December in Mykonos is, to put it plainly, the quiet season. Most of the island's 80-plus beach bars, clubs, and seasonal restaurants close by late October, and what remains is a small Cycladic town of roughly 10,000 year-round residents going about their winter. Daytime temperatures hover around 16°C (62°F), dropping to 13°C (55°F) at night, with about 64mm of rain spread across 9 days. The Aegean wind can make it feel colder than that. If you came for the party scene that runs from June through September, you will find shuttered storefronts and empty pool decks.
That said, there is something genuinely appealing about Mykonos stripped back to its bones. The whitewashed lanes of Chora are yours to walk without dodging selfie sticks every 3 meters. The Panagia Paraportiani church, which you might wait 20 minutes to photograph in July, sits empty most mornings. Hotel rates fall by 60% or more from their August peak. You can eat at the tavernas that stay open in Ano Mera and actually talk to the owner.
Mind you, this is not a month for swimming or sunbathing. The sea temperature sits around 17°C (63°F), and several days will bring grey skies and rain that sweeps sideways off the water. Ferries from Piraeus run on reduced winter schedules, typically 2-3 departures per week rather than the daily summer sailings. You are choosing atmosphere, solitude, and affordability over convenience and nightlife. For the right traveler, that trade works. For most, it does not.
Why visit in December
- Hotel rates drop 60-70% from the July-August peak. A room in Chora that runs 400 euros per night in August might go for 80-120 euros in December.
- Mykonos Town is nearly empty. You can photograph Little Venice, the windmills, and Matoyianni Street without crowds, something that is physically impossible from June through September.
- The Feast of Agios Nikolaos on December 6 brings the local community together at the harbor church, with processions, hymns, and free loukoumades. It is an authentic window into island religious life that summer visitors never see.
- Winter light in the Cyclades has a particular quality. The low sun angle and clean Atlantic-washed air create sharp shadows on the white buildings that photographers tend to prefer over the flat noon light of summer.
- Taverna owners who stay open through winter are cooking for locals, not tourists. The food at places in Ano Mera tends to be more traditional Mykonian and less internationally adapted.
Worth knowing
- Roughly 70-80% of restaurants, bars, and shops close for the season by early November. In Chora, you might find 10-15 places open rather than 200. The famous beach clubs at Paradise and Super Paradise are completely shuttered.
- Ferry service from Piraeus drops to 2-3 sailings per week, and rough seas can cancel crossings entirely. A December trip requires schedule flexibility and the willingness to be stranded an extra day or two.
- Wind is the defining feature of December weather. The Aegean gusts can reach 50-60 km/h during storms, making walks along the waterfront at Little Venice more endurance test than pleasure stroll.
- Delos, the archaeological island 30 minutes by boat and one of the main reasons to visit Mykonos, runs limited winter excursions. The site itself may be open, but boats often cancel due to rough seas.
Best for
Think twice if
Cool, damp, and frequently windy. December is tied with January as the wettest month on Mykonos. Expect overcast mornings that sometimes clear by afternoon, with rain arriving in short, wind-driven bursts rather than all-day downpours. The humidity sits around 72%, which combined with the wind can make 16°C feel closer to 10°C on exposed stretches. You will get some genuinely pleasant days with blue sky and calm air, likely 8-10 across the month, but they are not guaranteed for any particular week.
Seasonal caution
- Strong Aegean winds can gust above 50 km/h (31 mph) during December storms, making coastal paths and waterfront areas unpleasant or unsafe. Check marine forecasts daily if you plan any boat excursions to Delos or neighboring islands.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | 12 | 56 |
| Feb | 14 | 11 | 38 |
| Mar | 16 | 12 | 36 |
| Apr | 19 | 14 | 36 |
| May | 22 | 17 | 16 |
| Jun | 27 | 22 | 5 |
| Jul | 29 | 24 | 5 |
| Aug | 29 | 24 | 3 |
| Sep | 26 | 22 | 4 |
| Oct | 22 | 19 | 24 |
| Nov | 20 | 16 | 51 |
| Dec | 16 | 13 | 64 |
Best things to do in December
Walk Chora without the summer crowds
sightseeingThe maze of whitewashed lanes in Mykonos Town is a different place in December. The 200-plus shops and bars that line Matoyianni Street and the surrounding alleys are mostly shuttered, which means you can actually see the architecture. The painted wooden balconies, the bougainvillea dried back to bare branches, the cats sleeping in doorways. It feels like a Cycladic village rather than a luxury mall.
Summer crowds of 30,000-plus daily visitors drop to a few hundred. You can stand alone in spots where July queues stretch 20 people deep.Attend the Feast of Agios Nikolaos
culturalDecember 6 is the feast day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of sailors, and Mykonos takes it seriously. The small harbor church of Agios Nikolaos hosts a morning liturgy followed by a procession. Locals gather afterward for coffee and loukoumades (fried honey dough balls). The smell of incense and frying batter mixes with the salt air off the harbor.
December 6 is the fixed date. This is a community event that happens regardless of tourist presence, which is exactly what makes it worth attending.Booking tipNo booking needed. Arrive at the harbor church by 9:00 for the liturgy, or by 11:00 for the procession and food.
Day trip to Delos archaeological site
historicalThe sacred island of Delos, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990, sits 35 minutes by boat from Mykonos. The Terrace of the Lions, the House of Dionysus mosaics, and the ancient theater are extraordinary in winter light with no tour groups blocking the paths. The site covers 80 hectares and requires 3-4 hours to explore properly.
In July, Delos receives over 1,000 visitors per day and the site feels cramped. December might see 20-30 people on the island, if the boat runs at all. The solitude transforms the experience.Booking tipWinter boat service is irregular. Check with Delos Tours or the port authority in Chora 1-2 days ahead. Boats cancel in winds above 6 Beaufort, which happens often in December. Build flexibility into your schedule.
Photograph Little Venice at golden hour
photographyThe row of 18th-century houses built directly over the sea at Little Venice is one of the most photographed spots in the Aegean. In December, the sun sets around 17:15 and drops low enough to paint the facades in warm orange tones against a deep blue sea. The crash of waves against the foundations adds a roughness that the calm summer sea lacks.
No crowds blocking sightlines, low winter sun angle for dramatic shadows, and the rough winter sea adds atmosphere. In July you are fighting for position among 200 other photographers.Visit the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani in Ano Mera
culturalThis 16th-century monastery in the island's inland village of Ano Mera houses a carved marble fountain, a wooden iconostasis from Florence, and a small museum of ecclesiastical art. The monks are more available for conversation in winter. The village square outside has 2-3 tavernas that stay open year-round, serving home-style Mykonian food to a local crowd.
The monastery is calmer in winter, and Ano Mera itself is where you see daily island life without tourist infrastructure. December is when the village feels most like itself.Booking tipThe monastery typically opens mornings (9:00-13:00). Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees. Combine with lunch at the village square.
Explore the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos
museumHoused in a neoclassical building near the harbor, this museum holds pottery and sculpture from the 25th century BCE through the Hellenistic period, much of it excavated from Delos and the nearby island of Rheneia. The 7th-century BCE Trojan War pithos, a large ceramic jar depicting the fall of Troy, is the highlight. The museum is small enough to cover in 90 minutes.
If your Delos boat trip gets cancelled by weather, the museum gives you context for the island's archaeological significance. It is also one of the few indoor cultural activities available in December.Booking tipCheck winter hours before visiting. The museum sometimes shifts to reduced hours (Wednesday-Monday, 9:00-15:00) in the off-season.
Hike from Chora to Ano Mera via the interior path
outdoorsA roughly 7 km (4.3 mile) walk through the island's interior connects Mykonos Town to Ano Mera. The path passes dry stone walls, small chapels, and grazing goats. The terrain is low scrubland and granite, with views across to Tinos on clear days. It takes about 2 hours at a steady pace.
December temperatures of 13-16°C (55-62°F) are ideal for walking. The same hike in August at 29°C (84°F) with no shade is genuinely miserable. Winter wildflowers begin appearing on sheltered south-facing slopes by late December.Booking tipNo booking needed. Start early enough to reach Ano Mera for lunch. Take the local bus back to Chora (winter schedule runs 3-4 times daily).
Attend Christmas Eve services at Panagia Paraportiani
culturalThe most famous church in the Cyclades, Panagia Paraportiani is actually 5 churches fused into one asymmetric white structure near the Kastro neighborhood. Christmas Eve services draw the local community, and the small interior fills with candlelight and the sound of Byzantine chant. The smell of beeswax and incense in the cold night air stays with you.
Christmas Eve, December 24. The church is open year-round, but this is the one night when it functions fully as a living parish church rather than a tourist photo stop.Booking tipArrive by 21:00 for the evening service. The church is tiny and fills quickly. Stand outside if it is full. You will still hear the chanting.
What to eat in December
On menus now
Louza
Air-cured pork loin seasoned with pepper and allspice, traditionally prepared in late autumn and eaten through winter. December is when newly cured louza from the fall slaughter reaches its best texture. You will find it sliced thin at tavernas in Ano Mera.
What to drink
Rakomelo
Warm raki mixed with honey and sometimes cinnamon or clove, served as a winter digestif in kafeneia and tavernas across the Cyclades. On a cold December evening in Chora, a small glass after dinner cuts the chill better than anything else.
In markets
Kopanisti
A sharp, peppery soft cheese particular to Mykonos with PDO status since 1996. It is made year-round but eaten more in winter, spread on bread with tomato or folded into omelets. The flavor is strong, almost spicy, nothing like the mild feta tourists expect.
Festival food
Melomakarona
Honey-soaked walnut cookies made across Greece for Christmas. Mykonian versions tend to use local thyme honey, which gives them a more floral, less sugary taste than mainland versions. Bakeries in Chora stock them from early December through Epiphany.
Kourabiedes
Almond butter cookies dusted in powdered sugar, the other essential Greek Christmas sweet. They appear alongside melomakarona at every gathering and kafeneio from about December 10 onward.
Regular events in December
Feast of Agios NikolaosFree
Liturgy, procession, and community gathering at the harbor church honoring the patron saint of sailors. Loukoumades and coffee served afterward.
December 6Mykonos Christmas tree lighting in Mando Mavrogenous SquareFree
The town's main square hosts the official Christmas tree lighting ceremony, typically with local children's choir performances and hot drinks. The square is named for the heroine of the Greek War of Independence.
Early December, usually first weekendChristmas and New Year services at island churchesFree
Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year's Eve services at Panagia Paraportiani, Agios Nikolaos, and the church in Ano Mera draw year-round residents. These are working liturgies, not tourist events.
December 24-25 and December 31Best places this December
Little Venice (Mikri Venetia)
neighborhoodThe row of medieval houses with balconies hanging over the Aegean is at its most photogenic in December. Winter waves crash directly against the building foundations, and the 2-3 bars that remain open serve rakomelo and coffee to a handful of visitors. The absence of the summer crowds reveals architectural details you would otherwise miss, like the Venetian-era wooden shutters and the way the buildings lean slightly seaward after 300 years.
ChoraPanagia Paraportiani
churchFive churches built into and on top of each other over 200 years, forming the asymmetric white structure that appears on every Mykonos postcard. In December, the morning light hits the eastern face around 8:30 and creates deep shadows in the layered walls. You will likely be the only person there.
KastroAno Mera village square
villageThe island's second settlement, 7 km inland from Chora, centers on a plateia with tavernas, a bakery, and the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani. December is when the square feels most like a working village. Old men play tavli (backgammon) in the kafeneio. The bakery sells fresh melomakarona from early December.
Ano MeraAegean Maritime Museum
museumA small museum on Enoplon Dynameon Street in Chora, housing ship models, navigational instruments, and maps from the pre-steam Aegean. The garden contains a restored 19th-century lighthouse lantern from Cape Armenistis. Winter hours are reduced but the museum typically stays open. It takes about 45 minutes.
ChoraBoni Windmill
landmarkOne of Mykonos's iconic windmills, restored and occasionally open as a small agricultural museum showing how grain was milled on the island. The hilltop location gives panoramic views over Chora and the harbor. On a clear December day, you can see Tinos, Syros, and Naxos from here.
ChoraKastro neighborhood
neighborhoodThe oldest part of Chora, built as a medieval fortified quarter with narrow lanes and houses arranged in a defensive ring. In December, the Kastro is almost deserted. The outer walls face the sea, and winter storms send spray over the lower parapets. Panagia Paraportiani sits at its western edge.
ChoraArmenistis Lighthouse
landmarkPerched on the northwestern cape of the island, about 5 km from Chora. Built in 1891, it stands 19 meters tall over a rocky headland. The drive or walk out there in December offers views of empty coastline and a sea that is often dark green and rough. The lighthouse itself is not open to visitors, but the surrounding terrain is worth the trip for the isolation.
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Insider tips
The local bus between Chora and Ano Mera runs on a reduced winter timetable, typically 3-4 trips per day. Check the KTEL Mykonos schedule at the Fabrika bus station in Chora before planning your day, because missing the last return bus means a 15-euro taxi ride.
If your Delos boat gets cancelled for wind, the Archaeological Museum in Chora has most of the significant portable finds from the island. It is a better use of your time than sitting in a cafe waiting for weather to clear.
The few tavernas open in Ano Mera in December serve food that is closer to home cooking than what you get in Chora's summer restaurants. Ask for whatever they made that morning rather than ordering from the printed menu. Kopanisti cheese with bread and tomato is almost always available and costs 4-5 euros.
For Christmas melomakarona, the bakeries in Chora start stocking them around December 5-8. Buy them fresh from a bakery rather than pre-packaged from the mini-market. The difference in honey saturation and walnut quality is obvious.
The sunset from Little Venice in December happens around 17:15, roughly 3.5 hours earlier than in July. If you want photographs, arrive by 16:30. The 2-3 bars still open there serve rakomelo, which is warm raki with honey. It costs about 4-5 euros and is the right drink for a cold Aegean sunset.
Avoid these mistakes
- Booking a short trip with non-refundable ferry tickets. December seas in the Aegean can cancel ferry service for 1-2 days at a time. Blue Star Ferries and SeaJets both operate reduced winter schedules, and cancellations are common. Build at least one buffer day into your trip, and book flexible tickets if possible.
- Arriving expecting summer Mykonos with a discount. The island in December is a fundamentally different place. If your mental image is Scorpios beach club and all-night parties at Cavo Paradiso, you will be disappointed. Those venues are locked and empty from October through April.
- Not checking opening hours day-by-day. The Archaeological Museum, Maritime Museum, and Delos site all shift to winter hours, which can mean closed on Tuesdays or only open until 15:00. A 30-second phone call or web check the day before saves a wasted trip across town.
- Packing for mild Mediterranean weather without wind protection. Visitors see 16°C (62°F) on the forecast and pack a light jacket. With the wind chill on exposed coastline, the felt temperature drops to 8-10°C (46-50°F). Layers and a windproof shell are not optional.
Practical tips for December
Book accommodation in Chora itself, not at beach areas like Ornos or Platys Gialos. Those areas are completely dead in December, and without a car, you will be isolated from the few open restaurants and shops. If renting a car, the roads are generally fine in December but can be slippery in rain, particularly the stretch from Chora to Ano Mera. Fill up at the station near Chora, because fuel stops in remote parts of the island may close for winter. Ferries from Piraeus take 2.5-5 hours depending on the vessel. Check schedules at least 48 hours ahead during December, and keep the port authority phone number saved. Flights from Athens with Aegean Airlines or Sky Express take about 35 minutes and remain fairly reliable in winter, though delays happen in strong wind. The airport is small and close to Chora, about a 10-minute taxi ride. ATMs in Chora work year-round, but carry some cash because smaller establishments in Ano Mera may not accept cards in the off-season. Tipping in Greece is customary at about 5-10% in restaurants. In December, when your server might also be the owner and the cook, a generous tip matters more than usual.
FAQ
Is December a good time to visit Mykonos?
It depends entirely on what you want. For the beach-and-party Mykonos that the island is famous for, December is a poor choice. Roughly 70-80% of seasonal businesses close, the sea is too cold for swimming at 17°C (63°F), and every club and beach bar is shuttered. For a quiet, affordable trip to photograph the Cycladic architecture, walk the empty lanes of Chora, visit Delos without crowds, and eat traditional Mykonian food in local tavernas, December can work well. Hotel rates drop 60-70% from peak. You need to be comfortable with limited dining options, possible ferry disruptions, and grey, windy days.
What is the weather like in Mykonos in December?
Cool and windy. The average high is 16.4°C (62°F) and the average low is 13°C (55°F), with about 64mm of rainfall across 9 rainy days. Humidity sits around 72%. The temperature numbers alone seem mild, but Aegean wind can make it feel significantly colder, particularly along the waterfront at Little Venice and near the harbor. You will get some pleasant, sunny days, but expect to wear layers and carry a windproof jacket daily.
Is Mykonos crowded in December?
Not at all. December is one of the quietest months on the island. The year-round population is about 10,000, compared to daily summer visitor counts that can exceed 30,000. You will have most landmarks, churches, and walking paths to yourself. The trade-off is that many services, restaurants, and attractions operate on reduced hours or close entirely.
Are restaurants and shops open in Mykonos in December?
A small number stay open year-round, mostly in Chora and Ano Mera. Expect perhaps 10-15 restaurants, a few cafes, and a handful of shops in Chora rather than the 200-plus that operate in summer. Matoyianni Street, the main shopping lane, will have most storefronts shuttered. Grocery stores and bakeries remain open. The tavernas that do operate tend to serve more traditional, local food, which is arguably better than the internationalized summer menus.
Can I visit Delos from Mykonos in December?
Possibly, but not reliably. Winter boat service to Delos runs on reduced schedules, sometimes only 2-3 departures per week, and cancellations due to high seas are common. The archaeological site itself typically remains open in winter with reduced hours. If Delos is a priority, build 2-3 flexible days into your trip and check daily with the port authority or Delos Tours for sailing updates. Wind above 6 Beaufort, which is common in December, grounds the boats.
Things to Do in Mykonos in December
Free cancellation Mykonos: Brand-New Catamaran Cruise with Meal, Drinks & Transport
Day trip — 5 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Catamaran Day & Sunset Cruises with meals Drinks and transportation
Day trip — 5 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Mykonos Small Group Tour for Cruise Passengers — Port Pickup
Day trip — 4 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Local Tour with Cruise/Hotel Pick-Up(Small Group or Private)
Day trip — 3.5 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Mykonos Shore Excursion with Pickup from Cruise Ship Terminal
Day trip — 4 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Small-Group Half-Day Tour in Mykonos
Day trip — 4.5 hours, free cancellation.
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