The TownHouse Mykonos

The winds arrive first. Mykonos earns its nickname, The Island of the Winds, through the meltemi that sweeps across the Cyclades from May through September, sculpting the landscape and sharpening the light to an almost crystalline clarity. The property sits in Yialos, the harbour district where fishing caïques and superyachts share moorings, steps from the labyrinthine streets of Chora. Whitewashed cube houses press close, their blue shutters and wooden balconies painted fresh each spring. Bougainvillea spills over garden walls in violent magenta bursts.

Agia Anna beach stretches just 200 metres away, its crescent of pale sand facing the open Aegean. The waterfront curves north toward Megali Ammos, where morning swimmers arrive before the afternoon winds pick up. Chora's core, Little Venice with its sea-lapped balconies and the ring of windmills above the old town, unfolds within minutes on foot.

Mykonos Island National Airport lies two kilometres inland. Most arrivals take a taxi or pre-arranged transfer, a five-minute drive that skirts the edge of town before descending toward the harbour. Ferries from Piraeus and the neighbouring Cyclades dock at the New Port, a short ride north.

Delos commands attention. The UNESCO-listed island floats eight kilometres offshore, reachable by morning boat from the old harbour. Apollo's birthplace, according to myth, it grew into the spiritual and commercial heart of the ancient Aegean. Walk among the Terrace of the Lions, marble beasts weathered by 2,600 years of wind, and the Theatre Quarter's mosaic floors still vivid with dolphins and panthers. No one sleeps on Delos; the last boat leaves mid-afternoon, and the silence as you wait for departure feels profound.

Back on Mykonos, the beaches string southward. Korfos, 2.4 kilometres away, offers sheltered swimming when the meltemi blows too strong elsewhere. Book a table at one of the harbour tavernas in Chora for grilled octopus and kolokithokeftedes, courgette fritters served with thick yoghurt. The Vaptistis winery on neighbouring Tinos, 18 kilometres across the water, produces wines from indigenous Assyrtiko and Fokiano grapes; day trips by boat make the crossing in under an hour when seas allow.

July and August blaze. Temperatures climb past 26°C, the sun relentless, the meltemi winds a brief, fierce relief in the afternoons. Rain vanishes entirely; the island turns tawny and dry, the sea an impossible blue. Crowds peak, and the waterfront pulses until dawn.

September through October softens everything. The winds ease, the Aegean warms to its annual high, and the light takes on an amber cast as the season turns. Temperatures settle around 21°C to 24°C, comfortable for long walks through Chora's alleys without the press of high summer.

May and June offer the clearest case for visiting. Wildflowers bloom across the hillsides, temperatures hover near 20°C, and the island feels spacious again. The water stays cool but swimmable, and tavernas reopen their terraces to catch the evening breeze. Winter, mild but wet, sees the island retreat into itself, many properties shuttered until spring.