So we went from our simple little Cycladic apartment to the rather splendiferous Hotel Tagoo just outside of Mykonos Town. It was everything I could have asked of a hotel in Mykonos. It’s a small recently renovated multi-level hotel complex designed in traditional Mykonian architecture and decor and as such overlapped my sister-in-law’s desire for a hotel experience with my desire for something traditional and not too 5 star (which I hate) and it fit the bill beautifully. As you walked through the front door you were mesmerised by the billion dollar view from our roof top pool, with the Aegean Sea stretched out beneath you. Paradise with no infinity. The Pool Bar was the ideal place to unwind and enjoy cocktail after a refreshing swim (yes Sue-Ellen I’m looking at you!!) and breakfast was served here in the mornings too which was perfect. Our rooms were gorgeous. SO simple and serene and with a panoramic view of the ocean and the town. I was in heaven.

The next day once again grateful for our car we set off to explore the island. Our brother and sister duo are great lovers of swimming and they were keen as mustard to get some salt on their skin so we headed to one of the better beaches. As it was early October the beach clubs and restaurants were either closed or in the process of shutting down for the year so we pretty much had the whole beach to ourselves which was a bonus.

Having earned their lunch we headed inland to a little hill top town and had a delicious lunch under the shade of a bougainvillea. This time an octopus salad, grilled sardines, stuffed veggies and fritters followed by the thickest creamiest greek yoghurt topped with sweet syrupy carrots which was the most delicious thing I’ve eaten all trip! Sounds weird but trust me – it was GOOD!

Another day and another drive around the island – this time we found a fabulous little restaurant right on the waters edge near a popular beach. Being October there were no crowds, just enough people to give the place a little buzz and keep most of the restaurants open. They all loved us as we asked them for something they would eat with their families and that way we got to try things we would never have otherwise ordered! Despite being very traditional there is a huge range of different foods on offer and for the most part I think it is a very healthy cuisine and definitely tasty. Eating yet more seafood and slurping delicious French rose to the sound of water lapping has to be the most divine way to spend time and we loved it!

The next day we drew a deep breath and walked into Mykonos Town to explore the capital of the island. The reason for us girding our loins was that every morning when we drew our curtains there were at least 5 or 6 huge cruise ships “parked” outside. The little tenders were zipping madly back and forth between the ships and the town, heavily laden with cruise passengers eager to part with some cash and buy souvenirs galore from the myriad of shops lining the beach and in the laneways of Chora. The prices reflected this with a severe increase from similar things in Paros but YOLO and all that jazz so we joined the masses and with just a few deviations from the main laneways we found some lovely shops and a great restaurant tucked away in a little square, its brightly painted chairs and checked tablecloths drawing us in for an hour of relaxation and wonderful mezze until we felt suitably fuelled to go and “see/do” Mykonos.

Despite the tourist crowds (let’s face it we were tourists too!) it was worth it to see the famous windmills, the obligatory donkey and so many whitewashed houses and staircases each decorated in their bright colours with tumbling bougainvillea, all under that perfect Greek blue sky. A highly coveted seat by the water with a view of the windmills would cost you an expensive bottle of champagne but with our very own wonderful pool bar with its gorgeous view we decided to head home for our last afternoon of R&R and planned to walk back into town for our last dinner – why not go out with a bang eh?

The town is completely different at night as all the cruise people return to the ship after 6pm for their all inclusive dinners and entertainment leaving the township to the locals and tourists staying on the island. Lights twinkled and music and laughter permeated the winding lanes as we found a nice place for our last supper! Afterwards we sipped cocktails at a nearby bar and managed to keep Sue-Ellen from dragging us out to “dance” somewhere! She is a party girl that’s for sure! Some last shots of the fab 4 before we headed home to pack up for our trip to Kythira. What a lovely few days we had together in another beautiful island – Mykonos isn’t all bars and beach clubs, especially in October, and if you have a car you can easily get around the island and see the real Mykonian way of life. They must all breathe a sigh of relief when the tourists leave and they get their island back but without tourism they wouldn’t have an income, a dilemma common to many beloved places in Europe. I think the Mykonos we experienced was definitely different to that of the cruise ship passengers – they literally get a few hours in the major town and that’s it whereas we felt we got a real feel for the place. Our next destination couldn’t be more different as we head to Kythera….