- Day 10: Last Full Day on Koufonisia – Caves, Coastline and a Nearly Perfect Moussaka
- Day 9: Koufonisia Hike and Ed Leaves – Hilltop Views, Mellow Wine & a Solo Sunset
- Day 8: Donousa to Koufonisia – Island Hopping, Beach Walks and a Bit of Football
- Day 7: Hiking the Edges of Donousa – Coastal Trails, Cold Beers & Quiet Beaches
- Day 6: Hiking Donousa, Hidden Beaches & Ed’s Island Arrival
- Day 5: Slow Living in Donousa – A Day of Sunshine, Sandwiches & Solitude
- Day 4: From Windy Mykonos to Peaceful Donousa (via Naxos and a Pizza Break)
- Day 3: A Very Windy Mykonos – Lighthouses, Lonely Beaches & Early-Season Blows
- Day 2: Exploring Mykonos’ South Coast – Hidden Beaches, Greek Food & Too Much Wine
- Day 1: Manchester to Mykonos – A Smooth Start with a Sunset Landing
- Mykonos, Naxos and Lesser Cyclades 2025 Trip Planning
Introduction
My Greek island adventure kicked off on Wednesday, May 14th, with a surprisingly smooth and stress-free journey. The drive to Manchester Airport was easy, and I arrived around 12:40. After a short wait, I caught the terminal transfer bus around 13:10 and headed straight through security. Thanks to Manchester’s shiny new scanners, I didn’t even have to take my laptop or liquids out of my bag – a small win that made things feel instantly more relaxed!
With time to spare, I grabbed a beer and some chicken bites at Bar MCR – a little pre-flight tradition I’ve grown to enjoy.
Delayed, But Barely
The flight to Mykonos was originally scheduled for 15:05 but was pushed to 15:20. Then, boarding was held up again due to a bottleneck caused by passengers disembarking from another flight. Once on the plane, we sat for another 10 minutes due to air traffic restrictions over Mykonos – apparently, the island airport doesn’t have many parking spots for planes. Eventually, we took off at 15:53.
Despite the late departure, we landed at 19:32 UK time (21:32 in Greece) – only 22 minutes behind schedule. Not bad at all.
Moped, Mini-Mishap, and Mina Studios
After landing, I walked a short distance from the airport terminal to meet the guy from CCC Mykonos, where I’d booked a moped. He was already waiting, and the handover was quick and easy. I hit the road feeling pretty confident… until I realised I was going the wrong way!
Thankfully, I caught my mistake quickly and only had to backtrack a few minutes before reaching Mina Studios in Platis Gialos. Check-in was fast and friendly, and they even offered me a chilled glass of lemonade – a really nice touch. My room was in the basement, but surprisingly stylish and very comfortable despite the lack of a window to the outside.
Late-Night Wandering and a Chocolate Reward
Even though it was nearly 10:30 p.m., I couldn’t resist walking down to the beach to get my first proper look at the area. A few people were still out enjoying dinner by the water – the kind of scene that immediately reminds you you’re in Greece. There was a slight chill in the air and a gentle breeze, so I kept on the bodywarmer I’d worn for the moped ride.
On the way back to the room, I stopped by a local bakery and treated myself to a rich chocolate brownie (€3.90). Then I swung by a mini market for some essentials – a bottle of water (€1.50) and a big orange juice (€3.50).
Settling In
It was a long day of travel, but everything fell into place pretty smoothly – no major stress, a warm welcome at the hotel, and that unmistakable feeling of being somewhere completely different. Just from this first evening, I could already tell Mykonos was going to deliver the kind of experience I’d been hoping for.
Tomorrow, the real exploring begins.
