Mykonos

Part of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, Mykonos has a reputation as Greece’s party island. Thousands of tourists sally off ferryboats and cruise ships daily to hit the beaches and down ouzo shots while dancing to disco beats. And while the party is most definitely still on, there’s a lot more to Mykonos than its legendary nightlife. In the 1960s, Aristotle and Jackie Onassis made frequent stops to the island on their yacht, and the rest of the world followed. Mykonos quickly became the posh new getaway for jetsetters around the globe. Alas, a couple of decades later, it was overrun and expensive. However, in recent summers the island has returned to its glamour days. Cool new design hotels and a crop of epicurean restaurants are luring travelers back to the island’s mazelike streets and white-sand beaches. It might not be the most striking Greek island (Santorini) but its sapphire waters, whitewashed cubist buildings, moonlit harbor and rugged landscape are postcard-perfect. Most of all, though, it is Mykonos’ unmistakable allure that still brings the crowds, whether they come via ferry boat or private yacht. The island embodies a Greek summer: sea and sand, good food and a healthy dose of what the Greeks call kefi, a word that has many meanings: joy, exuberance, passion. You’ll find it all on Mykonos.