Key Takeaways
- Both Mykonos and Santorini are extraordinary Greek islands with magical landscapes, stunning beaches, and top-notch aesthetics.
- The choice between Mykonos and Santorini depends on the type of vacation you want, your budget, your traveling companions, and your priorities.
- Mykonos offers exquisite sandy beaches, luxury, and beauty, along with important archaeological sites, while Santorini boasts unique volcanic beaches with black, white, and red sands.
- Mykonos is known for its vibrant nightlife and wild parties, making it a popular destination for partygoers, while Santorini offers a more romantic and relaxed nightlife, perfect for couples.
I want to start by stating the obvious. If deciding whether to visit Mykonos or Santorini is your biggest problem right now, I’m so happy for you, and I wanna know more about your life.
If, however, the reason you clicked on this blog post is that you’re thinking of visiting the Greek islands and you want to make an educated decision on the best destination that will better fulfill your needs and desires, I am here to make your day a whole lot better.
By all means, there is no question that both Greek islands are extraordinary. If you’re looking for magical landscapes, striking beaches, top-notch aesthetics, and an original taste of what Greek island life feels like, both destinations will have you covered.
There is, however, such thing as ‘the right choice’ to make in regard to which of the two Greek islands you should pick, depending on the type of vacations you want to have, your budget, your traveling company, and your priorities.
The Landscape
Mykonos, the queen of the Cyclades, along with the neighboring Delos island and the nearby island of Rhenia form an impressive island complex that gathers admirers from all around the globe and offers apart from luxury and beauty, important archaeological sites.
Mykonos is a flat island, and its climate is balmy both during summer and winter. A trademark feature of the climate of Mykonos, however, which you’ll realize even if you spend just one day on the island, is the strong north winds, also known as ‘meltemia’, that in fact serve as a lifeline during the summer days when the sun is mercilessly bright and hot.
The magical white and blue landscape of Mykonos hides much more life and beauty than one might think at first glance. Indeed, the treasures of the island are hidden from the unsuspected eyes of the visitors in the depths of the bare hills.
Santorini -or Thira- is located in the southernmost part of the Cyclades islands and, while most people don’t know it, it is essentially a part of an island complex that includes the smaller islands of Thira, Thirasia, Aspronisi, Palea, and Nea Kameni.
The volcano of Santorini, one of its most impressive elements, is still active, along with the ones in the Greek islands of Milos, Methana, and Nisyros; however, it is the only volcano in the world with its crater found in the sea.
The Greek island itself is a creation of one of the eruptions of the famous volcano. Twelve huge eruptions, one every 20,000 years or so, have contributed to the creation of the impressive, while the presence of the volcano cannot help but be detected all across Santorini, as the volcanic ash is everywhere you set your eyes.
The Beaches; Mykonos or Santorini?
Ornos Beach, Mykonos - credits: fokke baarssen/Shutterstock.com
One of the strongest selling points of the Greek island of Mykonos is its exquisite sandy beaches, a point that gets immediately across on our guide to Mykonos' beaches.
In particular, the southern part of the party island of Mykonos hosts the most and the best beaches on the island, which are all easily accessible by the road network, while they are connected to one another by boat. There are also incredible beach hotels in Mykonos that allow you to enjoy the coastline to the fullest.
While the small beach right by the port in Mykonos Town is cute and clean, if you head south, you’ll experience a whole new world of swimming opportunities unfolding before your eyes. Closest to the town, you’ll find Megali Ammos.
In the south of Korfos, Ornos Beach offers every luxury you’ll ever need, including a scuba diving school for the more adventurous of you.
Just a quick note though: Ornos tends to get very windy, so please keep that in mind when deciding to visit it. The most famous, obnoxiously expensive, and trendiest of Mykonos' beaches is Psarou.
It is a striking, organized beach that also offers watersports but is more commonly known for the big names it includes in its customers, with Hollywood stars often relaxing in the row of sun lounges.
Next on the line come the much less talked about but just as beautiful beaches of Paraga, Kalamopodi, Plintri, Agrari, and Elia, and right next to them are the total antithesis: Paradise Beach and Super Paradise, two of the busiest Mykonos beach clubs, with their crazy parties having established them as the most important attraction for younger audiences.
They are the ultimate VIPS meeting place, where eccentricity meets grandeur! There are a lot more sandy beaches as you get around Mykonos and travel south, with the most notable ones being Panormos - Agios Sostis, Elia, Agios Ioannis, Lia, and Ftelia.
All of them offer sandy coasts, deep-blue waters, and a jolly time; they are all beautiful, crowded, and perfect for surfing! What more could you want?
On the other hand, if you’re dreaming of blu-green waters and long, golden beaches, then you should cross the amazing island of Santorini out of your list from the get-go; Mykonos wins. In Santorini, the impressive volcanο dominates the landscape.
Subsequently, volcanic ash is a prominent element of the beaches that results in a magical and very unique scenery you won’t have the opportunity to admire in any other part of the world. You’ll find three main colors prevailing on Santorini’s volcanic beaches: black, white, and red!
On most Santorini beaches, the sand you’ll find has a one-of-a-kind black color that can, of course, be attributed to the volcano. The beaches of Perissa, Perivolos, Kamari, and Monolithos bear significant similarities, with the first two being undoubtedly the most famous on the island.
Perivolos, in particular, is favored by the younger crowds due to its beach bars, comfortable sunbeds, loud music, and flamboyant parties. On the other hand, the beaches of Kamari and Monolithos are more kid-friendly and are therefore best-liked by families looking to experience the quieter and more relaxing side of Santorini.
Departing from the black beaches, the red beach, a personal favorite, is truly a sight to behold! The scenery will take your breath away: a huge red rock and orange sand full of sunbeds will leave you speechless.
It is arguably one of the places in Santorini you can’t leave without visiting. However, you should keep in mind the red beach is not as easily accessible and requires a bit of walking, so make sure to bring on your walking shoes with you!
Last but not least, the white beach is the one that resembles most of the beaches you can find on the other islands of the Cyclades, so if you’re after the typical Cycladic beauty and have been yearning to swim in the sparkling blue waters of the Aegean Sea, this one is for you.
Unfortunately, this beach is accessible only by sea. However, it is definitely worth the effort, as it is considered one of the most wonderful places on the island.
If you want to know more about the island's beaches and get insight into each one of them before you visit Santorini, read our guide to Santorini’s beaches, and everything will become clear for the Greek island. You can also check out the best time to visit Santorini in order to make an educated decision when planning your Greek trip and deciding to visit Mykonos or Santorini.
The Cuisine
We can’t talk about Greek islands and leave their cuisine out of the equation, especially regarding those two islands.
Mykonos offers a variety of mouthwatering local products to its lucky visitors. The animal husbandry of the island provides it with the delicious and well-known ‘kopanisti’, a type of soft spicy cheese, and ‘xynotyras,’ a type of hard, sharp cheese, in limited quantities.
What Mykonos is most known for, however, is its excellent sausages, ‘louzes,’ that are the ultimate companion to a glass of cold ouzo and are praised by both Greek and international chefs.
In the dessert department, a special mention should go out to ‘amygdalota,’ a traditional kind of almond cookie covered in powdered sugar with exquisite aroma and taste, as well as ‘soumada,’ a non-alcoholic almond-flavored soft drink.
Our Mykonos food guide will help you explore the traditional flavors of the island while also presenting you with the best fine-dining restaurants on the island where you can enjoy local dishes within a mesmerizing ambiance.
Santorini is also famous for its traditional dishes. When visiting the island, you should definitely make a point to try the fava beans and the tomato meatballs, which even locals keep waxing lyrical about.
Thankfully, you’ll have the opportunity to taste the best of Santorini’s offerings on the island as you’ll be able to choose between very expensive restaurants to small cheap taverns, depending on your preferred budget.
Of course, we can’t omit to talk about the unique local products of Santorini. White eggplant, tomatoes, fava beans, capers, and cheese, make up the fresh and delicious ingredients used for the traditional delicacies that sweep all foodies off of their feet! The island is also considered one of the most organized wine producers in the country.
The volcanic soil of the island favors the vinification of wines with a special and intoxicating aroma.
Try the main varieties, such as Assyrtiko, Athiri, Aidani, Mandilaria, and Mavrotragano, in one of the countless wineries on the island, and you’ll take a trip to flavorville in no time!
Things to Do in the Popular Islands of Santorini/Mykonos
Due to both islands’ popularity, there is an abundance of things to do and see at each destination. Mykonos Town is one of the most beautiful in the Cyclades, and it is bound to captivate you from the moment you step foot in it. Whitewashed cobbled streets and white houses with blue-colored doors and windows make up for a fairytale scene, perfect for a relaxing and carefree walk.
The church of Panagia Paraportiani, the City Hall, and the Castle located on a hill above the port stand out in the settlement and are some of the best and most popular sights on the island.
The pedestrian streets you will walk on when visiting Mykonos, with the most commercial being the world-renowned street of Matogianni, are full of life while there are countless shops with branded clothes and ornate jewelry, as well as busy cafes, bars, and restaurants for all hours of the day!
Downtown, you can -and should- also visit three remarkable museums: the Archaeological Museum, the Folklore Collection of Mykonos, and the Maritime Museum of the Aegean, all captivating in their own unique way.
There is one district of Mykonos, however, which cannot be compared to any other destination, not only on the island but any other place in the Cyclades in general. Indeed, Little Venice is one of the most picturesque and famous corners of the island.
It is a district that has been established since the 18th century to house the mansions of rich merchants and captains, which explains the reason why it literally built in the sea.
The majestic architecture with colorful loggias and wooden balconies resemble the homonymous Italian city and give the district an unmistakable glamour that visitors seem to can’t get enough of!
Arriving in the district, you can’t help but see the trademark of the island, its imposing windmills, that stand out as the ideal backdrop to your photographs.
Other notable places you should visit on the island are the second traditional settlement of Mykonos, Ano Mera, which develops in a large area in the hinterland around the historic monastery of Panagia Tourliani, and Ftelia, where a significant Neolithic settlement and a Mycenaean tomb of the 14th-13th century lies.
Just as gorgeous, Santorini is considered to be the most romantic destination in Greece. After all, the view one can enjoy from the whitewashed buildings that stand tall at the very edge of Santorini's caldera, looking out to the endless blue of the Aegean, cannot be compared to anything in the world.
Traditional villages, cobbled alleys, and the typical Cycladic architecture come together to create an island that will enchant you and will make you promise to come back as soon as you can.
As a result, in recent years, the island has been established as a destination chosen by couples for either their wedding or their honeymoon.
If you’re in that group of people, you can rest safe in the knowledge that we’ve thought about you and have tried to make the planning of your honeymoon in Santorini as easy as humanly possible, as most things to do in Santorini are a romantic's dream come true!
The Nightlife in Santorini/Mykonos
Here is where the two islands display the biggest differences from one another, and the dilemma 'Mykonos or Santorini?' is valid. While they're both popular islands, Mykonos is known across the world for its incredible parties and all-around lively -if not wild- nightlife.
On the contrary, Santorini island, despite also having a vibrant nightlife and parties to support it, tends to be a lot tamer and best-suited for couples who are looking to have a romantic getaway.
That doesn’t mean that if you choose to visit it with friends, you’ll get bored. From the moment the sun sets, the entire island shows a different side, one that is a little more playful, a little more fun. In Fira, the place where the heart of Santorini by night beats, you will go out for the night and have a good time no matter what.
From beach bars and regular bars for a relaxing drink in a romantic atmosphere to nightclubs for dancing, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for, regardless of what that is! We’re talking about Greece, after all, come on!
The Living Cost: Santorini vs Mykonos
I’ll be honest and blunt: The famous Greek islands Santorini and Mykonos are the two most popular and, subsequently, most expensive islands in Greece. They’re expensive in regard to accommodation, food, and everything in between, and there is no hiding from it.
Of course, in both, if you try hard enough, you’ll find budget-friendly alternatives to pretty much everything, and yes, visiting both islands during the off-season months will benefit your wallet tremendously, even then; however, they tend to be more expensive than most Greek destinations.
Having this in mind, you should also realize that there is no significant difference in price between both.
Although Mykonos has gained the reputation of being the most costly, luxury romantic hotels, restaurants, and experiences in Santorini sport similar prices to the ones in the expensive island of Mykonos and -thankfully- no other Greek island.
All in all, the living cost of both Santorini and Mykonos is high, but it is so worth it, you won’t even mind! Promise!
Final Thoughts
Now that you have all the information you could possibly need for the age-old debate 'Mykonos vs. Santorini,' you can pick one of the two destinations with confidence. As a rule of thumb, if you’re looking for a romantic getaway, boutique hotels, and extraordinary landscapes, Santorini wins.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking for wild parties and the typical Cycladic beauty, then visiting Mykonos is the wisest choice; either way, visit Greece, and you’ll have the time of your life, and we couldn’t be happier!
Mykonos vs Santorini, you ask? How about Mykonos and Santorini? You can travel from Santorini to Mykonos in no time! The more Greek islands, the merrier!
Planning your trip to Greece? Get in touch with our travel specialists and design your tailor-made vacation plan for Mykonos or Santorini!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which island is better for nightlife, Mykonos or Santorini?
Are the beaches in Mykonos or Santorini more beautiful?
Which island is more romantic, Mykonos or Santorini?
What are the major differences in terms of cost between Mykonos and Santorini?
If I can only visit one island, should I choose Mykonos or Santorini?
