Mykonos sits in the heart of the Cyclades, so some of Greece's most rewarding islands are within easy ferry reach. The essential trip is ancient Delos, Apollo's birthplace, a short boat ride away — often combined with a swim off the uninhabited beaches of neighbouring Rhenia. Beyond that lie the quiet, devout traditions of Tinos, the green mountains and long beaches of Naxos, the laid-back charm of Paros, and — for the committed — a long full-day catamaran to spectacular Santorini. Here are 6 of the best day trips, with ferry times, prices and what to see. Book ahead in high season, as popular tours and fast ferries sell out.
Delos
Area
Delos archipelago
Distance
15–30 min by boat
“Apollo's mythical birthplace — the ruins of an ancient city of 1,500 people. Boats leave the Old Port at 09:00, returning 13:30 or 14:30. About 4 hours; bring a hat and water.”
Rhenia (with Delos)
Area
Delos archipelago
Distance
45 min by boat
“Delos's completely uninhabited neighbour — usually combined with a Delos tour, with five unspoilt beaches and a barbecue lunch aboard. A full-day escape.”
Tinos
Area
Cyclades
Distance
~1 hour by ferry
“Greece's most important pilgrimage island — the Panagia Evangelistria church. Forty villages, marble sculpture and local winemaking. A 1-hour ferry, then about 6 hours on the island.”
Naxos
Area
Cyclades
Distance
~3 hours by ferry
“The largest Cycladic island — fine beaches (Plaka, Agia Anna), the Portara marble gate of an unfinished Apollo temple, and mountain villages. A long day (3h there, 5h on the island, 3h back).”
Paros
Area
Cyclades
Distance
~1.5 hours by ferry
“A charming island with the town of Parikia and the fishing village of Naoussa — calmer than Mykonos, with lovely beaches. A 1.5-hour ferry, then about 6 hours on the island.”
Santorini
Area
Cyclades
Distance
~2.5 hours by catamaran
“The classic Cyclades bucket-list island — timed for the Oia sunset. A full-day tour (about 12 hours), by catamaran from Mykonos in the morning, returning at night. Book two weeks ahead.”
Day trips from Mykonos — in detail
1.Delos
Delos is the essential day trip from Mykonos and one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites in the whole of Greece — an entire uninhabited island, just a short boat ride from the Old Port, that is effectively one vast open-air museum. UNESCO-listed since 1990 and, in Greek myth, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, Delos grew from the 8th century BC into the Aegean's foremost religious and commercial centre, with grand temples, a sacred harbour and, at its height, a cosmopolitan population of tens of thousands. Wandering its ruins today, you pass the famous Terrace of the Lions, the mosaic-floored House of Cleopatra, the reconstructed Temple of Apollo, a 5,500-seat theatre, and the climb up Mount Kynthos for 360-degree views over the Cyclades. It is a genuinely moving, atmospheric place, thick with history and almost entirely undeveloped. The trip takes about half a day, with a 15–30 minute crossing each way; boats leave the Old Port in the morning and return by early afternoon (the site closes around 15:00). There is no shade and no shop, so bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water, and consider a guide to bring the ruins to life. Entry is around €12 plus the boat fare.
Hours
May–October; last boats return early afternoon
Price
€12 entry + ~€23 return boat; guide extra
Getting there
Boats from Mykonos Old Port; 15–30 minutes each way
Insider tip: Apollo's mythical birthplace — the ruins of an ancient city of 1,500 people. Boats leave the Old Port at 09:00, returning 13:30 or 14:30. About 4 hours; bring a hat and water.
2.Rhenia (with Delos)
Rhenia is Delos's completely uninhabited neighbour, and combining the two makes for one of the best full-day trips from Mykonos — a rare mix of profound history and barefoot beach bliss in a single outing. While Delos delivers the ancient ruins, Rhenia offers the reward: a string of utterly unspoilt white-sand beaches and coves with crystal-clear water, empty but for your boat, where you can swim, snorkel and simply soak up the solitude. Historically Rhenia served as the sacred 'island of birth and burial' for Delos (where neither was permitted) and later as Mykonos's cemetery, so old ruins and stone crosses still dot the landscape, adding a quiet, evocative atmosphere to the natural beauty. Most visitors come on an organised combo tour — around €60 per person including a barbecue lunch aboard, snorkel gear, two to three hours exploring Delos and two to three hours swimming and relaxing at Rhenia. The full-day trip (around eight hours) departs from Mykonos harbour, with a roughly 45-minute crossing. For travellers who want to pair one of the Aegean's greatest ancient sites with a day of pristine, crowd-free swimming, the Delos-and-Rhenia combo is an unforgettable, well-rounded escape.
Hours
Daytime boat trips, May–October
Price
~€60 combined Delos + Rhenia tour (lunch included)
Getting there
By boat from Mykonos harbour, usually as a Delos + Rhenia combo
Insider tip: Delos's completely uninhabited neighbour — usually combined with a Delos tour, with five unspoilt beaches and a barbecue lunch aboard. A full-day escape.
3.Tinos
Just an hour's ferry ride from Mykonos, Tinos is its quiet, deeply authentic neighbour and one of the most rewarding day trips in the Cyclades — a world away from the glamour and party scene, and all the more charming for it. Tinos is best known as Greece's most important pilgrimage island: the church of Panagia Evangelistria, home to a miraculous icon, draws Orthodox pilgrims from across the country, some of whom crawl the final stretch to the shrine on their knees. But there is far more to the island than its faith. Tinos is scattered with around forty beautiful, largely unspoilt mountain villages of whitewashed houses and ornate marble dovecotes, and it has a centuries-old marble-carving tradition that has produced some of Greece's finest sculptors — celebrated in an excellent museum. Add a strong local food and wine scene, quiet beaches and a landscape of terraced hillsides, and you have an island that rewards a full day of exploring by rented car. The ferry costs around €12 each way, leaving roughly six hours to explore. For travellers curious about the real, traditional Cyclades beneath the Mykonos gloss, Tinos is a revelation.
Hours
Daily ferries in season
Price
Ferry ~€12 each way
Getting there
Ferry from Mykonos to Tinos, about 1 hour
Insider tip: Greece's most important pilgrimage island — the Panagia Evangelistria church. Forty villages, marble sculpture and local winemaking. A 1-hour ferry, then about 6 hours on the island.
4.Naxos
Naxos, the largest and greenest island in the Cyclades, makes a wonderful — if long — day trip from Mykonos for travellers happy to spend time on the ferry in exchange for a completely different island experience. Where Mykonos is barren, chic and party-driven, Naxos is fertile, laid-back and authentic, with fruit orchards, olive groves and vineyards, dramatic mountains dotted with traditional villages, and some of the finest, longest golden-sand beaches in the whole archipelago (Plaka, Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios). Its signature landmark is the Portara, a colossal free-standing marble doorway from an unfinished 6th-century BC temple of Apollo, standing on an islet by the harbour and framing spectacular sunsets. The main town, Naxos Chora, has a charming labyrinth of lanes crowned by a Venetian castle, and the island produces its own excellent cheese and wine. The fast ferry takes around three hours each way (around €15), so realistically you get about five hours on the island — enough for the Portara, the town and a beach, though Naxos genuinely deserves longer. For a taste of a richer, more relaxed and more affordable side of Greek island life, it is well worth the journey.
Hours
Daily fast ferries in season
Price
Ferry ~€15 each way
Getting there
Fast ferry from Mykonos to Naxos, about 3 hours
Insider tip: The largest Cycladic island — fine beaches (Plaka, Agia Anna), the Portara marble gate of an unfinished Apollo temple, and mountain villages. A long day (3h there, 5h on the island, 3h back).
5.Paros
Paros is one of the most appealing and well-rounded islands in the Cyclades, and at around ninety minutes by ferry from Mykonos it makes an easy and rewarding full-day trip. It offers much of the classic Cycladic beauty — dazzling whitewashed towns, blue-domed churches, narrow flower-filled lanes and lovely beaches — but at a calmer, more relaxed and more affordable pitch than its famous neighbour. The two main towns are a study in contrasts: Parikia, the lively port capital, has a maze-like old town and a beautiful Byzantine church, while Naoussa, on the north coast, is a genuinely charming former fishing village whose picturesque little harbour, ringed by tavernas and cocktail bars beneath the ruins of a Venetian castle, has quietly become one of the chicest spots in the Cyclades. Around them lie excellent sandy beaches, good local food and wine, and the marble quarries that once supplied sculptors across the ancient world. The ferry costs around €12 each way, leaving roughly six hours ashore — enough to explore both towns and a beach. For a slower, prettier, more laid-back slice of island life within easy reach, Paros is a delightful escape from the Mykonos intensity.
Hours
Daily ferries in season
Price
Ferry ~€12 each way
Getting there
Ferry from Mykonos to Paros, about 1.5 hours
Insider tip: A charming island with the town of Parikia and the fishing village of Naoussa — calmer than Mykonos, with lovely beaches. A 1.5-hour ferry, then about 6 hours on the island.
6.Santorini
Santorini is the most spectacular and famous island in the Cyclades, and while it deserves far more than a day, a long day trip from Mykonos lets you experience its jaw-dropping scenery if your schedule won't allow an overnight stay. The island is the remnant of a colossal volcanic eruption, and its defining feature is the caldera: a vast, flooded crater ringed by sheer multicoloured cliffs, their rims crowned by dazzling white villages that spill down toward the sea. The highlights are the cliff-top towns of Fira and, above all, Oia, with its iconic blue-domed churches, cascading whitewashed houses and the world-famous sunset that draws crowds every evening. A typical trip is a big commitment — around twelve hours in total, with a roughly 2.5-hour fast catamaran crossing each way — usually as an organised day tour that handles the logistics, departing Mykonos in the morning and returning at night. It is a lot of travelling for the time ashore, but for many the chance to see Santorini's caldera and sunset makes it worthwhile. Book two weeks ahead in high season, and be prepared for an early start and a late finish — this is a bucket-list day, not a relaxing one.
Hours
Seasonal fast ferries / organised day tours
Price
Ferry from ~€70; organised day tours higher
Getting there
Fast catamaran from Mykonos to Santorini, about 2.5 hours
Insider tip: The classic Cyclades bucket-list island — timed for the Oia sunset. A full-day tour (about 12 hours), by catamaran from Mykonos in the morning, returning at night. Book two weeks ahead.