How do I get around Mykonos?

Mykonos Town, called Chora by locals, is entirely pedestrian inside the old quarter. The lanes between Matoyianni Street and Little Venice are narrow enough that two people with shopping bags create a bottleneck. The town spans maybe 800 meters end to end. In late June the whitewashed walls throw back reflected heat that hovers around 28°C by midday, and the smooth stone underfoot gets slick where restaurant runoff pools. Flat shoes with grip beat sandals here. The meltemi wind typically picks up by mid-July, cooling the walks but sending any loose hat toward Delos. You'll hear church bells from Paraportiani, built starting in 1475, mixing with bass from bar doorways along the waterfront, where a freddo espresso currently runs €4.50 to €6 depending on the seat.

The KTEL bus network runs from two stations in Chora. Fabrika station, near the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos (open since 1902), serves the southern beaches. Ornos, Platys Gialos, Paraga, and Paradise Beach all connect from there. The Old Port station covers Tourlos, Ano Mera village, and Elia Beach on the east coast. Fares run €1.80 to €2.30 depending on distance, paid in cash to the driver or at the station kiosk. Buses run roughly every 30 minutes from about 8am to midnight in summer, though 30 minutes on a Greek island means somewhere between 25 and 45. The last bus back from Paradise Beach tends to leave around 1am in July and August. Miss it and you're looking at a €20 to €25 taxi ride, if you can find one.

The island has approximately 33 licensed taxis for a summer population that can hit 100,000 visitors on peak August days. The central taxi stand sits at Manto Mavrogenous Square in Chora. You call +30 22890 23700 or wait in the physical queue. During July and August, waits of 30 to 45 minutes are normal. No Uber, no Bolt, no ridehail app operates on Mykonos. Some hotels arrange private transfers, typically €15 to €25 to a south-coast beach. Fares from the airport to Chora run about €10 to €12 on the meter. Chora to Elia Beach on the far side might read €18 to €22. The drivers are honest about the meter. Mykonos's taxi problem is supply, not scams.

ATV and scooter rental shops line the road between the port and Chora, with daily rates around €25 to €40 for a quad and €20 to €30 for a scooter in June. Mind you, Mykonos has a notably high tourist-vehicle accident rate across the Cyclades. The roads between Chora and Ano Mera are two-lane, unsigned at many intersections, and shared with tour buses that take blind corners wide. If you rent a car instead (€45 to €70 per day in peak season), parking in Chora is functionally nonexistent from June through September. The municipal lot near the Old Port fills by 10am. Park at your hotel and bus into town. For the Delos day trip, boats leave from the Old Port every 30 minutes starting at 9am. Round-trip tickets cost about €22, and the last return boat leaves Delos at either 3pm or 5pm depending on the month.