Mykonos has a reputation as a party island, but its most rewarding experiences are on the water - either sailing to the UNESCO-listed ruins of Delos, bouncing between its protected coves by boat, or watching the sunset from a catamaran looking back at the windmills. Here are the tours worth booking, with specific GYG product links and honest assessments of price and quality. All prices are approximate as of 2026.
Top Tours at a Glance
| Tour | Duration | Price (from) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delos Guided Tour from Mykonos Cruise Port | 4-5 hrs | from approx. €55 | Culture seekers, first-timers |
| Delos and Rhenia Islands Cruise with BBQ Meal | 6 hrs | from approx. €85 | Families, adventure seekers |
| Yacht Cruise to Rhenia and Guided Tour of Delos | 5 hrs | from approx. €95 | Solo travellers, luxury |
| Mykonos: Guided Highlights Tour | 3-4 hrs | from approx. €40 | Families, first-timers |
| Mykonos Walking Tour | 2 hrs | from approx. €25 | Budget travellers, solo |
| Mykonos: Farm, Ano Mera Village and Beaches Guided Tour | 4 hrs | from approx. €50 | Culture seekers, families |
| Catamaran Cruise with Lunch, Drinks and Transfer | 5 hrs | from approx. €110 | Luxury travellers, couples |
| Catamaran Cruise with 3-Course Meal and Transfers | 6 hrs | from approx. €120 | Luxury travellers |
| Delos and Rhenia Boat Tour from Mykonos | 4 hrs | from approx. €45 | Budget travellers |
Browse all Mykonos tours on GetYourGuide
For Families and First-Timers
Families visiting Mykonos for the first time are often unsure whether to prioritise the beach club scene or the archaeological heritage. The honest answer is: Delos first. The ruins are among the most significant in the entire Aegean, they take 2-3 hours to explore properly, and once done, the rest of the stay can focus entirely on beaches and water. The Delos and Rhenia combination tour handles both in a single day.
Delos and Rhenia Islands Cruise with BBQ Meal
This 6-hour boat trip from Mykonos Old Port visits the archaeological site of Delos with guided commentary, then sails to the uninhabited island of Rhenia for a swim stop and a BBQ lunch on deck. The Delos visit covers the Terrace of the Lions (five surviving marble lions from the original 16, dating to around 600 BCE), the House of Dionysus floor mosaic, and the Sacred Lake. The guide makes a significant difference here: the site layout is complex and English-language plaques are sparse. After Delos, the Rhenia swim in clear water with lunch on board makes for a genuinely complete family day without the logistics of multiple separate bookings. From approximately €85 per person as of 2026.
Difficulty: Moderate at Delos (large site, uneven terrain, 2km of walking in exposed heat). Easy on the boat. Bring hats and water. Best time: 9am departure to avoid afternoon heat on the archaeological site. Site is open 8am-8pm in summer.
For Solo Travellers and Culture Seekers
Delos as an archaeological site is frequently missed by visitors to Mykonos who focus on the beach clubs. This is a significant oversight. The island was the sacred birthplace of Apollo and Artemis according to Greek mythology, and once one of the wealthiest trading cities in the Aegean - its ruins span Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods across an island that is now entirely uninhabited. A guided tour contextualises what you are seeing rather than leaving you wandering past labelled stones.
Delos Guided Tour from Mykonos Cruise Port
This focused guided tour departs from Mykonos New Port and covers the Delos archaeological site with a licensed guide for the full visit. Solo travellers get the benefit of group interpretation without the social pressure of a beach-party context. The guide covers the Sanctuary of Apollo (the religious and political centre of the Delian League), the Agora of the Competaliasts (Roman traders who built their own market square here in the 2nd century BCE), and the Theatre Quarter with its extraordinary private houses. The mosaic floors of the House of the Masks and the House of Dionysus are among the finest surviving examples of Hellenistic domestic art anywhere in Greece. From approximately €55 per person as of 2026.
Yacht Cruise to Rhenia and Guided Tour of Delos
For solo travellers who want both cultural depth and a quality sailing experience, this small yacht tour combines a guided Delos visit with a swim at the secluded cove off Rhenia. The yacht format carries fewer passengers than the standard boat cruise, which means the guide-to-passenger ratio is better and the Rhenia swim stop is genuinely uncrowded. Meal and drinks are included. From approximately €95 per person.
Duration: 4-6 hours depending on option. Difficulty: Moderate at Delos, easy on the water. Best time: 9am departure.
For Budget Travellers
Budget travellers should note that Delos independently is straightforward and genuinely affordable. The official ferry from Mykonos Old Port runs approximately €22 return; site entry is approximately €12 (combined museum ticket approximately €18). Going independently lets you set your own pace through the site and spend longer on the sections that interest you most.
Delos and Rhenia Boat Tour from Mykonos
For those who want a structured option at a lower price point, this 4-hour combined Delos and Rhenia tour provides the ferry, basic site orientation, and a Rhenia swim stop without the premium pricing of the full guided yacht tours. It is less interpretively rich than the licensed guide options above, but it covers the key monuments and gets you in the water on the same day. From approximately €45 per person as of 2026. Worth considering for budget travellers who have done background reading before arriving.
For Adventure Seekers
Beach hopping by boat accesses Mykonos beaches that are genuinely difficult to reach by land - Agrari, Elia, Kapari, and the twin coves of Merchia are all better approached from the water than by the road network. The reward is swimming in less crowded water at beaches the day-tripper buses do not service.
Delos and Rhenia Islands Cruise with BBQ Meal
Beyond the Delos visit, the sailing leg to Rhenia passes the western coast of Mykonos and the outer caldera-facing sea - a perspective that reveals the island’s geography in a way that walking Chora does not. The swim stop at Rhenia is in water with excellent clarity. Snorkelling gear is available on most operators running this route. From approximately €85 per person.
Local speedboat and motorboat charter operators at the Old Port can arrange half-day private beach-hopping from approximately €250-350 for a 4-6 person boat with skipper. This is competitive for groups of 4+ and allows complete flexibility on beach selection.
Duration: 4-6 hours. Difficulty: Easy (swimming optional). Best season: June-September. Water temperature peaks at 26°C in August.
For Luxury Travellers
Luxury catamaran cruises from Mykonos justify their premium through smaller groups, higher food quality, and a sailing experience that feels personal rather than transactional. The difference between sharing a boat with 40 passengers and sailing with 12 on a well-crewed yacht is significant on a day trip.
Catamaran Cruise with Lunch, Drinks and Transfer
This luxury small-group catamaran cruise is a half-day sailing adventure to Delos and Rhenia with beach relaxation, snorkelling in clear water, and a traditional Greek lunch with homemade wine on deck. The small group cap means the crew can manage the sailing, the snorkelling stops, and the meal without the chaos that afflicts larger boat tours at peak times. Hotel transfers are included. From approximately €110 per person as of 2026. An excellent choice for couples or pairs of friends who want the Aegean sailing experience without compromising on comfort.
Catamaran Cruise with 3-Course Meal and Transfers
This premium catamaran - operated on a modern vessel with dedicated sunbeds and lounge areas - provides a 3-course meal as the centerpiece of the day rather than an afterthought. The route covers the southern coast of Mykonos and the Delos-Rhenia channel with swimming stops. From approximately €120 per person. Best for those who treat the sailing day as the main event of their Mykonos visit.
Duration: 5-6 hours. Difficulty: Easy. Best season: May-October. The Meltemi winds in August can cancel some afternoon tours - check conditions 24 hours ahead.
For Families and First-Timers: Island Highlights Tours
Families arriving in Mykonos for the first time often want to cover the iconic sights — the windmills, Little Venice, Chora’s lanes — before committing a full day to the Delos archaeological site. The island’s guided highlights tours deliver this orientation efficiently.
Mykonos: Guided Highlights Tour
This 3-4 hour half-day tour covers Mykonos Town’s most visually distinctive points: the five windmills at Kato Mili (which ground grain from the 16th century until the mid-20th century), the Little Venice waterfront with its balconied buildings overhanging the sea, the maze of Chora’s whitewashed lanes, and the harbour area. The format is fast enough to hold the attention of younger travellers without sacrificing the key sights. For first-time families who want orientation before spending the rest of the trip at the beach, this half-day tour is the most efficient starting point. From approximately €40 per person as of 2026.
Mykonos: Farm, Ano Mera Village and Beaches Guided Tour
For families who want a more authentic glimpse of island life beyond the beach clubs, this half-day tour visits a traditional family farm and the village of Ano Mera — the island’s second settlement, centred on the 16th-century Panagia Tourliani Monastery, which most visitors to Mykonos never reach. The farm visit includes tastings of local produce; the Ano Mera section shows the island as it existed before it became a nightlife destination. From approximately €50 per person. A good choice for families with children who want engagement and variety rather than a pure walking tour.
Mykonos Town Walking Tours
Mykonos Town (Chora) is genuinely disorienting — the narrow alleyways were designed to confuse pirates, and they will confuse you too without orientation.
Mykonos Walking Tour
This 2-hour guided walk covers the history of the labyrinthine layout, the Panagia Paraportiani church (an accretion of five chapels built over 200 years, each from a different period and each slightly different in style), Little Venice, the windmills, and the neighbourhoods where locals actually live away from the tourist strip. From approximately €25 per person. At this price point it is the best-value starting point for budget travellers and solo visitors who want orientation before exploring independently. Departs from the main jetty; advance booking recommended in July and August when morning slots fill by 10am.
Booking Tips
Book Delos ferries and guided tours in advance in July and August - the site has daily visitor caps and early slots sell first. Catamaran cruises should be reserved 3-4 days ahead in peak season. Beach boat tours and walking tours can often be arranged with 24 hours’ notice. If you are in Mykonos for more than 3 days, the optimal combination is: Delos one morning, beach hopping one afternoon, sunset cruise another evening.
Getting to Mykonos from Athens: Ferries to Mykonos depart from Piraeus Port, Gate E9 (reached by metro Line 1 to Piraeus station, then a 15-minute walk or taxi across the port). Fast ferries (SeaJets, Golden Star Ferries) take approximately 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes from approximately €50 one way. Conventional ferries take 4–5 hours from approximately €25–35 deck class. In July and August, book ferry tickets at least one week ahead - the Mykonos crossing is one of the busiest routes in the Aegean and fast-ferry morning slots sell out. Ferryhopper.com and Directferries.co.uk compare all operators and departure times. Note that fast ferries are more susceptible to cancellation during the Meltemi winds (peak July–August); check conditions 24 hours ahead if sailing in summer.
For same-day options, check our last-minute tours page for current availability in Mykonos and the Cyclades.
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See Also
- Mykonos Travel Guide - island overview with where to stay, nightlife, and getting there
- Things to Do in Mykonos - Little Venice, windmills, Delos, and the beaches
- Best Beaches in Mykonos - Paradise, Super Paradise, Elia, Ornos, and Psarou
- Restaurants in Mykonos - where to eat well without overpaying on the island
- Delos History Guide - the sacred island of Apollo accessible by boat from Mykonos
- Santorini vs Mykonos - choosing between the two most visited Cycladic islands
- Where to Stay in Mykonos - best areas and accommodation by budget