Hotel Semeli, Mykonos

A few more days and Mykonos Town will once again belong to the cats, who have already divided every square meter of the old town alleys among themselves. These are the last moments of a late summer that was extraordinary in every respect. Mykonos is known for its color spectacles at sunset and the endless nights in the best beach clubs of the Cyclades, but it is the end of October and the dancers and dreamers have long since returned home and are already counting the days until the next season. I myself get lost in the labyrinth of whitewashed alleys and let myself be enchanted by all the blue, red and green accents, which in their concentration and beauty make every photographer’s heart beat faster. 

#hotel

Right in the middle of the action is the 5-star Hotel Semeli, which is not only a perfect place to explore the city, but also a casual place to spend carefree vacations. The lobby and the restaurant are openly designed and look onto a sensational pool, which has been extended by a hot tub. In the background you can see the skyline of the city and the deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea, which, by the way, also applies to the rooms and suites, whose balconies offer a magnificent view of the surroundings. Travellers looking for wellness or sports activities will find a small gym and offers for treatments and massages. Connoisseurs and pool enthusiasts will enjoy a drink with good music and a relaxed lounge atmosphere. Basically, the Semeli Hotel is the essence of Mykonos, concentrated in a single place where Greek „savoir vivre“ has been stylized into an art form. 

#sightseeing

The magic of the old town should not be missed by anyone, as Mykonos Town is considered the most beautiful city in the Cyclades. So, let’s enter a labyrinth of noble boutiques, restaurants and cool bars as well as countless orthodox churches and windmills. The five remaining Kato Mili were once ten in number and are located on a small hill, making them probably the most famous photo motif on the island. 

There is an almost more beautiful example of this called Boni’s Windmill in the north of the city. Only a few meters from Kato Mili are the old fishermen’s houses of Little Venice, which find their brilliant conclusion in the Paraportiani Orthodox Church, which on a perfect sunny day gives off an almost unreal motif and rather reminds of a church in South America. So you stroll through the narrow streets and surrender to the romance of a place that, especially in October, has a magic of oblivion and origin. Again and again I discover new places and stores that completely enchant me and take me off the beaten track, such as a store crammed with church carvings that would make a veritable museum. Or you wander through the backdrops of beach clubs that have long since closed and look like a pop-up store for a summer of dancing. 

#food

It’s time for an exquisite dinner and the Semeli Hotel with the Thioni Restaurant is a real home for gourmet lovers and people who adore a cool location.

Here chef Ioannis Parikos conjures up such wonderful things as crispy zucchinis on Greek yoghurt or sea bass with pea cream and bottarga. The finale is a chocolate soufflé on mango sorbet, which leaves a lasting impression on my taste buds. This outstanding dinner is rounded off with Greek wines from the region.

#atmosphere

Mykonos in autumn is a destination for true romantics who want to enjoy the warming rays of the setting sun for a last time, away from the pulsating summer nights. The old part of town is an absolute highlight for photographers and not only reserved for tourists, because the small houses and terraces are, differently than in Santorini for example, actually inhabited and one feels the life and warmth in them. 

For the last time I let myself drift through the labyrinth of alleys and look behind every street corner into the sparkling eyes of the countless cats, who will soon be allowed to call this place their own again. At some point I stand blissfully enchanted in the center of this total work of art, in front of the unique Hotel Semeli.

This article was written at the invitation of Hotel Semeli on Mykonos.