious north-wind “Eighters” (that is 8 out of 10 on the Beaufort scale), this calm bay became a “perfect storm” of luxury beach-clubbing 126

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when “Nammos” became synonymous with delicious Mykonian decadence.

Today, Psarou is still peaking, although with some unavoidable new competition from nearby Paraga.

Platys Gialos

If you happen to be staying in the area, you’ll be perfectly satisfied with the waters, the beach services and the dining options. The little boats that come and go will take you to a few of the neighboring beaches (Elia, Agrari, Paradise). A short distance from Chora, Platys Gialos makes for an excellent combination of a day at the beach, followed by a long night out at town – and then a stroll back.

Aghia Anna

Next to Paraga, a small, supercute, unpretentious beach with basic facilities (loungers and umbrellas for hire). Good food in the restaurant - if you are looking for local dishes and fresh fish.

Paraga

A winning combination of crystal-clear waters, highquality beach service and a multitude of all-day venues, ranging from the yummy allGreek food Nikolas Taverna , to the cheerful good times at “Kalua”, to dining, drinking and chilling in the super-glamorous “Scorpio”. A must-visit, if you want to “see and be seen” on the island.

Super Paradise

This smaller beach is one of the most magical places in the Aegean. Its natural beauty will be difficult to see, though, as it is always jam-packed with partygoers, nudists, and a young, dynamic gay community. Super Paradise self-advertises as “the party that never ends.” They really mean it: the party started about 30 years ago, and hasn’t stopped since.

Paradise

Young, friendly, flirty, boozy and absolutely packed, this is just the kind of atmosphere you expect to find on a “Mykonian” beach. Not exactly

for those seeking a quiet day, or a quiet life.

Agrari

All day lounging, water sports, organic food, Wi-Fi, beach service, family-catering; if there was a roof over your head, you’d swear you were sitting comfortably at home.

Instead, you can worship the sun with all the creature comforts you don’t want to go without.

ELIA

Simply spectacular long sandy beach with crystalblue water that perfectly complements the elegant luxury hotels located in the area. Amenities, excellent beach service, access to world-class spa facilities, fine dining; prepare for a perfect Mykonos day.

WEST

Kapari

Small, secluded, not easily accessible. Boasts a spectacular sunset. Easy nudism, practically no facilities, a taste of “old

© GETTY IMAGES/IDEAL IMAGE, VISUALHELLAS.GR, PERIKLES MERAKOS

SUPER PARADISE

Mykonos”. Why are you still reading? Go there, now.

NORTH

Megali Ammos (Great Sand)

Aghios Sostis

You can practically walk from town, and you normally won’t have to deal with big crowds on this gorgeous beach, one of the island’s first to be “developed”. Extremely exposed to the northern winds, a secluded Shangri-La for the experienced windsurfer who needs his space.

Aghios Stefanos

A bit up north, past the hustleand bustle of the busy “New” Port, a settlement with many hotels and accommodation complexes. A decent beach, beautiful vistas and a bus station for easy access to town. Best times to go: Sunset, sunset, sunset.

Choulakia (Pebbles)

It is unlikely that you’ll get to visit this northwest beach if you are not a resident of the area.

Rugged, secluded, untouched by tourism and probably the only white pebble beach in Mykonos, it will give you a real “Robinson Crusoe” feel.

One of the few remaining unspoiled Mykonos beaches used to be mainly nudist, now anything goes, so be prepared.

You will find no umbrellas or loungers for hire, no snack bar, no bar, no music. Stop by the beautiful twin-domed chapel of Aghios Sostis on your way up to the hillside taverna.

Panormos

You’ll find everything you need here - a big, sprawling beach, somewhat exposed to the northern winds but still protected by Panormos Bay. Swim, socialize, eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in front of the waves, dance until dawn or walk a few steps further away and have the sand to yourself at the still-undeveloped far end of the beach.

Ftelia

The third and most intensely windswept beach in Panormos Bay. A haven for young sports-oriented crowds, mainly wind-surfers. Funky, up-beat,

well serviced. Bring a sweater or a shawl: you can never tell when there will be an evening dance party right on the beach, and you don’t want to miss out just because you feel cold.

Myrsini

Paradise lost (and found) in this hard-to approach northern beach, unspoiled, smallish, somehow frequented only by the select few. Nothing to do there but swim and sunbathe like it’s nobody else’s business (and it’s not).

Fokos

Twinned with Myrsini, you will recognize Fokos by its one and only taverna. If you do find a place to sit down at this eatery, don’t hesitate - it will be one of your best and most authentic Greek meals.

Merchia

A completely wide-open, undeveloped, stunning bare Mykonos beach - currently the apple of their eye for those environmentally conscious locals who are fighting to preserve its untouched beauty.

EAST

Lia

A quaint and lovely beach that can get a bit windy. Still, it’s a must-visit for the quiet, deep-into-summer blissful experience. If you love it, you may become one of those “hooked-on-Lia” types who never swim anywhere else.

Kalafatis

Favorite meeting place for young crowds and families, a big wide friendly beach that also offers water sports and an endless opportunity for peoplewatching from any one of its many seaside venues.

Kalo Livadi

All day fun on this beach.

Busy, happy, plenty of space for everybody, with water sports and good food; an excellent choice if you are bringing the family.

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The Belvedere turns 20 A F A M I LY ’ S V I S I O N B E C A M E A M Y K O N I A N I C O N The Ioannidis family property, where the Belvedere Mykonos is located, is doubly privileged: firstly because of its location high above Hora with an unimpeded view of the sea - and secondly, because of the soil. Almost 200 years ago, the ancestors of the current owners realized that whatever they planted there - whether it was fruit trees, cypress trees, cacti, or bougainvilleas - would flourish, which was unusual given the harsh, dry terrain of Mykonos. In 1850, they built a stately mansion there with impressive architectural details; it was called Villa Stoupa and it stood out in comparison with the smaller houses on the island.

Fast forward and by the mid-1990’, Mykonos had become an international tourist destination and the owners of the estate decided to build a hotel on this unique spot, and they named it the Belvedere.

In its early stages, the project involved small blocks of rooms with an impressive swimming pool in the middle as a meeting point to bring guests together.

Besides, one does not go to Mykonos to become a recluse, but to socialize and be seen. The Belvedere always endeavored to reflect the extroverted nature of the island’s main town of Chora. And it seems the recipe was a big hit. The first major renovation of the hotel took place in 1999, with the number of rooms reduced and greater emphasis placed on the outdoor spaces.

Nevertheless, the people at the Belvedere have always looked beyond the limits of the island, and of Greece, for that matter. They never stopped thinking about what more they could offer their

guests so that they could leave with unforgettable memories of surprising and varied experiences. In 2003, when the Japanese food trend was sweeping Europe, they opened the Matsuhisa Mykonos Restaurant inside the hotel. It was the first sushi restaurant to operate in Greece under the famous Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, and it is the only one in the world operating outdoors. George Michael, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matt Damon, Bono, Naomi Campbell, Valentino and Giorgio Armani are just some of the celebrities who have enjoyed a meal or a stay at the Belvedere. “A boutique hotel in the Cyclades has managed to become a favorite spot with both domestic and international VIP’s,” wrote the international press in recognizing the success of this Cycladic hotel.

The owners go to great lengths to keep the paparazzi and other nosy outsiders away, while working to ensure that “everything is possible on Mykonos.” It is a well-known fact that the most famous DJ sets took place for the first time on the island as a result of the White Parties at the Belvedere.

This year, the hotel is celebrating its 20th year, and the hosts are wearing specially-made anniversary uniforms with floral prints, inspired by the Belvedere’s blooming gardens. The most elegant pop-up bar the island has to offer has been set up next to the swimming pool and a number of VIP parties have been scheduled to celebrate the anniversary and the experiences the Belvedere continues to offer. It’s a great opportunity to raise a glass and make a toast: cheers to the Belvedere!

www.belvederehotel.com Tel. (+30) 22890.251.22

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DRE S S CODE

My Kingdom for a Sarong During your short, extended or life-long stay on Mykonos, you can wear just about anything you want. What you need to know is where and when to wear it.

BY Stephanie Lanier I L L U S T R A T IO N s D ANAI S A K E L L AR i

I

t is true that anything goes in Mykonos, and the same principle applies to the dress code. Total freedom of expression is one of the elements that make her the magical enchantress she is. Still, there is such a thing as the “Mykonian look.” Think mostly boho-chic, and lean either towards the boho or the chic part, depending on the time, place and your own particular mood.

If you are interested in packing, dressing or shopping like a “true Mykonian,” do note that the term does not necessarily refer to a person who was born or raised here or has ancestral ties to the island itself, but rather applies to a citizen of the world, who has settled in Mykonos or who “migrates” there for the warm months.

If there’s one key word for style, be it in Mykonos or anywhere else in the world, it is “effortless.” There was a reason Coco Chanel dictated that “luxury equals comfort.” Still, comfortable and stylish mean one thing in the Hamptons, another thing on the French Riviera and definitely something completely different when you emerge from the ship in the bustling, windswept port of Mykonos, under a merciless Aegean sun.

The “Mykonian look” was shaped by both the island’s microclimate and the stylishly nomadic character of the travelers who adopted the place. Back in the ’60s and ’70s, when hippies, royalty, rock stars and jetsetters discovered en masse this charming corner of the Aegean, they had to quickly adapt to the weather conditions.

They soon learned to live with the relentless north winds

that are characteristic of the region during the summer months. They had to deal with scorching mid-morning heat, chilly August nights and still manage to synthesize a famously elegant style, one that would take them from a deserted beach to an ultra-glamorous party with as little fuss as possible. All kinds of apparel, acquired from the world over, not only denote a cosmopolitan traveler but provide both style and comfort: shawls from India, sarongs from Bali, jewelry from South America, Texan cowboy boots, Moroccan robes worn with Greek cotton tunics, local fishermen’s’ sweaters and high-end resort designer pieces, all merged in a look that sounds psychotic but somehow makes absolute sense after you spend five minutes on Matoyianni, the island’s main street.

Thus, the “Mykonian animal” was born. You will find it roaming certain beaches, prowling the town streets and dancing till the early morning hours, elegantly disheveled, easygoing, polite, with an omnipresent pareo blowing in the wind and a pair of sunglasses always available, just in case a simple pasta dinner snowballs into a wild all-nighter.

A few styling tips might come in handy, even if you only use them as tools to spot the insiders while practicing the refined art of discreet but merciless people-watching that goes on 24/7 on this endless catwalk of an island. (Nobody stares; everybody notices.) Flowing, airy pants are preferable to dresses, shorts are preferable to skirts and loose, long dresses and skirts blend into the

It is safer to steer clear of animal prints, screaming designer logos and too much bling. (Please ignore this sentence if you are Kanye West).

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Luxurious

Clubbing

environment better than tight-fitting items. Organic materials in your clothes and accessories are essential (the only plastic that will be respected is your credit card). Create your drama in layers of linen, cotton, canvas and denim over silk, chiffon and jersey. It is safer to steer clear of animal prints, screaming designer logos and too much bling. (Please ignore this last sentence if you are Kanye West).

Combine classic, simple pieces such as jeans, cotton shirts and jumpsuits with anything white and embroidered or tried and tested resort pieces such as capri or Thai pants. And then, of course, there is the matter of the omnipresent sarong. You can never have too many sarongs in Mykonos. Here, they are mostly called pareo, the Polynesian term for this absolutely essential piece of cloth that covers your bathing suit on your way to the beach, then functions as both drying towel and sunbed on the hot sand (beach towels scream “tourist”). Pareos are also wrapped around the body, skirt-like, by both sexes during easy 132

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Bohemian Chic

Athletic

sunset cocktails, thrown over shoulders as shawls when the night air gets too cool and even double as makeshift tablecloths in case you decide to throw an impromptu dinner on your porch.

If you are a lady (or a gentleman that prefers to dress like a lady) and you absolutely have to wear high heels, go for solid platforms. However, keep in mind that the rugged landscape and the cobbled streets mostly welcome flats, such as sandals, flip flops and espadrilles. For practical reasons, don’t spend too much time on personal maintenance: a fully made-up face looks weirdly artificial in the simple setting of a Greek island, and since there is no point in styling your hair at a salon (the salty wind is your hairdresser), a spotless mani-pedi will be your discreet way of declaring that you are not a backpacker – especially if you are one. Fortunately, the local businesses engaged in beauty and grooming offer world-class quality, albeit with the steep prices to match the level of service. They also keep ridiculously long hours, to help you make sure you never, ever have

DRESS TO CHILL Where to wear what on Mykonos Since the day usually begins by the sea and often ends there as well, here is a beach fashion code that goes with the island flow. Every sandy paradise may look the same, but still, to the style-conscious, subtle adjustments would – and will – make a difference, so here it goes:

LUXURIOUS Psarou, Ornos

BOHEMIAN CHIC Kalo Livadi, Elia

BOHEMIAN/HIPPY Panormos, Paraga, Lia, Agrari

CLUBBING Paradise, Super Paradise

ATHLETIC Kalafatis, Ftelia

FAMILY Bohemian Hippy

to step out with even an invisible chip in your nail polish.

(Nobody will stare; everybody will notice.)

Hats are a must, because of the high temperatures.

However, the wind factor pretty much limits choices to the classic Panama hat or something similar to it. Baseball caps, not so much. Yes, they are practical but too 20th century.

When all that is said and done, by all means, don’t let any of the above deter you from expressing yourself in any style you like. Above all, Mykonos means that every look and every personality is welcome with open arms: from preppy to trans, from hippy to elitist/glamorous, from surfer to nautical and from humble to eye-poppingly extravagant. Here there is room for everyone together under the same roof, under the same sky. In fact, a mixed, slightly odd crowd is not only a good sign; it’s a recipe for some serious, unforgettably fun time.

Family

Aghios Stefanos, Aghios Ioannis, Aghia Anna

OFF THE BEATEN PATH Aghios Sostis, Myrsini, Fokos, Kapari

NUDISTS

SHOPPING Our report on the best boutiques on Mykonos.

Nudity in Mykonos was just another styling option, as ordinary as any other form of dressing. Things have definitely changed and total nudity is no longer universally accepted.

Nudists are still welcome in selected parts of Elia, Myrsini, Kapari, Super Paradise and the far end of Panormos and Aghios Sostis.

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MA XIMUM HAPPINESS Sun, sea and Somersby in Mykonos

PRODUCED BY darkboxstudio Photographer Giannis Vastardis Fashion editor Dimitris Nireas Schwartz Photographer’s assistant HELENA PARASKEVA Make-up & hair Christina Zoi Models Aleksandra Klacar / Fashion Cult Daniel Tsvetkov / Ace Models

Aleksandra

Cool mint green silk shirt, Forte_Forte (SOHO-SOHO) Blue and green shorts, Talitha (SOHO-SOHO) Leather vest with fringe and ethnic embroidery, Dassios (SKETCH BOUTIQUE) Shoes, Sophia Webster (SOHO-SOHO) Gold Disk of Phaistos clip earrings (LALAOUNIS) Gold Byzantine bracelet (LALAOUNIS)

Daniel

Navy blue linen shirt, Ted Baker (COLLECTIVE) Navy blue paisley print pants, Ted Baker (COLLECTIVE) Blue men’s wallet (LOUIS VUITTON) Sunglasses, Dior Homme (PAPADOPOULOS BOUTIQUE)

Aleksandra

Floral print long dress, Zimmerman (SOHO-SOHO) Canvas shopping bag with leather trimming (SKETCH BOUTIQUE) White espadrilles with fringe, handmade to order (ERGON) Sunglasses, Oliver (PAPADOPOULOS BOUTIQUE)

Daniel

Floral shirt, Hartford (SOHO-SOHO MEN) Multi-colored knitwear jacket, Missoni (LUISA WORLD) White espadrilles with blue stripes (SOHO-SOHO MEN) Celluloid sunglasses, Oliver (PAPADOPOULOS BOUTIQUE)

Aleksandra

Animal print knitwear, grey stonewashed shorts and yellow mini sack (LOUIS VUITTON)

S h i n e br i g h t l i k e a c i der !

SOMERSBY APPLE CIDER

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Daniel

Black and white striped knitwear, Etro (LUISA WORLD) Black trousers (DSQUARED2)

A S U MM E R F R I E N D SI E !

SOMERSBY BLACKBERRY

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Aleksandra

Grey silk kaftan, Dassios and ethnic wedges, Aneel (SKETCH BOUTIQUE) Sand-colored mini tote python bag, Callista (KESSARIS) Gold-colored bracelet, Aurélie (SOHO-SOHO)

Daniel

Sleeveless denim jacket, white blazer and khaki shorts (DSQUARED2) Leather slippers, Zegna (COLLECTIVE)

Aleksandra

Overall Jean shorts, Valentino, light-green bikini top, Sucrette & black kaftan with floral print and embroidery, Anjuna (LUISA WORLD) Gold bracelet (LALAOUNIS)

Daniel

Blue-colored floral print T-shirt, Zegna, blue short sleeve shirt, Ted Baker & blue shorts, Zegna (COLLECTIVE) Black and white aviator sunglasses (SOHO-SOHO MEN)

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Aleksandra

White silk shirt (SKETCH BOUTIQUE) Green striped miniskirt (OSKLEN) Blue, white and green shoes (DSQUARED2) Pineapple necklace (OSKLEN)

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Aleksandra

Long white lace dress, Talitha (SOHO-SOHO) Transparent shopping bag with leopard detail (DSQUARED2) White hat, Golden Goose (SOHO-SOHO) Gold pendant & gold Byzantine ring (LALAOUNIS)

Daniel

White shirt, Transit & metallic grey colored pants, Transit (SKETCH BOUTIQUE)

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Aleksandra

Long striped V-neck dress, Missoni (LUISA WORLD) Blue tote python bag, Callista (KESSARIS)

Daniel

Black sleeveless knitwear (OSKLEN) Blue and white bathing suite (DSQUARED2) White and blue striped evil eye backpack, A-Z bags (SOHO-SOHO MEN)

Aleksandra

Light green bikini, Sucrette (LUISA WORLD) Blue leather scarf/pareo (SKETCH BOUTIQUE) Hat, Lovely Hats (SOHO-SOHO) Sunglasses, Stella McCartney (PAPADOPOULOS BOUTIQUE)

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ON the Nomads’ Terrace of Scorpios restaurant and beach

Aleksandra

White shirt embroidered with black palm trees with black shorts (DSQUARED2) Black leather bag from the in-house boutique (SCORPIOS)

Daniel

White shirt and black jacket (DSQUARED2) Black and white pants (OSKLEN)

Daniel

Amazonica print cotton knitwear (OSKLEN) Sand-colored 5-pocket denim (OSKLEN) Sunglasses, Dior Homme (PAPADOPOULOS BOUTIQUE)

* Special thanks to: Mykonos municipal councilor Maria Kousathana for her help in making this photoshoot happen; Petit Cure Manicure; Scorpios Beach Restaurant; Greengrocer Griparis Damianos; Rarity Gallery; Yiannis Kousathanas for permission to use his boat.

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SHOPPING

TWINKLE, TWINKLE In Mykonos, all that shines probably is gold. Here’s a selection of greek-inspired items, hand-picked from the island’s best jewlery boutiques.

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Fashion editor: Dimitris Nire as Schwartz@darkboxstudio

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LEFT: 1. Ring, 18k white gold, center piece stone out of clear sapphire and brilliants, Poniros 2. Earrings,18k white gold in

the shape of flowers with turquoise and brilliants, Kessaris 3. Bracelet, in turquoise and brilliants, Kessaris 4. Earrings18k white gold, with sapphire and brilliants, Venetia Vildiridis 5. Bracelet, 18k white gold, brilliants and sapphire, Poniros 6. Ring, 18k white gold star shape with sapphires and brilliants, Gofas 7. Ring, 18k white gold with two square cut clear sapphires and brilliants, Gofas 8. Ring, 18k white gold, with sapphires and brilliants, Venetia Vildiridis

RIGHT: 1. Ring, 18k gold with clear emeralds, Nikos Koulis 2. Earrings, 18k gold with clear emeralds, Nikos Koulis 3. Ring, 18k gold with Leo head, rubies and sapphire, Zolotas 4. Bracelet, 18k gold, Lalaounis 5. Pendant, gold 18k with dolphins and lapis lazuli in the center with matching chain, Lalaounis 6. Earrings, lion’s head, 18k gold with lapis lazuli, Zolotas 7. Necklace, 18k gold with azurite stones, Lalaounis 8. Pendant, 18k pink gold with brilliants and sapphires with mother of pearl on the reverse side, Poniros 9. Bracelets, gold 18k with two Leo heads; rubies on the one, sapphires on the other, Zolotas 10. Earrings, 18k gold with turquoise and brilliants, Kessaris

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1. Chronograph, black dial, black and yellow strap, BAUME et MERCIER, Venetia Vildiridis 2. White dial with blue indicators and navy blue strap, OMEGA, Swatch Group 3. White dial, day and date, with bracelet, TAG Heuer CARRERA, Gofas 4. Chronograph, blue dial and bracelet, LONGINES, Swatch Group 5. Off-white dial and bracelet, PARMIGIANI, Venetia Vildiridis 6. White dial with yellow gold case and leather strap, TISSOT, Swatch Group

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HOW TIME FLIES On the island that never sleeps, a watch might come in handy

7. Red, gold and black dial with black strap, HUBLOT, Gofas 8. White dial with diamonds and leather strap, BULGARI, Ora Kessaris 9. Totally black dial with turquoise indicators and black strap, IWC, Ora Kessaris 10. White dial with multicolored numbers and white strap, FRANCK MULLER, Franck Muller Boutique, Kassis 11. Black dial with crocodile leather yellow strap, PANERAI, Ora Kessaris 12. Chronograph, see-through black dial with gold indicators and black strap, RAYMOND WEIL, Mamalis

νεα τεχνικη quadruplane 2+2

The 2+2 Quadruplane brand-new technique

Aνώδυνες λύσεις για καλλίγραμμo σώμα

Beautiful new breasts in a beautiful new body

Π λ ο ύ σ ι ο ν τ ε κ ο λ τ έ κ α ι σ τ α γ ο ν ο ε ι δ ές φ υ σ ι κ ό σ τ ή θ ο ς μ α ζ ί μ ε α ν ο ρ θ ω μ έ ν ο υς γλου τ ού ς κ α ι λ επ τά , κ α λ λ ίγ ρα μμ α πό δ ι α χ ω ρ ίς κ υ τ τ α ρ ί τ ι δ α .

T wo ne w, ground-bre a k ing, pa inles s methods of cosmetic procedures, w il l gi v e you a n at ur a l cl e ava ge a n d a f i tt e r , s l i m m e r b o d y.

Τι γίνεται όταν μια γυναίκα επιθυμεί να μεγεθύνει το στήθος της και ταυτόχρονα να αποκτήσει ένα όμορφο και καλοσχηματισμένο αρμονικό σώμα; Ο Δρ Ιωάννης Λύρας μάς παρουσιάζει την τεχνική quadruplane (τετραπλός σχεδιασμός) ή αλλιώς 2+2. Η quadruplane είναι η πιο σύγχρονη τεχνική αυξητικής μαστών αλλά και ολοκληρωμένης σμίλευσης του σώματος, προσδίδοντας μια συνολικά αρμονική σιλουέτα με μία μόνο επέμβαση. Η επαναστατική, ανώδυνη αυτή μέθοδος προσφέρει συνολική λύση στο όνειρο κάθε γυναίκας για όμορφο φυσικό στήθος και καλλίγραμμο σώμα. Το ζητούμενο επιτυγχάνεται επιστημονικά, διότι στο στήθος τοποθετούνται ταυτόχρονα το δικό μας λίπος, το οποίο αφαιρείται από περιοχές του σώματος όπου μας ενοχλεί και τα πιο ασφαλή ιατρικά ενθέματα τελευταίας τεχνολογίας. Σύμφωνα με τον Δρα Ιωάννη Λύρα, η χρήση του δικού μας λίπους είναι πάντα μια εξαιρετική επιλογή, αφού είναι υλικό από τον ίδιο μας τον οργανισμό, ασφαλές και με φυσικό εντυπωσιακό αποτέλεσμα σε όποια περιοχή και αν τοποθετηθεί, στο πρόσωπο ή το σώμα, δημιουργώντας έτσι περισσότερη προστιθέμενη ομορφιά.

Breast augmentation is one of the most performed cosmetic procedures worldwide, with a very high satisfaction rate.

Based on his rich personal experience in Brazil and Europe, Greek plastic surgeon Dr Ioannis Lyras presents two methods and combines the two most popular techniques in use. These involve the placement of a suitable silicone implant and optimizing the use of the body’s own fatty tissue, in a single, painless, composite and holistic operation, to achieve new natural breasts and total body reshaping.

In this technique, Dr Lyras combines the “dual plane” American approach for the central part of the new breast and the “fatty tissue sculpturing” Brazilian approach for the peripheral parts of the new breast. This way, he can better create the superior, inner and inferior hemispheres, natural cleavage and beautiful lateral projection. To achieve this goal, Dr Lyras harvests adipose tissue from aesthetically problematic areas and immediately reinserts it in the host area around the gland and in the chest. Then, he inserts the best medical implants available and proceeds to buttock and body sculpturing. The overall take rate of the fat cells is

PUBLI

Η επαναστατική αυτή τεχνική εξασφαλίζει ένα εκθαμβωτικό στήθος και ταυτόχρονα το πιο λεπτό, πιο καλλίγραμμο και πιο γραμμωμένο σώμα που μπορεί να αποκτήσει μια γυναίκα, αφού δημιουργείται ένα πανέμορφο ντεκολτέ με άψογο σχήμα στήθους και το πιο καλλίγραμμο, λεπτό, χωρίς κυτταρίτιδα σώμα. Έτσι προσδίδονται νέες αρμονικές γραμμές και εξασφαλίζεται ένα όμορφο και φυσικό, πλούσιο στήθος που η ίδια προεπιλέγει στο ιατρείο πολύ πριν από την επέμβαση. Η μοντέρνα τεχνική ξεκίνησε να εφαρμόζεται το 2001 και έχει κάποιες παραλλαγές. Ονομάζεται, «dual plane», όταν δεν χρησιμοποιείται λίπος, «triple plane», όταν χρησιμοποιούνται εμφυτεύματα και λίγο μόνο λίπος από άλλη περιοχή του σώματος, και τώρα «quadruplane», όταν χρησιμοποιούνται εμφυτεύματα και από όσο λίπος περισσεύει σε άλλες περιοχές, σμιλεύοντας παράλληλα όλο το σώμα! Ο Δρ Λύρας, εφαρμόζει την «τριπλή» και την «τετραπλή τεχνική», 2+1 (στήθος & ντεκολτέ + «ψωμάκια») και 2+2 (στήθος & ντεκολτέ + ψωμάκια & ανόρθωση γλουτών). Η συγκεκριμένη μέθοδος, έχει παρουσιαστεί από τον Δρ Λύρα, και έχει ήδη λάβει τις καλύτερες κριτικές σε 5 διεθνή ιατρικά συνέδρια.Με αυτή τη μέθοδο η ενδιαφερομένη ευνοείται από την ταυτόχρονη αφαίρεση τοπικού πάχους από τις περιοχές του σώματος που την ενοχλεί (όπως τα ψωμάκια, τα γόνατα, το προγούλι κ.λπ.), επιτυγχάνοντας άμεσα με αυτόν τον τρόπο, χωρίς καθόλου πόνο, ένα υπέροχο φυσικό ντεκολτέ που δεν προδίδεται, αφού το νέο στήθος είναι σφριγηλό, με σταγονοειδές σχήμα και το μέγεθος που με βεβαιότητα αρέσει στις περισσότερες γυναίκες. Η επέμβαση πραγματοποιείται με τοπική αναισθησία, είναι εντελώς ανώδυνη και δεν απαιτείται παραμονή στο νοσοκομείο, αφού η ενδιαφερομένη μπορεί σύντομα να ανταποκριθεί στην εργασία της αλλά και σε όλες τις κοινωνικές υποχρεώσεις! Η τεχνική είναι ακίνδυνη και δεν εμποδίζει καθόλου τις εξετάσεις του μαστού και το θηλασμό. Η επέμβαση διενεργείται σε οργανωμένη κλινική, παρουσία έμπειρου αναισθησιολόγου, από την οποία η ενδιαφερομένη μπορεί να αποχωρήσει μετά από μερικές ώρες! Μετά την επέμβαση δεν υπάρχει πόνος. Όπως μας εξηγεί ο Δρ Ιωάννης Λύρας, το αποτέλεσμα από τη χρήση της «τριπλής» 2+1 ή της «τετραπλής» 2+2 μεθόδου είναι εκπληκτικό και απόλυτα φυσικό. Η κινητικότητα και η συμπεριφορά του νέου στήθους είναι θεαματική, ακολουθώντας απολύτως τις κινήσεις του σώματος. Το νέο στήθος είναι όμορφο και φυσικό. Το νέο σχήμα σώματος είναι ψηλόλιγνο, αρμονικό και συνολικά πιο γραμμωμένο. Οι γλουτοί μας δείχνουν ανορθωμένοι και χωρίς κυτταρίτιδα. Ο Έλληνας πλαστικός χειρουργός Δρ Ιωάννης Λύρας μάς φέρνει πάντα τα καλά νέα για την ομορφιά.

more than 50% with no complications, which means that this is a very safe technique with permanent results.

Nevertheless, the localized deformities due to fat accumulation in the waist, gluteal or abdominal areas can be at once effectively treated with the use of this approach.

This combination will easily lead to a beautifying result, fulfilling the eight key characteristics of a beautifully augmented breast and of a harmonious body silhouette contour in one single operation: size, shape, position, symmetry, firmness, tissue coverage of the foreign body, harmony and safety.

This method is named: “Triple plane – no pain composite holistic silicone implant and fat grafting technique for breast augmentation and reconstruction.”

The use of aspirated fat tissue for reinjection in the chest called “Triplane (triple plane) ‘2+1’ composite technique.” This means less fat in the hips, a beautiful new breast and natural cleavage. If associated with Brazilian gluteoplasty through gluteal liposculpture and a buttock lift the method is named:“Quadruplane ‘2+2’ holistic technique.” This involves all of the above plus a charming buttock lift, in the famous Brazilian way.

Dr Lyras reports that, according to his international patients, after these “one-day clinic” operations their new breasts appear very natural and their animation movement follows naturally the movements of the body, which is also much fitter, slimmer and taller. He believes that beautiful patients with aesthetic deformities in more than one areas are particularly pleased at the possibility of obtaining a holistic improvement of the shape and the contour of body and breasts at once. This marked improvement in the image of a person, together with the marveling admiration of others for the natural beautifying result, will definitely help in boosting their self-esteem, self-confidence and self-respect.

Δρ Ιωάννης Λύρας / Dr Ioannis Lyras Διευθυντής πλαστικός χειρουργός Επίτιμος πρόξενος της Βραζιλίας στον Πειραιά, Ελλάδα Director, Plastic surgery clinic in Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete, Greece.

Honorary Consul of Brazil in Piraeus, Greece. www.ioannislyras.gr, www.lifting.gr

© EVELYN FOSKOLOU, DIONYSIS KOURIS

GA S TRONOMY

Simple Roots, Delicious Dishes There may be other Greek islands with a fuller basket of local delicacies, but Mykonos, even before it was exposed to international influences that the tourism wave brought, always managed to make the most of its products and create its own unique food culture.

BY DIMITRIS ROUSOUNELOS

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(Left) Local delicacies. (Right) Local farmers are in Gialos (Chora) every morning with their fruit and vegetables.

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“A stay in Mykonos is quite pleasant for foreigners. The food is excellent when one has a good chef... The partridges are abundant and good, As are the quail, woodcocks, turtle doves, rabbits and golden orioles... The soft cheese Pouino is very tasty...”

- Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, French botanist and traveler, 1700.

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happen to live in Mykonos, an island that many people dream of just visiting. I enjoy spending the morning in Gialos, the waterfront, with all the cafés. On most days, I cook up what I can get locally, either from the farmers at the small open-air market or from the marble stands at the fish market, where fishermen display the catch of the day. This way, I can follow the natural cycle of products, using them in the order they become available as the seasons change.

I was born here, back when tourism was still in its infancy. We had three good hotels in Chora, the main town, all located around the old port. Back then, you could still enjoy the fragrances of life. Around the neighborhoods, the ovens were all wood-burning, and the place was full of the smell of baking bread in the mornings and delectable oven-cooked foods at midday. There was no such thing as a ventilator, so the whole street would share the aromas emanating from the pots and pans in every kitchen, as homemakers prepared the main meal of the day. Quite often, someone would light a brazier somewhere in the back streets and grill up some small fish, such as bogues, combers or picarels. All you needed was a little olive oil, some sea salt and a freshly cut, sweet-smelling tomato to complete the definition of pleasure.

The patisseries were all in Chora.

From them, the scent of cinnamon caramels, of toasted sesame or of rose water could make your mouth water. And along with the smells were the sounds.

Every morning, the greengrocers would load their produce onto the donkeys and call out: “Tomatoes, eggplant, beans, watermelons, melooons...” drag156

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ging out the final vowel in a sing-song voice.

The local harvest and the products of the season determined our gastronomic traditions and decided what we would eat at any given time. Nonetheless, a way was always found to create dishes that provided essential nutrients while also satisfying the human need for pleasure. The cuisine of Mykonos, indeed that of the Greek islands in general, has this dual function as part of its foundation.

The ingredients delineated our dietary habits: we never had an abundance of fruits and vegetables - the climate and harsh soil did not permit it - but what we did have were delicious.

Our cheeses and meat were exceptional, too. We cured our meats in salt and matured them in the northerly wind, while the fish, well, it was whatever the sea had to offer.

Mykonos got along on these few things for many years. A relatively poor island until the 1960s, its specialty dishes included onion pie and honey pie, one savory and the other sweet, but both made using the local soft cheese tyrovolia; string beans served with a garlic dip; and dried Mykonos beans, which are small, tasty brown-eyed beans boiled with a little rice and flavored with sautéed onion, oil and vinegar. There were also the pork meatballs, with coarse ground meat flavored with summer savory and oregano; fritters made with greens, fennel and fish roe; and mostra rusks with a spicy local kopanisti cheese, tomato, olive oil and oregano that made a delicious appetizer to accompany a glass of ouzo. And there were the elegant almond-based sweets, too, but these were not often found in

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1. Giorgos Rizopoulos, owner of the legendary El Greco Restaurant, presents one of his most popular dishes, scorpion fish with pasta.

© EVELYN FOSKOLOU, DIONYSIS KOURIS 2

2. Slipper lobster giouvetsi by Maria Kousathana, at the family-owned fishmonger’s Anemotrata tou Maouna in Ornos.

The wood-burning oven at “Gioras” bakery in Chora, Mykonos, is still used to produce sourdough bread, barley rusks, lazarakia sweet bread and others.

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3. Giorgos Syrianos, who owns the new “Mykonos Farmers” creamery on the island with partner Thanassis Kousathanas, tends to his livestock.

4. Weather permitting, fishing boats bring in freshly caught fish to the stall in Gialos every morning.

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COLLECTIVE I N I T I AT I V E S Brown-eyed beans in limited production but with plenty of flavor!

Pork louza is one of the finest Cycladic cured meats.

our humble working-class homes.

As the years passed, tourism gradually increased, bringing changes to everything, including the gastronomy.

Nowadays, you will find some of the best restaurants in Greece right here in Mykonos, with notable chefs making use of a vast wealth of products (not just local ones, of course) and offering a wide array of flavors that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere. In the last few years in particular, there has been a small but important revolution.

All of the information from research into dietary habits and the use of ingredients indicates that there is a supralocal cuisine forming across nearby islands, a culinary train with Santorini as the steam engine, Mykonos as the first-class carriage, and Tinos, Paros, Naxos and Sifnos there for the ride, too, all sharing the local gastronomy of the Cycladic islands. The result is an integrated sum of diverse parts with many common characteristics. The chef-engineers continuously supply the kitchen-steam engines with exquisite fuel in the form of traditional and modern dishes that impress a multi-cultural and constantly changing audience. I believe it won’t be long before Cycladic cuisine becomes a topic of conversation in all corners of the world.

Mykonos is an expensive place – both for holiday-makers and for permanent residents. The payback, though, is a pleasant lifestyle, vibrant summers, and the gentle beauty before and after the mild winter which many actively choose to experience. And so the food on the island is not cheap, either, but it is of high quality. The “tourist-trap” mentality, where inferior food is sold to unsuspecting tourists that will never be seen again, never really took hold here.

Each year, large sums of money are invested in the food catering industry to maintain the high level of service that exists here, and despite the sheer volume of tourism and the cosmopolitan air of its visitors, the tastes that Mykonos offers have remained steadfastly local, unique and outstanding.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Born in Mykonos, Dimitris Rousounelos is an expert on Cycladic gastronomy, a writer of numerous books, a regular contributor of Gastronomos Magazine and an active promoter of the island’s products and food culture.

He co-founded the Gastronomy Club of Mykonos.

On Mykonos, making the most of local products is not some trend that caught on. It’s a necessity. Slowly but surely, society in general, led by business owners and citizen groups concerned with food, took the initiative to pay more attention to taste as a cultural element of the island. The Gastronomy Club of Mykonos (www.mykonosgastronomia.gr) is a very dynamic group, active in food culture as it relates to local cooking customs and products. The Club works on ways to expand the use of these customs and products in contemporary catering by raising awareness of regional Greek cuisines and other popular cuisines. Their actions serve as a source of inspiration for chefs working on the island and participating in their events. The Association of Amateur Grape and Olive Growers of Mykonos (ER.O.S) (www.erosmykonos.gr) has a dual objective: to revive the viticulture of the island (over its 12 years of activity, it has distributed to its members more than 28,000 vines grafted with varietals native to Mykonos and the Cyclades), and to develop olive cultivation (12,000 olive tree seedlings have already been distributed).

Chef Panagiotis Menardos offers creative Greek cuisine at the M-Eating restaurant.

An inspired version of the famous Greek salad.

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Local Delicacies IT ’ S NOT A LL SUN A ND FUN ON M YKONOS ; H A RD WORK GOES INTO PRODUCING EXCELLENT FOOD PRODUCTS

Xinotyro strained in a woven basket and eaten fresh at the table.

Mykonos almond cookies are a famed sweet.

The famous Mykonos barley rusks.

CHEESES The island has excellent cheeses to offer, either made by traditional small-scale producers – farmers who keep livestock on the island and also make their own cheese – or by commercial cheese-making establishments. Tyrovolia is a white, soft cheese that is used as the basis for traditional Mykonos savory or sweet pies. It can be eaten raw in salads, added to sauces or used in combination with a variety of ingredients as, for instance, in a filling for zucchini or squid. Xinotyro is a white, slightly soured cheese (traditionally shaped in small baskets made of bulrushes), similar to xinomyzithra whey cheese. It is eaten fresh in 160

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salads or, when matured, grated over pasta to accompany a tomato or ground-beef sauce. The indisputable queen of local cheese-making, however, is kopanisti (Cyclades PDO), a spicy cheese matured for at least two months, during which an orgy of fungus growth (led by the Penicillium roqueforti responsible for the European Roquefort-type cheeses) takes place. The result is a cheese that resembles the environment in which it was born; intensely spicy, peppery and creamy, with a distinct aroma. Kopanisti is usually combined with tomatoes, grapes, figs or watermelon, and is also a great accompaniment for ouzo.

At cafés and restaurants,

one often comes across it served on a rusk with tomato and oregano as a special Mykonos appetizer known as “mostra”. More recently, a certified facility, the “Mykonos Creamery” (run by the Koukas family in the Paliokastro district of Ano Mera) has begun commercial production.

They own 120 milk cows and produce the other two traditional cheeses – tyrovolia and xinotyro – as well. They have developed a strained yogurt, immediately popular with local and non-local consumers alike, thanks to the traditional methods used to make it.

Another modern cheese producer opening soon in the Aghios Lazaros area of the island under the name of “Mykonos Farmers” will be

Kalathakia (little baskets) are the preferred treat of locals.

run by Giorgos Syrianos and Thanassis Kousathanas. Both sons of farmers, their goal is to create delicious cheese using traditional local methods based mainly on sheep’s and goat’s milk.

BAKED GOODS The windmills, like sleepless sentinels protecting the town, have withstood the ravages of time and now stand as reminders of the pre-industrial era of the island when they supplied the bakeries with flour milled from local barley and imported wheat. Greek and foreign freighters, together with the Russian fleet, were the main customers for bread and twice-baked hardened bread, the famous Mykonos rusks

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Mykonos country sausage with the scent of summer savory.

At Stavros Menagias’ butcher shop, you will find excellent, freshly cut louza and other traditional products.

Local wines are produced from native varieties, including Kountoura, Xeromaherouda and Kouforogo.

that could endure long sea journeys. To make them, the bakers never used hard-tocome-by firewood for the ovens, working instead with dry brushwood brought down from the surrounding hills by caravans of donkeys right up until the 1960s. These special, time-resistant Mykonos rusks are now made by all of the bakeries in Mykonos.

One particular bakery, a true monument to the history of bread-making, still operates in Chora. “Gioras,” the Vamvakouris family bakery, uses a traditional wood-burning oven and continues to make excellent bread with starter dough, rusks and other items, just as they have been made for centuries. It is near the windmill district and well worth a visit.

(Tel. +30 22890.277.84) As for traditional Mykonos sweets, these include amygdalota almond sweets, cookies and kalathakia, small tarts with an almond-based filling.

These are served at baptisms and name-day celebrations and are found at nearly all the island’s various patisseries, including “Kyklamino” on the Peripheral Road in Kamalafka, and the old shop formerly run by the Skaropoulos family and now operating as “Matsouka” in Chora, at the beginning of the road to Ano Mera. The latter also stocks

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locally made loukoumia (Turkish delight) in various flavors.

PIG FEAST The Mykonos Pig Feast is part of a living tradition that connects the present with the distant past. It represents the island’s Dionysiac side, which is still strong. Long before the feast takes place, a pig is killed. Twenty years ago, this would have provided farming families with meat for a year and formed the basis for many traditional local dishes.

The pork from the pig was served with wild greens and winter or summer vegetables, in pies and in many other forms. It also would have furnished the items for a special feast, which remains an important event for Mykonians.

The Pig Feast takes place at the tail-end of a large get-together, either with the family or with neighbors. The items consumed during the pig feast include: louza, the exquisite cured meat of the island, made from the pork tenderloin matured in the northerly wind and seasoned with summer savory, oregano, allspice, salt and pepper; the “dry sausages,” seasoned with locally available summer savory and oregano; lardi (cured pieces of subcutaneous fat); bouboulo (tenderloin prepared like louza), paides

(ribs using the same herbs and spices), and sisera (pork rinds) fried in large pots and stored in their own fat.

Traditionally, some of the more typical Mykonian dishes based on a “nose-to-tail” eating philosophy - which has become a global trend garnering substantial press - are served at these feasts.

These dishes include: pig feast meatballs with hand-cut ground meat, summer savory and oregano; fried pig’s liver; lung and sweetbread stew; provasia (local greens) with lard; and a boiled pig’s head with collard greens. In recent years, many of these delicacies can be found at the butchers on the island and some can also be sampled at restaurants.

For more, read “Tastes of Sacrifice: The Pig Feast on Mykonos” (D. Rousounelos, Indiktos Publications, 2002)

WINE Today, small vineyards and traditional grape presses can be found scattered around the island, while historical references obtained from travelers’ notes and merchant ledgers testify to the existence of viticulture in the past. The wine produced in Mykonos is mainly a sun-dried, deep red varietal known as Mavri Kountoura (Mandilaria) that

thrives on the island and is known for its particularly intense color. Other varieties cultivated here include Xylomachairou (white and red), the white Pariano (Monemvasia), Potamisi (white and red), the black-grape Askatharia, the white Kouforogo and the red Agianiotiko.

The island does not have an established winery per se; the wines from the Vioma estate (Paraportiano) owned by Nikos Asimomytis are made off-island, but sold in many locations in Mykonos. Local dentist Giorgos Xydakis also produces some interesting wines from the locally grown grapes. He is a member of ER.O.S. (www.erosmykonos. gr) and his wines can be found at the Sale e Pepe Restaurant (where Cycladic wine tastings take place daily); at Captain’s on the Mykonos waterfront; and at Menagias Butcher Shop on the Peripheral Road, among other locations.

RECIPES Prepare authentic Mykonian dishes at home.

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The question of where to eat has never been a problem on Mykonos.

Its sheer variety – from traditional tavernas by the sea to world-class dining venues – is simply amazing.

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Reeza @ Rocabella

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BILL AND COO

CHORA Bakalo In a pretty space that resembles an Athenian interwar taverna-cum-grocery store with a beautiful veranda, chef Yiannis Gavalas prepares home-style food with creative additions using all the good stuff the Cyclades have to offer. Try the smoked eggplant puree, the spicy cheese dip with local tyrovolia, the humus, the tzatziki and the taramosalata (roe paste).

The cheesy bread ring with kopanisti cheese is Gavalas’ signature dishe, while his moussaka is divine. Save some space for desserts; the nutty, syrupy baklava is among the best you’ll ever have.

• Lakka • Tel. (+30) 22890.781.21 Bakogia (or Gialos) A local favorite, this is where to go for an authentic experience of ouzo and great meze like roasted Mykonian sausage, or mostra, rusks topped with juicy tomatoes and kopanisti

cheese, fluffy omelets, freshly fried whitebait and crispy calamari.

• Gialos • Tel. (+30) 22890.235.52 Captain’s You’ll find it tucked in among all the cafes overlooking the Old Port as you walk around Gialos. It’s a friendly kind of place, perfect for enjoying a relaxed ouzo and sharing all sorts of seafood and “land-based” meze. Its menu includes a selection of Greek beers and tsipouro.

• Gialos • Tel. (+30) 22890.232.83 Central Local products, like bread baked in wood oven and cheeses from local dairies, along with some “imports” from other Cycladic islands, star in the excellent breakfast served in this pleasant space, located just a short walk from the center of Chora. Try the wild green pie, the scrambled eggs with tyrovolia cheese and the local yogurt topped with

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thyme-scented honey from Paros.

• New Peripheral Road • Tel. (+30) 22890.773.06 Funky Kitchen Chef Pavlos Grivas brings elements from around the world into his classic Greek dishes, in a simple yet islandinspired space located on a relatively quiet side street.

Menu highlights include the panna cotta of kopanisti cheese sprinkled with poppy seeds, dried figs and prosciutto from Evrytania, Central Greece; the zingy octopus carpaccio with capers from Syros; lamb cutlets with cumin-scented split-pea paste; the tuna tataki with smoked eggplant puree, and the honey-glazed veal cheeks with crispy smoked sausage in a lovely demi-glace. The Sifnos honey pie with a dollop of sweet sour-cherry preserve and cinnamon ice cream is a must.

• Ignatiou Basoula St • Tel. (+30) 22890.272.72

Inyama From Dubai with love, the Inyama experience introduces us to the world of surfand-turf cuisine. Michelinstarred chef Ettore Botrini has created a winning menu that is complemented by an impressive cocktail list and a selection of handpicked champagnes. Great music by renowned resident DJs just add to the bliss as you dine on wonderful meats like the Australian 150-day grain-fed beef picanha cut or wagyu filet, or on seafood dishes such as tuna steak with couscous and ratatouille.

• Aghias Monis Square • Tel. (+30) 22890.258.51 Kalita Located in the Fresh Hotel’s beautiful courtyard, Kalita serves Greek cuisine with modern/international elements, using local products. Classics include the clay-roasted rack of suckling pig as well as more creative fare, like the gnocchi with San Michali cheese from Syros

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island, the risotto with saffron from Kozani, Northern Greece and the yogurt panna cotta.

• 31 N. Kalogera St • Tel. (+30) 22890.271.02 K for Kiku & Kiku Cavo Tagoo A strong Athens team that spends its summers in Mykonos presents refined and creative Nikkei cuisine at two separate locations: one at a beautiful location with sea views by the pool at the Cavo Tagoo Hotel and the other in the middle of Chora, in a setting perfectly in synch with the island’s vibe.

Kiku Cavo Tagoo • Tel. (+30) 22890.202.00.

K for Kiku, 47 Matogianni St • Tel. (+30) 22890.228.81 The Liberty Breakfast Room This is a brand-new and ambitious endeavor by four locals looking to promote local certified products from smallscale producers around the Cycladic islands by relying on

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the philosophy of simplicity.

They allow the ingredients – mainly organic – to shine by fussing with them as little as possible, favoring lowheat cooking and a lot of raw options. Likewise, the coffee beans come from selected farms and most of the reasonably priced wines are from Cycladic producers.

• New Peripheral Road, Vougli • Tel. (+30) 22890.240.05 Ling Ling by Hakkasan The Mykonian branch of this international chain is more relaxed than most, with white brushstrokes toning down Hakkasan’s typically stark modern look. The Cantonesebased cuisine is of a very high caliber and the cocktail list is excellent, with many signature selections. Take note that the music tends to get quite loud at night.

• Malamatenias St • Tel. (+30) 22890.225.15 Maereio A simple veranda in a small

alley with just five or six tables makes up the cozy little taverna run by the Monogios family, who cook up authentic Mykonian dishes such as lamb fricassee, tomato fritters, snails braised in tomato sauce and rice with limpets or small crabs.

• 16 Kaligera St • Tel. (+30) 22890.288.25

La Μaison de Katrin With a history spanning 45 years, this legendary GrecoFrench restaurant is one of Mykonos’ most popular eateries. Its array of delights includes stuffed zucchini flowers and spinach pies, steamed mussels with double cream, and chateaubriand steak – all served in a pretty alleyway covered in bougainvillea.

• Nikiou 1 •Tel. (+30) 22890.221.69 Matsuhisa Mykonos Cosmopolitan design meets Mykonian architecture while Japanese cuisine meets Latin

American flavors at this classy restaurant beside the pool of the five-star Belvedere Hotel. Here, Japanese chefrestaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa unleashes all of his creative powers in new-style dishes presented by head chef Nikos Skamnakis. Naturally, these include perfectly executed sushi, but there are also signature recipes like Matsuhisa’s legendary black cod miso, tiradito, salmon in a karashi su miso sauce, and frequent new menu additions.

The wine list consists of excellent international labels and a collection of vintage champagnes, while the cocktails are also quite exceptional.

• School of Fine Arts District • Tel. (+30) 22890.251.22

M-eating Using local products and working them with great skill, chef Panagiotis Menardos prepares refined and creative Greek food. The style – both of the dishes and of

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the beautiful space – is an elegant combination of the contemporary and the rustic.

Must-tries include the onion pie, the ratatouille with local vegetables, and the lamb sous-vide served with a Mytilini omelet made with fresh vegetables and herbs.

• 10 Kalogera St • Tel. (+30) 22890.785.50 Mr Pug Whether you choose to dine outside in the cool courtyard or in the elegant dining room, the combination of modern lines with ethnic elements is a winner. Like the décor, chef George Venieris’ dishes are an amazing fusion of Asia and Greece, executed with technical mastery and an eye for presentation. The steamed buns with satay chicken are light as air and crab cakes wrapped in fine kataifi pastry are a crunchy delight. Venieris plays on the classic Greek salad by adding avocado and fresh cilantro, and jazzes up the eggplant puree

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(melitzanosalata) with peanut butter. The shellfish stir-fry with shitake mushrooms, Cretan chicory and skirt steak is also quite wonderful, but where the exoticism is really evident is in desserts like tapioca pearls with passion fruit jelly, banana, coconut ice cream and lime merengue.

• New Peripheral Road • Tel. (+30) 22890.777.71 Nautilus This lovely new venue celebrates local fare, such as cheeses from around the Cyclades, cured pork louza and fresh seafood, while also putting an emphasis on great service. We recommend the fresh fish linguini in a lemon sauce; the honey, orange and ginger-marinated chicken; and the crisp fresh salads.

• 1 Lakka Square • Tel. (+30) 22890.271.00 Remezzo The view of Chora from the veranda is almost as enchanting as the dishes,

particularly when the sun sets over the caique-dotted harbor and the lights start to go on all over town. Have a cocktail for an aperitif before diving into dishes like Cycladic dakos (rusks with fresh tomato and soft white cheese), a vegetable mille-feuille that’s a play on the classic moussaka, or Greekstyle stuffed tomatoes and pepper with a twist.

• Polykandrioti St • Tel. (+30) 22890.257.00 Roca Cookery Celebrate the Aegean by enjoying Mediterranean cuisine and traditional recipes, including plenty of fish and other seafood from around the Cyclades, on this balcony with a view overlooking the Old Port.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.229.55 Sale e Pepe This classic Italian restaurant is renowned for its wine list, whose careful selections from vineyards in Italy, France and Greece have earned it

numerous awards. Try the handmade pasta (the ravioli is amazing) with well-executed sauces, the dishes inspired by northern Italian cuisine (particularly the game), and the delicious seafood options.

• Lakka •Tel. (+30) 22890.242.07 Sea Satin Market This wonderful location, which appears to float above the sea right below the iconic windmills, is a favorite with the in-crowd. It specializes in Greek gourmet cuisine and fresh fish that is on display so you can pick your dinner.

The dessert of loukoumades dough fritters drenched in honey is classic Greek, as is the music playing from the speakers.

• Little Venice • Τel. (+30) 22890.246.76 Thea @ Belvedere Set in the luxurious surroundings of the Belvedere Hotel, with an amazing view of Chora and the sea, Thea

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is the place to enjoy inspired modern Mediterranean cuisine from chef Nikos Zervos, who highlights the Greek element by showcasing local products.

Try the signature yellowfin tuna with “Beluga” lentil sprouts, yogurt mousse, citrus oil and tangy ice plant.

• School of Fine Arts District • Tel. (+30) 22890.251.22

BEYOND CHORA Avli tou Thodori Greek chic is the motto in this pretty courtyard venue just a few steps from the beach, where Greek cuisine is transformed in modern dishes such as tomato fritters with a feta cheese sauce and fresh oregano, or the salad of watermelon and salty feta, enriched with mint leaves, rusk and an ouzo-based dressing.

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Bill & Coo Chef Athinagoras Kostakos presents a refined version of Greek cuisine, with Mykonian and Cycladic references, at the stylish poolside dining area of the hotel with the same name.

Amazing menu highlights include the Delos sea urchin with couscous, garlic, ouzo and confit lemon; the escabeche-style artichokes with grilled octopus; the brown-eyed beans; the bottarga with early-harvest olive oil; the cod fricassee with a majestic egg-lemon sauce; and the slow-cooked pancetta with kale that is inspired by a Mykonian classic. Everything from the service to the presentation makes for a highcaliber dining experience.

• Megali Ammos • Tel. (+30) 22890.262.92 La Cucina di Daniele This elegant Italian bistro is located on the road to Ano

KALITA

Mera. Here, Tuscan owner Daniele Chiantini prepares refined dishes from his birthplace with wonderful ingredients from small-scale producers back home.

• Ano Mera • Tel. (+30) 22890.715.13 JackieO’ An all-day Mediterranean fusion menu prepared by top Greek chef Christoforos Peskias stars at the island’s grooviest beach. The JackieO’ experience comes together with uplifting music, a stunning setting, a well-researched wine list and a selection of fine cigars.

• Super Paradise Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.772.98 Joanna’s Niko’s Place The walk from Chora to Megali Ammos Beach is quite lovely, and this authentic Greek taverna is yet another reason to make the journey.

Its delicious no-fuss dishes include staples like batter-fried zucchini slices, fried calamari and whitebait, taramosalata and tzatziki dip, and all sorts of lovely meze that go so well with a glass of ouzo or a cold beer.

• Megali Ammos Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.242.51 Kalua Kalua has been a popular summer destination on Paranga Beach for over a decade, drawing the crowds with its Greek and Mediterranean menu, but also with its wine list of carefully selected domestic and foreign labels. Specialties include the lobster spaghetti and the grilled king crab legs. Also try the fresh sea urchin with parsley and citrus salad, or the risotto with shrimps, but leave enough room for dessert.

• Paranga Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.233.97

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Limnios A classic taverna and grill that is open all year round, this is a favorite hangout for locals and regular visitors.

Many of the dishes are prepared with locally sourced meat, with specialties including succulent lamb chops, mom-style moussaka and finger-licking good stuffed vine leaves.

• Aghios Stefanos • Tel. (+30) 22890.278.14 Liasti This is perfect summer setting at one of the island’s loveliest beaches, with a chilled-out atmosphere and a medley of Mediterranean and more exotic dishes served right by the sea. Liasti is perfect for a light lunch or an aperitif at sunset, serving seafood and carpaccio, rich salads, club sandwiches and wraps, and a selection of pastas.

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• Lia Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.721.50

Lounda (Pikantiki Gonia) Ukrainian proprietor and cook Lounda Onouferko has staunchly resisted jet-set chic and prepares simple, delicious food in a cozy, homey space. Based on traditional Cycladic cuisine, her menu features hearty dishes like succulent spitroasted pork or pork marinated in juicy summer tomatoes.

Thursdays, however, are always dedicated to the cuisine of her homeland.

• Platys Gialos, Glastros • Tel. (+30) 22890.272.38 Mathios This well-known taverna right at the entrance to Tourlos Port always has a large variety of well-prepared dishes, which is why it is favored by the locals.

Options include classics like taramosalata (roe dip), scorpion fish soup, Mykonian onion pie and oven-baked staples like moussaka and stuffed tomatoes and peppers.

• Tourlos • Tel. (+30) 22890.223.44 Nesaea Veteran chef Christos Athanasiadis has gone all out at this modern Mykonian restaurant, located at a wonderful vantage point with a sea view. Start with crunchy chips made from the skin of gilt-head bream, accompanied by a dip of squid ink and wasabi aioli, or try the beetroot cooked in different ways to bring out different textures, which comes with raspberry relish. For the main course, try the octopus sous-vide with split-pea puree, or the crispy calamari with truffle and eggplant puree in a squid

ink sauce. The nougat parfait – a play on the traditional mandolato biscuit – is the perfect way to wrap up your meal.

• Aghia Anna Beach, Kalafatis • Tel. (+30) 22890.721.30 Oti Apomeine A great authentic taverna, it may be named “Leftovers,” but only because you’ll probably asking for your leftovers to be wrapped up to go at the end of the meal. Specialties include succulent spit-roasted pig, juicy lamb chops and traditional oil-rich dishes like eggplant imam, while the meze consist of nibbles such as kasseri cheese pie, chicken salad and fragrant fried meatballs.

• Ano Mera • Tel. (+30) 22890.715.34

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Pasaji In a glamorous setting under palm trees by the sea, highlighted by elegant lighting and sophisticated art de la table, chefs Aris Tsanaklidis, Giannis Vidalis and Giannis Chrisochoidis have joined forces in a celebration of traditional Greek products in creative fusion recipes inspired by exotic destinations.

• Ornos Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.232.16 Principaute de Mykonos This is the ultimate seaside gastronomic experience in a sophisticated and luxurious setting, without superfluous airs. Set right on Panormos Beach, this restaurant is all about innovative and mouthwatering gastronomy, with fresh and creative dishes inspired by the full range of Mediterranean

cuisine. A comprehensive and sophisticated wine list ensures the best pairings with chef Avgeria Stapaki’s creations.

• Panormos Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.771.84 Rakkan The summer version of the popular Athenian barrestaurant is located right by the sea and has a chilled-out vibe, atmosphere-creating music and a great list of wines and creative cocktails. Awardwinning chef Naruse Fumiaki has put together a menu of high-caliber Japanese fusion, with exceptional sushi dishes, prime cuts of meat and fresh fish prepared on a robata grill, as well as outstanding recipes such as yellowtail tuna with jalapeno peppers and sea bass tiradito, among others.

• Kalo Livadi Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.722.43

Reeza @ Rocabella High-end Greek cuisine inspired by award-winning chef Gikas Xenakis is served by the poolside of the Rocabella hotel. The menu serves as something of an initiation into contemporary Greek cuisine, with dishes such as the squid ink, calamari and fennel-cream risotto; or the cannelloni stuffed with veal and mushrooms, topped with a sauce made with truffles and arseniko cheese from Naxos.

The wine list is sophisticated and the cocktails by talented mixologist Vassilis Kyritsis are inventive. The breakfast, which is designed along a similar philosophy, is also excellent and showcases quality Greek products.

• Aghios Stefanos • Tel. (+30) 22890.289.30

Scorpios In a fabulous setting that celebrates the summer in simple earthy tones, chef de cuisine Alexis Zopas prepares Mediterranean cuisine with a decidedly Greek character. The quality is excellent, many of the ingredients are organic and you’ll also find a good selection of vegetarian options. Meze include tzatziki with avocado; fish roe cream topped with lemon confit; and octopus carpaccio with vinegar and an oregano-andextra-virgin-oil dressing. Filet of scorpion fish with a paprika bourdeto sauce and sauteed kale, as well as other fresh fish and select cuts of meat prepared on an open-fire grill make up some of the other main dishes on offer.

• Paraga Beach • Tel. (+30) 22890.292.50

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PART Y

A Nighttime Odyssey What’s the best way to leave all your troubles behind? Here’s our pick for an eclectic bar-hopping adventure in Mykonos.

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Classy aperitifs Appaloosa Restaurant & Bar We may have fallen in love with it for its spicy Mexican cuisine, but it’s also a fun and cool place to enjoy an icy margarita, an authentic caipirinha or a perfectly balanced mojito. The ethnic touch, after all, is always appreciated, especially on a small island.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.270.86

Buddha Bar Beach Ornos may seem a bit of a slog for a drink, but the Mykonos branch of the well-known chain makes the trip worthwhile.

MONI CLUB

Located in the Santa Marina Hotel, this is an alternative proposal for a night out.

Don’t be discouraged by the dinner service that goes on until midnight; the belly dancers will soon be drawing the crowd over to the bar and heating things up.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.232.20

Interni Italian architect and designer Paola Navone is the creative force behind the island’s loveliest garden bar-restaurant, which has been around for 16 years in the center of Chora. It’s the perfect place for a classic drink under the

Mykonos sky, and music that’s uplifting without being too in-your-face. For a no airs, no cares night out.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.263.33

Sunken Watermelon Celebrity mixologist Christos Houseas has created a conceptual bar inside the five-star Belvedere Mykonos Hotel to mark its 20th anniversary. The list consists of just six cocktails with names inspired by the hotel’s history, but despite the limited selection, you will be rewarded by the quality of the inspired drinks.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.251.22

Sunset is my favorite color Caprice The young ‘uns start gathering in the late afternoon, so by early evening the party is steaming ahead at this famous spot in Little Venice, with the fun and flirty crowds sloshing their cocktails around and catching the spray from the waves crashing down below.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.235.41

Remezzo Α Mykonos institution since 1967, renowned all over the

world for its legendary parties, this restaurant-bar has been relaunched at the same location, near the old harbor, along with its “little brother” Remezzaki. It still offers its affluent clientele amazing sunset views, haute cuisine and amazing chilled champagne cocktails.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.257.00

Toy Room The Mykonos branch of a nightclub chain with venues in London and Dubai, located in the oh-so-beautiful Little Venice area, is pretty and vibrant, cosy space, styled up to look like a living room. Af-

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Queen of Mykonos ter midnight the music really kicks in, but it also specializes in pre-party parties (yes, this is a category) around sunset.

• Tel. (+30) 694.438.5959

In the mood Astra Mykonos It’s impossible to talk about a night out in Chora without paying tribute to this understated nightlife powerhouse – established in 1987. Chill in the ample front yard around the famous Tria Pigadia (Three Wells) or enjoy a cocktail while trying to spot the celebrity at the two sought-after VIP booths to the left and right of the front door, the ones who are ordering fine champagne by the crate. Better yet just dance the night away to music intended to get you up and jumping in the fantastic little “cave”, complete with twinkling stars above.

• Tel. (+30) 698.244.0540

Queen of Mykonos People-watch like there’s no tomorrow while sipping on amazing cocktails and enjoying loud, soulful house music: It doesn’t get more Mykonian than this little venue, right in the center of everything, at

Toy Room Tria Pigadia.

• Tel. (+30) 694.907.8018

Scarpa Located in Little Venice and open 24/7, this is a great place to meet for cocktails and make plans for the night ahead. Better yet, just stay there, while the DJs spin an eclectic mix of electro beats, the party heats up and the night goes on and on.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.232.94

The rest is memories JackieO’ In a totally gay-friendly island, JackieΟ’ goes the extra mile and caters to serious party-goers of all ages and sexes on the lookout for high-energy nights of super-beat dance music, flirting and fun.

For optimum results, go after 2 a.m. You’ll find it below the Church of Paraportiani.

• Tel. (+30) 22890.771.68

Moni Club Its location near an old monastery on Aghia Moni Square in Chora may have inspired its name, but this club is the opposite of monastic. Run by an expert international

team of nightlife pros, it’s an insiders’ hangout that takes its dance music, its intimate atmosphere and the privacy of its exclusive clientele very seriously. The best time to go? After 3 a.m.

• Tel. (+30) 693.283.0252

Void Jarrett Passaoglou is a name with royalty status in the Mykonos nightlife scene and his recently launched venue in Lakka is this season’s most talked-about new arrival.

Fast-forwarding into the future, Void will fill a vacuum for high-end after-hours clubbing with great vibes and party music that can’t go wrong.

• Tel. (+30) 694.481.1360

In a galaxy far, far away Guzel This seaside venue in the center of Gialos – the main waterfront stretch in Chora – is not for the faint-hearted: Loudspeakers vibrate with both international dance music and Greek pop hits, with the party in full swing until well after sunrise.

• Tel. (+30) 694.423.1999

MadOn Also for the young and the brave, this waterfront club is run in cooperation with the team of the London-based Maddox Club Restaurant.

• Tel. (+30) 694.446.0930

TOO LATE FOR REGRETS If you’re lucky enough to have a designated driver, head for the world-famous Cavo Paradiso, the Paradise or Super Paradise Clubs, where top international DJs keep the beat pumping until well into the morning and the party often spills out onto the beach. Also, stay tuned for the wild-card appearances of DJ Hans Havenaar, aka The Dutch Touch, be it at a regular club night or a one-off – crash the party if you must; it’s worth it.

And if you still have it in you for a “Zorba the Greek Meets Dante’s Inferno” experience, follow the crowd to Thalami, below Mykonos Town Hall. It will almost certainly be past midday when you eventually emerge, not knowing what day – or what year, for that matter – it is. You gotta love this island...

* Special thanks to Elli Handou, maitre d’ at Αstra Bar

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