In short
Large ships usually berth at the new port in Tourlos, 2–3 km from Chora: the Sea Bus (10–15 minutes), a shuttle, the local bus or a taxi takes you into town. At anchor, tenders land right in the Old Port. In 3–4 hours you can see Little Venice and the windmills; a full day adds a beach or Delos.
The port at a glance
| What | In Mykonos |
|---|---|
| Where the ship stops | At the pier in the new port at Tourlos, or at anchor with tenders to the Old Port. The port authority decides; it depends on the size of the ship and how many ships are in that day. |
| Pier to town | From Tourlos: Sea Bus to the Old Port in 10–15 minutes, shuttle or local bus in about 10 minutes, 30–40 minutes on foot along the road. By tender you land right in town. |
| Typical time in port | 6–10 hours. Some itineraries stay until late evening, overnight or two days in a row. |
| Currency | Euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but small change is handy for buses and boats. |
| Language | Greek. English is widely spoken in town, in cafés and on transport. |
| Time | Greece is one hour ahead of Italy and the Netherlands. Go by ship's time, which is announced on board. |
| Documents | Greece is in the EU and the Schengen area. Take your cruise card and the ID named in the daily programme. With a non-EU passport, check the entry rules before you travel. |
| All aboard | Usually 30–60 minutes before departure; the last tender is in the daily programme and can be earlier still. That time matters more than the sailing time. |
What you can fit in
Everything that matters in Chora, as the island's main town is called, lies within a fifteen-minute walk of the Old Port. Pick a plan to match your time ashore:
Chora on foot
Old Port → Little Venice (about 10 minutes along the waterfront) → the Kato Mili windmills (5 more minutes uphill) → Paraportiani church → Matogianni Street. About 2 km in all, 2–3 hours with a coffee stop.
Town and beach
Chora first, while it is cool and quiet. Then walk to the Fabrika bus station (10–15 minutes from the Old Port) and take a 15-minute bus to Ornos or Platis Gialos: calm water, sunbeds, tavernas. Paradise and Super Paradise are the lively party beaches.
The island of Delos
Boats leave from the Old Port and take 30–40 minutes. The ancient city is a UNESCO site: allow 2–3 hours to look around and about 4–5 hours for the whole trip. There is almost no shade, so bring a hat and water. Boats are cancelled in strong wind.
Agios Stefanos or Ano Mera
Agios Stefanos beach is about a kilometre from the new port, so you can skip town altogether. Or take a taxi to Ano Mera village in the middle of the island, about 8 km: Panagia Tourliani monastery and a quiet square with tavernas.
On your own or on a ship's excursion
Chora is easier and nicer on your own: it is small, everything is close, and big groups struggle in the narrow lanes. The beaches are simple to reach independently too, with frequent buses from Fabrika in season.
A ship's excursion makes more sense if you want to see Delos on a short call, because the boats run to their own timetable and your margin is thin. The same goes for a tender call of under 6 hours, or a trip to Ano Mera on a day with four or five ships in port and no taxis to be had. And above all: the ship will normally wait for its own excursion, but not for an independent traveller who is running late.
How not to miss the ship
- Ship's time. Greece is an hour ahead of Italy. Your phone shows local time, while the ship may keep its own, so go by the announcement on board.
- The Sea Bus queue. Towards the end of the call a queue builds at the Old Port. Be at the pier an hour before all aboard.
- The last tender. At anchor, what counts is not the sailing time but the last tender, listed in the daily programme. In wind, tenders may stop earlier.
- Last-minute taxis. With several ships in port there are not enough cars. Don't plan your return around a taxi.
- Delos. Choose a return boat that gets back at least 1.5–2 hours before all aboard.
- The maze. Chora's lanes are a tangle; legend has it they were built that way to confuse pirates. Drop a pin on the Old Port in your phone's map and keep close to the sea.
Two ports, the Sea Bus and the wind
The new port at Tourlos
A large pier in the bay north of Chora, next to Agios Stefanos beach. Ferries from Piraeus and Rafina come in here too. There is no town at the pier, just stops for the Sea Bus, shuttles and buses, and a taxi rank.
The Old Port and tenders
When the port is busy or the ship is too large, it anchors in the bay and tenders passengers to the Old Port, right on Chora's waterfront. A dedicated tender pier was completed here in 2026. The upside: you step straight into town. The downside: queues for the tenders in the morning and at the end of the day.
Sea Bus or shuttle
The Sea Bus is a small passenger boat between the new port and the Old Port: 10–15 minutes on the water with a view of the town. Tickets are sold at the pier. Shuttles are buses sometimes laid on by the port or the cruise line; check the daily programme for details. There is also a local bus to the Old Port and the Fabrika bus station.
Little Venice and the windmills
The classic Mykonos postcard is the houses of Little Venice with balconies hanging over the water, and the Kato Mili windmills on the hill above. The famous sunset here draws a crowd, but most ships have left by then. You will see both more calmly during the day, and if your ship sails in the evening you may catch the sunset from the deck.
Into the night or two days
On some itineraries the ship stays until late evening, overnight, or calls at Mykonos two days in a row. Then the sunset in Little Venice and Chora by night are yours. Check how late the Sea Bus and tenders run, and remember that on the second day the ship may be in a different spot — see the daily programme.
Where cruises to Mykonos sail from
Mykonos is a regular call on Eastern Mediterranean and Greek island cruises. Ships most often arrive here on sailings that start:
- from Venice — week-long routes through the Adriatic and Greece;
- from Athens (Piraeus) — short and week-long island cruises;
- from Trieste — the Adriatic, Greece and Turkey.
All routes in the region are on the Mediterranean page.
Common questions
Where do cruise ships dock in Mykonos?
Most large ships berth at the new port in Tourlos, 2–3 km north of Chora. When there are many ships that day or the ship is very large, it anchors in the bay and tenders passengers to the Old Port on the town waterfront. Your ship's daily programme says which it will be.
How do I get from the new port to Chora?
The easiest way is the Sea Bus to the Old Port, about 10–15 minutes. There are also shuttles, the local bus and taxis. Walking takes 30–40 minutes along a road without a proper pavement, so it is not the best option.
What can I see in Mykonos in 3–4 hours?
Chora on foot: Little Venice, the Kato Mili windmills, Paraportiani church and Matogianni Street. It is about 2 km, and 2–3 hours is enough with a coffee stop.
Can I visit Delos during a port call?
Yes, if you are in port for 7–8 hours or more. Boats leave from the Old Port, the crossing takes 30–40 minutes and the whole trip takes about 4–5 hours. Boats are cancelled in strong wind, so on a short call the ship's excursion is the safer choice.
Which beach is closest to the cruise port?
Agios Stefanos, about a kilometre from the new port. The popular beaches of Ornos and Platis Gialos are on the south coast, about 15 minutes by bus from the Fabrika bus station.
Why do some ships stay in Mykonos into the night or for two days?
Some Greek island itineraries are built that way: Chora in the evening and sunset by the windmills are part of the plan. Check how late the Sea Bus and tenders run, and note that on the second day the ship may be in a different spot.
How the club fits in
Cruises calling at Mykonos that are available in the club work on the same terms as any other route. You choose one way to pay per booking: the member price (INsider Pricing), roughly 17% below the listed price, or your Reward Points, which can cover up to half of the cruise price. They do not add up. To pay up to 100% with points, you need to have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure.
Not every cruise line can be booked through the club: check the specific sailing in the club's search, or ask us and we will tell you which itineraries with Mykonos are available in the month you have in mind.
How booking with points works →
Port information is summarised from public sources as of October 2026; berths, transport and timetables change, so check your ship's daily programme before going ashore. Percentages describe the club's rules and are indicative. Reislite is an independent information site run by partners, not a website of inCruises.