White-washed walls, colorful staircases and balconies, elegant windmills, bougainvilleas bursting in riots of colorful pink flowers: these are the things that come to mind when thinking of Mykonos.
Luckily, Mykonos is full of picturesque corners. It’s truly hard to capture a bad photo here. However, if you’re visiting during Mykonos’ peak season, June through August, be prepared either to wake up before dawn or battle crowds for the best Instagram spots in Mykonos.
Most of these spots are in Mykonos Town (Chora), though a few of the most Instagrammable places in Mykonos are spread across the island – from the beautiful beaches and lighthouses to pretty monasteries, there are several photogenic places in Mykonos worth renting a car or ATV for.
At the end, we’ll include our recommendations for the most Instagrammable hotels in Mykonos, including the world-famous Cavo Tagoo, where you can have your own cave pool overlooking the Mediterranean.
The Best Instagram Spots in Mykonos
Little Venice
Little Venice is one of the best photography spots in Mykonos, with gorgeous houses with colorful balconies directly overlooking the Mediterranean.
There are a handful of restaurants where you can sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or a cocktail enjoying the scenery, or you can just take photos along the boardwalk.
The best place to get a photo like this is to start walking back towards the windmills and taking a photo about half of the way in between Little Venice and the windmills on the hill.
Address: Little Venice, Mykonos 846 00, Greece
Little Venice Alleyways
In Little Venice, there are some lovely alleyways in between the buildings that lead directly to the sea.
This is one of the best places to wander around and get lost in Mykonos, and there are plenty of fantastic photo spots in Mykonos right around here.
Location: This one alleyway is by Kastro’s Restaurant, Agion Anargyron 1 (near Paraportiani Church), Little Venice, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
#Happiness Store
If you want your photos to do the hashtagging for you, head on over to the #Happiness store. It’s become a popular Instagram spot in Mykonos quickly, with people often lining up to get a photo in front of this cute storefront at popular times.
When I went in October there was almost no one there, but any other time of year, I expect you’d want to go first thing in the morning for a people-free shot like this!
Address: Κούζη Γεωργούλη 40, Μύκονος, 84600, 846 00, Greece
Agios Nikolaos Church
Located right on the Mykonos harborfront, next to adorable seafront restaurants, you can’t miss the tiny blue-domed Greek Orthodox church.
Many of the churches in Mykonos are private and are not open to the public. This is one of few churches in Mykonos I saw that was open during my stay (the other being the monastery church which I detail below), so it’s worth visiting the interior, especially if it’s your first time in an Orthodox church: there are quite a few differences to other sects of Christianity that make it an interesting experience.
Fun fact: St. Nicholas is the patron saint who protects sailors and ships, so basically every other church in Greece is named after him. Greeks often joke that if they can’t remember the name of a church, they call it “St. Nicholas” anyway – and half the time, they’re right!
Address: Agios Nikolaos Church, Μύκονος 846 00, Greece
Mykonos Lookout Point
Surprisingly, this postcard-perfect Mykonos view never seems to make it to people’s Instagram feeds!
Located above the town of Mykonos, the Mykonos Lookout Point (as it’s called on Google Maps) is a fantastic photo spot in Mykonos: the view is basically impossible to beat.
It is a bit far of a walk for many (much better if you’ve rented a scooter or ATV for the day), but if you’re a dedicated Instagrammer, you can’t miss this gorgeous viewpoint of the city, capturing a lone windmill looking over a whitewashed town and colorful harbor.
Address: Mykonos Lookout Point (type this into Google Maps and it’ll show you the exact spot), Mikonos 846 00, Greece
180 Sunset Bar
This gorgeous bar has one of the best views of Mykonos from its terrace – just look at that traditional stone arch framing the harbor oh-so-perfectly!
It’s a great place to watch the sunset in Mykonos with a cocktail in hand, and it’s a fantastic Mykonos Instagram spot to boot.
Address: Epar. Od. Mikonou, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Panachra Church
I was wandering around Mykonos on my first day, and this was one of the first places I stumbled across without even trying to hunt down the most Instagrammable spots in Mykonos!
It was totally empty on a peaceful October afternoon, but again, any other time of year and you’ll likely be one of dozens of people trying to snap their own photo, so an early morning wake-up (or a good deal of patience) is probably essential in peak season.
Address: Panachrantou, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
HEEL Store
Just in front of the church above, you’re right next to the HEEL store which has an adorable storefront, colorful flags fluttering in the breeze, and candy-colored staircases and balconies just nearby.
It’s a great photography spot in Mykonos, especially since the church above is right next door as well!
Address: Panagia Panachra Sq, 846 00, Greece
Streets of Mykonos Town
Basically anywhere you go, you’ll find gorgeous streets. Some people want a list of coordinates in an Instagram guide to Mykonos, but I think if you do that, you’re bound to just take the same photos as everyone else.
Dedicate at least one morning to wandering around Mykonos, and I guarantee you’ll leave with a memory card bursting with memorable photos with your own unique spin on it.
Panagia Paraportiani Church
Besides the signature windmills, the gorgeous Paraportiani Church is one of the most iconic Mykonos Instagram spots. Its spartan white walls and time-worn shape beg for a burst of color — often in the form of a twirling, colorful dress!
This church dates back to the 17th century and is actually a composite of 5 unique churches which have been joined together. It’s a super-popular photo spot, so again, come early!
Location: Paraportiani Orthodox Church, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Mamalouka Restaurant
Right in front of the tasty Greek restaurant Mamalouka, you can take photos with the beautiful blooming fuschia bougainvilleas and the cacti which stretch to the sky. It’s an adorable Instagram spot in Mykonos!
Address: Κουζή Γεωργούλη 53, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Armenistis Lighthouse
For all of the #AccidentalWesAnderson vibes, check out the lovely Armenistis Lighthouse, the only lighthouse in Mykonos.
Located north of Agios Stefanos beach, not far from the New Port, it’s worth the side trip while in Mykonos, especially on a day when you’ve rented an ATV, scooter, or car.
Address: Φάρος Αρμενιστής 846 00, Greece
Panagia Tourliani Monastery
This gorgeous monastery – the only one in Mykonos, which is perhaps a bit odd seeing as the island has over 600 churches – is located in Ano Mera, a more local part of Mykonos.
While Mykonos Town (Chora) and Ornos village have become slowly converted into more and more touristic places, with very few locals living there, Ano Mera has become the part of Mykonos where Greeks actually live. Visiting the monastery is a great way to see this side of Mykonos, a side that you wouldn’t get to see if you never left Chora.
Note: Remember that this is an active place of worship, so please dress respectfully in the monastery and church itself!
Address: Monastery Of Panagia Tourliani, Άνω Μέρα 846 00, Greece
Mykonos Windmills
Of course, I’ve saved the most famous Instagram spot in Mykonos for last: those series of windmills up on a hill with which the island is basically synonymous.
Sunset is an especially popular time to visit these windmills, so if you really want a people-free experience, try to beat the crowds and visit at sunrise – or just embrace the fact that they’re Mykonos’ #1 attraction and you’re bound to have a few other people in your photo.
Address: Mykonos windmills (just type this into Google Maps and it’ll pull it up!), Μύκονος 846 00, Greece
Mykonos Windmills from Little Venice
For an alternate perspective of the Mykonos windmills, turn around while visiting some of the bars and restaurants in Little Venice and you’ll be rewarded with one of the prettiest photo spots in Mykonos!
A zoom lens for that compression effect will come in handy here, otherwise, the windmills will likely look really small.
The Most Instagrammable Hotels in Mykonos
Cavo Tagoo
This is easily Mykonos’ most Instagrammable hotel, with every feature seemingly thought out for both comfort and photogenicity: Cavo Tagoo is Instagram gold.
The insane infinity pool overlooking the Mediterranean is one of its best features, but the truly dedicated Instagrammers amongst us won’t settle for less than its cave pool suite, pictured above.
Whether you get a more standard room or splurge on the cave pool suite, you won’t be disappointed with the 5* service and infinite Instagrammability.
>> Check prices, availability, guest reviews, and more photos here <<
Mykonos Bliss
The gorgeous Mykonos Bliss hotel is located near one of Mykonos’ best beaches, Kalo Livadi. Many of its suites have private infinity pools overlooking the Mediterranean, and it’s just a short walk from the beach.
However, if you want to be in Mykonos Town for early morning wake-up calls to take beautiful photos without anyone else in them, it’ll be difficult to do that from here, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to do some sunrises in Mykonos Town.
But if you don’t mind eschewing that for the peace and quiet of your own pool suite right by one of Mykonos’ best beaches – you’ll love staying here.
>> Check prices, availability, guest reviews, and photos here <<
Vencia Boutique Hotel
For stunning views in a perfect location in the heart of Mykonos Town, check out the delightful Vencia Boutique Hotel.
Its pristine infinity pool blends Cycladic whitewashed town views with the brilliant blue sea, all from a lofty vantage point over Mykonos Town. There are also sun loungers where guests can relax and enjoy the views (and epic sunsets) while snapping some picture-perfect Instagram photos. Plus, they have a restaurant with incredibly panoramic views serving up tasty (and Instagrammable!) food.
The interiors are chic (think crisp, white linens and views looking out onto the Aegean Sea) as befitting a 4* boutique hotel in Mykonos. Plus, the views are pretty hard to beat!
>> Check prices, photos, availability, and reviews here <<
What to Bring to Mykonos
If you’re planning a trip to Greece, you’ll want to pack all the normal essentials, but here are a few things we strongly recommend bringing that may not have crossed your mind. For more packing tips, check out our complete Greece packing list.
– A physical guidebook, in paper or on Kindle. We love Lonely Planet Greece for this region and strongly recommend it to supplement blogs. Blogs are great, but a combination of a blog and a guidebook is key to having the best access to information easily at your fingertips.
– A water bottle with a filter. While often, the tap water in Greece is drinkable, there are places where it isn’t, including some popular tourist destinations like Santorini and Mykonos.
We generally recommend using a water bottle with a purifying filter to reduce your plastic consumption and ensure you won’t drink any funny-tasting water on your stomach that could make your trip unpleasant!
We recommend the GRAYL water bottle – it filters water perfectly in an instant so that you can even drink from lakes, bad taps, etc.
– Motion sickness pills. Very necessary if you’ll be taking a ferry! The ferries in the Mediterranean can be quite choppy. If you have a weak stomach as we do, save yourself and bring some non-drowsy motion sickness pills.
– Travel safety items. We think Greece is very safe to travel, but at the same time, it never hurts to be prepared! Mykonos is rather safe, but is not immune from pickpockets, so be cautious (this goes double if you plan to go to Athens – the metro is notorious for its pickpockets, and a travel blogger friend of ours got his phone stolen on it!). Some people like to carry money belts, but neither Stephanie or I use these. Instead, we both carry the same PacSafe anti-theft backpack.
It has locking zippers, slash-proof construction with metal mesh hidden in the fabric, and tons of other smart security features — all while being cute and stylish enough to be our everyday bag. We recommend it highly for both male and female travelers, as it’s neutral enough to be unisex. We also strongly recommend travel insurance! Our recommendation is at the bottom of the post.
More Mykonos & Greece Travel Resources
Headed to Greece? We have some great travel resources to help you with your trip. First read our guide to planning a trip to Greece, which covers visas, budgets, vaccines, and much more. Next, you’ll want to read our all-season Greece packing list.
Since you’ll be on Mykonos, you’ll likely also want to visit Delos. Here’s our guide on how to do a Delos day trip easily and hassle-free!
If you are still trying to figure out your Greece itinerary, check out our guides on where to go in Greece, the best places for island hopping in Greece, and when is the best time to visit.
Many people combine a trip to Athens with a trip to Mykonos. Check out our Athens Instagram guide, the best Athens day trips, and our complete Athens hotel guide. We also have Athens safety tips so your trip can be hassle-free. We are currently working on our mega-post of things to do in Athens as well as our itineraries, so stay tuned!
We publish new content about the Balkans almost every day! For more information about traveling to Greece and the Balkans, bookmark our Greece and Balkan travel pages so you can find out what’s new before your trip.
Finally, Make Sure You Come to Greece with Travel Insurance!
I’m sure you’re aware that it’s a good idea to have travel insurance for traveling in Greece, the Balkans, or anywhere in the world!
Stephanie and I have both been paying customers of World Nomads for the last three years. We love the peace of mind it gives us in case of emergencies, accidents, illnesses, theft, or trip cancellation or disruption. While Greece is safe, there’s always a risk inherent in everyday travel like theft or injury, so it’s better to play it safe.
>> Get a travel insurance quote for your trip here <<
Originally from California, Allison has been living in Bulgaria for the last two years and is obsessed with traveling around the Balkans. She has been published in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, Matador Network, and the Huffington Post. She loves befriending dogs, drinking coffee, geeking out about wine, and cooking food from around the world.
