Mykonos or Santorini: which popular Greek island is right for you?
Greece's most popular Cyclades islands, Santorini and Mykonos, are just 60 miles apart yet have distinctly different personalities.
It's no wonder they are so in demand, both promising a wide range of things to do, awesome rocky landscapes and idyllic villages, and with the added convenience of plenty of direct flights. Here's a look at what each offers to help you decide which to visit first.
Getting there: find fantastic offers on holidays to Greece with TUI*, which offers breaks for all budgets to islands including Mykonos*, Santorini* and many more.
Best for landscapes & activities
Santorini is tops for dramatic landscapes, not least its beautiful blue-domed churches set against a volcanic backdrop, which is even more stunning during sunset. It's got a good choice of things to do, also.
You can take caldera cruises, hike upon the volcanic crater's rim and visit the hot springs near the volcanic islets of Nea Kameni.
Wine-lovers will want to take a vineyard tour and try local wine tasting. You can't miss the unusual basket-like vines, some more than a century old, grown in volcanic ash, pumice, and lava soil, which produce distinctive wines like Assyrtiko.
Mykonos, meanwhile, also boasts great sunsets and attractive old windmills in Mykonos Town, or Chora, as well as colourful waterfront houses at Little Venice. Chora is also a shoppers' paradise, with its designer boutiques amongst the whitewashed streets.
For the adventuours, kitesurfing is popular, especially at Ftelia and Korfos.
Best for beaches
Santorini* certainly impresses with its dramatic beaches. Many of them, including Kamari, Perissa and Perivolos, consist of volcanic black sand, and, at Kokkini Paralia located near Akrotiri in the south, even striking red sand.
But overall, Mykonos wins hands down for its gorgeous coastline. It has long stretches of golden sandy beaches such as Psarou, Platis Gialos, Ornos and Elia Beach, while Super Paradise Beach is known for its all-day party scene.
Some have glitzy beach clubs to supercharge the sea experience. And if you want some tranquillity, Mykonos has quiet beaches too, such as Agios Sostis and Fokos.
Whichever island you choose for beach time, the best time to visit is at the end of the peak season (July and August) when the weather is still warm, but the beaches are much quieter.
Best food scene
There's no denying that Mykonos* has a more international food scene than Santorini, focusing more on fine dining, luxury and on-trend restaurants, with most top hotels offering high-end options. Beware the high prices common at the swankiest beach clubs, however.
Santorini excels at more down-to-earth establishments where you can sample the best in Greek cuisine at reasonable prices. Restaurants and tavernas boasting the best caldera views are understandably most in demand, especially in the clifftop village of Oia.
Santorini also has a thriving wine scene, with numerous wineries producing the distinctive wines the island is famous for. So, Santorini wins on the cuisine front.
Best for families
Although Mykonos is principally geared to adults and partying, if you are based in a quieter corner of the island, kids will love the beaches, especially family-friendly ones with calm, shallow waters such as Platis Gialos, Agios Stefanos and Ornos.
However, you will need deep pockets when travelling with a family, as Mykonos is widely seen as Greece's most expensive island.
While Santorini's beaches aren't so good for children, having steeply shelving water and pebbles requiring water shoes, the island has a good range of sightseeing options and activities, including Santorini Water Park at Perissa, volcano tours and museums.
Best for history & culture
Santorini is best for these, having some outstanding archaeological sites, such as the ruins of the ancient Minoan city of Akrotiri, which, like Pompeii, was buried under volcanic ash. You can see its treasures at the archaeological museum in Fira.
While Mykonos can't compete with this, it is a great base for visiting the neighbouring uninhabited island of Delos, with its superb concentration of ancient ruins.
Best for nightlife
Santorini has a few lively spots in its capital, Fira, but its nightlife is generally pretty low-key compared to Mykonos. Crowds gather on the caldera rim in the early evening to enjoy the stunning sunsets, and the rooftop terraces of bars and restaurants are especially popular, with the vibe growing livelier as the evening progresses.
However, if you're after the wildest time, with buzzing beach bars and big-name DJs, head for Mykonos. Again, things start to heat up around sunset, especially in the capital, Chora, where you can sip cocktails on the terraces by the sea at Little Venice before testing your stamina as all-night DJ sets are not uncommon.
It's the Ibiza of Greece, and wins over Santorini on the nightlife scene for those after a proper party.
The winner
While both islands have similarities with wonderful landscapes, enticing food scenes and plenty to do, they have their equally attractive differences, and it is pretty difficult to select a winner.
If you're a cosmopolitan party animal, thrive on luxury or like to flop on a beach, then pick Mykonos; if a more laidback atmosphere, geographic splendour and a greater variety of things to do or explore is your thing, then go for Santorini. It's a better choice for romantics and honeymooners, too.
Faced with the dilemma of which to visit, the best solution would be to visit both if you can. Ferries between Mykonos and Santorini take just two hours and run several times a day. So, why not enjoy the best of both worlds and experience both of Greece's most popular Cycladic islands rather than just picking one?
Compare weather
Mykonos vs Santorini
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Use the graphs above to compare the climate in Mykonos and the climate in Santorini. You can also find out more about the climate in Greece.
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