Grasp a Sense of Mykonos

Jeff—Saturday

 

This month marks the third decade of Mykonos Confidential Magazine serving as the bible for high-end summertime life on Greece’s island of the winds.  They kindly asked me for my reflections on what this fabled Aegean island offers to the senses of so many.  What I wrote begins immediately after this illustration that I shamelessly lifted from the pages of the magazine—along with the rest of the visuals.

 

As we learned as schoolchildren, taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell are the classic five senses.  They provide our brains with the sensory information we need to analyze our environment and determine a plan of action.

 

I can think of no better place to bring your adult sensory apparatus on holiday than Mykonos, for the island offers a potpourri of sensual stimulation unmatched in variation and intensity anywhere in the Aegean. The operative word being sensual, not sexual, for one need not leave home to experience the latter.  

 

So, what are the special traits of Mykonos that make it such a joy to the senses?  Let’s examine each sense individually.

 

TASTE. Whether you prefer salty, sweet, bitter, or sour, Mykonos has a place for your indulgences. Today, internationally renowned venues occupy more of the culinary landscape than ever before (just look at the pages of this magazine), yet there are still bars, restaurants, and tavernas offering less expensive alternatives, often delivering more of a traditional “Greek island” experience than their pricier brethren.

 

TOUCH. Head to any of Mykonos’ dozens of treasured beaches, and strip down to lie beneath the warm Mediterranean sun while summertime Meltemi breezes dance along your body.  When you sense the moment has come to pause this gentle competition among the elements, simply stroll across the sand down to the sea, succumb to the embrace of the Aegean’s crystal-clear waters, and drift beneath a cloudless bright-blue sky in balance with all about you.

 

 

SIGHT. The square white Cycladic houses of Mykonos Town have long attracted architectural praise. As the island grew, that simple form remained the backbone of what’s captured the imaginations of generations of visitors.   Even commercial businesses of the sort necessary for supporting a growing prosperous community follow in some measure the island’s classic Cycladic style, for it is through this architectural consistency that Mykonos creates and maintains the mesmerizing visual magic it holds for so many.

 

SOUND. On Mykonos, sound comes at you in a plethora of languages.  Then there’s the music.  Often great music, played by world famous deejays. Most beach tavernas take great pride in their music, though a few opt for quiet.  There’s even live music to be found, though if you’re looking for a tsabouna experience (Greek bagpipes) its longtime maestro, Mitsaras, recently passed away, but you still might catch one of his disciples playing at a panigiri (celebration of a saint’s name day) or wedding.  If you’re looking for an isolated vista from which to gaze off in silent contemplation, you’ll likely find one on the north side of the island.  But if you’re seeking true serenity, catch a morning boat from the old harbor to the neighboring Holy Island of Delos, just a mile away.  There you can wander to your heart’s content amid restored, millennia-old ruins of the once thriving center of ancient Cycladic life…and still make it back to Mykonos in plenty of time to hit the beach and enjoy the many pleasures of today’s thriving center.

 

SMELL.  Visitors who only experience Mykonos during its summer season, may be surprised that in springtime the island is green and filled with the scents of flowers, plus whiffs of wild oregano, rosemary, and thyme mixed in among the blossoms.  Other unexpected scents arrive from North Africa when the wind blows in hard from the south. The most common smells are no surprise: ubiquitous crisp sea air, seductive aromas emanating from the island’s restaurants and tavernas, and of course, those that visitors bring along with them from home. Such as that suntan lotion you simply cannot do without.

 

Having charted the impact of Mykonos on the five senses, I have a word to say about a sixth sense, one that many claim to possess but few do.  

 

It’s called insight, and when coupled with a gift for bringing out the very best in people, presents a hard combination to beat. Petros Bourovilis possessed those qualities and more. As editor-in-chief and later publisher of Mykonos Confidential, he shepherded the magazine through nearing a twenty-year reign as the class of the island’s summer magazines. Sadly, Petros passed away in 2020.  He is deeply missed. God rest your soul, dear friend.

 

–Jeff